Mark 3:2
in Mark 3In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
KJV
And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
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This verse in Mark 3
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(in Marc. i. 14) For, since He had defended the breaking of the sabbath, which they objected to His disciples, by an approved example, now they wish, by watching Him, to calumniate Himself, that they might accuse Him of a transgression, if He cured on the sabbath, of cruelty or of folly, if He refused. It goes on: And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand in the midst.
This site's exposition
a man with a withered hand was there
on Mark 3:1-2
The watchers came to build a case, In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. The Sabbath dispute of 2:23-28 continues here, with healing now the ground in question.
This site's exposition
they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath
Adam Clarke notes that the Greek verb means they watched Him with ill intent. Luke 14:1 uses it the same way. Ryle observes that Jesus kept doing good in the sight of enemies as well as friends, an example for His followers.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
On the occasion of the Jews accusing the disciples for plucking ears of grain on the Sabbath, the Lord had already shut the mouths of the accusers with the example of David, and in order to instruct them even more now, He works a miracle, …
After confounding the Jews, who had blamed His disciples, for pulling the ears of corn on the sabbath day, by the example of David, the Lord now further bringing them to the truth, works a miracle on the sabbath; showing that, if it is a pious deed to work miracles on the sabbath for the health of men, it is not wrong to do on the sabbath things necessary for the body: he says therefore, And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath-day; that they might accuse him.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they watched him,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
These verses show us our Lord again working a miracle. He heals a man in the synagogue, "who had a withered hand." Always about His Father's business — always doing good — doing it in the sight of enemies as well as of friends — such was the daily tenor of our Lord's earthly ministry. And He "left us an example that we should follow His steps." (1 Peter 2:21.) Blessed indeed are those Christians who strive, however feebly, to imitate their Master! Let us observe in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was watched by His enemies .
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses show us our Lord again working a miracle. He heals a man in the synagogue, "who had a withered hand." Always about His Father's business — always doing good — doing it in the sight of enemies as well as of friends — such was the daily tenor of our Lord's earthly ministry. And He "left us an example that we should follow His steps." (1 Peter 2:21.) Blessed indeed are those Christians who strive, however feebly, to imitate their Master! Let us observe in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was watched by His enemies . We read that "they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse Him." What a melancholy proof we have here of the wickedness of human nature! It was the Sabbath day, when these things happened. It was in the synagogue, where men were assembled to hear the word and worship God. Yet even on the day of God, and at the time of worshiping God, these wretched formalists were plotting mischief against our Lord. The very men who pretended to such strictness and, sanctity in little things, were full of malicious and angry thoughts in the midst of the congregation. (Prov. 5:14.) Christ's people must not expect to fare better than their Master. They are always watched by an ill-natured and spiteful world. Their conduct is scanned with a keen and jealous eye. Their ways are noted and diligently observed. They are marked men. They can do nothing without the world's noticing it. Their dress, their expenditure, their employment of time, their conduct in all the relations of life, are all rigidly and closely marked. Their adversaries wait for their halting, and if at any time they fall into an error, the ungodly rejoice. It is good for all Christians to keep this before their minds. Wherever we go, and whatever we do, let us remember that, like our Master, we are "watched."
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They watched him - Παρετηρουν αυτον, they maliciously watched him. See on Luk 14:1 (note).
How the passage was read
On Mark 3:1-6On Mark 3:1-6
A healing that fits no category of work
The tradition held, and holds, that danger to life overrides the Sabbath: “uncertainty concerning a life-threatening situation overrides Shabbat” (Mishnah Yoma 8:6, the principle called pikuach nefesh, “saving a life”). The watchers in the synagogue are not monsters; they stand on a real distinction. A withered hand is chronic, not mortal: on their categories it can wait until sundown. Jesus refuses the wait: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?”
Notice the halakhic edge the scene itself sharpens: Jesus heals by a word. He performs no act that any category of forbidden labor can name; no kneading, no carrying, no burden. His accusers watch a man stretch out his own hand and are left with nothing to charge but the goodness of the deed and the authority of the doer. That the Pharisees then take counsel “with the Herodians,” the party of Herod Antipas they otherwise had little in common with, shows how far the offense reached beyond law.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Yoma 8:6 (danger to life overrides the Sabbath)
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παρετήρουν | pareteroun | they were watching | G3906 → | |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰ | ei | whether | G1487 → | 508 times |
| τοῖς | tois | on the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σάββασιν | sabbasin | Sabbaths | G4521 → | 68 times |
| θεραπεύσει | therapeusei | He will heal | G2323 → | 43 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἵνα | ina | in order that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| κατηγορήσωσιν | kategoresosin | they may accuse | G2723 → | 22 times |
| αὐτοῦ. | autou | Him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παρετήρουνthey were watching
pareterounG3906 →
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰwhether
eiG1487 →508 times
τοῖςon the
toisG3588 →19766 times
σάββασινSabbaths
sabbasinG4521 →68 times
θεραπεύσειHe will heal
therapeuseiG2323 →43 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἵναin order that
inaG2443 →668 times
κατηγορήσωσινthey may accuse
kategoresosinG2723 →22 times
αὐτοῦ.Him.
autouG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 6:7Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
it leads to
- Luke 20:20
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Luke 20:20
Through
Luke 20:20So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of…
it leads to
- Luke 11:54
waiting to catch Him in something He might say.
- Matthew 22:15–22
Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.
- Psalms 81:15
Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.
- Luke 11:54
Through
Luke 14:1One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.
it leads to
- Psalms 64:5–6
They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.
- Proverbs 23:7
for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
- Psalms 41:6
My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.
- Luke 6:7
Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
- Psalms 64:5–6
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.