Mark 2:23-28 Lord of the sabbath

Mark 2:23–28 (KJV 1900)

23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Introduction

Pluck ears of corn

In this story, as Jesus and His disciples were walking, the disciples picked a few heads of grain. In the eyes of the Pharisees, they were guilty of a double violation. First, they were traveling, which was defined as walking more than 1,999 paces. However, the Pharisees focus on the second violation, which was reaping. Deuteronomy 23:25 says, “When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck heads of grain with your hand.” According to this law the disciples were in the clear. However, Exodus 34:21 says, “You are to labor six days but you must rest on the seventh day; you must even rest during plowing and harvesting times.” Plucking was considered “harvesting” in the eyes of the Pharisees.

Interbiblical The Sabbath became the heart of the law, and the prohibitions were expanded. Thirty-nine tasks were banned, such as tying or untying a knot.

The sabbath

Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, shabbath). A day of complete rest from secular work following six days of labor. Established and modeled by God

The word “Sabbath” (שַׁבָּת, shabbath), which means “cease,” “rest,” “complete rest,” or “desist,” is found in every section of the biblical texts. Forms of the word שַׁבָּת (shabbath) occur 104 times in the Old Testament. Roughly 40 percent of the occurrences are in the Pentateuch, another 40 percent occur in the Prophetic Books, and the remaining 20 percent occur in the Wisdom literature and historical books. Wisdom literature contains only two references to Sabbath (Psa 92:1; Lam 2:6). The texts associated with the priesthood contain the most references to the Sabbath. The noun שַׁבָּת (shabbath) is thought to be derived from the verb שָׁבַת (shavath), meaning “to rest.”

While the word Sabbath does not occur in Genesis, the concept is shown in the creation account of Gen 1:1–2:4a, where God creates the world and all living things in six days and rests (שָׁבַת, shavath) on the seventh. Exodus 20:11 clarifies that the seventh day is meant to be the Sabbath day. The Decalogue characterizes the Sabbath as a day that:

•is holy and blessed

•should be remembered and kept holy

•belongs to the Lord

•requires abstinence from work for all people (Jews and Gentiles alike) and animals

You show me a nation that has given up the sabbath and I will show you a nation that has got the seed of decay.

Dwight Lyman Moody (Evangelist)

Lord of the sabbath

David and the showbread

25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

1 Samuel 21:1-6 (KJV 1900)

21 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. 4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. 5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

God was more concerned with David’s need than observing the letter of the law

The observance was not more important that the individual

The law of liberty supersedes the law of Moses

Going to church and singing songs doesn’t feed people

Praying and reading the Bible doesn’t tell suicides they are loved

James 2:14–26 (KJV 1900)

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

The sabbath was made to minister to man

A day of rest

A day of acknowledging Gog

A day set apart to commune with God

To gather with other believers

To love one another and worship together

The day set apart for rest is for us

1226I am no preacher of the old legal Sabbath. I am a preacher of the gospel. The Sabbath of the Jew is to him a task; the Lord’s day of the Christian, the first day of the week, is to him a joy, a day of rest, of peace, and of thanksgiving. And if you Christian men can earnestly drive away all distractions, so that you can really rest today, it will be good for your bodies, good for your souls, good mentally, good spiritually, good temporally, and good eternally.—7.580

Charles Spurgeon

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath

Jesus as a man as well as God

Is the Lord of the Sabbath

We need listen to “Jesus said”,“thus sayest the Lord”or “verily verily I say unto you”

As 100% man the sabbath is for Jesus

As the 2nd Adam, Jesus is our representive or figurehead concerning the sabbath

As 100% God Jesus is also Lord of the sabbath

He has absolute authority over it

It is Jesus that makes it Holy

We should heed the lawgiver Himself on how to obey the law.

legalism hinders liberty

plucking a few grains is not reaping

We need to focus on the commands of the lawgiver

Jesus the Lord of the sabbath and the law giver

Matthew 22:34–40 (KJV 1900): 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

John 13:34–35 (KJV 1900): 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 5:1 (KJV 1900): Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

What is legalism? It is a wrong attitude towards the code of laws under which a person lives … Thus legalism may be defined as ‘a fleshly attitude which conforms to a code for the purpose of exalting self’.

Charles C. Ryrie

Let us be concerned with the needs of others

emotional

spiritual

Physical

modern examples of legalism

what we wear

over all appearance

beards

Bible translations

secondary issues

baptism

speaking in tongues

filled with the Holy Spirit