Stretch out your hand

Now it happened that he went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went his disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" But he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

And he entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched him closely, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

- Mark 2:23-3:6

In today's reading, Jesus continues to expand his teaching, and to expand the concepts of the Law - which he is in the world not to abolish but to fulfill. In our own Christian tradition, it is important to understand this notion: we build on what has come first, expanding our understanding and growing with tradition. This whole embrace is part of the fullness of the Church and the communion of its saints, its full Body.

We begin with the story of the disciples in the fields of grain (the cornfields). Now it happened that he went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went his disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" Plucking the grain isn't lawful because it is considered work, which is not allowed on the Sabbath, the day of rest. My study bible has a note: "Rules for religious practice are not bad in themselves, but when adherence to those rules triumphs over mercy and human need, the practice leads people away from God, not toward Him." But he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" Jesus sets out for his critics the example of King David, and the high priest. David and his men were starving. Abiathar was the high priest during David's reign; Abiathar's father, Ahimelech, provided David and his men with holy bread intended for priests only. And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath. My study bible points out that in rabbinical literature, there is a similar saying, "The Sabbath has been given unto you; you have not been given unto the Sabbath." But Jesus expands the teaching and takes it a step further. Just as in yesterday's passage, when he referred to himself as Bridegroom - with its clear messianic evocation - so he does today in an even bolder step. He refers to himself as Son of Man, invoking not only the essence of the rabbinical teaching, but also his own authority over the Sabbath.

And he entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched him closely, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. Continuing on the theme of work on the sabbath day of rest, Jesus finds a man with a withered hand. Ironically, this man cannot work - at least not with the hand that will not function. Jesus will restore him to capacity. To save a life on the Sabbath was a legal exception to the rule - to heal if a person's life was in danger. In this case, the man with the withered hand is not in danger of dying. And when he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. "The hardness of their hearts" teaches us that Jesus is motivated by compassion, and he's grieved to find this missing in the religious teachers. We also understand this phrase, "hardness of heart," is used to denote those who cannot hear the "word" in their hearts, who are without spiritual eyes and ears. What is the point of worshiping a God of love, unless it is for restoration of humanity? Again, the divine physician is our example, as in yesterday's reading. Jesus' restoration of the one hand, "as whole as the other" is to me an act of balancing. What was out of balance is now restored to harmony and balance. Ironically, the man is now capable of good work with good hands fit for work. In this context, we are to understand that all worthy work is that which serves God. And this is the criterion for what is good to do on a Sabbath. Zeal for the rigid performance of tradition must not eclipse our understanding of the aim of worship, which is to be in harmony with the goals of the Creator in the first place. Outward performance is not more important than doing good. My study bible notes: "The two perspectives are incompatible." Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. So, there is a clear break, already at the beginning of chapter three of Mark's gospel, with the religious and "secular" parties. The Herodians allied with the Pharisees make a clear allusion also to the enemies of John the Baptist, as it was Herod who had him beheaded. The incompatibility of the two perspectives, as stated in the note in my study bible, is perhaps a great insight into the nature of the conflict, which will show itself through all the events of the gospels, and is something we must consider and keep in mind for ourselves today.

Through the gospels, I find the thread of division between those who seek "the praise of men," pay great attention to appearance, and in so doing, seek to shore up their own authority - and on the other hand, the works that are of God, that fulfill compassion, or honor something beyond the outward works of man - to be entirely consistent and pervasive. There is a line that is drawn at some point, people must make a choice. Sometimes it's hard to see where this line is drawn. People can possess zeal for the greatest public projects of charity, but that also can be merely an outward show in pursuit of the "praise of men." Money gathered by cheating others can be lavishly spent in a show of great piety or charity. In the end, love is something we pursue in our heart, in relation to Creator. We recall the story of the poor widow, who gave all she had to the treasury of the temple. We really should not confuse "great works" with what Jesus emphasizes here as an act of true compassion. We are called to love, and that comes in so many forms, even those that may cause offense and are seemingly out of place, violating cherished rules of conduct meant for the greater good. A startling idea, in the midst of our lives. Yet, Jesus teaches us that we must always be prepared for the startling news to come crashing in on our way of life, our assumptions, our vision. Where does love show its face in startling ways to you, which we may struggle to realize? It calls us to discard our expectations and assumptions, which we surrender to the God of love. In this context we are also to understand that love, and that which draws us or others closer to God the source of love, are inseparable. When they become separate is when we need to examine what we practice - in pursuit of one or the other.