2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.
In today’s verses we find our Teacher answering His own question to the Pharisees and experts of the law through His subsequent action of healing as the onlookers remained mute. Indeed, Jesus states elsewhere in Scripture:
7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ." Matt 12:7-8 (NIV)
We find this again stated in Mark:
27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Mark 2:27-28 (NIV)
The Sabbath was instituted by God as a gift for the benefit and refreshment of mankind not as some burdensome regulation of manmade lists that we are forced to keep. We are warned of this in Scripture by Paul in Colossians:
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Col 2:16-19 (NIV)
I love what the Bible Knowledge Commentary states about the above verses:
“True spirituality does not come by compliance with laws (which are only a shadow) but by connection with the Life (who is the reality). Without a vital connection to its Head, the body of Christ cannot grow.”
God knows how we are made (amazing!) and that our constant frenzied pace will wear us out becoming spent through the barrage of ceaseless noise, interruptions, and a driven desire to be more and more productive. We have a tendency to become frenetic doers rather than to live in His presence and peacefully be. Even our most noble causes and passions can leave us worn out. Jesus says:
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)
David reiterates this same theme in Psalm 62:
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. Psalms 62:1 (NIV)
The wording here literally translates “Only to God is my soul silence” meaning only to God did he look for complete calmness. God knows this about us. He knows how desperate we are for Him even if we do not. He cries out to us:
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10 (NIV)
I do not know about anyone else, but this is a very difficult command for me to keep. It is certainly much easier for me to be doing than for me to be still yet that is a huge violation of God’s Word to me and I suffer physically and spiritually when I am not obedient. I pollute His Sabbath and I desecrate my temple when I choose not to rest in Him in solitude and silence. Jesus established this principle with His original disciples as He often retreated with them to a quiet place for rest – away from the masses. They had not healed every person nor had they fed every hungry mouth – He extricated them from the mayhem of human need to refresh them so that they may go forth in His renewed power. Good lesson for us to learn too! We often just do not know when to stop and consequently end up suffering from spiritual drought. I am reminded of a verse spoken by Moses to the fearful Israelites:
13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Ex 14:13-14 (NIV)