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Mark 2:23-28

The Disciples Gather Wheat on the Sabbath


2:23 "One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.

 
24 The Pharisees said to him, 'Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?'
 
25 He answered, 'Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?
 
26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he (David) entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.'
 
27 Then he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
 

28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.''"



This is the Word of the Lord ... It is meant to change the way that we think, and the way that we live.

Commentary by Bob Pardue

Jesus talks about working on the Sabbath

By first reading this passage, you might get the impression that Jesus and his disciples were picking the grain without permission or were trespassing.
 
But, in reality, it was customary for farmers to leave the outside rows of their wheat fields unharvested especially to feed travelers and the poor.
 
So, what law was being broken? According to Exodus 34:24 crops should not be harvested on the Sabbath in order to keep farmers from worshiping God on this holy day which was set aside for rest.
 
The Pharisees were masters of "majoring in the minors" when it came to interpreting the law and sought out every small misdemeanor as reason to apply the laws to others; especially when these "crimes" involved Jesus.
 
They (Pharisees) had the noblest of intentions when interpreting the law. But, many times they completely missed the point. They were so caught-up in the laws of the Sabbath that they ignored the true meaning of why the law was created.
 
Jesus completely understood the true meaning of the Sabbath. He confirmed that the Sabbath was made in order for us to rest, to be physically & mentally restored, and to talk to God.
 
I feel that we, in many ways, are like the Pharisees; sometimes eager to point out wrong doings of others in order to hide our own shortcomings (Matthew 7:4).
 
As Christians, let's be careful not to apply God's laws to other people unless we understand them ourselves. Even then, let's use what we know to gently nudge; not to chastise others.
 

Love in Christ

- Bob


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Bob Pardue is a member of First Baptist Church in Lancaster, SC. He is ordained from Rich Hill Baptist in Lancaster.

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Bob



Verses are from Life Application Study Bible: New International Version

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