LUKE 6:6–11
HEALING OF THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND ON THE SABBATH
BRIEF INTERPRETATION
Text – Luke 6:6–11
6 On another sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
8 But he knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there.
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
10 Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored.
11 But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
Historical and Jewish Context
The synagogue was the center of Jewish worship and instruction, especially on the Sabbath. Healing on the Sabbath was considered unlawful by strict Pharisaic interpretation, as it was categorized as “work.” A withered hand would have rendered the man partially disabled, excluded from full participation in community life. The tension between Jesus and the religious authorities escalates here as He openly challenges their interpretation of the Law by emphasizing the Sabbath’s original purpose: to do good and bring life, not to enforce legalism.
Catholic Theological Perspective
Jesus reveals that acts of mercy fulfill, rather than violate, the purpose of the Sabbath (CCC 2173). His healing action manifests God’s will to restore wholeness and life. The conflict with the Pharisees reflects the broader resistance to the New Covenant. Jesus’ question—“Is it lawful to do good…?”—shifts the focus from legal observance to moral responsibility. This anticipates the Church’s social teaching: that love and mercy are at the heart of God’s law (CCC 2820, 2447). The healing also prefigures the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick, which restore and heal.
Parallels in Scripture
Deuteronomy 5:12–15 – Sabbath command with emphasis on liberation
Isaiah 58:6 – True fasting (and Sabbath) involves setting the oppressed free
Matthew 12:9–14 – Parallel healing and growing opposition
Mark 3:1–6 – Similar conflict over Sabbath healing
John 5:16–18 – Jesus’ work on the Sabbath intensifies persecution
Key Terms
Withered Hand – Symbol of human weakness and need for restoration
Sabbath – A day set apart for worship, rest, and mercy
Do Good or Do Evil – Jesus reframes the law through a moral lens
Restoration – A sign of God’s Kingdom breaking into human brokenness
Accuse – The beginning of the plot against Jesus, rooted in legalism
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This passage is read during Ordinary Time and reflects the tension between the old and new covenants. It calls the faithful to examine how they live out the Lord’s Day—not merely by rest, but by acts of mercy. It also reinforces that Jesus’ mission is one of healing and liberation, which continues in the life of the Church.
Conclusion
Jesus reveals that the heart of God’s law is mercy. His bold healing on the Sabbath teaches that doing good transcends legal rigidity. While the Pharisees focus on law-breaking, Jesus focuses on life-giving. True fidelity to God’s law means loving in action.
Reflection
Do I place mercy above legalism in my faith practice?
How do I use the Lord’s Day—as a time for love, service, and renewal?
Am I willing to let Jesus restore what is withered or broken in me?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You healed on the Sabbath to show that love fulfills the law. Heal what is withered in my heart—fear, indifference, pride. Teach me to honor Your day by doing good and by resting in Your love. Amen.
DETAILED INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
Luke 6:6–11 recounts another Sabbath encounter that reveals the true meaning of God’s law. Jesus enters the synagogue, the heart of Jewish religious life, where a man with a withered right hand is present. In first-century Judaism, healing on the Sabbath was permitted only if a life was in danger. The scribes and Pharisees closely watch Jesus, not to learn from Him, but to find grounds for accusation. This setting exposes a tension between legal interpretation and God’s original intent for the Sabbath.
Historically, Jesus confronts this tension directly by posing a question rooted in Jewish ethical teaching: is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to destroy it? His act of healing is not hidden or impulsive; it is deliberate and public. By restoring the man’s hand, Jesus reveals that the Sabbath is fulfilled not by inaction, but by acts of mercy that reflect God’s creative and restoring love. The reaction of the authorities—anger and plotting—shows how hardened hearts resist truth even when confronted by compassion.
Lk 6:6 — “On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.”
This verse introduces a new Sabbath encounter that will further reveal the meaning of Jesus’ authority and mercy. Luke carefully sets the scene: Jesus is in the synagogue, the heart of communal worship and teaching, and He is teaching—acting openly, not provocatively. The presence of the man with a withered right hand introduces human suffering into a setting governed by law and observance.
The detail of the right hand is significant. It was essential for work, dignity, and social participation. A withered hand meant not only physical impairment but economic hardship and social limitation. Luke places this man silently before the reader, preparing for a confrontation between rigid legalism and life-giving compassion. The Sabbath question now moves from hunger to healing.
Historical and Jewish Context
The synagogue was a place of Scripture reading, teaching, and communal prayer.
Healing on the Sabbath was debated; non-emergency healing was often considered unlawful.
A withered hand implied long-term disability rather than immediate danger, intensifying the legal tension.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse shows Jesus bringing God’s word directly into contact with human suffering. The Church teaches that Christ’s teaching and healing are inseparable expressions of God’s saving will (cf. CCC 1503).
Spiritually, the withered hand symbolizes human inability—areas of life rendered unfruitful. Christ enters precisely such spaces, not to condemn, but to restore.
Key Terms
Synagogue — place of teaching and encounter
Sabbath — moment of testing mercy
Withered hand — human limitation and loss of dignity
Conclusion
Lk 6:6 prepares the reader for a decisive revelation: God’s law, rightly understood, confronts suffering not with delay but with compassion. The Sabbath becomes the setting for restoration.
Reflection
What areas of my life feel “withered” or unproductive? Do I allow Christ to bring healing into those spaces, even when change challenges my expectations?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You enter our places of worship and our places of weakness. Teach me to welcome Your healing word into every area of my life, and to trust that Your mercy restores what is withered and broken. Amen.
Lk 6:7 — “The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.”
This verse exposes the growing hostility beneath the surface of religious observance. The scribes and Pharisees are no longer questioning or debating; they are watching closely. Their attention is not directed toward the suffering man, but toward Jesus. What should have been a moment of compassion becomes an occasion for surveillance and accusation.
Luke reveals the tragic irony of the scene. On the Sabbath—a day meant for rest, healing, and delight in God—the religious leaders look not for mercy but for evidence. Their concern is not whether the man will be restored, but whether Jesus can be condemned. The law, meant to guide toward life, is turned into a tool for judgment.
Historical and Jewish Context
Public healing on the Sabbath was widely debated, especially when the condition was not life-threatening.
Scribes and Pharisees saw themselves as guardians of correct interpretation of the Law.
Accusation required witnesses; careful observation served a legal purpose.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse illustrates how religious zeal can become distorted when separated from love. The Church teaches that conscience and law must be guided by charity; otherwise, they become oppressive (cf. CCC 1950, 2067).
Spiritually, the verse warns against hearts that observe God’s work only to control or criticize it. Faith that watches without love becomes resistant to grace.
Key Terms
Watched closely — surveillance without compassion
Cure on the sabbath — test of mercy versus legalism
Accuse — misuse of law against love
Conclusion
Lk 6:7 reveals a turning point where opposition hardens into intent. The Sabbath becomes the stage not only for healing, but for exposing hearts resistant to mercy.
Reflection
Do I ever “watch” others with a critical spirit rather than a compassionate one? How can I allow God’s mercy to reshape how I judge and respond to others?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, cleanse my heart from suspicion and judgment. Teach me to see suffering before rules, people before accusations, and mercy before condemnation, so that I may reflect Your love more faithfully. Amen.
Lk 6:8 — “But he knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Come up and stand before us.’ And he rose and stood there.”
This verse reveals Jesus’ sovereign clarity and deliberate courage. Fully aware of the hostile intentions around Him, Jesus does not avoid confrontation or act secretly. Instead, He calls the suffering man into the center. The healing that follows will be public, unmistakable, and instructive. Mercy will not hide.
By commanding the man to stand before us, Jesus restores dignity even before restoring the hand. The man is no longer invisible or marginal. Obedience precedes healing; trust opens the way for grace. The man rises and stands—an act of faith in the presence of scrutiny and tension.
Historical and Jewish Context
Public teaching often involved bringing an example forward for instruction.
Standing in the assembly signified attention, accountability, and dignity.
Jesus’ action forces witnesses to confront the human cost of legal rigidity.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse shows Christ as the one who reads hearts and acts with fearless mercy. The Church teaches that Jesus knows the inner thoughts of all and invites humanity into the light for healing and truth (cf. CCC 473).
Spiritually, the man’s obedience mirrors the believer’s call to step into Christ’s presence with trust, even when exposed or vulnerable.
Key Terms
Knew their thoughts — divine insight
Stand before us — dignity restored publicly
He rose — faith responding to command
Conclusion
Lk 6:8 proclaims that Jesus brings suffering into the light, not for humiliation, but for restoration. Mercy stands openly before opposition.
Reflection
Am I willing to stand before Christ with my weaknesses exposed? Do I trust His call even when it places me at the center of difficulty or judgment?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You know every thought and still call us forward. Give me courage to stand before You with trust, believing that Your mercy restores dignity and life even in the face of opposition. Amen.
Lk 6:9 — “Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?’”
With this piercing question, Jesus brings the Sabbath controversy to its moral core. He refuses to argue about technical definitions of work and rest. Instead, He reframes the issue in terms of good versus evil and life versus destruction. Neutrality is no longer possible. To refuse to do good when one has the power is, in effect, to cooperate with harm.
Jesus’ question exposes the deeper failure of legalism: silence in the face of suffering becomes a form of wrongdoing. The Sabbath, meant to honor the Creator and sustain life, cannot be used to justify inaction when mercy is required. By posing the question publicly, Jesus invites the religious leaders—and every listener—to examine the true purpose of God’s law.
Historical and Jewish Context
Jewish debates distinguished between saving life (permitted on the Sabbath) and non-urgent acts (often forbidden).
Jesus deliberately broadens the question beyond emergency categories.
He reveals that moral responsibility is not suspended by ritual observance.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse affirms that moral law is always ordered toward the good of the human person. The Church teaches that one must never omit good when it is required by love and justice (cf. CCC 1766, 2196).
Spiritually, Jesus teaches that holiness is active. Love that delays itself behind rules ceases to be love.
Key Terms
Lawful — true intention of God’s law
Do good — active charity
Save life — priority of mercy and dignity
Conclusion
Lk 6:9 proclaims that God’s law is fulfilled in mercy. The Sabbath is not a refuge for inaction but a call to choose life and goodness.
Reflection
Do I sometimes hide behind rules or excuses to avoid doing good? How can I respond more promptly to opportunities for mercy in daily life?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You teach us to choose good and life without delay. Free my heart from fear and rigidity, and help me to act with courage and compassion whenever love calls. Amen.
Lk 6:10 — “After looking around at them all, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so and his hand was restored.”
This verse captures the decisive moment of healing. Jesus pauses and looks around at them all, allowing the full weight of the moment to settle. His gaze is not rushed; it confronts resistance, exposes hardness of heart, and invites reflection. Only then does He act. Mercy is deliberate, not impulsive.
The command is simple and demanding: “Stretch out your hand.” Jesus asks the man to attempt what is humanly impossible. Yet obedience precedes restoration. The man responds in faith, and the healing is complete and immediate. What was withered is now whole. The Sabbath becomes the day of full restoration.
Historical and Jewish Context
Public healings often involved a spoken command rather than physical touch.
Stretching out a withered hand would have required trust and vulnerability.
Restoration on the Sabbath challenged prevailing interpretations of lawful activity.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse reveals the power of Christ’s word to restore human dignity and capacity. The Church teaches that Christ’s miracles are signs of the coming Kingdom and invitations to faith (cf. CCC 547–548).
Spiritually, the command to stretch out the hand symbolizes cooperation with grace. God heals, but He invites human response. Faith expresses itself in obedient action.
Key Terms
Looked around — deliberate moral confrontation
Stretch out — act of trust and obedience
Restored — fullness of healing and dignity
Conclusion
Lk 6:10 proclaims that obedience to Christ’s word opens the way to complete restoration. Mercy triumphs publicly over legalism, and life is renewed where faith responds.
Reflection
What “withered” area of my life is Christ asking me to place before Him? Am I willing to act in trust, even when healing requires vulnerable obedience?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You restore what is withered through Your life-giving word. Give me faith to obey Your call, courage to stretch out what feels weak, and trust that Your mercy brings wholeness and renewal. Amen.
Lk 6:11 — “But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.”
This verse closes the Sabbath healing scene with a sobering reversal. Instead of rejoicing at the restoration of a human life, the scribes and Pharisees respond with rage. Luke’s language is strong and deliberate. The healing does not soften their hearts; it hardens them. Mercy exposed becomes a threat.
The shift from observation to plotting marks a critical turning point. What began as scrutiny now moves toward hostility and intention. The question is no longer about Sabbath law, but about Jesus Himself. The refusal to rejoice in goodness reveals a deeper spiritual blindness—when love challenges control, resistance turns to anger.
Historical and Jewish Context
Open anger signaled the breakdown of dialogue and the rise of hostility.
Discussions about “what to do” suggest early steps toward formal opposition.
Religious authority felt threatened by Jesus’ public authority and popular influence.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this verse reveals the tragic outcome of hardened hearts. The Church teaches that resistance to grace can lead to deeper sin when pride refuses conversion (cf. CCC 1864).
Spiritually, the verse warns that encountering God’s work without humility can provoke hostility rather than repentance. When mercy is rejected, it exposes the heart’s true disposition.
Key Terms
Enraged — hardened resistance to grace
Discussed together — collective opposition forming
What they might do — movement toward rejection
Conclusion
Lk 6:11 reveals that miracles alone do not convert hearts. When mercy is met with pride, the result is not joy but opposition.
Reflection
How do I respond when God’s truth challenges my expectations or authority? Do I allow grace to soften me, or do I resist and grow defensive?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, protect my heart from hardness and pride. When Your mercy challenges me, grant me humility to receive it, courage to change, and grace to rejoice in the good You accomplish. Amen.
CONCLUSION
For believers today, Luke 6:6–11 challenges us to examine whether our religious practices lead us toward mercy or away from it. Faith that lacks compassion risks becoming empty and self-serving. Jesus calls us to align our understanding of God’s will with actions that restore dignity, heal wounds, and affirm life.
This passage also invites courage. Jesus chooses healing despite opposition, reminding us that doing good may sometimes bring resistance. True discipleship means standing with Christ in acts of love, even when misunderstood or criticized. When mercy guides our choices, we participate in God’s work of restoration and life.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You chose mercy over fear and healing over accusation. Soften our hearts when rigidity blinds us to compassion. Give us courage to do good, even when it is difficult, and wisdom to discern Your will in every situation. May our faith always lead us to acts of love that give life and glory to God. Amen.