"And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: (10) And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. (11) And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? (12) How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. (13) Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other."
Here was an immediate opportunity for Christ to prove himself, Lord of the Sabbath, in healing this diseased man. The case is simply, but earnestly related and the effect as might have been expected. But what I would have the Reader particularly to regard in this case, is the spiritual sense of it. This man with a sinew shrunk hand, was not in idleness at his own house, but in the synagogue. He was waiting in the way of ordinances. It is good to be found waiting on the Lord, and in the way of the Lord's own appointing. They seemed unconscious of the mercy the Lord intended for him: neither is it said, that he knew Jesus, much less that he made any application to Jesus. Preventing mercies, are sweet mercies. I was found of them, saith the Lord, that sought we not. Isaiah 65:1. No doubt, Jesus knew this poor man was in the synagogue. And He, of whom it is said, that he must needs go through Samaria, because there was a poor sinner who needed his mercies there, probably went to this Synagogue on purpose to manifest his grace to this man, with his withered hand, who needed him no less. John 4:4. But what I would more particularly beg the Reader to notice, in the features of this miracle of Christ; is the precept of Jesus to the man: Stretch forth thine hand! I beg once for all to remark, that Christ's biddings are enablings. Unless the Lord Jesus had accompanied his command with power; and while bidding the sinner's shrunk hand to be stretched forth, he had communicated: ability to obey, no blessing would have followed. It is truly blessed to eye this in every minute circumstance of life. Hence Paul was commissioned to direct the Philippians, to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling: because that the Lord himself would work in them both go wilt and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13. And hence the same Apostle adds, in the same Epistle, I can do nothing of myself, but I can do all thing, through Christ who strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13. It is truly blessed, to be enabled through grace, to have the lowest opinion of ourselves, that our views of Jesus, may be the more exalted; and to be sensible of our nothingness, that the Lord may have all the glory!