Jesus Heals a Man with Dropsy

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – March 21, 2024

Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath

Luke 14:1-6; 13:12-13; 6:9; Matthew 22:37-40

The Gospels speak of many ailments. We’ve read of Jesus’ healings of blindness, deafness, leprosy, bleeding, and demon possession. In today’s reading from Luke, Jesus heals a man of dropsy.

Today, we no longer call the ailment the man had dropsy; now, it’s referred to as Edema. Edema is a condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid collecting in the body’s cavities or tissues. Usually, this illness is connected with congestive heart failure, as well as liver or kidney failure.

******************The Point*****************

“One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things.”

Luke 14:1-6

One has to wonder why a person with dropsy was at the home of a Pharisee. The passage notes that Jesus was being carefully watched. Perhaps the Pharisees invited the ailing man to see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath. This would then result in Jesus being trapped and accused of not following the Sabbatical rules.

In his case, before healing the man of dropsy, Jesus asks the Pharisees and experts of the law a question:

“Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” Luke 14:3

When Jesus healed the woman, who had been crippled for 18 years, He did not ask. He simply healed her.

“When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.” Luke 13:12-13

If we look back at the miracle of Jesus healing the man with a withered hand, He asked the synagogue members a question.

“Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” Luke 6:9

When Jesus asked a question about what was lawful on the Sabbath, He never asked permission. Jesus was putting the religious leaders on the spot. Nevertheless, in each case, He always healed the ailing person.

In today’s devotion, Jesus has a follow-up question that speaks to the heart of the matter concerning the Sabbath.

“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.” Luke 14:5-6

Jesus was trying to tell the religious leaders that love comes first. The Pharisees and religious leaders were concerned about following the letter of the law. Jesus emphasized that people’s well-being is more important than following the Sabbatical law to the letter.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t follow the commandments or rules. The regulations and laws are put in place for a reason. But, at the same time, we must put the well-being of others first.

Jesus said:

Serve others as Jesus did, and always put God and your neighbor’s best interests first.

Dear Jesus. Sometimes it’s very confusing. But you cleared away the confusion in our life through your teachings and death on the cross. Our priorities as Christians are to Love God and love people. Please help us to follow your lead as we pursue the best interests of others. Amen