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Mark 3:5

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And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

And {G2532} when he had looked round about {G4017} on them {G846} with {G3326} anger {G3709}, being grieved {G4818} for {G1909} the hardness {G4457} of their {G846} hearts {G2588}, he saith {G3004} unto the man {G444}, Stretch forth {G1614} thine {G4675} hand {G5495}. And {G2532} he stretched it out {G1614}: and {G2532} his {G846} hand {G5495} was restored {G600} whole {G5199} as {G5613} the other {G243}.

Then, looking them over and feeling both anger with them and sympathy for them at the stoniness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." As he held it out, it became restored.

Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored.

And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and his hand was restored.

Commentary

Mark 3:5 recounts a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, highlighting His divine authority, emotional depth, and conflict with religious legalism. This verse is part of a larger narrative where Jesus performs a miraculous healing on the Sabbath, sparking intense controversy.

Context

This event occurs in a synagogue, following Jesus' previous healing miracles and His assertion of authority over the Sabbath. The religious leaders, specifically the Pharisees and Herodians, were watching Him closely, hoping to find an accusation against Him for healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3:2). They prioritized their strict interpretations of the Law over compassion for a suffering individual. Jesus, aware of their intentions, directly challenged their legalistic mindset by asking if it was lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill (Mark 3:4).

Key Themes

  • Jesus' Righteous Anger and Grief: The phrase "looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts" reveals Jesus' profound emotional response. His anger was not a sinful outburst but a righteous indignation against the spiritual blindness and hypocrisy of the religious leaders. His grief stemmed from their "hardness of their hearts" (Greek: porosis), signifying a spiritual insensitivity and resistance to God's truth and compassion.
  • Divine Authority and Healing Power: With a simple command, "Stretch forth thine hand," Jesus demonstrates His immediate and complete authority over physical infirmity. The man's instantaneous restoration ("his hand was restored whole as the other") powerfully affirms Jesus' identity as the Son of God, capable of performing acts that only God could. This healing also serves as a direct answer to the Pharisees' unspoken challenge regarding Sabbath observance.
  • Conflict Between Compassion and Legalism: This verse starkly contrasts Jesus' compassionate heart and desire to do good with the rigid, unfeeling legalism of the religious authorities. For Jesus, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27), and healing was an act of mercy consistent with God's will.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "hardness" here is porosis (πώρωσις), which literally means a hardening or petrification, often used to describe a callus or a stone. Spiritually, it denotes a state of insensitivity, dullness, or obstinacy of heart, rendering one unresponsive to divine truth or human need. Jesus' grief over this spiritual condition underscores the severity of their unresponsiveness to God's love and truth.

Practical Application

Mark 3:5 challenges believers today to examine their own hearts for any spiritual "hardness." Are we prioritizing rules and traditions over genuine compassion and the needs of others? Jesus' example teaches us that righteous anger can be a response to injustice and spiritual apathy, but it is always coupled with grief for those who are spiritually blind. This verse also reminds us of Jesus' unwavering power and willingness to heal and restore, both physically and spiritually, when we respond in faith to His command.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Luke 6:10 (7 votes)

    And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

  • 1 Kings 13:6 (4 votes)

    And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as [it was] before.

  • Ephesians 4:18 (4 votes)

    Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

  • Matthew 12:13 (3 votes)

    Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

  • Romans 11:7 (3 votes)

    What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

  • Romans 11:10 (3 votes)

    Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

  • Romans 11:25 (3 votes)

    For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.