It seems that people, especially religious people, are quick to accuse and condemn. Some Pharisees in today’s Gospel, “watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him.” The historical Pharisees were Jews who were zealous for the things of God. Like Jesus they could be found preaching and teaching among the people. They were a lay reform movement within Judaism. The Jewish historian Josephus tells us that they were well respected by all the people. For these few Pharisees in today’s Gospel the study of the Torah did not help them to understand the will of God rather the “letter of the law” blinded their eyes to the good being done right before their eyes and they were quick to accuse and condemn.
Jesus wanted to cure not only the man with the withered hand but also the “blindness” and hard heartlessness of these Pharisees. So, he poses this question about the Sabbath: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” The letter of the Sabbath Law forbids the “work” of healing on the Sabbath except in cases of mortal danger. Jesus teaches that God’s Will is to always do good and to love one another as God has loved us. Many rabbis and other Jews would agree with this teaching of Jesus but sadly these Pharisees do not and go out to plot with the Herodians to destroy life by putting Jesus to death.
Jesus’ teaching is a warning to all of us Christians who are zealous for the things of God. We Christians today can also be quick to accuse and condemn. Jesus commands us: “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” (Luke 6:37). Notice Jesus does not say, “do not judge” but “stop judging.” He knows that we religious people tend to be self-righteous, to be quick to judge and to condemn others. He tells us: Stop it! Stop judging! Stop condemning! Instead of accusing and condemning others Jesus tells us to look at ourselves: “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?”