Today in God's Word—July 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
July 30, Luke 6
God gave the Sabbath to Israel to teach them to rest and trust in him. As given, the Sabbath was a great blessing. But the Jews turned the blessing into a burdensome curse. They made up hundreds of traditional rules to interpret the law, and made their traditions and interpretations equal to the law itself. Sabbath observance became a merit badge, proof of the good Sabbath keeper’s devout righteousness.
No wonder the Sabbath became a lightning rod issue between Jesus and the Pharisees. The disciples were getting a snack, not harvesting a crop when the Pharisees accused them. When Jesus and his disciples didn’t follow their traditions, the Pharisees accused them of law- breaking. Jesus responded that David and his men ate the bread of the Presence (when it was technically “unlawful” for anyone but a priest to do so). He cited the example to show that ceremonial laws were not absolute and arbitrary in matters of human necessity. I don’t know if they understood his point or not. But I suspect they got it when Jesus said the Son of Man (a messianic title from Ezekiel) was lord of the Sabbath. He was claiming to be greater than their favorite command!
The Jewish leaders had not accused Jesus of Sabbath-breaking earlier when he cast a demon out of a man in the synagogue at Capernaum. But now Jesus’ Sabbath activities became opportunities to find fault and accuse him. Jesus didn’t evade the issue. Knowing he was being watched, he told the man with the withered hand to stand. He then focused attention on the real issue: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” Then he spoke to the man, telling him to stretch out his hand, and it was restored. He technically did not “work” on the Sabbath; he only spoke. But it was enough. The Pharisees were furious, and started making plans to get rid of Jesus.
Meticulous Sabbath observance is not a burning issue for us today. But some principles do apply. We could make the same error the Pharisees
made by judging and condemning people who do not follow our emphases and interpretations. Jesus was sinless. He always obeyed God’s law. The Pharisees were wrong when they accused him of doing something unlawful.
Let’s remember the Law could never justify flawed, weak human beings. It convicts, but cannot redeem. It shows our sin, but cannot save us from its condemnation. If righteousness could have been legislated, there would have been no need for Jesus to come and die on the cross. We need to remember these things when we’re tempted to trust our goodness or obedience as the basis for our justification. Obey God out of love. Obey him out of gratitude. Obey him out of reverence and awe. But don’t ever think you obey him to earn his favor.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament, Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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