On one of the Sabbath days the Lord Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand, and Jesus made him stand forth in the midst, and then asked the doctors whether it were lawful to do good on the Sabbath day. But they made Him no answer. Then said Jesus to the man who had the withered hand, “Stretch forth thy hand,”1 and he was healed. Many times the Lord wrought miracles on the Sabbath days, to confound the Jews, who carnally interpreted the law, which God would have kept according to the spirit. For it was not intended that on the Sabbath days that good works, and deeds of charity, should be forbidden, but sinful actions and servile work. But they were greatly offended at Him on this account, and conspired against Him, saying, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath day.” But our Lord did not therefore cease from working; nay, rather He worked the more on the Sabbath, that He might draw them out of their error. Consider Him, then, performing the actions which we have just mentioned, and after His example do not desist from good works, even though another should be unjustly scandalized thereby. For a good work which is necessary for a soul’s salvation, or spiritual advancement, you ought not to leave off, for fear of offending another. But when it is a question of mere bodily satisfaction, according to the law of perfect charity, we ought to abstain, if it give offence to a brother. Wherefore the Apostle says in the Epistle to the Romans, “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” x
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Footnotes
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S. Luke vi. ia ↩