And when he had looked, &c.— Our Saviour looked about upon all, in such a manner, as to shew both his indignation at their wickedness, and his grief for their impenitence. He knew that his arguments did not prevail with his enemies present, because they wereresisting the conviction of their own minds; and he was both angry at their obstinacy, and grieved on account of the consequences of it; shewing these just affections of his righteous spirit by his looks, that if possible an impression might be made either on them, or on the spectators. He might in this likewise propose to teach us the just regulation of the passions and affections of our nature, which are not sinful in themselves; otherwise, he who was without sin could not have been subject to them. The evil of them lies in their being excited by wrong objects, or by right objects in an improper degree. "I am resolved," says Bishop Beveridge, "by the grace of God, so to be angry, as not to sin, and therefore to be angry at nothing but sin." See his Private Thoughts, 8vo. vol. 1: p. 221. At the same time that Jesus testified his displeasure at the Pharisees, he comforted the infirm man; for he commanded him to stretch out his contracted hand, and with the command communicated power to obey.
In an instant his hand was made sound as the other; so that he stretched it out immediately, in the sight of all present, who thus were eye-witnesses of the miracle. The Evangelists say no more; they leave their readers to imagine the wonder and astonishment of the numerous spectators, and the joy of the man, who had recovered the use of so necessary a member.