ACC ~ Mark 3 v1 - 6

OVERVIEW:

The intent of Christ’s detractors was to discredit him. They had little interest in seeing the sufferer made whole. Jesus’ mission was to soften their harshness (CHRYSOSTOM). Even by the measure of the law, doing good to preserve life would have been permitted on the sabbath. Without touching the man, Jesus openly healed merely through speaking, so as to avoid the charge of working on the sabbath (ATHANASIUS). When we see Jesus’ anger, directed to its proper object, we learn that all forms of anger are not vice (AUGUSTINE). Just as the incarnate Lord had a body, he had a soul with the whole range of emotions that characterize the human body-soul relationship (AUGUSTINE). The recipient of grace is neither allowed to so completely relax as to leave everything to God nor to imagine that by one’s own exertions the whole work is achieved by human effort (CHRYSOSTOM).

3:4 | Is It Lawful on the Sabbath to Do Good?

WITHERED HANDS, WITHERED MINDS

ATHANASIUS: [1] In the synagogue of the Jews was a man who had a withered hand. If he was withered in his hand, the ones who stood by were withered in their minds. And they were not looking at the crippled man nor were they expecting the miraculous deed of the one who was about to work. But before doing the work, the Savior ploughed up their minds with words. For knowing the evil of the mind and its bitter depth, he first softened them up in advance with words so as to tame the wildness of their understanding, asking: “Is it permitted to do good on the sabbath or to do evil; to save a life or to destroy one?” For if he had said to them, “Is it permitted to work?” immediately they would have said, “You are speaking contrary to the law.” Then he told them what was intended by the law, for he spoke as the One who established the laws concerning the sabbath, adding, [2] “except this: that which will be done for the sake of a life.” Again if a person falls into a hole on a sabbath, Jews are permitted to pull the person out. [3] This not only applies to a person, but also an ox or a donkey. In this way the law agrees that things relating to preservation may be done, hence Jews prepare meals on the sabbath. Then he asked them about a point on which they could hardly disagree: “Is it permitted to do good?” [4] But they did not even so much as say, “Yes,” because by then they were not in a good temper. HOMILIES 28. [5]

[1] Attributed to Athanasius.

[2] Adding to the imperative that no work is permitted.

[3] Mt 12:11.

[4] Mk 3:4; Lk 6:9.

[5] Athanasius Homilia de semente 28; cf. TLG 2035.069, 28.165.8-29; PG 28:165; cf. E. A. W. Budge, Coptic Homilies in the Dialect of Upper Egypt (London: British Museum, 1910).

THE INTENT TO DISCREDIT

CHRYSOSTOM: Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” Then he challenged the Pharisees as to whether it would be lawful to do good on the sabbath. Note the tender compassion of the Lord when he deliberately brought the man with the withered hand right into their presence. [1] He hoped that the mere sight of the misfortune might soften them, that they might become a little less spiteful by seeing the affliction, and perhaps out of sorrow mend their own ways. But they remained callous and unfeeling. They preferred to do harm to the name of Christ than to see this poor man made whole. They betrayed their wickedness not only by their hostility to Christ, but also by their doing so with such contentiousness that they treated with disdain his mercies to others. GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW, HOMILY 40.1. [2]

[1] Lk 6:8.

[2] TLG 2062.152, 57.439.3-4, 6-17; NPNF 1 10:259*.

3:5a | He Looked at Them with Anger

PUTTING ANGER TO GOOD USE

AUGUSTINE: If angry emotions which spring from a love of what is good and from holy charity are to be labeled vices, then all I can say is that some vices should be called virtues. When such affections as anger are directed to their proper objects, they are following good reasoning, and no one should dare to describe them as maladies or vicious passions. This explains why the Lord himself, who humbled himself to the form of a servant, [1] was guilty of no sin whatever as he displayed these emotions openly when appropriate. Surely the One who assumed a true human body and soul would not counterfeit his human affections. Certainly, the Gospel does not falsely attribute emotions to Christ when it speaks of him being saddened and angered by the lawyers because of their blindness of heart. THE CITY OF GOD, BOOK 14. [2]

[1] Phil 2:7.

[2] Cetedoc 0313, 48.14.9.59; FC 14:368-69*.

3:5b | Grieved at Their Hardness of Heart

THE DIVERSITY OF HIS FEELINGS

AUGUSTINE: Feelings cannot exist in anything but a living soul. These events show that just as Jesus had a human body he had a human soul. We read about the diversity of his feelings in the reports of the same Evangelists [who attested his divinity]: Jesus was astonished, [1] was angered, [2] was grieved, [3] was elated, [4] and similar emotive responses without number. Likewise it is clear that he experienced the ordinary fully human experience of interconnectedness between his body and his soul. He was hungry; [5] he slept; [6] he was tired from his journey. [7] AGAINST THE APOLLINARIANS 80. [8]

[1] Mt 8:10.

[2] Mk 3:5.

[3] Cf. Jn 11:33-35.

[4] Cf. Heb 12:2.

[5] Mt 4:2; Lk 4:2.

[6] Mt. 8:24; Mk 4:38; Lk 8:23.

[7] Jn 4:6.

[8] Cetedoc 0289, 80.84; FC 70:210-11**.

3:5c | Stretch Out Your Hand

COOPERATING WITH GRACE. CHRYSOSTOM: I exhort you that you not carelessly slumber so as to leave everything to God. Nor, when diligent in your endeavors, imagine that by your own exertions the whole work is achieved. God does not will that we should be indolent. For God does not do the whole work by himself by fiat. Nor is it his will that we should be entirely self-sufficient. For God does not commit the whole work to us alone. [1] THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW, HOMILY 82. [2]

[1] Cf. Ps 146:5; Is 41:10; 50:7; Acts 26:22.

[2] TLG 2062.152, 58.742.57-743.5; GMI 59*. Neither should we leave everything to God as if God required nothing of ourselves, nor should we leave everything to ourselves as if God did not supply grace for the will.

3:5d | His Hand Was Restored

STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND FOR THE POOR

ATHANASIUS: [1] But Jesus, deeply grieved in heart at the hardness of their hearts, said in effect: “Let the ones who see continue to see. Let the ones who refuse to hear do what they want to do. Let the ones who are hard in heart become stone. But let your right hand become full and tender. Rise, beg no longer.” [2] … In effect Jesus was saying: “Do not continue to beg because of having a withered hand, but after you finally have received it healthy and whole and have begun to work, stretch out your hand to the poor. [3] Rise up and stand in their midst. Become a marvel to those who see. In you the struggle concerning the sabbath is finally being contested. Stand in their midst, so that the ones who are lame in their legs might stand. … Stretch out your hand. I am not touching you so that they may not bring a charge against me. I am speaking with a speech so that they may not think that touching is an act of work. God did not say, ‘Do not speak on the sabbath.’ But if speech becomes an act of work, let the one who has spoken be an object of amazement. Stretch out your hand.” … While the withered hand was restored, the withered minds of the onlookers were not. For they went out and immediately, according to the reading, [4] were debating what they would do to Jesus. Are you debating what you will do? Worship him as God. Worship the wonder worker. Worship one who worked good things on behalf of another. [5] He did not add plasters; he was not tenderizing with lotions. He did not apply medical ointments. He did this work openly, standing in their midst, and not in a hidden way, so that some might retort: “He applied a plant; he added a plaster.” HOMILIES 28. [6]

[1] Attributed to Athanasius.

[2] Cf. Mt 13:15.

[3] Cf. Mk 3:5.

[4] Cf. Mk 3:6.

[5] As Jesus worked openly to heal, so we are to show forth our healing openly through our worship.

[6] TLG 2035.069, 28.165.37-44; 165.48-168.1; 168.2-24. cf. PG 28.144-68; Budge, Coptic Homilies. The withered minds of the beholders remained untouched by the miracle.