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Mar_3:1-6. See on Mat_12:9-14; comp. Luk_6:6-11. The brief, vividly and sharply graphic account of Mark is in Matthew partly abridged, partly expanded.
πάλιν ] see Mar_1:21.
εἰς τ . συναγωγήν ] at Capernaum. See Mar_2:15.
ἐξηραμμένην ] “non ex utero, sed morbo aut vulnere; haec vis participii,” Bengel. More indefinitely Matthew (and Luke): ξηράν .
παρετηροῦντο ] of hostile observing, spying (comp. Luk_6:7, al.; Polyb. xvii. 3. 2 : ἐνεδρεύειν καὶ παρατηρεῖν ), which, however, is implied, not in the middle, but in the context.
Mar_3:3 ff. ἔγειρε εἰς τ . μέσον ] arise (and step forth) into the midst. Comp. Luk_6:8.
ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι ] to act well (Tob_12:13), or to act ill (Sir_19:25). Comp. καλῶς ποιεῖν , Mat_12:12; Ep. ad Diogn. 4 : God does not hinder καλόν τι ποιεῖν on the Sabbath day. The alternative must be such that the opponents cannot deny the former proposition, and therefore must be dumb. On this account it is not to be explained: to render a benefit (1Ma_11:33), or to inflict an injury (Erasmus, Bengel, Beza, de Wette, Bleek, and others); for the former might be relatively negatived on account of the Sabbath-laws, the observance of which, however, could not be opposed to the idea of acting well (i.e. in conformity with the divine will). We can only decide the question on this ground, not from the usus loquendi, which in fact admits of either explanation. The reading in D: τι ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι , is a correct gloss of the late Greek word (Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 200), comp. 1Pe_2:15; 1Pe_2:20; 1Pe_3:6; 3Jn_1:11.
ψυχὴν σῶσαι ] to rescue a soul, that it be not transferred to Hades, but, on the contrary, the man may be preserved in life. Comp. Mar_8:35, often also among Greek writers. This likewise could not be denied, for “periculum vitae pellit sabbatum,” Joma, f. 84, 2. See the passages in Wetstein, ad Mat_12:10.
ἀποκτεῖναι ] to be taken by itself, not to be connected with ψυχήν . At the foundation of the question of Jesus lies the conclusion from the general to the special; He carries the point in question about the Sabbath healings back to the moral category, in consequence of which a negative answer would be absurd. The adversaries feel this; but instead of confessing it they are silent, because they are hardened.
συλλυπού μενος ] feeling compassion over, etc., Herod. ix. 94, vi. 39; Polyb. vii. 3. 2; Aelian, V. H. vii. 3. Anger and compassion alternated. The preposition denotes not the emotion of the heart collectively, but the fellowship, into which the heart enters, with the misfortune (in this case moral) of the persons concerned. Comp. Plato, Pol. v. p. 462 E.
ἀπεκατεστάθη ] with double augment (Winer, p. 67 [E. T. 84]) is, in accordance with Lachmann, to be read. Comp. on Mat_12:13.
Mar_3:6. εὐθέως κ . τ . λ .] “crevit odium,” Bengel. They instituted a consultation, in order that, etc. Comp. on Mat_22:5. That the Herodians are introduced into this place erroneously from Mat_22:16 (see in loc.) is not to be maintained (de Wette, Baur, Hilgenfeld). The sensation produced by the working of Jesus (see Mar_3:7-8) was sufficiently fitted to induce their being now drawn by the Pharisees into the hostile effort. Hence the mention of them here is no meaningless addition (Köstlin).