Hoping to Accuse Jesus

Lord of the Sabbath {Matthew, Mark, and Luke}

One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples walked through grain fields. Hungry, the disciples picked some to eat. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, your disciples aren’t following the Sabbath laws.”

Jesus said, “David and his companions entered the house of God and took the consecrated bread meant for the priests when they were hungry. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Matthew: If you understood these words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ (Hosea 6:6) you wouldn’t condemn the innocent.) I tell you one greater than the temple is here. The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Personal Thought: The Sabbath was made for man—one of the least quoted and to me, most important passages of the Bible. The Sabbath is for our benefit—all the fundamental believers and their strict rules about observing it is like following the letter of the law instead of the spirit of it—justice and redemption.

Excuse to Accuse Jesus

Jesus went into the synagogue and saw a man with a shriveled hand. Hoping for a reason to accuse Jesus, the Pharisees asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

Jesus said, “If anyone has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath, won’t they lift it out? A man is much more valuable than a sheep. {Mark and Luke} Which is lawful, to do good and save life on the Sabbath or to do evil and kill?”

They kept quiet. Angered and distressed by their stubborn hearts, Jesus told the disabled man to stand before everyone and stretch out his hand. It was completely restored. The Pharisees plotted with Herod’s people how to kill Jesus. {Matthew} Aware of their thoughts, Jesus left. Many followed him and he healed their sick, warning them not to tell who had healed them.

Fulfilling Prophecy (Isaiah 42: 1-4) {Matthew}

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.”