for life (Mt 12:1-8)

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Psalm 107:1-32; Ephesians 3:14-21; Matthew 12:1-8

"Something greater than the temple is here... the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:6,8)

Jesus, the teacher, takes the challenge of the Pharisees seriously. He engages them in a brief biblical study defending his actions, or work, on the Sabbath. But first note that he takes their concern seriously. (By the way, today is the Sabbath actually, the seventh day. Jews everywhere are resting, re-creating, and remembering the Lord today.)

The specific issue here that Matthew notes is, initially, hunger. The text states that the disciples were hungry, and that David was hungry - and only because they were hungry did they violate certain laws. For the Pharisees the issue was work on the Sabbath (not eating... ) - plucking heads of grain was considered prohibited work. In a nice "ju jitsu" type karate move Jesus says that it was not lawful for David to eat the bread reserved only for the priests, but that in the Law the priests "profane the Sabbath" and are guiltless.

"And one greater than the Temple is here." He is not unleashing a "interpret the Law for yourself and your cravings however you want" principle here. He is again asserting himself as one who rightly interprets Scripture; as one who is greater than the temple, the place of God's presence, of worship, of sacrifice, of atonement, the center of life. Indeed, he claims to be Lord of the Sabbath. He is the place of God's presence, the sacrifice, the atonement, and center of life.

There was developing in Jesus' day the rabbinic understanding that for the sake of preserving life any commandment could be violated except idolatry, immorality, and murder. If your village was attacked on the Sabbath, you could defend yourself. While the disciples wouldn't have died if they went one day without food, I still wonder if Jesus isn't alluding to this principle. And even more so.

Sabbath observance is something we need to think about, pray about, and deal with. While indeed it never is commanded of Gentile believers, even God himself rested, sanctifying the seventh day long before the first Jew, Abraham, was called by him. Jesus is life, and is for life. Indeed Jesus is our rest. We must look to him to understand the Scriptures and to learn to live. But finally, rightly understood and observed, the Sabbath principle of rest, recreation, and remembering the Lord is for life, and not to undermine life. Jesus was not undermining this in his teaching, only rightly interpreting it.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of men!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things...
(Psalm 107:1f)