Matthew 12:1-8 Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

The sabbath or day of rest, was instituted at Creation by our God. He created in six days and rested on the seventh. It is this reasoning that is used to justify a day of rest in the Law (Ex.20:11) for God’s creatures. Unfortunately, such a precious gift from our Creator was taken and misused in such a way that it no longer served the needs of the people. Instead, it became a furious master enslaving those it was supposed to serve. Many rules and regulations were developed later to define what it meant to “work.” Jesus’ disciples were hungry and plucked some heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees protested that they were doing something unlawful on the sabbath. What did they do wrong? The Law made provision for the poor by requiring field owners not to harvest their fields all the way to the edge but to leave the edges for those in need (Lev.23:22). It allowed the hungry person to pluck grain and eat from his neighbor’s field (Deut.23:25). The hungry person was not allowed to steal, but to satisfy his hunger. It was not the picking of grain from your neighbor that was unlawful. But according to the Pharisees, it was the picking of grain itself that was unlawful because it was “work.”

Jesus cites two cases from the Old Testament to explain why what his disciples have done is acceptable. The first case is David and his men ate of the Bread of the Presence (1Sam.21). After David was anointed king, Saul persecuted him to try to kill him. While fleeing from Saul, David came to Ahimelec the priest and asked for food. Ahimelec offered the bread of the Presence that was meant as an offering to the Lord and to be eaten by the priests only in a holy place. An exception was made for David and his men because he was the anointed king of Israel and had kept himself from women (ceremonially clean). The second case Jesus cites is the priests themselves working in the temple on the sabbath day. The priests are an exception because they are called to work on the sabbath day with God’s approval. Jesus explicitly states: “something greater than the temple is here,” but he is implying much more: he is not only greater than David, but he is greater than the priesthood. He is in fact the Lord of the Sabbath.

In the days of Hosea (6:6) and Micah (6:6-8), the people of Israel were indicted by the prophets for performing flawless rituals with rotten hearts. God stated to the people that he was not interested in such performances by using the phrase “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” The Pharisees were guilty of the same sin and condemned quickly Jesus and his disciple’s actions. Mercy is readiness to help those who are in need. And Scripture makes compassion the force that moves the doing of mercy (Luke 10:30-37). Am I so wrapped up in the performance of rituals (i.e going to church, fasting, praying, etc) that I can’t see the need of my neighbor? Worse, am I so busy performing what I think is expected of me that I don’t have time to do mercy? Even worse, am I so comfortable in the performance of my duties that I refuse to be moved by compassion into doing mercy missing out on the presence of the Lord himself right before me? To follow Jesus is to submit to his Lordship my whole life by learning to prefer mercy over sacrifice.

Jesus, I surrender all my life to you. Help me see you as the Lord of my whole life. Rescue me from vain rituals and performances that leave compassion and mercy outside. Teach me to love mercy over sacrifice.

Matthew 9:4-13 Jesus Calls Matthew

Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised by the Jewish people because they represented the Roman government and were often dishonest. They would charge extra taxes, pay a flat rate to Rome and pocket the rest. On top of that, Matthew was a Levite. The Levites were the chosen tribe of Israel to represent the nation and from them they chose those who would serve in the temple, making him even more despicable to his people. But Jesus calls him to follow. At a party, probably Matthew’s farewell party in his own house, Jesus and his disciples share a meal with tax collectors and sinners. Table fellowship in Israel was reserved for people in the in-group. The mere act of entering the house of a pagan made the person unclean and sharing a meal with them was unthinkable. When the Pharisees question the reasons for fellowshipping with them, Jesus explains using three sayings.

The first one is a metaphor: as the sick needs a doctor, so sinners need a Savior. The second one is a quote from Hosea where Jesus exalts mercy over sacrifice. Hosea indicted the people of God for being unfaithful to the covenant as they oppressed and murdered their neighbors. Mercy is the readiness to help those who are afflicted and in need out of compassion. Rituals and ceremonies mean nothing to God unless it is performed by a heart that desires to serve and obey the covenant. The third saying refers to Jesus’ mission. He came into the world precisely for this: to call on sinners and not on those who perceive themselves to be righteous. Jesus’ mission is to call on all of us sinners of the world to show us mercy by healing our sinful souls so that we might learn to show mercy unto others.

Matthew found mercy in Jesus. To follow Jesus is to accept his mercy. Jesus has great compassion for us and desires to help us with our miserable plight as sinners. But accepting his mercy is not to receive alms that provide a temporary relief to our condition leaving us as we are. To follow Jesus is to hear his call upon us as sinners and to respond with repentance to experience his healing power over our sinful souls. Matthew was totally transformed by God’s mercy leaving a despicable life behind. And Matthew learned to show mercy to his fellow tax collectors as he invited them to meet Jesus.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus into the world to show us mercy. Help me live in eternal gratitude for healing my soul. Teach me your ways that I may live showing mercy unto others as well.

Matthew 23:13-24 More Woes...

Hypocrite is a word used in Greek theater to refer to and actor and it received a negative meaning over time that conveys the sense of pretending, lying, and deceiving. Jesus accused the Scribes and Pharisees of being spiritual actors pretending to have piety while lying to and deceiving the people. Their hypocrisy did not allow them to enter the kingdom of God. Because of their position of authority as spiritual leaders before other people, their hypocrisy did not allow others to enter the kingdom of God either. Their efforts to make converts to Judaism (proselytes) resulted in children destined to hell.

When it comes to swearing and oaths, the Scribes and Pharisees had devised a list of objects by which an oath would be binding (i.e. gold of the temple, gift on the altar) and another that was not so binding (i.e. the temple, the altar) to give them a way out of their commitments. Jesus accuses them of being blind guides to the people splitting hairs over what is binding or not. Such lists are ridiculous and somewhere else he prohibits such oaths and teaches that their word should be binding enough.

On the issue of tithing, the Scribes and Pharisees had become so obsessed and compulsive about it that they tithed even their spices (mint, dill, and cumin). Tithing is the principle of giving one tenth of one's produce and earnings as worship to God and used for the sustenance of temple and priests. Unfortunately, they neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness which are more important matters of the Law. Justice is to do right to our neighbor, mercy is to have compassion for those in need, and faithfulness is to be loyal and steadfast to God.

Straining the gnat and swallowing a camel is an exaggeration that conveys how ridiculous their behavior really was. The gnat and the camel were unclean. The Pharisees would strain their wine to avoid swallowing the unclean insect. But Jesus tells them that their neglect of the Law is equivalent to swallowing a camel! Am I a hypocrite, blind guide who obsesses with details but neglects the heart of God's kingdom? Am I honest with God, people, myself? Am I a person of my word? Am I not only tithing, but practicing justice, mercy, and faithfulness?

Lord, examine my heart. See that it is faithful to you. Help me to be sincere and honest in my faith with you and others. May I be a person of my word. May I never neglect the weightier matters of the kingdom.

Matthew 12:1-8 Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

The sabbath is a holy convocation of God's people every seventh day. No work is to be performed on this day. The purpose of the sabbath day is to find rest in God - not just physically, but also spiritually. The sabbath day is a sign. A sign is an event that points to a reality. The sabbath day points to the reality that God is Creator of all things and he is the one who sustains all things - not our work. When we observe it, we worship our God as Creator and Sustainer of the universe and find rest for our lives in him. The sabbath day also points to the reality that we are God's people, sanctified and holy (separated from the world and consecrated to him). For these reasons, God made it law. It is the fourth commandment.

Unfortunately, the law that was intended to give us rest has been twisted to burden us. The law that was given to serve was turned upside down to enslave. The Pharisees were experts on this. Instead of looking at the sabbath as a gift and an opportunity to worship, they turned it into a long list of rules and regulations that burdened God's people. On this occasion, the Pharisees accuse the Lord and his disciples of working on the sabbath as they plucked grain from a grain field to eat. The owners of grain fields, according to the law, would leave some of their harvest available for the poor and the widows to pluck so they could survive - they were not stealing!

Jesus cites two cases in the Old Testament that are precedents for an exception. David and his soldiers ate the bread of the presence from the temple on a sabbath. This bread was an offering to the Lord. The other case is the exercise of the priesthood which demands duties to be performed on the sabbath in service to God's people. Both cases were sanctioned by God. Jesus explains that he is lord of the sabbath. He established his authority and identity as the Son of God by sanctioning the feeding of his disciples on the sabbath day.

Jesus points to a principle to help me judge what is God's will: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." Mercy is to show love and compassion to those who deserve judgment and condemnation. Sacrifice summarizes the attitude of a heartless, insincere, and mechanical ritual devoid of love and compassion. The Pharisees offered sacrifice, but no mercy. I definitely want to live day by day by the principle of mercy.

One day a week is a prescription to maintain my physical and spiritual health. When I twist my prescription into a display of my personal performance, I neither rest nor worship. Lord, help me set aside the busyness of life one day a week to worship you and find my rest in you. Protect me from burnout and exhaustion to be efficient and effective in the work of my calling. Help me live by the principle of mercy and even use the sabbath day to extend mercy to those around me when required.