Sabbath Rules
23 One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; 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 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 he 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)
Keeping the Sabbath holy by doing no unlawful work was and is extremely important to those who endeavor to be observant, faithful Jews. As one of the Ten Commandments, remembering the Sabbath is even intrinsic to Christian faith - though we tend to be far less strict in our observance. Determining what constitutes "work" and what is lawful verses unlawful would seem, therefore, to be of utmost importance. Jesus, as usual, shifts the perspective and challenges dogmatic adherence when strict obedience would interfere with compassionate care for others. It may seem obvious that there is no wrong day or time to feed someone who is hungry, heal someone who is sick, or restore someone to wholeness and community. But we must have some compassion for the Pharisees, as well. They understood the life and death consequence of disobeying God, and they were charged with the responsibility of maintaining the faith of the entire community. Even though Jesus was able to show that the precedent for grace had been set in their scriptures (our Old Testament), they were wary.
We have the blessing of knowing that Jesus' sacrifice covers us, so we are free to err on the side of compassion. God's rules and commands were always intended to draw us closer to God and closer to one another - living out our gratitude for God's protection, provision, and grace by protecting, providing for, and extending grace to others. May we never allow our desire to be right to hinder us from treating others right, nor allow our attempts to live faithfully to become a stumbling block to someone else's faith.
1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come forward." 4 Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (Mark 3:1-6)
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known: 6 "I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. 7 In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. (Psalm 81:4-10)
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