1 tn Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
2 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
3 sn The term translated watched…closely is emotive, since it carries negative connotations. It means they were watching him out of the corner of their eye or spying on him.
4 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text; Jesus’ opponents anticipated he would do this.
6 sn The background for this is the view that only if life was endangered should one attempt to heal on the Sabbath (see the Mishnah, m. Shabbat 6.3; 12.1; 18.3; 19.2; m. Yoma 8.6).
