At that time, Jesus passed through fields of grain during the Sabbath; and his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck ears of grain to eat. But the Pharisees saw and said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” And Jesus said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry – how he and those with him entered into the house of God in the days of the chief priest Abiathar and they ate loaves of bread of presentation, which was not lawful to him, nor to his companions, but only to the priests to eat? [1 Samuel 21:1-6] Or have you not read in the Law? Do the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath by working during the Sabbath and are guiltless? But I tell you that something greater than the Temple is here. But if you had known the meaning of, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’ [Hosea 6:6], you would not have condemned the guiltless. The Sabbath came about for the sake of Man, not man for the sake of the Sabbath; thus the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5)
Jesus Heals A Withered Hand
Going on from that place and on another Sabbath, he entered a synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees observed Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath and that they might find a way to accuse him, so they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal during the Sabbath?” However, Jesus knew their reasoning and asked, “Will there be one man among you who will own one sheep, and if it should fall into a pit during the Sabbath, he will not take hold of it and raise it out? How much more than a sheep is a man? So it is permitted to do good during the Sabbath.” Then Jesus said to the man with a withered hand, “Rise and stand up in our midst.” The man stood, and Jesus said to the crowd, “I ask you whether it is permissible on the Sabbath to do good or evil, to save a soul or destroy it?” And looking around at all of them with anger, mortified at the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch forth your hand.” The man did, and his hand was restored (as complete as the other). And they were filled with unthinkable rage, and going out, the Pharisees immediately discussed with one another and exchanged counsel with the Herodians against him, what they might do, and how to destroy Jesus. (Luke 6:6-11, Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6)
But Jesus, knowing this, departed from there with his disciples to the sea. Many followed him from Galilee and Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon, hearing about his actions. A great multitude came to him, so he told his disciples that a boat should be standing by because of the crowd so they would not press in upon him. He healed all of them – as many had afflictions full upon him to touch him. When they gazed upon him, the impure spirits fell down before him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” Jesus warned them and the people that they should not make him known so that there might be fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “See my servant, who I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul has delighted; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim judgment to the gentiles. He will neither fight nor cry out nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will neither break the bent reed nor quench the smoldering wick until he should issue his judgment victoriously. And in his name, the gentiles shall have hope.” [Isaiah 42:1-4] (Matthew 12:15-21, Mark 3:7-12)
Jesus Chooses The Twelve
At this, Jesus left, went up into the mountain to pray, and spent the whole night praying to God. When he came down, he summoned those he chose to himself, and they went to him. He then chose twelve out of the group, saying that they might be with him, whom he called his apostles, and that he might send them out to make a proclamation and to have the power to heal diseases and drive out demons. He chose Simon (whom he calls Peter) and his brother Andrew, James and John (son of Zebedee & also added the name “Boanerges,” which translates to “Sons of Thunder), Philip, bar-Thelomaus (or Bartholomew), Matthew (or Levi the tax collector), Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Kananaian or Zealot), Thaddeus (also known as Judas son of James) and Judas Iscariot (who turned traitor). (Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16, Matthew 10:2-4)
Descending with them, he stood upon a level place, along with a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of the people from all of Judaea and Jerusalem and the coastal country of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. Those troubled by unclean spirits were healed. And all the crowds tried to touch him because his power went forth from him and healed all. (Luke 6:17-16)
