On Line Bible Study - For the week April 26-May 2, 2010
Lesson 437
Luke 6: 1One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
Luke 6: 1One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
3Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 5Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
This is the 'second situation' of three that we find in this section of Luke's Gospel - 5:33-6:11. The first situation, discussed in the previous lesson, had to do with fasting, prayer, and Jesus' tendency to think of people first, and the law second. The situation we are considering today has to do with Jesus and the Sabbath.
Isn't it interesting that the Pharisees know what Jesus and his disciples are doing on the Sabbath? Why weren't they home resting, observing the Sabbath? Clearly, the religious authorities are keeping a close watch on Jesus.
The story has an interesting inconsistency in it - the Pharisees' concern had to do with Sabbath laws; the scripture Jesus uses to refute them has nothing to do with the Sabbath. In citing David's use of the consecrated bread (I Samuel 21:1-6), the Sabbath is not an explicit part of that story. Perhaps Jesus is simply comparing David's need as rising above the laws governing the Sabbath.
Darrell Bock points out that the disciples were in violation of four Sabbath practices - they were reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food. All this "wrong-doing" by simply rubbing grain in their hands and eating the kernels! From our perspective it is easy to see how foolish this complaint was. We can easily see the planks in the eyes of the Pharisees. It is more difficult to get beyond the lumber in our own.
Perhaps we could sum up Jesus' statement by recognizing this: Human need trumps religious ritual. Even the hallowed Sabbath must yield to the Savior's determination to heal, nourish and comfort.
We will consider one more situation - the third one in this series; but the issue is the same.
This is the 'second situation' of three that we find in this section of Luke's Gospel - 5:33-6:11. The first situation, discussed in the previous lesson, had to do with fasting, prayer, and Jesus' tendency to think of people first, and the law second. The situation we are considering today has to do with Jesus and the Sabbath.
Isn't it interesting that the Pharisees know what Jesus and his disciples are doing on the Sabbath? Why weren't they home resting, observing the Sabbath? Clearly, the religious authorities are keeping a close watch on Jesus.
The story has an interesting inconsistency in it - the Pharisees' concern had to do with Sabbath laws; the scripture Jesus uses to refute them has nothing to do with the Sabbath. In citing David's use of the consecrated bread (I Samuel 21:1-6), the Sabbath is not an explicit part of that story. Perhaps Jesus is simply comparing David's need as rising above the laws governing the Sabbath.
Darrell Bock points out that the disciples were in violation of four Sabbath practices - they were reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food. All this "wrong-doing" by simply rubbing grain in their hands and eating the kernels! From our perspective it is easy to see how foolish this complaint was. We can easily see the planks in the eyes of the Pharisees. It is more difficult to get beyond the lumber in our own.
Perhaps we could sum up Jesus' statement by recognizing this: Human need trumps religious ritual. Even the hallowed Sabbath must yield to the Savior's determination to heal, nourish and comfort.
We will consider one more situation - the third one in this series; but the issue is the same.
posted by Mark D at 9:48 AM
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