Introduction
As we continue our study of Mark, it is becoming evident that Jesus' way is far different than that of the religious leaders who came before him. He offered forgiveness of sins to the paralyzed man. He called Matthew the tax collector and ate with sinners. He did not fast, but feasted, with his disciples. And, in each episode, he was a stark contrast to the religious leaders of his day.
Today, we come to the fourth consecutive episode where Jesus' way of doing things collides with the religionists of his time. They had cultivated a harsh and legalistic environment. To them, holiness equated to drudgery and agony. They knew nothing of the joy of the Lord.
But Jesus produced a refreshing atmosphere of grace. This was always God's intention. And the inbreaking of his kingdom through Jesus makes this atmosphere of grace all the more possible for us today. For us, holiness mixes with gladness. Obedience dovetails with love. And we can live in the joy of the Lord. We can live in Jesus' atmosphere of grace.
Today, I want to show you three ways Jesus creates such an atmosphere. First, let's read about the setting of this episode.
23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"
Sabbath
Now, this is the first mention of the Sabbath day in the book of Mark (23). Every week, ancient Israel, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, honored God by refraining from work and by keeping specific requirements. It was a significant part of their identity as a people. It was even included as the fourth of the ten commandments:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God." (Exodus 20:8–10, ESV).
It was intended to be a day of solemn rest, holy to the LORD (Exodus 25:2). All people -- rich and poor, male or female, young and old, Israelite and foreigner -- were to rest. God even said their animals -- beasts of burden like oxen and donkeys -- were to get the day off (Exodus 23:12). God intended the day as a time of refreshment (Exodus 31:17).
It was a 24-hour period of time, but since it started and ended at sundown, it was more like a 36-hour period of time where the whole nation would slow to a stop until Sunday morning.
They would recharge, refresh, and reflect on God. No chores. No errands. No housework. No home renovations. No travel ball. Just together for a full day each week, sheltering in place Friday night through Sunday morning, but without the pressure to work from or in their homes.
Eating Grain
On this particular Sabbath, Jesus was going through the grainfields with his disciples (23). They began to pluck the heads of grain (23).
This was perfectly legal in that culture:
"If you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain." (Deuteronomy 23:25, ESV).
So they were allowed to walk through someone's field and consume a little food to nourish them as they traveled. But they weren't allowed to get out their sickle and put grain in their bag, harvesting it for later.
So when the Pharisees said, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath," it was not because they accused the disciples of theft (24). No, they were accusing the disciples of working on the Sabbath.
You see, by Jesus' day, the religionists had developed Sabbath law into a complex set of rules. The Old Testament kept it pretty simple. Don't work. Don't build a fire. Rest. Be refreshed.
But humans are legalistic by nature, so ever so slowly they turned to the rabbis with various questions. What is work? What is rest? What can we get away with?
And the rabbis ended up turning the Sabbath into a cumbersome day. For example, they couldn't write more than one letter or sew more than one stitch. They couldn't repair a fallen roof. They couldn't carry a whole orange in their pocket but could carry half an orange. They had complicated travel restrictions. They couldn't tie knots, but women could tie girdles, so they'd tie girdles to buckets to draw water from their wells on the Sabbath. And if a building fell down on the Sabbath, they could remove enough rubble to see if anyone was harmed. If alive, they could pull them out. If dead, they had to leave them for after the Sabbath.
And one of their rules related to the plucking of grain as you walked on the Sabbath. They considered it reaping a harvest, which was work, so they thought the disciples were working on the Sabbath.
The Disciples' Freedom
In a moment, we'll see how Jesus responds. He won't correct their understanding of the Sabbath. He won't say, You don't understand, they're not working. That's just your ridiculous interpretation. It was their ridiculous interpretation, but that's not the angle Jesus will take.
But before we see how Jesus responds, let's consider for a moment the behavior of the disciples. It seems their relationship with Jesus had set them free from the traditional constraints of the religionists of their day. They felt comfortable enough around Jesus to pluck grain on the Sabbath, to do something they knew the Pharisees had told the masses was forbidden.
They were free. They were living in the atmosphere of grace Jesus had created. They were in relationship with Jesus, and that changed everything.
1. Jesus creates an atmosphere of grace by highlighting relationship over religion. (23-24)
You see, Jesus was breaking his disciples free from the constraints of religion. They had Jesus! They did not need a stuffy religious code. They did not need the stringent restrictions of the legalists. Instead, they could walk and talk with the Lord of the Sabbath.
Religion vs. Relationship
I think this is a major lesson many of us are learning (or relearning) during this season. Times of chaos and upheaval are wonderful at revealing the health of our relationship with Jesus. Trials have a way of exposing if we've drifted from him, if his word is far from us, or if we are rusty in prayer.
But this particular trial has a way of highlighting the importance of our personal relationship with Jesus. It is a unique season, one in which we can only turn to the Lord. As we are alone in our homes, though we might utilize technology to stay connected to one another, the Lord is still present with us. He is close to us, in relationship with us. He wants us to enjoy our relationship with him during such a time.
Let's use this season as a time for personal revival. This thought came to my mind in a recent morning reading time after we received the shelter-in order from our county. I came across Jesus' letter to the church in Ephesus. After commending them for many good works and good doctrine, he said:
"But I have this against you: You have departed from your first love! Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Do the deeds you did at the first..." (Revelation 2:4–5, NET).
Immediately, after reading Jesus' exhortation, I thought, Yes, Lord! I want you to use this time. As I shelter in place, as my normal patterns and movements are restricted, and my life looks different, bring me back to my first love. Let this be a time for prayer, reflection, and relationship with you.
In times such as these, it is so good to know we can enjoy a relationship with God by the blood of Jesus.
But, there it is, the accusation of the Pharisees. They accused the disciples of working on the Sabbath, violating the fourth commandment. How would Jesus respond? Let's read:
25 And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?"
A Story From David's Life
Now, many of the Pharisees had likely memorized vast portions of the Torah and other parts of the Old Testament. So it is hilarious when Jesus asks them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and was hungry?" (25). They'd read it. They might've memorized it. But they'd never understood it.
By the way, it was radical for Jesus to appeal to this story from David's life to build his argument. It is from 1 Samuel. The Pharisees would've respected an argument where two different Old Testament quotations were used. Or they would've respected an argument where the Torah -- the first five books of the Bible -- was quoted. But Jesus did neither. We'll see why in a moment.
But the story he does appeal to came from the life of David. After David killed Goliath and married king Saul's daughter, Saul became jealous of young David's fame in Israel. So David had to run for his life. And on his way into the wilderness, he stopped by the tabernacle and asked the priest if he had any food.
The only bread in town at that time was the bread of the Presence (26). It was the bread they brought into the tabernacle to offer to God. According to Leviticus, when the priests replaced the bread with new bread the next day, only priests could eat the old bread. And David was not a priest, so when he ate that bread, he was breaking God's law!
What was Jesus saying? Why did he use this story to defend the actions of his disciples?
Human Need Supersedes Ceremonial Law (or There Are Exceptions To The Rule)
Perhaps Jesus was demonstrating that there were times the ceremonial law of God could be broken if it was an aid to human life and flourishing. David needed food to live. The only food available made him break the ceremonial law of God. So he received an exemption and was permitted to eat the bread.
I wish I could illustrate this to you somehow. If only I could think of a contemporary, modern example of a time when God's people are allowed to break with God's command because their health requires them to do so. I mean, try to imagine a time when Christians would have to neglect the public church gathering because their health depends on it! It is amazing to me that we're studying this on this particular Sunday. Maybe God is trying to give us a little grace during this time when we cannot gather together, especially if we feel guilty about it!
King David
But I think Jesus was appealing to something more when he referred to David's example. Remember, he's not using their normal methods of arguing Scripture. No Torah. No multiple quotations. And I wonder if Jesus does this because he's not arguing from quotations, but from personhood.
You see, they never questioned David. He eventually became the recipient of the Messianic promise. One day, God said, a forever king would come from David's line and reign over a kingdom without end. And because of that promise, they venerated David. They didn't question David.
So when David went to the priests and ate God's bread, no one bothered to rebuke him for the act. He's David! He's favored by God! He's the greatest king we've ever had! And he forecasts the Messiah-Christ! He can do whatever he wants! He gets a pass!
In another place, Jesus said, Something greater than the temple is here. And something greater than Jonah is here. And something greater than Solomon is here (Matthew 12:6, 41, 42).
To me, this passage reads like this: Someone greater than David is here. You never question him. You should not question me. I am greater than David. I'm the Forever King who was promised to come from David.
This leads me to my second point:
2. Jesus creates an atmosphere of grace because he's the King of this kingdom. (25-26)
Remember, Jesus came saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15). If King David could break the ceremonial law in order to feed himself and his men, so could Jesus. Like David, he was persecuted and rejected by the establishment, and he collected a ragtag group of followers. And also, like David, he fed his followers.
This is not Jesus' way of saying the Pharisees' interpretation of the law was wrong. Instead, this is his way of claiming authority greater than David! Jesus is King!
In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about Jesus' kingdom. First, he saw a statue with a head of gold, a chest of silver, thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay (Daniel 2:32-33). In his vision, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and the whole thing was broken in pieces (Daniel 3:34-35).
Daniel declared the various metals represented various world powers and kingdoms. But the stone represented God's kingdom:
"And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever..." (Daniel 2:44, ESV).
This is the kingdom Jesus brought. And in days when we are susceptible to pandemics, the markets are volatile, and life seems unsteady, we must remember the forever nature of Jesus' kingdom.
And as our King, he leads his kingdom towards an atmosphere of grace.
OK, let's conclude with one more brief thought.
27 And 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."
Their View
As I detailed earlier, the religionists of Jesus' day had made the Sabbath into a difficult experience. It became so restrictive under their legalistic eye. But God had meant for the Sabbath to be a gift, especially for those without means who might've been forced to work seven days a week.
I mean, imagine it. The sun goes down on Friday. You've got a fire raging before sunset. The food is cooking, and work comes to a halt. With family or friends, you gather to celebrate this little weekly vacation from the cares of life. After sleeping in, you awake to a full day where nothing is on the calendar, and you have no responsibilities. Then, when night falls again, you relight the fire, eat a meal, and rest up for the start of the week in the morning. What a gift!
This is why Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (27). They thought of the Sabbath as a yoke man was to toil under. But Jesus thought of it as something God made for humanity, a gift for the pinnacle of his creation. That day of rest was made for us!
And this is how all of God's laws are meant to be understood. They are for us. They are meant to bless us. Every commandment of God is designed with human flourishing in mind. We are at our best when we obey God because God's laws lead to the healthiest imaginable life. As John said:
"His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3, ESV).
You see, all his laws have us in mind. So here's how this works. Read your Bible and discover how disciples do finances, sexuality, church membership, ministry, career, education, friendship, or any other thing. Then, whether those commands feel easy or burdensome, remind yourself they were created to help you flourish. They are not there to make you suffer. They are there to help produce the most joyful life and the best version of you.
Jesus In Charge
Additionally, Jesus said, "So the Son of Man (that's him) is lord even of the Sabbath" (28). One reason he knows the Sabbath is made for man is that he is lord of the Sabbath.
What does it mean that Jesus is lord of the Sabbath?
To answer that question, let me remind you that the Sabbath didn't start with Israel. It started with creation. After the six days of creation, God rested or ceased working on the seventh day, blessed the seventh day, and made it holy (Genesis 2:2-3).
For God, the Sabbath was not a time to recuperate. He was not pooped from all his work. No, for God to rest or cease meant it was time to enjoy his creation. He wanted to enjoy his people, and he wanted his people to enjoy him.
Even ancient Israel recognized the connection of their Sabbath system to the original Sabbath of creation. After God gave the Sabbath commandment, he said:
"For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:11, ESV).
And what Jesus is announcing here is that, as God, he was involved in the setting aside of the seventh day from the very beginning. It was a rule he made as lord even of the Sabbath (28). And the Sabbath, along with the rule that Adam must not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was there for Adam's blessing. Jesus had made the garden and the rules which governed it for the betterment of his people.
Which leads me to my third point:
3. Jesus creates an atmosphere of grace, which was his original intention. (27-28)
The lord of the Sabbath has come. Jesus could remember those early days of walking in the garden in the cool of the day, Adam and Eve enjoying the presence of God. He knew the original intention was for humanity to live in the enjoyment of God. He knew they were called to live in an atmosphere of grace.
And Jesus came to earth and will come again, in order to draw people into his kingdom, into this atmosphere of grace. He wants you to enjoy him, to walk with him, to experience him. He hates seeing religiosity pollute a simple relationship with him. Let him pull you into, or maybe back into, the joy of the Lord. The joy of his presence.
In closing, let's read together from a pertinent passage in Colossians:
Colossians 2:16–23 (ESV)—16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Religion cannot make you whole. Religion cannot stop the raging sinful desires of humanity. Instead, we must hold fast to the Head of the church, from whom we all grow with a growth that is from God (Colossians 2:19). We must walk with Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, enjoying him and allowing him to transform us into his image.