Matthew Henry Commentary Matthew 12:9-13

"And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue: and behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other." — Matthew 12:9-13 (ASV)

Christ shows that works of mercy are lawful and proper to be done on the Lord's day. There are more ways of doing well on Sabbath days than by the duties of worship: attending the sick, relieving the poor, helping those who need speedy relief, teaching the young to care for their souls. These are acts of doing good. Such acts must be done from love and charity, with humility and self-denial, and will be accepted (Genesis 4:7).

This cure, like other cures which Christ performed, had a spiritual meaning.

By nature our hands are withered, and we are unable by ourselves to do anything that is good. Christ alone, by the power of his grace, cures us. He heals the withered hand by putting life into the dead soul and works in us both to will and to do. For, with the command, there is a promise of grace given by the word.