Jesus is Persecuted for Healing on the Sabbath Day

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. John 5:9-16

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12

When Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day the Jewish leaders were unhappy with Him, and with the man who had been healed. They leaders felt that Jesus was breaking the fourth commandment by healing on the Sabbath day. They did not accept that Jesus was the Creator who had established the Sabbath day in Eden Genesis 2:1-3, nor did they accept Him as the God who gave the Ten Commandments – the Sabbath being the fourth commandment. Exodus 20:8-11. Jesus found the man and told him to be careful, now that God had healed him, and to no longer sin the sins that had caused him problems in the first place. The Jews, once they found out that Jesus was the One who had healed the man, wanted to kill Him because He had healed the man on the Sabbath day, His holy day Isaiah 58:13. Such is the energy developed by spiritual blindness.

Prayer for Today: God, You know our tendencies. You know that if anyone does anything that we do not approve of, we also would want to kill, at least in our hearts. Help us to be willing to grant God the latitude to do what He feels is best. Help us to trust in You and even if we do not understand to have the confidence that You know what You are doing. Help us to be patient with others, and to be patient with Your work in us as well. Thank You for your grace in healing us and instructing us to walk in the ways of recovery.