Healing on the Sabbath

3:1-5

Why was Jesus thoroughly grieved by the attitude of the Jewish religious leaders? Because they made the Sabbath burdensome by adding countless lesser restrictions. For example, killing a flea was forbidden. Healing was lawful only if life was in danger. This meant that broken bones or sprains could not be treated on the Sabbath. Clearly, the religious leaders had no real concern for the man with the withered hand.