... anger, grieved ...

Mark 2:3-5, And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Jesus had both affirmed the Sabbath as being necessary for people, and also declared his Lordship over it. Elsewhere, he notes that since any of them would rescue one of their animals from a life-threatening situation on the Sabbath, how much more deserving of rescue is a man? Some people think of God as angry; here we see his anger kindled over the hardness of heart of the religious leaders. And not only his anger, but his grief that they had no compassion for this man. His compassion brings restoration!

Give us this same compassion for others over and above what might be considered the rules or tradition!

ESV Lectionary