The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath

Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?" And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?" And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

- Luke 6:1-11

In yesterday's reading, Jesus dined in the home of His new disciple, Levi (or Matthew), the tax collector. The leadership of the temple were scandalized that He socialized with sinners. Jesus told them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." The Pharisees and scribes then asked why Jesus' disciples ate and drank, while those of John the Baptist fasted and prayed like those in the temple leadership. Jesus replied that the friends of the bridegroom will feast while the bridegroom is with them - later they will fast. He then told the parable about new wine needing new wineskins, and said, "No one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"

Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" After the passages about dining with Matthew, the tax collector and disciple, we are given another example of "feasting" that scandalizes. My study bible notes: "The correct observance of the Sabbath-rest is a major point of controversy between the Pharisees and Jesus."

But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?" And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." A note reads: "This is a reminder that Jesus is God in the flesh -- that He is both God and man." Clearly, the statement that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath is a powerful declaration that sets order into the perception of the law. What is the will of God? The law is written to serve God and man, not the other way around. It is at the same time a powerful declaration of what in Orthodox theology is called economia: this means that in cases where there is difficulty or hardship following received understanding, and a choice is to be made, we choose on the side of mercy. This is an extension of mercy - of God's will - that stands in or overrides "the law" as we understand it in situations that call practice into question, especially at times of hardship or distress.

Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. A note in my study bible says, "According to the scribes and Pharisees, healing was considered work and was not permissible on the Sabbath. They believed they served God by being zealous for traditions they had built up around the Law, and they saw Jesus as a lawbreaker. Their dedication to rigid legalism made them insensitive to God's priorities."

But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?" And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. As a counterpart to the verses above, in which mercy is exemplified in the eating of the grain, so this passage illustrates the practice of mercy. The question is, really, what is the point and purpose of the law? Is it for mercy, is it for ministering?

If we accept God's will, we believe that this will is characterized by certain aspects of the personal. That is, we believe that God is not simply an energy or a detached form of intelligence, but also that God is a Person (or rather, in Christian theology, Three Persons in One). What is the personal? What is personhood? These are essential questions for the Christian faith. We have also been taught (from Jewish tradition) that God made man in His image, and that we are to be "like God." All of this is relevant to the question of personhood and notions of persona. A person is someone with whom we have relationship, and who we know by their characteristics or, if you will, personality. And what we accept that we know of God is that God is love. God made man (and all the world) and chooses to minister to this beloved creation. If the law is to serve God's purposes and to minister to man, then whatever acts are carried out in that Name must also be loving and merciful, as is the will of God. So, simply put, if we are to truly follow God and God's purposes, then we will seek to come down on the side of any question that arises on the side of mercy. This is not to excuse any wrongdoing, or banish the consequences of harmful behavior (that wouldn't really be fully embodying the upholding of mercy or love as a practice anyway). But it is an answer to a question: "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?" Jesus frames the question in the way that sets God first, above the law -- and God's purposes, i.e. ministry to man, first. If He has come into the world "for the life of the world" then we must consider these questions seriously. What does it mean to minister, and to carry out "God's will?" We know God's will is love and mercy. Let us consider then, questions of our own: How do we uphold love as a practice? And who needs our mercy? Do we tolerate those who abuse? What about their victims? How do we best serve love? These questions will always be with us, and they will present themselves to us privately and personally as we seek to make our choices. As long as we have "rules" for the good, there will be those who find a way to use them and bend them to suit their purposes and use them as cover. Let us remember love and mercy, and that they are linked to truth and those who are pure in heart. Do we do good or evil, do we save life or destroy?