What Jesus Did : Mark 3:2 - Condemning Eyes

    by Phil Ware

    Condemning Eyes - Mark 3:2

    Some Jews there were watching Jesus closely. They were waiting to see if he would heal the man on a Sabbath day. They wanted to see Jesus do something wrong so that they could accuse him. (ERV) Full Text

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    Key Thought

    The opposites of Jesus' compassionate eyes (see Mark 3:1 and the devotional from yesterday) were the condemning and critical eyes of Jesus' opponents. Jesus' opponents were looking to use the occasion of this man's healing on the Sabbath to be the basis of their arrest and condemnation of Jesus. In other words, the man's humanity was forgotten; he was no more than a prop for the opponents of Jesus to use in their drama of anti-Jesus hatred. If we are honest with ourselves, we'll recognize that we can get so caught up in justifying, defending, and protecting our religious faith that we become blind to the needs of those around us for God's grace. Truth is then abandoned in the name of preservation. God forbid that it should ever be so in us!


    Today's Prayer

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    Father, please don't let me ever become so focused on my religious self-preservation that I forget my search for your truth and abandon the character of your Son. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


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    Today's Verses in Context


    Another time Jesus went into the synagogue. In the synagogue there was a man with a crippled hand. Some Jews there were watching Jesus closely. They were waiting to see if he would heal the man on a Sabbath day. They wanted to see Jesus do something wrong so that they could accuse him. Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand, "Stand up here so that all the people can see you." Then Jesus asked the people, "Which thing is right to do on the Sabbath day: to do good, or to do evil? Is it right to save a life or to destroy one?" The people said nothing to answer Jesus. Jesus looked at the people. He was angry. But he felt very sad because they were stubborn. Jesus said to the man, "Let me see your hand." The man put his hand out for Jesus, and it was healed. Then the Pharisees left and made plans with the Herodians about a way to kill Jesus.

    -- Mark 3:1-6 (ERV)

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