In The Footsteps Of The Master:In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus ChristThe Life and Times of Jesus Christ

Two Sabbath Controversies

May 3rd , 2009

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Conflicts with JudaismConflicts with Judaism • Luke 6:1-5 • On a Sabbath, while he was going through

the grain fields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?".

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Luke 6:1-5Luke 6:1-5• 3And Jesus answered them, "Have you

not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?" 5And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath

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Waiting to Pounce• Pharisees were lying in wait• They thought that they had Him here. • Jesus was allowing His Disciples to eat hand

picked grain on the Sabbath which was to do work on the Sabbath

• They were harvesting, air, all clear violations of Sabbath laws.

• Read Exodus 34:21•  21 "Six days you shall labor, but on the

seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.

Original IntentOriginal Intent• What had started out to be a day of

Rest and Refreshment for man and beast

• Had become a day of bondage where people were so confused about what they could and couldn’t do

• The Pharisees had made the Sabbath Day miserable

• Lets look at 20 plus chapters of what to do and not to do

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Mishna• First written recording of the Oral Torah of

the Jewish people • Has 24 chapters on the Sabbath • "Selecting" (Hebrew: בורר) in the Talmudic

sense usually refers exclusively to the separation of debris from grain—i.e. to any separation of intermixed materials which renders edible that which was inedible.

• Filtering undrinkable water to make it drinkable falls under this category

Mishna ContinuedMishna Continued• But.. Peeling fruits: Peeling fruits is

permissible with the understanding that the fruit will be eaten right away.

• Or…Sorting silverware is permitted when the sorter intends to eat the Shabbat meal immediately. Alternatively, if the sorter intends to set up the meal for a later point, it is prohibited

• Or…one can make a salad because the form of the vegetables doesn't change, only the size. However one cannot COOK the vegetables to soften them for eating.

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One More Mishna Slide• Using a stapler on

Shabbat falls under the prohibition of sewing, as it is a method of permanently joining two objects together

• While extinguishing a fire is forbidden even when great property damage will result, in the event of any life-threatening fire one is required to extinguish the flames

ChallengeChallenge• Jesus challenges them on their overall

view of the Sabbath.

• Their view was that the Sabbath was holy and man had to conform to it, and you honored God, by keeping the Sabbath.

• Jesus had a far different view.

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Matthew’s Account• 1At that time Jesus went through the

grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."  3He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

Continued• 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his

companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus’ Reply• 4 arguments against the "yoke" of the

Pharisees • First, Jesus refers to an event described in

the life of David• Read 1 Samuel 21:1-6 • David and his soldiers entered the Holy

Place in the Tabernacle and ate the Bread of the Presence

• Jesus’ point in mentioning this is not entirely clear

Reply continued• I Samuel passage does not place this

event on the Sabbath

• Some argue that the point is that David violated the Law and no one objected because of his greatness.

• But Jesus, as one "greater than David," was now present and thus he possessed the authority to violate the Sabbath also.

2nd Argument of Jesus• 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on

the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that one greater than the temple is here

• Priests killing the sacrificial animals and cleaning up the mess from the sacrifice. (Work)

• Temple sacrifices justified Sabbath breaking

Greater than.. 3rd Argument• That greater thing than the temple is

presumably the ministry of Jesus

• If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. (Hosea 6:6)

• It is a call to right priorities in spiritual matters.

• Thus meeting the hunger of his disciples would justify violation of the Sabbath law.

Priorities/4th Argument• For Jesus, It appears Sabbath laws must

yield to the higher claims of human needs• Can anyone apply this to our lives as

Christians today?• 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the

Sabbath.• The question is Jesus’ right to give a new

interpretation of the Sabbath law• Jesus does not deny the Sabbath

commandment

Mark’s Account• Jesus claims the right to interpret it in such

a way that the Pharisees’ interpretation is canceled. Thus Jesus’ "yoke" is easier than that of the Pharisees

• 27 Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

• Can you see the burden that was lifted when Jesus said that?

Abundant LifeAbundant Life He was also showing them that His Spirituality

did not put men in bondage to a religious system, but freed them

– Jesus has come to bring life and that more abundantly.

– His people would be marked by Joy and Life and Love.

– Is that what you represent to those around you?– Do they see life and love and joy in you? – Or do they see obligation and legalism and

religiosity

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22ndnd Sabbath controversy Sabbath controversy

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