“Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?”
The full verse · Luke 14:3 · KJV
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Asked by
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, eating on the sabbath in the house of "one of the chief Pharisees" (Luke 14:1)
Asked to
Expert in the Law: the "lawyers," scholars and teachers of the law of Moses, present at the meal (Luke 14:3); Pharisees: members of a strict religious party who "watched him" at the sabbath meal (Luke 14:1)
The Scene
On a sabbath, Jesus is eating in the house of a leading Pharisee, the guests are watching Him closely, and a man with dropsy is in front of Him (Luke 14:1-2).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus asked this question before anyone else could raise it. Luke says "Jesus answering spake" (Luke 14:3), even though no one had spoken aloud. Barnes explains that "answering" here means taking up the case that was present; Gill adds that Jesus knew "the thoughts of their hearts, and made answer to them" as "they watched him" (Luke 14:1). Gill says they watched "with a design to observe whatever might be said, or done by him, they could take any advantage from, against him." Barnes notes the sick man "might have been placed there by the Pharisees to see whether he would heal him." By asking first, Jesus gave His critics the chance to state their view before He acted; Gill says He was "desirous of having their sentiments first." As Barnes puts it, "when it was asked, they could not say that it was not lawful."
The Response
What Scripture records"And they held their peace" (Luke 14:4). The lawyers and Pharisees gave no answer. Jesus then "took him, and healed him, and let him go" (Luke 14:4). He followed with a second question about an ass or an ox fallen into a pit (Luke 14:5), and "they could not answer him again to these things" (Luke 14:6).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsLuke's word for "lawyers" is nomikos, which Thayer defines as "one learned in the law," in the New Testament "an interpreter and teacher of the Mosaic law." Gill notes that "All the Oriental versions, for 'lawyers', read 'Scribes'." Barnes describes the host as one of the Pharisees who were "rulers," members of the great council, the Sanhedrin.
Dropsy was a swelling caused by fluid building up in the body. Barnes calls it "very distressing, and commonly incurable." Gill notes that Jewish tradition itself allowed healing on the sabbath when life was in danger.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyJesus did not wait for the sick man to ask. Matthew Henry observes that "before he called he answered him." The question shows a Lord who sees both the hidden motives in the room and the quiet need in front of Him, and who will not let suspicion keep Him from doing good. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says He "would not be hindered from healing a man, though he knew a clamour would be raised."
This is one of several sabbath healings in Luke (Luke 6:6-10; Luke 13:10-17). Each time, Jesus presses the same point: doing good to a suffering person on the sabbath is right (Luke 6:9; Luke 13:16).
Look Closer
What were the guests doing before Jesus asked?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, You saw the man everyone else was using as a test; who near me have I been watching instead of seeing, and how would You have me do them good?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- The guests were more interested in catching Jesus than in helping the sick man. What can make us more focused on being right than on meeting a real need?
- Tell about a time someone showed you kindness when it would have been easier or safer for them not to.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Rules exist to serve good ends. When keeping a rule would mean refusing to help someone in real need, Jesus' question invites you to ask what the rule was given for. He showed that doing good to a suffering person on the sabbath is right (Luke 14:5).
Notice too that Jesus acted even while being watched by critics. You may be tempted to hold back from doing good because others might misjudge you. Jesus did good even while His critics watched.
This does not mean every tradition or command can be dropped when it is inconvenient. Jesus' point was about mercy to a suffering person, not about convenience. Ask honestly whether you are choosing mercy or simply choosing your own way.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?”
“Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it?”
“And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?”