Life or Sabbath Rest?

Luke 14:1-6 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way. Then he asked them, "If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?" And they had nothing to say.

The man was suffering from an illness called dropsy. It is swelling from fluid being retained. A disease causes it in the heart, liver, kidneys, or brain. The fluid can accumulate in any part of the body or limbs.[1]

The Sabbath is a day of rest. God rested after his six days of work. (Genesis 1)

There is no explanation given for the appearance of the sick man, but Jesus healed him. In the same way, a person would help a child or ox regardless of the day. Life is important and should be healed, saved, and cared for.

To follow the example of Jesus, offer help, support, or a listening ear to someone in need.

Bibliography

“Dropsy” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015.

[1]”Dropsy”, in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015), 442.