Pronouncement about the Sabbath
“23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way His disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to Him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’ 25 And He said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food, 26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions?’ 27 Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, 28 so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath’” Mark 2:23-28.
This little pericope is brilliant for many reasons. First of all the Pharisees were a self-proclaimed police force who enforced Jewish religious law. But no one gave them such authority, no, they claimed this on their own. Some were devout and holy men who knew the religious laws, but no one but themselves gave them the authority to enforce the laws as they saw fit. Because they were threatened by the disciples and their leader, Jesus, they kept a close eye on them. This is why they watched the disciples even as they passed through a field of wheat.
When wheat is ripe you can grab some of the grains, rub them between your hands, blow away the little chaff or husks and chew the grain. It is a sort of early version of chewing gum. I am struck that the disciples were so hungry that they grabbed a tiny bit of wheat to chew on. It was more psychologically satisfying than it was food that satiated their appetite. Yet the Pharisees objected.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t deny that they are breaking the sabbath observance, but pleads for their hunger and includes scriptural precedence.
But more than anything else, Jesus puts Himself on par with King David who did the same. Jesus claims the same right as King to bypass the normal regulations when His people are hungry. But it’s Jesus’ identification of Himself as the “Son of Man” that He identifies Himself as the Messiah!
A new day was dawning in which all the God-given laws would be seen in light of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man!
So today in your prayer consider how your life is different because of Jesus Christ. He is the true Messiah and Savior of the world. Everything is new in Him! Take that truth to heart and follow Christ in every way you can. Never give up on Jesus. Stay in His word and follow Christ!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, you are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12.
“And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[a] with you I am well pleased” Mark 1:11.
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