The Sabbath and the restoration of life: an exegetical-historical analysis of Luke 6:6-11

Authors

  • Vamberto Marinho de Arruda Junior Pontifical Catholic University - PUC, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Adalberto Castro da Costa Adventist University Center of São Paulo (UNASP), São Paulo, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19141/1809-2454.kerygma.v21.n1.pe2127

Keywords:

Gospel of Luke, sabbath, healing, second temple Judaism, Kingdom of God

Abstract

This study examines Luke 6:6-11 through an exegetical-historical approach, considering the place of the pericope within Jesus’ Galilean ministry, its relationship to the Sabbath controversies in Luke 6:1-11, and its comparison with the Synoptic parallels in Matthew 12:9-14 and Mark 3:1-6. The narrative of the healing of the man with the withered hand is analyzed in light of the Jewish context of Sabbath observance, distinguishing between sources from Second Temple Judaism, such as Jubilees and the Damascus Document, and later rabbinic literature, especially the Mishnah. The study also considers literary and exegetical elements of the Lukan text, such as the synagogue setting, the reference to the right hand, the placement of the man “in the middle,” Jesus’ antithetical question in Luke 6:9, and the reaction of the opponents. The analysis demonstrates that, in Luke, healing on the Sabbath does not represent contempt for the commandment, but rather the revelation of its deepest purpose: to be a holy time in which God’s grace restores life, returns dignity to the human being, and manifests the beauty of the Kingdom. Thus, the Sabbath appears not as an oppressive burden, but as a privileged space of mercy, liberation, and holistic restoration.

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Author Biographies

Vamberto Marinho de Arruda Junior, Pontifical Catholic University - PUC, São Paulo, Brazil

The author holds a master’s degree and is a doctoral candidate in Theology at PUC-SP. CAPES scholarship recipient. Holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology and a specialization in Biblical Theology from SALT-UNIAENE. Specialist in Sacred Scriptures from CCDEJ and Faculdade São Bento. E-mail: prvambertojr@gmail.com

Adalberto Castro da Costa, Adventist University Center of São Paulo (UNASP), São Paulo, Brazil

The author holds a master’s degree in Theology from EST-RS. Doctoral candidate in Theology at UNASP-EC. Holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology and a specialization in Biblical Theology from SALT-UNIAENE. E-mail: adalberto.ama@hotmail.com

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Published

2026-08-27

How to Cite

MARINHO DE ARRUDA JUNIOR, V.; CASTRO DA COSTA, A. The Sabbath and the restoration of life: an exegetical-historical analysis of Luke 6:6-11. Kerygma, Engenheiro Coelho, SP, v. 21, n. 1, p. e2127, 2026. DOI: 10.19141/1809-2454.kerygma.v21.n1.pe2127. Disponível em: https://revistas.unasp.edu.br/kerygma/article/view/2127. Acesso em: 29 aug. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 1 (2026): Fluxo contínuo

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Artigos

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