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At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" -- that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.
- Matthew 12:1-14
Yesterday, Jesus finished His talk to the crowds regarding John the Baptist, who is in prison. Two of John's disciples had come to Him, asking, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" For the earlier parts of Jesus' response, see From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force and Wisdom is justified by her children, In yesterday's reading, Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?" My study bible points out that the Pharisees are rigid in their legalism: the plucking of a few ears in a neighbor's field is permitted by Law (Deut. 23:25), but they consider it 'reaping' and unlawful work on the Sabbath. Perhaps it's very significant that Jesus has just finished teaching the crowds that the criticism of both He and John the Baptist is extreme and unwarranted (see Wisdom is justified by her children), because this is a type of accusation that is unnecessary in an appropriate application of the law. As a response, Jesus points out Old Testament precedents of blameless violations of the Sabbath rule (Lev. 24:5-9; Num. 28:9-10; 1 Sam. 21:1-6). My study bible says, "Jesus demonstrates the law is not absolute over human need or service to God. The showbread suggests the Bread from heaven which is set upon holy tables of the house of God, the Church."
"Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." My study bible tells us, "Jesus is Lord even of the Sabbath, thus Lord of all days including the Lord's Day, and the Author of the Law itself. He gives precedence to mercy rather than ritualistic observance." The quotation is from Hosea. Generally speaking, Jesus tells them that their priorities are wrong; their expertise is not applied correctly, and hence their judgment is false.
Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" -- that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. My study bible explains that rabbis permitted healing on the Sabbath only if a person's life was in danger. But Jesus goes further. The man with a withered hand isn't in critical condition, but Jesus is merciful and heals him in the synagogue. To save an animal was permitted; again, Jesus compares priorities in the application of the law. The Pharisees clearly feel He has violated their authority. The man's hand is healed, so that presumably he can work, as well -- to do good is the kind of work that is lawful.
In yesterday's reading, we read Jesus' words, teaching us about Himself: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." In today's reading, He illustrates these words with His mercy, His gentle character which is "lowly in heart." Jesus illustrates love in action, because His emphasis is on the kind of judgment which has priorities which are correct: God first, love first, mercy first. What's of more importance -- a rigid application of the law, or one that has its priorities straight? Is saving an animal more important than healing a man and restoring his hand? Is feeding the hungry - lawfully - more important than a rigid application of the law of the Sabbath rest? They fail to understand God and the purpose of God -- and no wonder, because this story implies that it is really their authority and position that they value more than anything else. At the very least, Jesus' display of healing power should cause them to pause and think! But they don't, they simply plot to rid themselves of Him and of His challenge to their authority. That Jesus uses the title "Son of Man" for Himself seems to suggest something meaningful, in addition to its messianic significance, and that is the value that it gives human beings and human life. While only the Messiah is Lord of the Sabbath, as Son of Man the title suggests the meaning we read in Mark's Gospel regarding this same scene: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." None of this is meant to suggest that there are not important reasons for practicing our faith in a certain way, for the guidelines regarding proper worship practices and behaviors. But what it does absolutely suggest is an illustration of Jesus' "gentle" nature, in the way He described Himself in yesterday's reading. This word for gentle (prais) means something important in the Greek: it is a strength that is under control, one that is not used for a mere show of power. His "lowliness of heart" is a disposition which doesn't emphasize His own position, but rather a dependence upon God. Therefore, as Son of Man He is right there with us. Despite His power on display here, He is one of us. And so, quite thoroughly, today's story illustrates what He has taught about Himself in yesterday's reading, as powerful an I AM statement as we'll read ("I am gentle and lowly of heart"). Jesus' power is used to heal, and to make whole, and to practice mercy and good judgment, and this love is what illustrates for us what God is. This love respects the God who teaches, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." This God is not petty, but sees through all things with good judgment. Let us seek to know God, and let this guide our behavior and our own understanding. May I emphasize here Jesus' tremendous strength and power, a grace that is not merely sentimental in a weepy sort of a way over the suffering He sees, but rather a power and authority that is used with love and true judgment. This sort of "gentle" is the model for a concept, an ideal, of what would be called a gentleman or gentlewoman. Let us remember most of all that Jesus teaches us about God and God's nature of love, as a model of that love. It is lawful to "do good" on the Sabbath.
