Mark 3:5 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Grieved and angered by their hardness, Jesus heals the man, and his hand is made whole.
What Does Mark 3:5 Mean?
Jesus looks around at the silent critics with anger, yet Mark adds that He is grieved, sorrowful over the hardness of their hearts. Then He speaks: stretch out your hand. The man obeys, and instantly the withered hand is restored, whole as the other. The command requires the very thing he could not do, and obedience meets healing power.
Here is the rare sight of holy anger joined to deep sorrow. Jesus is not indifferent to closed hearts; He mourns them. Yet His grief does not stop His mercy. The man is asked to reach out in trust before he feels any change, and as he moves, he is healed. Faith often acts first. Christ still calls us to stretch out what is broken toward Him.
Mark 3:5 in the Original Language
porosis (πώρωσις), 'hardness' -- a stony callousness that has lost the capacity to feel or respond.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 3:5
What does Mark 3:5 mean?
Grieved and angered by their hardness, Jesus heals the man, and his hand is made whole.