The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

- Mark 2:23-3:6

In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus calling Levi, or Matthew, the tax collector. Later, when He dines at Levi's house, there were also many tax collectors and sinners there with His disciples, "for there were many, and they followed Him." The scribes and Pharisees wondered, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." The disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting, and wondered why Jesus' disciples did not. He said that when the bridegroom was with them, the friends cannot fast -- but only after He is taken away, then they will fast. He said, "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" To pluck the grain (corn) to eat was a violation of the Sabbath-rest because it was considered work. Jesus refers to an incident written in the Old Testament, in which David and his men were starving. Abiathar was appointed high priest during David's reign. His father, Ahimelech, provided David and his men with holy bread because it was all that was available to eat. This is an act of mercy in necessity. My study bible notes, "'Pharisaism' is a very real danger for all. Rules for religious practice are not bad in themselves, but when adherence to those rules triumphs over mercy and human need, the practice leads people away from God, not toward Him."

And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." My study bible tells us that there is a similar saying found in rabbinical literature: "The Sabbath has been given unto you; you have not been given unto the Sabbath." We have a powerful statement in Jesus' pronouncement that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath: as incarnate Son, He is Lord in a just and meet way. Only God, says my study bible, can say He is Lord of the Sabbath. As incarnate Lord, Jesus can meet the Sabbath rest as a human being, man and God, knowing the needs of man and having the prerogative of the divine.

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" Here is the question that puts things into perspective. What is the purpose of the Law? What is God's purpose in instituting the Sabbath-rest? He knows there are exceptions in the case of a life that must be saved. But Jesus' emphasis here is on mercy, compassion, and the necessity for healing. What is God's purpose in the world?

But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. My study bible puts it like this: "Jesus is motivated by compassion. He does not deny Sabbath traditions, but teaches that it is more important to do good on the Sabbath then to maintain the strict observance of Sabbath rest. The religious leaders are motivated by zeal for the rigid performance of rabbinic tradition; for them outward performance is more important than doing good. The two perspectives are incompatible." We note that the Pharisees, so angered with Jesus' expression of authority, now plot with their enemies, the Herodians, in order to destroy Jesus.

I've had several occasions recently to consider expressions of this sort of behavior in a religious context. It seems to me that the kind of rigidity that has no compassion for those who come to the Church who seek God, is a kind of rigidity that acts just as my study bible says in its note: it drives people away from God, rather than bringing them to God. It is important to consider then, what is the purpose of any sort of rule in a church? Perhaps it doesn't matter whether we are speaking of what we find written in Scripture or the tradition that develops in interpretation of Scripture: either way, we understand the purposes of God, and specifically of Christ, to call all into relationship. The expressions of God's love cannot be missing from whatever tradition or rule we develop in the expression and practice of our worship. Jesus repeatedly warned against leading the little ones astray, and to me it seems pertinent that we recall Jesus will criticize, later in Mark's Gospel, those who hold fast to the traditions of men at the expense of the traditions of God. What is essential is our fidelity to the original expression from which we understand God's love and mercy and need for relationship to God's children. Either over-interpretation of Scripture or leaving the Scripture altogether over some form of sentimentality work to mislead and to destroy real relationship. They do harm rather than good. Both, in my experience, can create a rigid rule of outward conformity to the group rather than true worship in the heart. Either can become an over-strictness to a "rule" that ignores true human need. Also in today's lectionary reading, St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4, "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." The Church and all those who serve in it are stewards for what has been given, for the children who seek God, and must be faithful to that gift. God's purpose throughout the Bible is to bring His children home to Himself; as stewards the Church must serve that purpose. Whatever works against that purpose is unfaithful to God. True leadership lies in fidelity to God's purpose. Jesus' greatest warnings will come for those who abuse their own power, and do not truly love those in their care. Let us consider how best we practice love and care as faithful stewards. Perhaps there can be no more important exercise in Lent than to look to our own behavior with regard to God's purpose, and examine our own forms of stewardship.