JESUS AND THE SABBATH
September 10, 2006 PM
Sermon Outline
MK 2:23-28
INTRO: It is not easy living under a microscope! But that is exactly what Jesus had to do. Every word, every action was watched by the "keepers of orthodoxy" of that time ... the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus was anything but what they expected in the Messiah. Doubtless they thought that the expected Messiah would be one of them ... or, at least, he would consult with them. And as soon as it was apparent that Jesus did not meet their expectations of the Messiah, they engaged Him in one confrontation after another. In the text I have read the disciples of Jesus are apparently walking through a field of grain. They pulled some to the grain, and Luke's gospel tells us they rubbed the heads in their hands ... and ate the grain. Immediately, the Pharisees confronted Jesus!
I. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE SABBATH?
A. Relevant texts:
1. Ex 20:8-10 - instituted and explained - a day of rest for man and beast
2. Ex 35:2,3 - no first could be kindled on the sabbath
3. Num 15:32-35 - gather of sticks with the intention of kindling a fire!
B. But for the priests?
1. Lev 24:5-9 - the preparing (baking) of the shewbread on the sabbath
2. Num 28:9,10 - the burnt offerings every sabbath
3. there must have been some latitude in the sabbath ordinance
C. A point to be made just here
1. there were not many God given stipulations about the sabbath
2. by the time of Jesus, however, the rabbis had developed a very detailed system of observance (note Acts 1:12 and the "sabbath day's journey"
3. so, we need to understand this incident against this background
II.THE ACCUSATION?
A. Jesus' disciples were doing on the sabbath that which was unlawful!
1. now, remember, they were just plucking heads, rubbing them and eating
2. the Pharisees admitted that on any other day this would be lawful
3. the disciples were charged with working on the sabbath day!
B. Rabbis had classified "work" under 39 different heads
1. four of them were violated by disciples: reaping, winnowing, threshing and preparing a meal
2. remember, though, these were rabbinic rules - not God's
3. remember, too, Mt 15:1-3,9
III. JESUS' RESPONSE?
A. He pointed them to their own inconsistency - Mk 2:25,26
1. Jesus referred to an incident recorded in 1 Sam 21:1-6
2. important to note that Jesus does not approve of what David did
3. His point is that they knew well of this incident, but they did not condemn David for his action ... yet, they accused the disciples of violating the law
B. He pointed them to the "work" of priests on the sabbath - Mt 12:5
1. by their definitions the work of the priests violated the sabbath!
2. the priests cooked the shewbread, offered the sacrifices, etc.
3. their service in the tabernacle, temple was, by the Pharisees' own definition, "work" ... but they were guiltless (so, sabbath prohibited work for gain, but the prohibition was not intended by God to be "absolute")
C. He made an astounding statement about Himself - Mt 12:6
1. greater than the temple is Jesus - serving Him is "priestly service"
2. this statement must have brought some consternation, even indignation, to the Pharisees ... for to them nothing was greater than the temple
3. Jesus justifies the disciples' behavior by likening them to the priests
D. He explained God's intention for the sabbath - Mk 2:27,28
1. as the Lord of the sabbath, He could make this legitimate explanation
2. the Pharisees had made the sabbath so rigid that its benefits to man had been lost!
3. but His openly claiming to be Lord of the sabbath must have further raised the level of bitter opposition
CLOSE: When Jesus referred to Himself as "Son of man", there can be little doubt (if any) that He is claiming for Himself the fulfillment of Daniel's words at Dan 7:13,14. And the Pharisees well knew those words. So, the storm clouds continue to gather around the Lord ... storm clouds which will eventually lead Him to the cross.
Cecil A. Hutson
10 September 2006