The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2b)

THE SON OF MAN IS THE LORD OF THE SABBATH

Mark 2:23-3:6

Key Verse: 2:28

Introduction: God gave the law to Israel his chosen people. By keeping the law they could keep God’s blessing. If not, they would be punished for their sins. Israel violated the law of God and was punished them. As the result they lost their country and became a Roman colony. They believed that if they keep the law God would show mercy on them again and send the Messiah to save the nation. So keeping the law was an utmost importance for the people of Israel, esp. it was very vital to prove to be righteous or to keep God’s blessing back again for the religious leaders.

In today’s passage, Sabbath law was at the heart of issue. In this respect, two things are important. What was the law of the Sabbath and what was the purpose of the Sabbath? Who is Jesus in regard to the law and in regard to the Sabbath?

What is the implication of this passage to our time? What is the law of Sabbath for me or for you if there is one? Therefore it is hard to find meaning or argument of the Pharisees against Jesus, or the significance of the Jesus word. However as we delve into the attitude we have for Sunday, we can find that the precepts of these people were somewhat similar to the precepts of ours or some of this age as well, esp among those who seek goodness and righteousness.

A. Jesus’ disciples violated the Sabbath law. (23-24)

1. On a Sabbath day, Jesus’ disciples were so hungry that they picked heads of grain and rubbed them and ate them. Seeing this, Pharisees charged that Jesus’ disciples violated the law. The charge was not a casual finding of a minor demeanor. This was considered as an act of ungodliness. This was a sin against God. As for Jesus and his disciples, implication with such charge could not be ignored or overlooked. It was serious matter because it concerned Jesus. As Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, how dare he or his disciples go against God and His authority? In some sense, one may take picking a fruit from the tree of knowledge of good evil lightly, then he would take such behavior as picking heads of grain on Sabbath day non consequential.
Simply speaking Jesus could not take their charges lightly. It mattered to Jesus’ truthfulness and his identity as the Son of God.

What about their charges? Was it genuinely a serious one and what was the exact nature of this charge? In the law, picking the heads of grain on other’s was accepted as lawful. Though no one should put sickles on other’s grain. This was permitted for the sake of poor and hunger. But the problem happened because they did this on a Sabbath. On Sabbath, no one should work. Pharisees considered that picking grains heads and rubbing them was a work that God forbid in the law. No one should dare to work on Sabbath day if he honors God, Almighty. It is truly serious if one takes even a stroke of the law lightly. It was God who gave the law and keeping eyes on those who violated the law. God never made the law with casual attitude and expect from his people to observe faithfully and sincerely.
In this regard, the charge they made against Jesus’ disciples seemed reasonable and proper.

The law of God is absolute and should never be compromised for it is the exact reflection of the will of God almighty. It was for His goodness and His righteousness. But as much we uphold the law, so much we are found to be the violator of the law. It is very distressing to find out that we violated the law and we shall be punished for the violation. “You violated the law of God”it is very hard to swallow for any men.

Before we go further, let’s find out how Jesus handled this charge.

Jesus is the Son of God. It is good to find through him whether what they believe was right and acceptable or not.

B. Jesus and his disciples survive like David and his men did

Read 25-26. ^Mk 2:25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ^{Mk 2:26} In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

Jesus reminded them of an incident happened in the OT. It is recorded in 1 Sam 21:1-6. David was anointed to be the king of Israel during the reign of King Saul. In jealousy, King Saul tried to kill David. So David and his men were on the run all the time to escape from the pursuit of king Saul. One day, after escaping from a long chase of Saul, David and his men arrived at Nob, where a priest, Ahimelech was administering. David and his men were extremely exhausted and tired. They needed food immediately. So David asked for food from the priest. But at that time, there was no food except the bread removed from the altar. This bread was allowed only for the priest. No one other than priest should dare to eat this bread for it was given to God. But when Ahimelech knew that David and his men were clean ceremonially, he gave the bread and David and all his men ate the bread. The thing was that David and his men were never charged on this matter though it was a clear violation of the law of God. How can a mere man eat the bread given to God and survive? But this was exactly happened.

This can be explained only by the fact that the mission he was carrying on as the anointed was superior to the law or made them exempt from the binding of the law. In one word, it was because David was the anointed to be king, and he was in a mission for the purpose of God that he and his men were exempted from the judgment of the law.

If David’s men were exempted from the judgment of the law, because of his status as the anointed king and because he was in such an important mission, why not Jesus, the Son of God, and his men be exempted from the authority of the law? This was Jesus argument against the charge that Pharisees made. In this claim, Jesus implicitly revealed that Jesus was greater than King, David and his mission as the Son of God was greater than that of King David.

Here the focus of the problem boils down to one thing; who was Jesus? Was he above the law as the David’s incident indicated?
It was unthinkable that any man was above the law. It was God who established the law for His people. If one keeps the law, he can keep God’s blessing. If not, God’s blessings will be taken away from them and surely incur God’s judgment. It was all too clear for them through the history. Israelwas taken exile to Babylon and was subjected to many nations after that. The ungodliness of his people, the heart of that was violation of the law of Sabbath, they were under subjugation by Roman emperor, the aftermath of that ungodliness.

Who was Jesus that he could be exempt from the binding power of the law? If he was a mere man how dare he make such claim that defied the law of God and His authority?

C. The Son of man is the Lord even of the Sabbath

Read 27-28^Mk 2:27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. ^Mk 2:28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Here Jesus revealed truth about the Sabbath. One impenetrable principle is that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. I like to review about Sabbath. It was instituted by God at the end of creation. God rested on the seventh day and made it holy. It was to impart God’s peace and rest on man. This was a non negotiable for God made it holy. On Sabbath men are to seek God and from him he must find peace and rest by enjoining his righteousness and his holiness. This was solidified by the law given to Moses. On Sabbath no one should work. Not even slaves in the house so that man might put his heart and his spirit to God and His will. It is written in Ex. 20:10. If one violates this law, he must be cut off. It was very serious matter to violate the law of Sabbath. In other word, it was so important to for man to find peace and rest in God. This concept of Sabbath rest was extended to seventh year rest of the land and liberation of all slaves. This was amplified by the year jubilee(every 50th year) where the whole year was taken off to uphold God and his blessing.

So the Sabbath was at the heart of the relationship between man and God. The law was the rule of engagement (worship) whereby God’s peace and rest must be sought. So from the beginning, the Sabbath was created for man and for his wellbeing. His wellbeing was from God, the peace and rest in God’s holiness. As we studied in Heb 4, God promised Sabbath rest in the Promised Land. When the failure of that promise became evident because of their unbelief , God gave another promise through David, that God would bring Sabbath rest in forth coming age.(Heb 4:7-8) As this indicates, the issue at heart was rest for men in God. The Sabbath must be the vehicle to deliver the rest for men.

All the regulations and laws of Sabbath were and must be aimed to provide that rest for man. So from the outset, God created the Sabbath for men. He continued his desire to provide man the rest through the Promised Land, through Sabbath law in a stringent manner, and through his promise of forth coming Sabbath rest.

Read 28^Mk 2:28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

‘So’ makes clear connection to the previous word. Because the Sabbath was for man, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Here again, who is the Son of man to man? What was his relationship with man? What does he bring to man? What was the purpose of his coming to be with man that Jesus claims that he is the Lord of the Sabbath? Jesus is the Lord of man, Sabbath is for man. So Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath as well.

This is profound. Jesus came to provide the rest God gave in the Garden of Eden. This was lost after man sinned. It was prefigured and encapsulated in the Sabbath day law. As the failure to fulfill the purpose of the Sabbath became evident, God sent Jesus to provide that rest and peace. So Jesus was and is the provider of that rest from God by forgiving sins of man. In other word, Jesus brought the rest and peace that God intended to provide in and through the Sabbath law. It is because there was utter failure to bring such rest and peace for men in and through the law of the Sabbath.So it was fully revealed in Jesus, and it will be fully implemented when Jesus comes in glory.

Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath. He is the Lord because He brought the peace and rest to men. The one whom men were to seek and relate on the Sabbath was right there among them as the provider of everything for men. Then what is of value to keep all details of the law? Jesus’ disciples were enjoying this grace and peace in Jesus, the Lord already.

It is profound that ancestors of our faith discarded the Sabbath and chose to worship on Sunday. Sabbath signifies the law and blessing by the law, the Sunday signifies the blessing in Jesus, the provider of God’s peace and rest. SO to us, the Sunday is the day of the Lord. It is the day we are to seek His rest and peace. But Sunday is far more than the day seeking Sabbath rest in Jesus, our Lord. Jesus has brought us the peace and rest to us already. It is not anymore a seeking. But it is the day we celebrate in thanksgiving and praise for that blessing we can enjoy every single day of the week. It is the day we affirm our commitment to the Lord and to enjoin in His will and purpose.

If we are hanging on the issues about righteousness and justification on whatever we do, we can never take off the baby steps of life in Christ. The question we must ask to our selves is not what I am doing is right or justifiable to the Lord or not, but if I find the peace and rest in Jesus today and now or not. This question is answered when we ask ourselves, Is Jesus my Lord today or now? Did I resolve all of my issues with the Lord or not? Jesus is calling us. ^Mt 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Mat 11:26)

This ages is called age of anxiety and uncertainty. Many try to secure their lives by the various means. Jesus gives that rest that many yearn to have. Only in Him is found the peace that transcends all understanding. Sabbath and all the law with it do not add any benefit for sinful men of today. If one does so, he is like this Pharisee, asking, why does your disciples do unlawful thing on Sabbath day?

D. Sabbath and a shriveled man (3:1-6)

In this second part, Jesus demonstrated how Jesus met the true purpose of Sabbath for a man. Jesus brought the peace and rest for the man with a shriveled hand.

It was on a Sabbath that Jesus found a man with shriveled hand in a synagogue. Every one was keeping an eye of him to see if Jesus was healing the man. It is amazing that the concern many had was not that Jesus had power to heal this man but that Jesus would heal this man on that day, the day of Sabbath. When one fails to accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior, the other alternative to find rest is to keep the law. They had to prove that they were right and good. Knowing this, Jesus did something unusual.

Read v 2-3. ^{Mk 3:2} Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. ^{Mk 3:3} Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Jesus had him to stand in front of all. As he stood in front of the all, this man’s weakness were well seen. His right hand was shriveled from hand to the elbow. He could not extend fully and he could not bend his elbow fully. Truly he was an invalid. He was one of the maimed. According to the law, he was unacceptable to the Lord and he could not even get into the temple.Such an invalid man can not come to the temple and worship. If he was not allowed to the temple, how can he find peace with God and how can he find rest in Him? What was the meaning of the Sabbath for this man who wasn’t qualified to present himself to the Lord? He was in a synagogue. But he was excluded from all the blessings that Sabbath was to bring to him by the prescription of the law.

Jesus let this man stand in full view of them. They could see the problem of this man, right hand withered from elbow to hand. They became keenly aware of the predicament this man had. But what was in their mind? There was no concern for this man whatsoever. Their concern was one thing if Jesus would heal this man now or not. This man was just a pawn used for them to seek their evil purpose.

But Jesus had compassion of this man. He knew that he needed restoration of his arm and he needed restoration of his relationship with the heavenly Father. Jesus came for such man as this to provide peace and restoration to God. This was the moment for this man for Jesus the Son of God was right there. This was right time for Jesus to save this man because Jesus came for such man as this.

So Jesus asked them. V 3:4 ^{Mk 3:3} Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” ^{Mk 3:4} Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

There is no ambiguity between good and evil. There is no ambiguity between saving life and killing life. Healing this man is good. How about not doing anything? It might be extreme. But it can be considered evil. How can Jesus let one life hanging in death? In Jesus there shall be no death at all. In Him is only life. To this man Jesus is the life. He would not let this man suffer another day!

Jesus said to him, stretch out your hand! His hand was completely restored. Now he became worthy and he could present himself to God in the temple.

To this man Jesus was the rest and peace from God. Jesus was the one who fulfilled the purpose of the Sabbath. Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath to all that accept Jesus as the Lord. In Him only we can find peace and rest where the law has no teeth to bite. Amen.