Mark 2:23-3:6
23 One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” 25And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? 26He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; 28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Heal and Recover
Jesus' mission consists of love, mercy, healing and rehabilitation for all levels of creation. That is the essence of the message of the Son of Man to all of humanity.
Heads of grain when they’re almost ready to harvest, still edible before they turn hard. They’re like this now in springtime.
In today's Gospel, Jesus is "fulfilling and not abolishing" the law (Matthew 5:17). The first event in our reading describes defiance on the Sabbath day and the second a healing on the Sabbath day.
We know how important the Sabbath and the Temple are in the Israeli tradition. The first is one of the ten commandments and the second is related to them. God inhabits the Temple, showing where and how to teach and worship every day, but especially on the Sabbath day.
There is One Temple in Jerusalem and many Synagogues in the land. Both of them are connected and form the core of the Biblical order for rest, study and growth in faith.
Jesus is teaching what the Bible and the related traditions mean in depth, much more and beyond rules and restrictions made by religious authority. "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath" v. 27. Jesus is starting to heal the concept about the day recommended for rest, worship and study. It is not a matter of legalism and literal interpretation. It should be an act of conviction and free choice, beyond rules of conduct and legalized restrictions.
Jesus is walking with the disciples and going a distance that is not allowed by the tradition. He allows his friends to pick ears of wheat and eat to avoid exhaustion while they are halfway on their trip to the Sea of Galilee.
The disciples themselves would have been surprised to walk that distance on the Sabbath. On that day, Jesus reveals His authority, teaching the disciples and the pharisees that "The Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath" v. 28.
At the Synagogue Jesus is stunned by their hardness. His main teaching, proved by His acts of healing, is Mercy. Mercy is more important than sacrifice (Hosea 6:6).
The hardened hearts preferred to see exhausted people more than to be fed by a few ears of wheat, and to see a man with a withered hand than a healthy hand. Those who respect the Sabbath by obedience to rules and legalism want to kill Jesus instead of being transformed by His love and mercy.
Where do I stand today with this Gospel? Do I follow Jesus, learning to reach the essence of His teaching and model of life that's shown to us through His Love, Mercy, Healing concepts and all kinds of diseases? Or am I tempted to teach Him what to do, to whom, where to do it, when and how?
If we are surprised by Him, let us keep full trust and open our hearts and minds to consider how to be His disciples today. "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit" Psalm 51:16-17. A broken heart is the one acting out of love, mercy and humility. Let us reciprocate Jesus' love, mercy and humility. Amen.