If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just pointing out their hypocrisy; he's highlighting how they’re prioritizing a ritual part of a man over the whole person's well-being. Their anger over a procedure that affects a single body part, while overlooking the complete healing of a man's entire being, reveals a warped sense of what truly honors the Sabbath and God.
If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is responding to the anger and confusion of the crowds in Jerusalem, who are upset because He healed a man on the Sabbath. He points out their hypocrisy by comparing His act of healing to the practice of circumcision, which they themselves performed on the Sabbath to uphold the Law of Moses. Jesus argues that if they permit a ritualistic act like circumcision, which involves wounding, on the Sabbath, they should certainly not be angry when He performs a compassionate act of healing that restores a person completely.
Ever feel caught between following rules and doing what's right? Jesus faced this head-on, showing us that true obedience honors God's heart, not just the letter of the law.
Jesus confronts the religious leaders' anger over His healing on the Sabbath by using their own practices as an argument. They allowed circumcision on the Sabbath, a ritual act, to ensure the law requiring it on the eighth day wasn't broken. Jesus points out the hypocrisy: they were willing to perform a ritual, which involved drawing blood and creating a wound, on the Sabbath to uphold a Mosaic ordinance. Yet, they condemned Him for performing a miracle of healing that restored a person's entire body. He uses this comparison to highlight their flawed logic and misplaced priorities. The core issue wasn't the Sabbath itself, but their rigid interpretation that prioritized man-made rules over human well-being and God's ongoing work.
Jesus draws a stark contrast between a ritual cut and a miracle cure. Which one truly honors the spirit of God's commands?
The argument Jesus presents hinges on a powerful comparison between circumcision and His healing work. Circumcision, while a significant religious rite commanded by God, involved inflicting a wound on a single part of the body. Yet, the religious leaders permitted this ritual on the Sabbath. Jesus, in contrast, had just restored a man's entire body to health. The emphasis on 'whole man' (or 'every whit whole') highlights the magnitude of His miracle compared to the limited scope of circumcision. He's essentially saying, 'If you allow a ritual that wounds a part of the body to keep your law, why are you furious when I perform a divine act that the body?' This points to the superiority of Christ's work, which brought complete restoration and revealed God's compassion.
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Why were they so angry? Jesus reveals that their judgment was clouded, not by God's law, but by personal prejudice and a misunderstanding of His mission.
Jesus addresses the anger (using the word 'cholate,' which implies a deep, bitter anger rooted in bile) of the religious leaders. This anger wasn't based on a genuine understanding of God's law or His mission. Instead, their judgment was skewed by their preconceived notions about Jesus and His authority. They focused on the timing of His action (the Sabbath) rather than the nature and purpose of His action (healing and demonstrating God's kingdom). Jesus calls them to 'judge rightly,' urging them to look beyond appearances and prejudices. Their anger revealed a heart more concerned with enforcing their rigid traditions than embracing God's compassionate intervention through His Son.
Understand the original words
Torah · Hebrew Noun
The foundational body of instruction and law given by God to Israel through Moses, encompassing moral, civil, and ceremonial requirements. It was intended to reveal God's holiness and man's need for grace.
Jesus' argument hinges on a common rabbinic principle: a positive command (circumcision) could override a negative one (Sabbath observance). He applies this to show that a command to heal is even more significant than circumcision, and therefore, certainly permissible on the Sabbath.
c. 2100 BC
Abraham Instituted Circumcision
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, commanding circumcision as a sign to be performed on the eighth day for males.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Mosaic Law Given
The Law of Moses is given, including the command for circumcision on the eighth day and the observance of the Sabbath.
c. 1st Century BC - 1st Century AD
Development of Rabbinic Interpretation
Schools of thought like Hillel's develop complex rules for interpreting the Law, including how to handle Sabbath observances when positive commands (like circumcision) conflict.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus Heals Man on Sabbath
Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, leading to opposition from religious leaders.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Heals Man in Jerusalem
Jesus heals a man who had been an invalid for 38 years on the Sabbath in Jerusalem, sparking intense anger and debate among Jewish authorities.
This passage establishes the command for circumcision on the eighth day, the very law Jesus references as being kept even on the Sabbath, highlighting the inconsistency of the objectors.
Matthew 12:11-12Jesus uses a similar argument here, questioning why they would rescue a sheep from a ditch on the Sabbath, yet condemn His healing, demonstrating a consistent principle of prioritizing mercy and necessity over a rigid interpretation of the Sabbath law.
Deuteronomy 10:16This verse calls for 'circumcision of the heart,' a concept that Jesus implies is the greater, spiritual reality that His healing work on the Sabbath was moving towards, contrasting with the physical rite they focused on.
1 Samuel 15:22Samuel's rebuke of Saul for disobedience, stating 'to obey is better than sacrifice,' echoes Jesus' argument that true obedience to God's heart (mercy and healing) is more important than a ritualistic adherence to the Sabbath law.
barnesJohn 7:23: "If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?"
That the law of Moses should not be broken - In order that the law requiring it to be done at a specified time, though that might occur on the Sabbath, should be kept. Are ye angry ... - The argument of Jesus is this: "You yourselves, in interpreting the law about the Sabbath, allow a work of necessity to be…
vincentJohn 7:23: "If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?"
Are ye angry (χολᾶτε)Only here in the New Testament. From χολή, gall. Strictly, the verb means to be full of bile, hence to be melancholy mad.Every whit whole (ὅλον ὑγιῆ)Strictly, I made a whole man sound, in contrast with the rite of circumcision which affects only a single member, but which, neverthe…
Jesus isn't just pointing out their hypocrisy; he's highlighting how they’re prioritizing a ritual part of a man over the whole person's well-being. Their anger over a procedure that affects a single body part, while overlooking the complete healing of a man's entire being, reveals a warped sense of what truly honors the Sabbath and God.
Jesus is responding to the anger and confusion of the crowds in Jerusalem, who are upset because He healed a man on the Sabbath. He points out their hypocrisy by comparing His act of healing to the practice of circumcision, which they themselves performed on the Sabbath to uphold the Law of Moses. Jesus argues that if they permit a ritualistic act like circumcision, which involves wounding, on the Sabbath, they should certainly not be angry when He performs a compassionate act of healing that restores a person completely.
Jesus is responding to the anger and confusion of the crowds in Jerusalem, who are upset because He healed a man on the Sabbath. He points out their hypocrisy by comparing His act of healing to the practice of circumcision, which they themselves performed on the Sabbath to uphold the Law of Moses. Jesus argues that if they permit a ritualistic act like circumcision, which involves wounding, on the Sabbath, they should certainly not be angry when He performs a compassionate act of healing that restores a person completely.
"If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?" — Jesus isn't just pointing out their hypocrisy; he's highlighting how they’re prioritizing a ritual part of a man over the whole person's well-being. Their anger over a procedure that affects a si…
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Last reviewed October 2026