Sabbath Controversies; The Choice of Twelve

In our study on the life of Christ, here on Wednesday evenings, we've been in a section of his life called the Great Galilee and Ministry in 18 month period. So we're going to be in that a while because there is a lot of activity and a lot recorded in the Gospels on that particular time frame and ministry of our Lord. As a kind of a subset of that and there are a number of different subsets of the great Galilee and ministry. We're looking at a section of the Gospels now which describe three consecutive, at least we think them to be consecutive, Sabbath controversies. As the Gospel writers picture the hardening opposition of the Pharisees and religious leaders against Jesus, they pick out these three Sabbath controversies. Part of the reason why the Pharisees opposed Jesus so much was his response to their tradition. And one of the greatest areas of conflict was over Sabbath traditions that the Pharisees had established. And there are three of those that are given back to back in the Gospels. Last week we looked at one, the healing of the man, the pool of Bethesda. And let's pick up with the second one of those who will do the second and third tonight and then we'll see how far we can get into the choice of the 12 apostles. The second of the Sabbath controversies is the defense of the disciples for eating grain on the Sabbath. Let's look at Matthew's account of that in Matthew chapter 12 verses 1 through 8. It is interesting as you study the Gospels to put all of the Gospel accounts together and you get the complete picture. In some cases we'll do that. In one case tonight we'll look at both passages that describe it. But quite often one passage is more complete than the others. And so we will look at Matthew's account of this story. Matthew chapter 12 verse 1. At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this they said to him, look, your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. Let me say first of all that what the disciples were doing was entirely appropriate. You may think of they're walking along the road and they start eating out of someone's field. Is that appropriate? Are they stealing? That might be the first question that would come to mind. But according to Deuteronomy chapter 23 what they were doing was entirely within the confines of the law in that regard as far as taking grain out of the field. In Deuteronomy 23 verse 24 it says, if you enter your neighbor's vineyard you may eat all the grapes you want but do not put any in your basket. If you enter your neighbor's grain field you may pick kernels with your hands but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain. The idea is if you're traveling and you're hungry it's certainly appropriate to take a little grain from the field just don't harvest the whole field. For crying out loud don't take these whole crop but you can have a little you can have enough to satisfy your hunger that was entirely appropriate. So in that regard what they were doing was fine but the Pharisees are not concerned about taking grain from someone's field as much as they are that it's the Sabbath day. And so that's their controversy with Jesus in verse 2 your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. Now what do you think are the Pharisees right? Were they doing something unlawful on the Sabbath? Well is the eating of it or the gathering of it that's their complaint is basically? I think probably the gathering of it is their complaint not the eating of it you could eat on the Sabbath but the gathering of the grain is probably what the Pharisees were referring to. Okay. Okay. Satisfying their hunger which was perfectly permissible. They were not harvesting a field they were not doing their normal labor on the Sabbath and that's really what the Old Testament law talked about was the normal labor that you would do other days of the week. And the whole concept of the Sabbath was you work six days you rest one. The idea of a Sabbath rest was to to cease your normal labor that you would do the rest of the day. Well that's not what the disciples are doing is it they're not doing their normal work they're not doing normal labor they're simply getting some grain. There is nothing against this in the law of Moses specifically. The problem here is as with all of these controversies we saw it last week with the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda. Remember the the the law basically says you're not to work you're not to do your normal labor on on the Sabbath. The Pharisees felt like they had to help everybody understand what that means and so they had to kind of give it categories you know they they decided well we have to help people know what work is what's allowable what's not and so they started to define. And one of those things was you could not carry a load you could not carry a burden on the Sabbath so carrying a mat in their eyes was violation of that another was you could not harvest a field on the Sabbath. And picking even picking with your hands a few kernels of grain was in their minds of violation of that Sabbath regulation of this was not the law of Moses this was the traditional interpretation of it that the Pharisees and religious leaders had that was the problem. And that comes up over and over again in Jesus ministry. Yes. Precook everything before the Sabbath yes so they didn't have to do any preparation on the Sabbath. That's what the Pharisees would interpret yeah but they they basically would interpret it as working in the field that was that would be their problem on this occasion. There was a travel restriction on the Sabbath I don't remember exactly how far can anybody recall the law of Moses on that. Okay I don't without looking it up I don't remember what the distance was. Yeah the Bible the New Testament speaks of going a Sabbath based journey there wasn't allowable distance you could go I just don't remember seems in my mind sticks like a quarter of a mile but I could be wrong. Anybody remember for sure okay that's a good one to look up somebody look it up bring us back the answer next week okay. Go that distance again so it had to be couldn't be more than a whatever the distance was from your personal possession so drop a handkerchief that puts you at least few more feet out there okay. That sounds like the Pharisees sure does okay notice notice what Jesus answers and what Jesus does next is depends what the disciples have done and he defense it in five ways there's a fivefold defense and this is extremely interesting first three he answered haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry he entered the house of God and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread which was not lawful for them to do but only for the priests. Jesus raises a very interesting scenario here this did happen in in I think it's in first Samuel 21 it's recorded where where David and his men are running from saw and they come to the place where the tabernacle is in the table and they ask for the bread that was placed on the table of show bread these were large loaves of bread twelve of them that were placed on the table of show bread in the tabernacle they were hungry they're running from saw and a Himalek the high priest gave them the gave David the bread to take out to his men and they ate up the law said that bread was to be eaten by the priests. Jesus point here is I believe well let me ask you what do you think Jesus point is is Jesus saying you can break the law anytime you want so my disciples are okay is that his point with using David now this is a tricky one I think you're onto something there in your last statements Steve I think I think the law did dictate that the priests only were to eat that bread this is I believe a situation where God makes an allowance for human need that does not fit nicely into the legal requirements but there is a human need that I want to be very careful that supersedes the legal requirement in this case now we know that God never condemned David for what he did but you have to be very careful here you have to be very careful that I don't make the rules you don't make the rules but this is one of those cases where there was evidently an allowance made because of human need David also is in God's eyes the thing and I think there's some there's some parallel here between David and Christ Jesus will kind of put all this in a framework in verse 6 when he says I tell you that one greater than the temple is here okay so Jesus is greater than the temple Jesus is also greater than David and if David is not condemned by God because in that particular instance the need for food God made an allowance for David to have that bread even though by law it was to be only by the priest what about Jesus whose disciples Jesus is greater than David and Jesus disciples are not breaking any law of Moses just a tradition of the Pharisees you see there's a kind of an argument from the greater to the lesser here or the lesser to the greater you see David is lesser in importance than Jesus and and David really could have been accused of a greater violation but God made allowance for what he was doing because of the need for food you know again it's a very tricky thing but there God does make allowance sometimes when there is human need and even for human need for the property and sinfulness for instance it was never it was never God's intent for there to be divorce God always intended in Jesus reinforce this in Matthew 19 one man one woman for life that was God's intent but Jesus himself said in Matthew 19 that God allowed Moses himself to run with 24 permitted divorce because of the birth of your hearts sometimes God makes allowance for that which he did not ever intend to happen because he knows we're sinners we're going to mess stuff up so now we've got to patch things up and go from there so there are allowances made sometimes done he's he's going to say that in just a moment we'll get to that yeah we'll get there exactly we're going to get there too so yeah you're you're already anticipating the combination of Jesus argument which is he is the one who created the law he's the one who made the law he's the one who made the Sabbath you know the one who made the law can also make exceptions or allowances for the law to Steve okay I won't debate that point but I think I think we could I think we could go back and show that it was designed it was intended to be eaten only by the priests yeah so I don't think it was there is to give to whoever they wanted but in this case God made an allowance for a an overwhelming human need that must be met by the one who in God's eyes with the rightful king but again this is very tricky you don't want to get into a situation where you're you're saying really the law doesn't matter there are no absolutes you know we're not we're not saying that at all but we're saying that on occasions like this because of need God made an allowance for that need to be met and Jesus point is that the meeting of that human needs superseded the observance of the ceremony at that at that particular point now he's there's a second argument though and by the way I think we need to move on to the next slide I forgot to to prompt this the first argument is from history David in first time in 21 the second argument that Jesus uses to defend his disciples is an argument from the law in verses five and six verse five or haven't you read in the law very interesting way Jesus stated this by the way this is the little tidbit that when Jesus was speaking to the multitudes he would say have you not read when he speaks to the teachers of the law he says have you not read that they they had the law they had it there to study the average person the average israelite farmer did not have a copy of the law to study you could excuse their ignorance Jesus is basically putting his finger right on the Pharisees and say you have no excuse for ignorance you read the law you you have the law have you not read he says in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent in other words here's another allowance for working on the Sabbath and that is the priests the priests are allowed to as Jesus says desecrate the Sabbath day and what he means by that is is although they are working on the Sabbath day in the temple there is an allowance made for their ministry because that's obviously important to the continuation of the worship of Israel so there are allowances made even in cases where the law says the Sabbath should not have any work done on it and verse six Jesus says I tell you that one greater than the temple is here Jesus himself trumps the temple so if there's not supposed to be any work in the temple you've got the one who is greater than the temple who is here allowing his disciples to to pick some grain along the road. Third argument is the argument from the prophets and by the way when Jesus says there's one greater than the temple here that is a kind of a veiled claim to deity you know there are some who have said Jesus never claimed to be God well he did very clearly claim to be God but in many ways there were veiled kind of almost hidden references unless you really look at them to deity and this is one of them greater than the temple the place where God manifested his presence to the people of Israel someone greater than the temple that could only be God who or what is greater than the place where God makes his presence manifest it and you have to be God himself it's the only thing only person that could be greater so this is kind of a veiled reference to claim to deity so there is the argument from the law or from the yes from the law but there's also an argument from the prophets for seven if you had known what these words mean I desire mercy not sacrifice you would not have condemned the innocent second time we've seen this by the way recently this statement from Hosea six six which basically means God is more interested in spiritual reality than ceremonial observance what he's basically saying to the Pharisees here is you are so concerned about you know the minutia of your interpretation of the law it's not just the law it's your interpretation of the law that everything be done exactly as you say it then you're so concerned about the external observance that everybody does everything just right looks just right you know all the externals are just right I'm more concerned about spiritual reality God is more concerned about what's in the heart God is more concerned about someone who has genuine mercy compassion is willing to make allowances from time to time rather than one who just says let's get the right animal on the right day in the right place do it in the right make sure everything is done exactly okay God is saying there's a spiritual reality that can often be forgotten in the midst of legal observances and that is a challenge that we all need to take part we get so caught up with the forms today you know we got to have this schedule of services or we got to do it this time because that's what we've always done it no it isn't you can trace it back maybe a hundred years but it's not the way we've always done it the forms are not what's important the times that you meet whether you do it in you know auditorium or a Bible fellowship class or small group at home and you know that's not the issue with God the issue is where's the spiritual reality and yet we can become so bent out of shape over the forms and changing the forms are giving up my little pet peeve of the form and and forget about the spiritual reality God's looking at us and saying where's your heart in all this you know where's your heart do you have no heart for the things of God is it just for your particular traditions you know Jesus really blasted the Pharisees this over and over and over again we sometimes need the same blasting when we get so caught up in our forms and lose the spiritual reality I've quit teaching gone to preaching maybe even gone to meddling so I better get back to the lesson here but but Jesus just like Josea said I'd rather have mercy not sacrifice looking at your heart I'm seeing what's there so argument from the prophets then look at the argument from the original purpose of the Sabbath and this was not it found in Matthew's gospel that marks a count of it in in Mark chapter 2 in verse 27 Mark says man was not made for the Sabbath the Sabbath was made for man what a profound statement obviously coming from Jesus it would be but when when you think about it God did not create the Sabbath and then say okay I'm going to make a man to fit that and since he shouldn't work on the Sabbath I'm going to make sure he he mysteriously made the Sabbath so that his arms don't work I'm going to create a man to fit into the Sabbath now God didn't do that God didn't make man to fit into the Sabbath God made the Sabbath to be a blessing to man and so there will be some allowances made for human need because the man's more important than the Sabbath Sabbath was made to be a blessing of rest for man it was never made to be cataloged with all these observances that you know bore you down and burdened you down though and I keep it all the Sabbath stuff that's not what it was for you know it was designed to be a blessing to give a break a rhythm a routine of rest and then you're refreshed to go back to your work it was not ever intended to be how many grains have you picked how much do they weigh you better make sure you haven't crossed a line here that's not the point of the Sabbath okay so the Pharisees had it all backwards and Jesus is saying you know Sabbath wasn't made man was not made to fit into the Sabbath Sabbath was made for man so there was the argument from the purpose of the Sabbath and then the fifth argument is the argument from his own superiority and this is where Don was coming from and others who mentioned this kind of thought verse eight for the son of man is Lord of the Sabbath to Shay I made the Sabbath I know what the Sabbath is about okay I know when there's a Sabbath violation I'm the Lord of the Sabbath okay that kind of shuts up the Pharisees not for long there'll be after him in another week at least but it you know they were obviously clearly outdone in this controversy they accused the disciples of a Sabbath violation and Jesus just fires all five reasons why they're wrong and and calls them to task about you know you haven't even read your scriptures right wow you can understand why the Pharisees got upset with Jesus so much they did not like him because he made them look pretty bad they're supposed to be the spiritual leaders and they've missed it totally they don't even know their scriptures they don't understand the reality of what it means to be spiritually right with God they're so focused on the externals and the traditions and he nailed them on it so they didn't like that very well didn't like that okay any questions about this particular Sabbath controversy before we look at the next one which really crystallizes the opposition of the Pharisees any question comment about this one okay let's look at the third Sabbath controversy the healing the man with the scribbled hand and we're going to just continue in loops or excuse me Matthew's gospel here verse nine going on from that place now they've been walking by some grain fields we don't know exactly where they are evidently somewhere in Galilee but going on from that place he went into their synagogue whether this was back in Capornum we're not sure but he went into a synagogue verse 10 and a man with a scribbled hand was there probably deformed maybe paralyzed maybe smaller than the other hand it was very obviously a physical defect middle of her skin looking for a reason to accuse Jesus looking for a reason to accuse Jesus they asked him is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath now in the other two Sabbath controversies they approach Jesus after something is done right and try to catch him in a Sabbath violation now the reason why this one is so cruel is because they use this man to set him up to set up Jesus they may have even planted this man in the synagogue encouraged him to come to synagogue that day it is the thought of many that they actually had this man there so that they could they could test Jesus looking for a reason to accuse him lawful to heal on the Sabbath by the way this is just kind of an unconscious compliment of Jesus on the part of the Pharisees they knew he would have compassion on this man and one of healing and so they set up a situation where they were confident Jesus would respond and he would want to do something to help this man and they could catch him in another in their minds another Sabbath violation the cruel thing about this is there's evidently no concern on the part of these religious leaders for the man with the scribbled hand he's just a pawn he's just a tool in their hands to try to trap Jesus they have no real concern for him no compassion in their heart for him that's really really sad but that's where they are the attempt to trap Jesus is very obvious notice Jesus answered to them in verse 11 he said to them if any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath will you not take hold of it and lift it out how much more valuable is a man than a sheep therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath now you can see with his answer he's already got them because the law made provision for and it was certainly considered to be acceptable to rescue an animal that was in trouble on the Sabbath day that's what Jesus refers to you have a sheep falls into a pit you're going to get it out even some Saturday isn't a man more valuable more important one who's made in the image of God doesn't that trump an animal does the thinking of the Pharisees here or what Jesus accuses them of thinking does it remind you of anything in our culture today same kind of twisted priorities I know you want to say it it just came to my mind that the way that the Catholic Church is that it seems that it happened it was like a concern and it was like what's he doing with his mind yeah let's make it a political football yeah that's true what about the what Jesus puts his finger on here is that the way the Pharisees are thinking their philosophy of life makes an animal more important than a person does that ring a bell with anybody in in our culture does that ring a bell at all yeah it does doesn't it we have come to the same kind of reasoning in our culture where there are penalties even jail sentences for killing an animal but not for killing a baby who is about to be born there's something twisted about that there is even a penalty of large fine for destroying the eggs of the bald eagle but not a human in the womb what's wrong with us when we have that kind of outlook on life you know there's something twisted and perverted about our culture that values animal life higher than human life when in God's pattern and order of creation man is the only creature made in the image of God now I don't say that to excuse any cruelty to animals there's a verse in Proverbs that says it's a fool who mistreats his animal or is cruel to his animal so there's no no thinking on my part that okay you know an animal you can kick your dog up against the wall anytime you want to it doesn't matter no that's not the that's not the issue but the issue is we have become so twisted in our culture that we fall into same trap Pharisees did of thinking we'll do everything to protect animal life but not human life it just shows how easily Satan can twist our values and that's exactly what has happened in in our world well notice what Jesus does after he puts the issue to them very plainly verse 13 he said to the man stretch out your hand so he stretched it out and it was completely restored just as sound as the other but the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus by the way this is a wonderful example of the kind of healing that is undeniable this is not a faith healer saying I think you have a back ache let's take care of that because nobody really can see that you can see a shriveled hand all of a sudden grow and begin to move like the other hand you can see that happen this is an undeniable miracle of healing so Jesus restores his life and he's not going to be a real man he's hand and the idea of restoring is not just healing but restoring it to its proper size proper function so undeniable miracle and then of course the attitude of the Pharisees is they immediately go out and plot how they might kill Jesus three weeks now they've had a controversy about the Sabbath and three weeks Jesus has bested them by showing how wrong they were and actually if you put all three gospels together Mark chapter 3 and verse 6 says they took counsel with the Herodians now do a little bit of history cultural backgrounds like we did when we first started this series you remember the Herodians were a particular group of Jews who supported Herod who were very secular the Pharisees are the most religious fundamentalist group in Israel in this day but they're willing to work with those Herodians if it means put Jesus to death that's how desperate they are Mark says that Luke says this Luke says they were filled with madness the new American standard says they were furious the King or the NIV says so they were filled with madness I mean they were just almost beside themselves with anger and so angry that they will plot with anybody to try to do away with Jesus who ever can help them accomplish that purpose strange bedfellows but all for the purpose of trying to put Jesus to death well I think what you can see is that the opposition of the religious leaders is now fixed there's no turning back it is fixed and they are looking for the right time the right place the right way to killing from this point on that's the only thing they want is to killing yes so yeah so great question how can people who know the Old Testament so well who know the law so well not recognize Jesus when you know we can look back and see clearly in the Old Testament he always prophesied I think that's part of it I think that's part of it there's a lot of factors here one is that they felt threatened losing their grip on the people losing their grip on power that was part of it part of it I think was they really didn't know the law as well as they should have because it had become so clouded with their twisted interpretations and their traditions that they were so fogging their minds they didn't know what the law wasn't what it wasn't they were so intent on all the minutia of their traditions and interpretations they really had had so covered up the real law they couldn't even see the law anymore and I think that was part of it they really lost the essence of what the Old Testament taught sounds like politics yeah yeah there was a lot of that too because these were these were very powerful men in Israel so I think that's that's part of it part of it obviously behind it all God is at work accomplishing his purpose so that his son will be rejected crucified you know acts to the way when Peter's preaching on Pentecost he says this is the determinant council of God he says in the determinant council of God you rejected Jesus there's the combination to divine sovereignty in working out his plan but the human responsibility was there as well so yeah there is some of that what you're saying Holly about God has judicially hardened them but that is not a capricious thing without their involvement they bear responsibility to do because of the way they had so covered up the law and then there was there was also another factor and that is the political scene in Israel this time by the time they'd been under Roman rule for a generation a little longer than a couple generations most people were looking for a political deliverer and that's the only part of you know the Messiah they saw was a ruler who would deliver them from oppression and so they were looking for someone to overthrow Rome at least the common people were so these people should have known better I think a good example of their clouding us in the Old Testament was John 3 when Jesus said to Nicodemus you mean you're a teacher and Israel you don't know these things you don't understand the Ezekiel 36 you should know about spiritual cleansing and you don't get that so I think you know that's just an evidence of their they really didn't know the law. As well as they should. Yeah the political and religious circumstances of the day and views of the day are all a part of that in the fullness of time God knew exactly when the right time was to send his son. Okay well after these three Sabbath controversies the opposition against Jesus is set in stone there's no way that's going to change the Pharisees are just looking for the right time in place to put into death from here on out. So it is it is no accident that the very next thing we're going to talk about is the choice of the 12 now there will be one account before we get to the actual choice of the 12 apostles one account in the gospels of Jesus teaching and healing that we'll look at just introduce it and then we'll look at it more fully next week but but at this point Jesus begins to turn in here. This ministry toward training the 12 now it's not a it's not a light switch on light switch off type turning but it is it is a noticeable shift that at this particular time and particularly after something else happens a little bit later in Matthew 12 where the Pharisees make it very clear they have officially as leaders of the nation rejected Jesus it's no surprise that from this point on Jesus begins okay. It's time to train 12 men to get them ready for when I leave now very quickly in Matthew 12 as we wrap it up verse 15 aware of this aware of what what was Jesus aware of now the conspiracy to kill him right is what verse 14 is just said so aware of this Jesus with drew from the Bible. So why would Jesus withdraw was he afraid of the Pharisees was he running from the Pharisees timing that's it remember Jesus did everything according to the the timetable of father he would say several times in John's gospel my time has not yet come my hour has not yet come he knew exactly what he was doing and so he left to avert again a premature crisis. Of that would not fall in the father's timetable verse 15 says many followed him and he healed all their sick warning them not to tell who he was before we go any further here and we we're going to have to stop in just a moment I do want to look at marks account in mark three. And we'll come back to this next week but mark three verse seven adds a little bit of information that leads into this story in mark three seven it says Jesus with drew with his disciples to the lake. It's the sea of Galilee and a large crowd from Galilee followed when they heard all he was doing this is mark three verse seven now verse eight when they heard all he was doing many people came to him not notice this many people came to him from Judea Jerusalem. In Judea and the regions across the Jordan and around tire and side and take a look at this map I think we've got a map here. Jesus teaching and healing the multitude is what this is about but just look at this Jesus is in Galilee he's near the sea of Galilee but it says people are coming from anybody got your Bible open there you can read those places off for me. Coming from Judea look at that's all way down here. Jerusalem that would be probably official you know like the Pharisees religious leaders coming but but people coming from Jerusalem as well. It says it you me that south of Judea. Tyre and side tires way up here look now here's Galilee you're talking way down here in Judea and did you me of it also way up here there's tyrants side and right up there. That's Gentile territory. Okay so where else the region across from the Jordan doesn't it say that's over here the capitalist for real anywhere else that it. Okay you've got look at this here's Jesus ministering up here but his reputation has spread so far that people from you know 100 miles away. And over here across into the the eastern side of the Jordan River and way up here in Gentile territory are coming to see him and hear him. Now please remember 100 mile journey in that day is like going to the other side of the world in our day. Soar feet yeah right right of donkey walk. This is not hopping on a plane and being there in six hours this is this is two or three days of travel to get there. It's difficult for us to grasp all that's going on here now there is tremendous opposition on the part of the religious leaders but there is tremendous popularity on the part of the ordinary people who are hearing about the miracles and the teachings and one no more what's going on. So we'll pick it up next week back in Matthew and his description of the healing of great multitudes and there is a description of of Jesus that ties into what we've just seen. From Isaiah 42 that is a classic description of the personality and the spirit of Jesus which is I think one of the most interesting and all the gospels we'll see that next week. Let's pray. Father we thank you for insights into our Savior's life is dealing with people his anger at the Pharisees and their religious traditions which so covered up the real intent of the law and spiritual purpose of what you're wanting to do in the nation. And father we pray that we will have the heart of Jesus not the heart of a Pharisee as we look at what you want to do in and through us today and the way you want to do your work may we focus on the heart and the spiritual reality of what you would seek to do. Pray father that we will always recognize like Jesus did compassion for people in their time of need and not layer them down with so many ritualistic, fairsackle of servances that will reach out to people in need and help them. Thank you father for our Savior's example may we live as he did by your grace and by your spirit in Jesus name we pray amen.