3. A TRAP SET FOR JESUS (Mark.3:1-6)
BACKGROUND: The first dispute over Sabbath between Jesus and his opponents is described in
Mark.2:23-28. This is the second one. Keeping the Sabbath in the smallest details was according to the Pharisees the condition both for the Messiah's coming and for a person's salvation.
- How would a withered hand affect the everyday life of this man? (His work, his finances, his family, his relationship with God? What work would be available at that time for a man who could only use one hand?)
- From verse 5 we understand that the hand of this man was originally normal. What do you think this man went through when his hand withered, possibly due to an accident?
- What impression do you get about the character of this man through this
text?
- What was the atmosphere like in the synagogue that morning?
- We can infer from the text that the man didn't come to the synagogue to be healed. What did he come for?
- Why didn't this man ask Jesus for help?
- Compare the motives of this man and the Pharisees in coming to the synagogue that
Sabbath.
- Why didn't the Pharisees accuse Jesus by saying to his face what they thought was wrong with him?
- What did the Pharisees think about the man whose hand was withered?
- Why did Jesus ask the man to stand up in front of everybody instead of healing him right where he was?
- Do you think the man would have stood up at just any person's request?
- In verse 4 Jesus cleverly shows his own intentions and those of his opponents. What does Jesus mean here by such b expressions as "to save life or to kill"? (How would the behavior of the Pharisees have killed this man? How did Jesus save his
life?)
- The gospels very seldom mention Jesus' anger. Why was Jesus both angry and sad in this situation (vs.5)?
- As the man told the muscles of his hand to stretch out, what was he believing about Jesus?
- What similar step of faith does Jesus expect from you today?
- What was it in the words and deeds of Jesus that angered the Pharisees so much that they started to plan murdering him?
- What was wrong with the Pharisees? faith in God, as shown in this
incident?
- Why was healing this man so important to Jesus that he put his own life at risk (vs.4)?
- Why, though he only helped and saved people (verse 4), was Jesus killed?
GLAD TIDINGS: The concept of the Sabbath as taught by Jesus differed greatly from the
Pharisees' teaching. For the Pharisees it meant the law that human beings have to fulfill in order to be saved. For Jesus it was a type (picture) of the Gospel
- the rest that God will give to those who believe in the forgiveness of their sins (Hebrews 4:9-10).
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