THE GOSPEL: Sabbath was Made for Man!

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27) "Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28; Matthew 12:8; Luke 6:5)
 
As we've studied in previous lessons, the Pharisees and Jewish leaders were looking for any reason to accuse Jesus of some crime.  In their religious opinion, Jesus continued to break their Sabbath laws and traditions (see THE GOSPEL: Any Day Is A Good Day).  No matter the reason, they were going to accuse Him of doing wrong. 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? [I Samuel 21:1-9] Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?  [Leviticus 6:1-13] 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,’[Hosea 6:6] you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:1-7; Mark 2:23-26; Luke 6:1-4)

Basically Jesus is explaining to the Jewish leaders that no matter what day of the week it is, if a person has a real legitimate need and the ability to satisfy it, they are free to do so.  Jesus and his disciples were hungry.  Eventhough the plucking of heads of grain was considered working on the Sabbath, they ate it immediately to satisfy their hunger.  Being that these leaders are knowledgable of the Old Testament scriptures, Jesus references specific accounts of when their beloved forefathers did what was not acceptable on the Sabbath, because God allowed it, due to the circumstances.  God desires mercy and not sacrifice; For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17)

Jesus is trying to explain to the Jewish leaders that all the laws and commandments God gave the children of Isreal was to help them see their true condition and their need to turn from sin, repent.  They were not to use these instructions God gave them as a "get out of jail free" backup plan, while they continued to live disobedient lives.  Jesus also made it clear to the Jewish leaders that the temple was a building used by God, but that there is One greater than the temple.  King Solomon, who built the first temple explained that in his prayer to God after the building of the temple was complete: “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! (II Chronicles 6:18, see HEBREWS: The Real Tabernacle)  The lesson to all of us is we can't get so caught up in the things of this world that we lose focus of Who's most important, God and our relationship with Him, through our faith in His Son, Christ Jesus!  Show respect for the things of God and obey authority, but never use any of that as an excuse to not give help to someone or receive help when needed.

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? [Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?] Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:9-12; Mark 3:1-4; Luke 6:6-9) The simplicity in Jesus' rebukes are absolutely wonderful; K.I.S.S. Rule (Keep It Simple, Stupid)!  Who can argue against His explanation.  Do whatever needs to be done, even if it is on the Sabbath, just like we would on any other day, as long as it is good! 

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 3:5-6; Matthew 12:13-14; Luke 6:10-11)  No matter what we may tell some people, and no matter what proof they may see for themselves, if they have hardness of their hearts, they are not going to believe.  It's sad and hurtful; even Jesus was grieved by the hardness of their hearts.  We must learn to not take people's rejection of the Truth personally.  The perfect example is when God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and ask him to let the children of Isreal leave Egypt.  How did Pharaoh respond to the Word of God? And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. (Exodus 7:13) Pharaoh repeatedly refused the requests of Moses, to the point that God finally said, Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. (Exodus 14:4)

God gives All of us ample opportunity to see, hear, accept and believe the Truth, but And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (Romans 1:28) He is not going to force Himself on us, nor is He going to force any of us to believe.  As we will study in a future lesson , Jesus taught that all the proof and evidence anyone should need in order to become a believer has already been done, But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:31)  Let's make sure we don't get caught up in philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8) But instead let's Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)