MARK 2:23-28; 3:1-5
At that time, Jesus was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 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 also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath.
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch it out, ” and his hand was restored.
Jesus and the Law
The Pharisees brought a charge to Jesus that His disciples were violating the Law by plucking grains of corn to eat. The commandment against working on the Sabbath is found in many places in the Old Testament.
Exodus 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
The Example of David’s Men
Jesus answered the Pharisees from the Old Testament giving the example of David’s men who ate the bread which was forbidden to everyone but the Priests (1 Samuel 21:1-6). In saying this Jesus was declaring Himself to be the true High Priest.
A key part of the 1 Samuel passage is:
1 Samuel 21:5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
If David’s men were sanctified by being away from women for three days, how much more were Christ’s disciples sanctified by being with Him?
Priests are specifically exempt from the Sabbath laws
Matthew adds additional words of Jesus.
Matthew 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Here Jesus points to the priestly role of His disciples. If the priests in the temple are exempt from the Sabbath law, how much more the disciples of Jesus are exempt. Jesus was the one who gave the Law to Moses.
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
The Pharisees even took exception to Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath. In the earlier part of the passage, the disciples ate, not Jesus. In this part, Jesus was the One who did the healing. There is certainly no prohibition against healing on the Sabbath. It is always good to give mercy.
Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
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