Luke 6:9
Jesus did not shy away from conflict. He faced His detractors head on. Giving them a challenge to chew on, He steps into the fray with a piece of logic that betrays the love of the God of Jonah. Just as with the Ninevites so many years before, Jesus would show mercy on this day.
The question here asked by Christ is of course intended to show up the great callousness of human religiosity. Being fixated on the letter of the law, the Jews had built up an artificial wall to reinforce it. But, being far from the One who wrote the law, they were devoid of the Spirit and missed the point.
Look closely at the question we see here. Is is lawful to save or destroy? Please realize that Jesus is questioning what is allowable for humankind. What standard does the law establish? And, Jesus is talking about just one day of the week. He could just as well heal the man the next day. So He means to say that it is not lawful for humanity to allow a fellow member of the human race to suffer for even one day, not even if it is the Sabbath.
Of course, we are not as Christ in this matter. He could heal anyone at any time anywhere. For Him there is another standard to follow, a higher standard than the law even. This He reports on several occasions as the ‘will of the Father’ and it is by this that He lived out His time on this earth. This kept Him from at that very moment healing everyone everywhere in every time for all time. But yet, that is what He came to do. He came to make that healing possible, not just physically, but spiritually. It is by the will of the Father that this blessing is applied. And though there will be ‘few that find it’ we are told that “today is the day of salvation”, even of today is the Sabbath.
Heavenly Father, it is by Your will that all of this is possible, and by Your will that it is governed. I do not have the wisdom or understanding to know the times and seasons in every detail and particular. But, it is in Christ, Your dear Son, that I understand the power of Your love. Even one day of suffering on the part of a withered hand is noteworthy to You. You have cataloged every cell and known the pains of each. You are more in tune with our suffering that are we ourselves. I will give You the praise, for Your way is the right way. You know what we need, and You can make life, even out of death. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.