(Text and Audio)
Title: Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath (Part Two)
Today, of course, we are picking up where we left off last week in this passage where Jesus is explaining the justification of picking the grain on the sabbath against the Pharisees charge that Jesus and his followers are breaking the Law of Moses.
Last week we looked at the overarching philosophy and theme of Jesus’ response which was that you must know scripture in its entirety. We can’t afford to just pluck verses out of context (which is what the Pharisees were trying to do).
As promised last week, today we will venture in the specifics of how Jesus defends himself, properly using scripture, and coming to quite a messianic conclusion about his own role and power over the issue.
Now, I must confess that I did say this passage would be covered in a two part sermon series….Yeah…about that…this is a really, really awesome passage…I’m going need next week too!
So let’s get started!
(read/pray)
Jesus responds with 4 correct teachings from scripture
Now, at first glance, you mights say, “Four? I see only three.” Stick with me a for the next two weeks and you’ll see it, I promise. The last one is quite a doozy.
- David’s men and the showbread (v. 3/4)
Here we see Jesus recall the story of young David from I Samuel 21. This was before David was king, he was sent on a special mission by King Saul. He had to leave with his small group of men in a hurry and they did not have time to take provisions. They had no weapons, nor food. When they came across this temple David asked the priest there for some bread, but the only bread that was left was the showbread that is described in Leviticus 24. These bread loaves were to be made as an offering to the Lord, and could only be consumed by the priests.
But if we read carefully into the story we see that a exception was permissible because David and his men had not been with any women for several days, therefore they were not unclean. The priest gave the men the bread, David did not just take it unlawfully. It was permitted, they ate, and were satisfied.
Jesus’ point: You only know part of the Law because you only know part of scripture. You pick and chose verses to serve your own purposes, in this case, legalism.
- Priests and the Sabbath (v5)
This second argument from Jesus would have been quite a shocking revelation to the Pharisees if they truly caught what Jesus was actually saying. Jesus isn’t quoting a particular verse here, but rather he’s reminding the Pharisees that because of the demands of temple worship, Priests were often permitted to do things (like consume the showbread) that non-priests could not do. The Pharisees knew these exceptions were made for the priests, so why would Jesus remind them of that now? (Take answers)
The answer, is of course, because Jesus was the Great High Priest. By title and definition, he had all authority not only to eat the grain, but to allow his followers to do the same, just as the priests in David’s story had the right to grand the bread to David and his companions.
Next week, in fact, we will look at Jesus describe himself as “one greater than the temple” further enraging the Pharisees and causing them to ask, “Just who the heck does this Jesus think he is?”
And that’s exactly the point, isn’t it?
POINT: Jesus was subtlety forcing the Pharisees to either identify him! And he could only be one of three things: a madman, or a liar, or the messiah. And if he was the messiah, he literally had all the authority in the world. Matthew later records Jesus saying exactly that in the last passage of Matthew’s Gospel, commonly known as the Great Commission. Who can tell me what Jesus’ first words are there?
Matthew is either a very, very clever writer, or he’s inspired by the Holy Spirit…or both!
Close:
So we see Jesus explain himself with two teachings today:
- You must use scripture, but can’t bend it or take it out of context.
- Jesus message was a question: Here is my story, do you believe it?