Matthew 12:1,2
‘At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. Now when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!” But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions— how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent?”‘
The disciples are beginning to understand what it’s like to walk in grace. They probably had rule following beaten into them from childhood. But here they are satisfying their hunger. They probably saw Jesus do it. They may have been shocked. But now they may be a year into following Him and are doing it without thinking.
In this same passage, but in Mark’s gospel it says, ‘Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”‘ It makes all the rules that had been established throughout the centuries look foolish.
What a liberating message. It’s one from a gracious God. He wants us free. I can recall getting small glimpses of it about five years into the faith. I would re listen to tapes over to recall the message. We can see Paul referring to those weak in faith. They can’t eat some foods or worship on particular days. God wants us to be strong in faith enjoying the freedom He gives. I am loving the freedom in Christ. Thank You, Jesus.
I understand where the pharisees are coming from. I can recall being a young believer with all sorts rules that bound me up. This is what man does with religion. I had a friend who grew up in Hawaii where his mom taught them to respect the local religions. It was one based on nature. There were many rules that were there to appease the many gods. If you crossed a stream wrong way there was some sort of penance to be done. There were many of these. My friend grew up all bound up. He was freed when he came to Christ. For several years this saddened his mom.
This obsession with rules is why Jesus is so angry with the pharisees. Here’s what He says in Matthew 23:4, “They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” This is man made religion. We see it all over the planet.
Jesus came to free us. The disciples are getting it. They were hungry and they were grabbing grain and eating as they were walking. They had a long way to God. In Acts we see the apostles learning about now being able to eat things that used to be unkosher. We also see them bringing the gospel to the gentiles. Freedom was spreading.
This is crazy as most people see christianity as bondage. Not true. There is so much freedom in Christ. The words of Jesus that the sabbath was made for man was one of the first blows to bondage. Many more would come.
There are laws and things we are to obey. The Ten Commandments still apply. There are rules about sex and justice. They are meant for our good. Being involved in sex out of context brings bondage and disease. There is much corruption down that road. The world doesn’t see it that way. They encourage it.
Lord, thank You, for the freedom You bring. It is so amazing. Help us to spread that to others.