SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:10
Y he aquí había allí un hombre que tenía una mano seca; y le preguntaron, diciendo: ¿Es lícito curar en sbado?, por acusarle.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:10
Verse 10. A man which had his hand withered.] Probably through a partial paralysis. The man's hand was withered; but God's mercy had still preserved to him the use of his feet: He uses them to bring him to the public worship of God, and Jesus meets and heals him there. How true is the proverb-It is never so ill with us, but it might be much worse!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 10. And behold, there was a man which had his hand withered , etc.] Or dry; the juices were dried up, the nerves and sinews contracted, so that it was of no manner of use to him: Luke says, it was his right hand, which was so much the worse; and means not only his hand, but the whole arm. Such a case is mentioned in the Talmud f726 , it happened to one, w[wrz hby , that his arm was dry, or withered. Jerom says f727 , in the Gospel which the Nazarenes and Hebionites used, this man is said to be a plasterer, and so might possibly come by his misfortune through his business; and being a man that got his bread by his hand labour, the case was the more affecting. This account is introduced with a behold! it being remarkable that such a case should offer so opportunely, of showing his divine power in healing such a disorder; and of his authority, as the Son of man, over the sabbath; and of putting to silence his enemies, the Pharisees: and who, upon seeing such an object, put the following question to him; and they asked him, saying, is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? and which was put, not for information sake, as willing to be instructed in this point; for their determinations were, that healing was not lawful on such a day; nor were any means to be made use of for that purpose: if a man received a cure accidentally, it was very well; but no methods were to be taken with intention: as for instance f728 ; if a man had an ailment in his throat, he might not gargle it with oil, but he might swallow a large quantity of oil, aprtn aprtn aw and if he was healed, he was healed (i.e. it was very well, it was no breach of the sabbath); they may not chew mastic, nor rub the teeth with spice, on the sabbath day, hawprl ywktm mzb , when it is intended for healing; but if it is intended for the savour of his mouth, it is free.
There are several things they allowed might be done on the sabbath; but then they did not reckon them to come under the notion of healing. Three things R. Ishmael bar Jose said he had heard from R.
Matthia ben Charash; they might let blood for the stranguary on the sabbath day; one that was bit by a mad dog, they might give him hogs liver to eat; and he that had an ailment in his mouth, they might put spice to it on the sabbath day: but the wise men say of these, that there is not in them hawpr wm , anything of medicine.
Indeed, in case of extreme danger of life they did admit of the use of medicine, by the prescription of a physician f730 . Danger of life drives away the sabbath; wherefore, if there is any danger in a sick person, it is lawful to kindle a fire for him, etc. and they may kill, and bake, and boil: and though there may be no apparent danger, only a doubt of danger; as when one physician says there is a necessity, and another physician says there is none, they may profane the sabbath for him.
Hence it is very clear with what view the Pharisees asked Christ this question; and that it was, as the evangelist says, that they might accuse him: either of cruelty and weakness, should he answer in the negative, that either he was not able to heal the poor man before him, or wanted compassion; or should he answer in the affirmative, as they expected, and act upon it, then they might have wherewith to charge him before the sanhedrim as a violator of the sabbath, and of their canons concerning it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-13 - Christ shows that works of mercy are lawful and proper to be done of the Lord's day. There are more ways of doing well upon sabbath days than by the duties of worship: attending the sick, relieving the poor helping those who need speedy relief, teaching the young to care for their souls; these are doing good: and these must be done from love an charity, with humility and self-denial, and shall be accepted, Ge 4:7 This, like other cures which Christ wrought, had a spiritual meaning By nature our hands are withered, and we are unable of ourselves to d any thing that is good. Christ only, by the power of his grace, cure us; he heals the withered hand by putting life into the dead soul works in us both to will and to do: for, with the command, there is promise of grace given by the word.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S την 3588 T-ASF χειρα 5495 N-ASF εχων 2192 5723 V-PAP-NSM ξηραν 3584 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ επηρωτησαν 1905 5656 V-AAI-3P αυτον 846 P-ASM λεγοντες 3004 5723 V-PAP-NPM ει 1487 COND εξεστιν 1832 5904 V-PQI-3S τοις 3588 T-DPN σαββασιν 4521 N-DPN θεραπευειν 2323 5721 V-PAN ινα 2443 CONJ κατηγορησωσιν 2723 5661 V-AAS-3P αυτου 846 P-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
10. Is it lawful? (ei exestin). The eij can hardly be rendered into English. It gives an indeterminate, hesitating character to the question: I would like to know if, etc.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
12:10 {Is it lawful?} (ei exestin). The use of ei in direct questions is really elliptical and seems an imitation of the Hebrew (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 916). See also #Mt 19:3. It is not translated in English.
