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LORD OF THE SABBATH
SATURDAY, JANUARY 15
Mark 2:23-28

Exodus 20:8-11

 

“…the Son of man is Lord

also of the Sabbath.”

 

LORD OF THE SABBATH
 
The Pharisees charged Jesus and His disciples for breaking the sabbath. According to the Pharisees, the sabbath law was broken when the disciples plucked (reaped) and rubbed (threshed) the wheat grains in their hands—they broke two of the 39 works forbidden on the Sabbath as found in the Mishnah—the laws of their rabbis. Jesus was culpable because He did not stop His disciples from “breaking the sabbath.” His disciples were hungry, and plucked some wheat grains to eat; was the Master wrong to allow them to do it?
 
Jesus and His disciples clearly did not violate the sabbath law. What they went against were those extra-biblical, man-made, and foolish laws of the Pharisees (cf. Luke 11:46). Jesus rebutted the accusations of the Pharisees by citing the example of David who ate of the shewbread that only the priests were allowed to eat. David was hungry, and Abiathar the priest, knowing the law for sure, did not forbid David and his men to fill their stomachs with forbidden bread (1 Sam 21:1-6 cf. Lev 24:9). Abiathar “broke” the ceremonial law of Leviticus 24:9, but was blameless. David likewise “broke” that law by eating of the ceremonial bread, and was guiltless as well. If Abiathar and David were innocent, how could Jesus—the great High Priest, the greater David—be guilty? Moreover, Jesus Himself is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28)!
 
THOUGHT: The higher law of necessity overrides the lower law of ceremony.

PRAYER: Lord, let me worship Thee and do good on the Sabbath.

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