The Bible Controversy In Matthew

The situation in life

“Throughout the Sabbath controversy one discovers in what particular the Pharisees opposed Jesus. Moreover, this confrontation reveals a large chasm between Jesus’ understanding of the law and the Pharisaic understanding.”7 “For instance, the Damascus Document XI, 16-17a forbids the saving of a life on the Sabbath day.”8 “The rabbis considered any use of medicine except in the case of life- and- death situations to be work and thus it was forbidden on the Sabbath.”9

The themes that characterize the book of Matthew “tells the passion and vindication of Jesus that together bring about salvation for the world.”10 Most people think of the gospel of Matthew’s as the death and resurrection chapter of Jesus and all things

leading up to it, but this gospel also shares many healings done by Jesus; healing the sick, healing a man with leprosy, healing two demon possessed men, healing a paralyzed man, raising a dead girl to life, healing a woman with an issue of blood, healing the blind, and healing the mute. Along with all of the healings in the book of Matthew other events occurred, including; Jesus being confronted with temptation in the wilderness while fasting after his baptism, Jesus preaches and calling forth his disciples, and Jesus calming the storm on the sea along with many other occurrences.

7 Hicks, John M.

“The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1- 14.”Restoration Quarterly 27 (1984): 79-91. Accessed November 11, 2015. ATLA Religion, Pg. 80.

8 Hicks, John M. “The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1-14.” Pg.82

9 Hicks, John M. “The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1-14.” Pg.89

10 Green, Joel B. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospel. Pg.532

Body

Literary context

“The English Sabbath, like the Greek sabbaton, is a transliteration of the Hebrew sabbat. The term designates the seventh day of the Jewish week, a day marked by the cessation of work and by religious and ceremonial observances.”11 “In any case, it should be observed that the meaning of Shabbat is ‘to rest’ in the sense of repose only when the verb in a Sabbath context. This may possibly indicate that the Sabbath is the day which puts a stop to the week’s work.”12 Knowing that the Sabbath day was considered sacred this situation seemed to be a plot to get Jesus to break the law. In these times there were people who believed so highly in the law that they would do whatever they had to do in order to keep it even if it meant death. “That law forbade all work on the Sabbath day and so the orthodox Jews would literally die rather than break it.”13 “Jesus would accept no law which insisted that a man should suffer, even without danger to his life, one moment longer than necessary. His love for humanity far surpassed his respect

for ritual Law.”14 Despite the possibility of jail or death, Jesus determined that this law would not overrule what He knew was the right thing to do. If he had an opportunity to help people than to Him that was worth breaking man’s law to heal humanity.
11Evans, Craig A. and Stanley E. Porter Jr eds. Dictionary of New Testament Background. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2000, Pg. 1031.
12Harris, R. L, ed. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Vol 2. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1980, Pg. 902.
13 Barclay, William. The Gospel of Matthew. Volume 2 Revised Edition ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Westminster Press, 1975, Pg. 32
14 Barclay, William. The Gospel of Matthew, Pg. 34.

Context of the passage
Preceding the issue with the man with the withered hand was an issue of plucking grain on the Sabbath.

“The Pharisees did not question the legality of such a plucking, but they did question whether or not such was permitted on the Sabbath.”15 “Rabbinic law is quite clear on this subject. Plucking of grain would be considered reaping, but reaping is one of the thirty-nine tasks forbidden on the Sabbath in Sabbath 7:2. Further, according to the rabbinic tradition, one was forbidden to eat anything that was not prepared the previous day (Sunbat 19a).”16 “Matthew thus provides a halakha for his community. Therefore, it is lawful for disciples to pluck and eat ears of grain on the Sabbath when hungry and it is lawful for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath.”17 “Christ came to free his followers, not only from the corruptions of the Pharisees, but from their unscriptural rules, and justified what they

did.”18
Following the issue of the man withered hand; Jesus knew that he needed to leave the area but a crowd followed him. Jesus did not stop healing people as they continued on but He asked them not to speak of what he was doing. He came to a demon possessed man who was blind and mute and healed him so the man was now able to do both. This made the followers amazed but made the Pharisees cynics and further question if Jesus was of Satan. Jesus communicates that they are speaking blasphemy.
15Hicks, John M. “The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1-14.” Pg.80
16 Hicks, John M. “The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1-14.” Pg.81
17 Hicks, John M. “The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1-14.” Pg.89
18 Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary Matthew to John. Vol 5. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991, Pg ?.
Verse by verse analysis
In verse 9 it is speculated that he was going into a synagogue that he didn’t belong to or was an outsider to. In verse 10 they are trying to set Jesus up to be charged with breaking the Sabbath law. In verse 11 Jesus asks them if they had property such as an animal, would they let that property be a loss or try to save it? In verse 12 Jesus asks is the value of property of an animal more important than a human’s health and without question He says to do good for a human’s health regardless of the day. In verse 13 Jesus heals the man’s hand. In verse 14 the Pharisees used Jesus’s healing as a plot to find a way kill Jesus regardless of what He had previously stated.
Life setting/situation in life
“He does not have to heal on the Sabbath; not one of the maladies he cures on that day is said to be life-threatening. But he shows that the restrictions regularly attached to Jewish Sabbath law were of human rather than divine origin.”19 “Previously he had broken the Sabbath commandment, whereupon the Jews taxed him with making himself equal with God. In John 5:17 Jesus says ‘My Father is working still, and I am working.’20

19Green, Joel B. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospel, Pg, 301.
20 Brown, Colin. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.

“The other Gospels agree that Jesus healed on the Sabbath, as in the case of the woman ‘who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years’ (Luke 13:10-17) and the paralytic at the Bethesda pool (John 5:1-18). These were long term illnesses, and both healings presumably could have been deferred until after the Sabbath.”21
Word studies/Cultural practices and concepts
“Shabbat. Sabbath, the seventh day of the week.”22 “What is the religious significance and for what reason(s) was its observance invoked? Something of the importance of this institution can be gauged by observing that of the Ten Commandments the fourth commandment is treated more extensively than any others.” ‘Six days you shall work but on the seventh you shall rest’ (Ex 23:12; 31:15), or negatively: ‘You shall not work on the Sabbath’ (Ex 20:10). In the first place Ex 20:8ff. connects observance of the Sabbath with the fact that God himself rested on the seventh day after six days of work (Gen 2:2-3). The Sabbath is thus an invitation to rejoice in God’s creation, and recognize God’s sovereignty over our time. The early Christians serve on target, it seems, when they connect the day of rest with the remembrance of Christ’s resurrection.”23

21Harrington, Daniel J. “Sabbath Tensions: Matthew 12:1-14 and Other New Testament Texts.” Sabbath Jewish and Christian Traditions, 1991, 45-56. Accessed November 13, 2015. ATLA Religion.
22Harris, R. L, ed. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Vol 2, Pg. 902.
23Harris, R. L, ed. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Vol . Pg. 903.

Differences among translations
There were very few differences in the translations of Matthew 12: 9-14. The description of the hand is listed as withered in Matthew 12:9 NASB and NRSV and is listed as shriveled in Matthew 12:9 NIV. Also, it was said that the Pharisees might destroy Jesus in Matthew 12:14 NASB and NRSV, but said that they would kill him in Matthew 12: 14 NIV.
Synoptic comparison
“Their synagogue: Mark 3:1 and Luke 6:6 simply have ‘the synagogue.’ Matthew’s expression probably reflects his own time, where there was a division between ‘their synagogue’ and ‘our synagogue’ (Christian).”24 In the gospel of Mark this passage is also stated and this version of the man with the withered hand, there are additional adversaries that want to plot against Jesus, which are the Herodians. In the gospel of Luke’s account of the man with the withered hand there was clarification that his hand was his right hand, which is a possible indicator that the man may not be able to earn a living because in those days’ wage was earned by manual labor. Due to his disablement and the lack of medical assistance for his hand deformity this man most likely struggled with income. “All the evangelists note that the opponents’ question was a trap set for Jesus (‘in order to bring charges against him’), but only Matthew gives the question.”25
24Harrington, Daniel J. “Sabbath Tensions: Matthew 12:1-14 and Other New Testament Texts.” Pg. 49
25Harrington, Daniel J. “Sabbath Tensions: Matthew 12:1-14 and Other New Testament Texts.” Pg. 49.

Despite the small differences in this parable the message remained the same. Jesus showed love for us constantly even if it had to pay the consequences for it. “Jesus as the interpreter of Sabbath Law has the right to go beyond existing tradition: he is the proper authority. He is Lord of the Sabbath. He is the Messianic Son of Man who embodies the kingdom of God. He alone discerns what is the true will of God.”26

26 Hicks, John M. “The Sabbath Controversy in Matthew: An Exegesis of Matthew 12:1-14.” Pg.89

Conclusion
In the parable of Matthew 12:9-14 I believe the author originally intents to communicate that God is the ultimate ruler on all things. I do believe that God put man into place to make laws so that humanity would be ethical in their ways, but He is ultimately head of all things. This parable shows the issue that occurs when man’s law is thought to be the ultimate ruling. I believe that the author wants the audience of the Gospel of Matthew to understand that Jesus has the best interest for humanity in mind even when He broke the law according to mans’ rules. Jesus’ rule breaking on Sabbath healing and work has come into play throughout history. People are able to seek medical assistance and also work on the Sabbath Day, which in Christianity is known as Sunday. Unfortunately, I think the accessibility to working on Sunday can interfere with our intimate time with Jesus which can affect our relationship with Him. I think as a part of the free will we were given, God allowed us to choose to commune with Him on Sundays. This time with Him magnifies the relationship that God chooses to have with us despite of where we are in our walk with Him. He not only allowed His son to die for our sins, but He did so to heal and protect us in a way that no law could interfere with his love for us.