Jesus performed healings on the Sabbath, which frequently led to disagreements with the religious authorities who believed He was disregarding Sabbath regulations, as detailed in the King James Version (KJV) in passages such as Luke 13:10-17, Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6, and Luke 14:1-6.
Notable instances include His healing of a woman who was bent over in the synagogue (Luke 13) and a man with a paralyzed hand (Matthew 12).
In these moments, Jesus emphasized that it was right to do good and save lives on the Sabbath, highlighting a contrast with religious leaders who would care for their livestock even on holy days.
Jesus’ Healings on the Sabbath: Key Instances (KJV)
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus performed several miraculous healings on the Sabbath.
These events are described vividly in the King James Bible and often sparked confrontation with religious leaders. Let’s review some key moments:
1. The Man with the Withered Hand
Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11
Jesus entered the synagogue where there was a man whose hand was paralyzed.
Knowing the Pharisees were watching to accuse Him, Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?” (Mark 3:4, KJV).
When no one answered, Jesus healed the man’s hand, declaring that it’s right to do good on the Sabbath.
2. The Crippled Woman Healed in the Synagogue
Luke 13:10-17
Jesus healed a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years, saying, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.” The synagogue ruler objected to healing on the Sabbath, but Jesus replied, “Ought not this woman… be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?”
3. The Man with Dropsy
Luke 14:1-6
At a Pharisee’s house, Jesus saw a man suffering from dropsy (swelling from fluid). He asked the religious scholars, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?” Receiving no answer, He healed the man and reminded them they would help their own son or ox fallen into a pit on the Sabbath.
4. The Healing at the Pool of Bethesda
John 5:1-18
A man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years was healed by Jesus at the pool. When the man carried his bed at Jesus’ instruction, the Jewish leaders objected that he was breaking Sabbath law. Jesus used this moment to reveal His authority and the Father’s ongoing work.
5. The Man Born Blind
John 9:1-16
Jesus spat on the ground, made clay, and healed a man who had been blind from birth. The Pharisees were divided because “Jesus had made the clay, and opened his eyes, on the sabbath day” (John 9:14 KJV).
Each of these accounts shows Jesus choosing to heal publicly on the Sabbath, often calling out the observers’ priorities and understanding.
Religious Leaders’ Reactions
The religious authorities, especially the Pharisees, fiercely guarded Sabbath observance. To them, healing was “work” and therefore forbidden. When Jesus healed, they saw a challenge not just to tradition, but to their authority.
For instance, after the healing at the Pool of Bethesda, the text says:
“And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.” (John 5:16 KJV)
The Pharisees’ strict rules had multiplied, making the Sabbath an elaborate set of regulations rather than a day of rest and mercy. Jesus’ actions exposed how the spirit of the Sabbath had been lost beneath a tangle of rules and social control.
When challenged, Jesus responded with powerful teachings like:
“The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28 KJV)
He reminded them (and us) that mercy and human need supersede ritual for ritual’s sake.
Theological Significance
1. Compassion Over Legalism
Jesus’ Sabbath healings illustrate that God values compassion and mercy above strict legalism. He modeled a love that acts, even when it’s inconvenient or countercultural.
2. Fulfillment of the Law
Jesus didn’t abolish the Law but fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17). By healing on the Sabbath, He was showing what true Sabbath rest and liberation mean. As He set people free from sickness and suffering, He was enacting God’s deeper intention for the Sabbath: restoration and wholeness.
3. Revelation of Jesus’ Divine Authority
When Jesus said, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17 KJV), He equated His work with God’s ongoing creative power. The Sabbath is not just about physical rest, but about trusting in God’s provision and being made whole—a wholeness only Jesus can bring.
4. The Challenge to Religious Tradition
Jesus’ actions call every believer to examine whether our traditions serve people or hinder them. The Sabbath was never meant to oppress or exclude, but to bless and refresh.
Application for Christians Today
1. Sabbath Rest as Restoration
Today, many Christians debate how to observe the Sabbath. While worship and rest remain important, Jesus teaches us to see the Sabbath as more than avoiding work. It’s about experiencing God’s restoration, healing, and freedom—and extending that to others.
2. Following Jesus’ Example
Are there people around us who need compassion and help, even if it messes with our routines? Jesus didn’t let calendar or custom stop Him from loving. Our best Sabbath observance may be to offer healing and hope to those in need.
3. Spiritual Healing
The healings on the Sabbath also point to a deeper spiritual truth: Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, and He alone can offer true spiritual rest and healing to everyone who comes to Him.
Conclusion
The accounts of Jesus healing on the Sabbath in the KJV are more than stories of miraculous power—they are lessons about God’s heart.
He desires mercy, restoration, and wholeness for all. Jesus challenged His generation—and ours—to look beyond rules and rituals to the deeper reality of God’s love.
Whenever we feel caught between compassion and custom, may we remember Christ’s example: to do good, to bring healing, and to let love lead, even on the Sabbath.
My Letter To A Sunday Keeper – Sabbath Documentary
The Days of Noah – Powerful Documentary (Video Format)
Bible Studies – Written Format
