The God Pause from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 1 June 2018 - Mark 2:23 -- 3:6
Mark 2:23 One Shabbat Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields; and as they went along, his talmidim began picking heads of grain. 24 The P’rushim said to him, “Look! Why are they violating Shabbat?” 25 He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food? 26 He entered the House of God when Evyatar was cohen gadoland ate the Bread of the Presence,” — which is forbidden for anyone to eat but the cohanim — “and even gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat; 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.”
3:1 Yeshua went again into a synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Looking for a reason to accuse him of something, people watched him carefully to see if he would heal him on Shabbat. 3 He said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Come up where we can see you!” 4 Then to them he said, “What is permitted on Shabbat? Doing good or doing evil? Saving life or killing?” But they said nothing. 5 Then, looking them over and feeling both anger with them and sympathy for them at the stoniness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” As he held it out, it became restored. 6 The P’rushim went out and immediately began plotting with some members of Herod’s party how to do away with him. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Following the unfortunate event of receiving a speeding ticket, I usually manage to keep a heavy foot off the gas pedal. My willpower doesn't last for long, though--a few days perhaps. Still, shame is a compelling, albeit fleeting force.
Jesus didn't stay on the good side of the law for even a few days. Seemingly, on the same Sabbath day as the grain plucking incident, Jesus again flagrantly breaks the law by restoring the withered hand of a fellow synagogue-goer. Again Jesus justifies his actions with an appeal to the inherent righteousness of doing good rather than harm. One would expect Jesus to follow what proper religious practice dictated and ignore the man on the assumption that his gnarled hand was a sign of a gnarled soul. But Jesus is intent on doing good. And for that--for daring to disrupt a system that, while good for some, is calculatedly designed to keep the most vulnerable from receiving even the simplest of blessings--Jesus earns himself a death warrant.
Make us thankful for your gift of rest Lord, and when there is good to be done, help us to do it even if it means breaking the rules. Amen.
Scott Thompson, '96
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Kalispell, Mont.
Mark 2:23 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?"
25 And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food?
26 He 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.
3 And 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.
5 He 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. (New Revised Standard Version).
Mark 2:23 One Shabbat Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields; and as they went along, his talmidim began picking heads of grain. 24 The P’rushim said to him, “Look! Why are they violating Shabbat?” 25 He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food? 26 He entered the House of God when Evyatar was cohen gadoland ate the Bread of the Presence,” — which is forbidden for anyone to eat but the cohanim — “and even gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat; 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.”
3:1 Yeshua went again into a synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Looking for a reason to accuse him of something, people watched him carefully to see if he would heal him on Shabbat. 3 He said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Come up where we can see you!” 4 Then to them he said, “What is permitted on Shabbat? Doing good or doing evil? Saving life or killing?” But they said nothing. 5 Then, looking them over and feeling both anger with them and sympathy for them at the stoniness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” As he held it out, it became restored. 6 The P’rushim went out and immediately began plotting with some members of Herod’s party how to do away with him. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Following the unfortunate event of receiving a speeding ticket, I usually manage to keep a heavy foot off the gas pedal. My willpower doesn't last for long, though--a few days perhaps. Still, shame is a compelling, albeit fleeting force.
Jesus didn't stay on the good side of the law for even a few days. Seemingly, on the same Sabbath day as the grain plucking incident, Jesus again flagrantly breaks the law by restoring the withered hand of a fellow synagogue-goer. Again Jesus justifies his actions with an appeal to the inherent righteousness of doing good rather than harm. One would expect Jesus to follow what proper religious practice dictated and ignore the man on the assumption that his gnarled hand was a sign of a gnarled soul. But Jesus is intent on doing good. And for that--for daring to disrupt a system that, while good for some, is calculatedly designed to keep the most vulnerable from receiving even the simplest of blessings--Jesus earns himself a death warrant.
Make us thankful for your gift of rest Lord, and when there is good to be done, help us to do it even if it means breaking the rules. Amen.
Scott Thompson, '96
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Kalispell, Mont.
Mark 2:23 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?"
25 And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food?
26 He 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.
3 And 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.
5 He 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. (New Revised Standard Version).
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