MESSIAH IS GREATER THAN SABBATH – JULY 16TH FRIDAY (Mt 12: 1-8)

1. The Pharisees’ complaint against Jesus’ disciples interprets their actions as infringing upon Exodus 34:21. There is a list of thirty nine labours that are prohibited on the Sabbath. The labour that best correspond to what the disciples did is reaping.

2. There are rules in the Torah itself that allow priests to do work in the Temple on the Sabbath like setting the bread of the presence (Lev 24:8) and doubling the daily burnt offering (num 28: 9-10). By finding precedents within the Torah, Matthew places the activity of Jesus’ disciples on the Sabbath within the confines of Jewish law.

3. To pick the heads of wheat and to eat: The disciples’ action follows Deut 23:25 ‘when you go into your neighbour’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you may not put the sickle to your neighbour’s standing grain’

4. For Christians Sunday is the Sabbath. Necessary work is any work that is needed to sustain life and worship and mediate upon God. Sabbath or Sunday rest is not to hinder the worship of God but to give time for it and to encourage it.

5. The Messiah is the Lord of the Sabbath and of religion. As Lord, He is the One who determines what true religion is.
• It is loving God by believing on the name of His son Jesus Christ
• It is loving our neighbours as ourselves – ministering to them and caring for them.

Rules are made for human beings not the other way. This should be the attitude with which we should follow the rules. This does not mean we should take exceptions from the rules as and when we want but should try keeping it. When dealing with others we normally do not allow them to take exceptions but in our case we often take exceptions. We should learn to be strict with ourselves and be liberal with others without making compromises.

Courtesy
Sacra Pagina Series
The Preacher’s outline and sermon Bible