The Son of Man and the Sabbath
In fifth grade I had a conversation with an adult that has stuck with me for over 30 years. It was about Sabbath observance. Or maybe I should say that it was about my lack of Sabbath observance. My mother was a gospel singer. On weekends, our family life consisted of traveling all over the USA to various churches where she would minister through music.
One weekend we were in Nebraska. My dad drove us through the night to get back to Michigan, despite our objections, to bring my brother and me to school. The adult I was in a conversation with was perplexed about how the whole process worked. He finally asked me what was on his mind. "How did we make it to Nebraska and back without getting gas on Sunday?"
Not thinking much of it, I remember telling him that we did in fact get gas on Sunday as we drove back home. The look he gave me told me that this was not the answer he was looking for. At least I knew enough to stop from telling him that we had gone out to eat and even spent a little time at the mall in the afternoon to kill some time between the morning and evening service! He wanted me to pass along to my parents that it might be a good idea to fill plastic gas tanks on Saturday so that we could add gas to our tank without having to pay for it on a Sunday. I must have messed up the message because my parents never did that.
Judaism and the Sabbath
Sabbath observance in religious Judaism is very important. Sabbath was instituted at creation. God observed a sabbath and made it a part of the created order (Gen 2:2). Certain traditions of Judaism suggest that the patriarchs from Genesis and even the angels in heaven observed the Sabbath before the law was given. The sabbath evolved into a group of specific rules (How far can one walk? What is work? I'm not joking, can one go #2 on the sabbath?). However, behind the rules was a desire to experience both freedom and a foretaste of eschatological joy. Sabbath laws are most detailed in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Both of these instances are portrayed as immediately following Israel's deliverance or exodus from Egypt. A day of rest reminded the Jews that they were no longer salves. Furthermore, sabbath was supposed to model what life would be like in a world to come where people would find rest in God. In some Rabbinic literature, even those in hell would be given sabbath rest from their sufferings.
Jesus and the Sabbath
It is into this world that Jesus' disciples are accused of picking grain on the Sabbath. The disciples are not accused of stealing, since (Dt 23:25) permits Jews to pick grain to eat. Rather, they are accused of breaking the Sabbath since no work was allowed to be done on the Sabbath and Jewish tradition had identified picking grain as work.
Jesus responds to the Pharisees with Scripture and authority. Mark cites (1 Sam 21:1-9) with a clear message that just as David did what was "not lawful" when he and his men ate the bread of the presence which was only for the priests, so Jesus also authorizes his disciples to transgress these biblical/traditional norms.
Mark does not indicate that the disciples are hungry. In Matthew's version of the story, they are (Matthew 12:1-8). Thus, one possible point is that Jesus is proclaiming that human need supersedes Sabbath laws.
A second potential point, although again more pronounced in Matthew, is a "how much more," argument more common in Rabbinic literature. This argument would be used to elevate Jesus' status. The thought would be "If David was able to break Sabbath laws for human need, how much more would Jesus, the Son of Man, be able to do so." Thus, the passage teaches readers that Jesus values human need over Sabbath law, but it also claims that Jesus is greater than David. It is not readily apparent how important that argument would have been to Mark's gentile audience.
Finally, Mark uses tis story to highlight the authority of Jesus over all things. By identifying him here as the Son of Man, Mark is giving Jesus tremendous status and power. Son of Man here does not mean human being. Thus, Jesus is not saying that humanity can make up its own Sabbath rules or that these laws are no longer needed. Rather, Mark is elevating Jesus and proclaims his authority over and above even the serious and important Sabbath laws.
In all of this we are reminded again that Sabbath laws were meant to be a gift from a loving and freeing God rather than rules from a stern taskmaster.
Questions for Thought
1. What Sabbath laws, if any, have you experienced? Have you seen them as a source of legalism or freedom? What role should they play in the Christian life?
2. While Mark's point of the authority of Jesus over the Sabbath might not mean all that much to most Christians today, what does it mean to you that Christ has authority over all things?
One weekend we were in Nebraska. My dad drove us through the night to get back to Michigan, despite our objections, to bring my brother and me to school. The adult I was in a conversation with was perplexed about how the whole process worked. He finally asked me what was on his mind. "How did we make it to Nebraska and back without getting gas on Sunday?"
Not thinking much of it, I remember telling him that we did in fact get gas on Sunday as we drove back home. The look he gave me told me that this was not the answer he was looking for. At least I knew enough to stop from telling him that we had gone out to eat and even spent a little time at the mall in the afternoon to kill some time between the morning and evening service! He wanted me to pass along to my parents that it might be a good idea to fill plastic gas tanks on Saturday so that we could add gas to our tank without having to pay for it on a Sunday. I must have messed up the message because my parents never did that.
Judaism and the Sabbath
Sabbath observance in religious Judaism is very important. Sabbath was instituted at creation. God observed a sabbath and made it a part of the created order (Gen 2:2). Certain traditions of Judaism suggest that the patriarchs from Genesis and even the angels in heaven observed the Sabbath before the law was given. The sabbath evolved into a group of specific rules (How far can one walk? What is work? I'm not joking, can one go #2 on the sabbath?). However, behind the rules was a desire to experience both freedom and a foretaste of eschatological joy. Sabbath laws are most detailed in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Both of these instances are portrayed as immediately following Israel's deliverance or exodus from Egypt. A day of rest reminded the Jews that they were no longer salves. Furthermore, sabbath was supposed to model what life would be like in a world to come where people would find rest in God. In some Rabbinic literature, even those in hell would be given sabbath rest from their sufferings.
Jesus and the Sabbath
It is into this world that Jesus' disciples are accused of picking grain on the Sabbath. The disciples are not accused of stealing, since (Dt 23:25) permits Jews to pick grain to eat. Rather, they are accused of breaking the Sabbath since no work was allowed to be done on the Sabbath and Jewish tradition had identified picking grain as work.
Jesus responds to the Pharisees with Scripture and authority. Mark cites (1 Sam 21:1-9) with a clear message that just as David did what was "not lawful" when he and his men ate the bread of the presence which was only for the priests, so Jesus also authorizes his disciples to transgress these biblical/traditional norms.
Mark does not indicate that the disciples are hungry. In Matthew's version of the story, they are (Matthew 12:1-8). Thus, one possible point is that Jesus is proclaiming that human need supersedes Sabbath laws.
A second potential point, although again more pronounced in Matthew, is a "how much more," argument more common in Rabbinic literature. This argument would be used to elevate Jesus' status. The thought would be "If David was able to break Sabbath laws for human need, how much more would Jesus, the Son of Man, be able to do so." Thus, the passage teaches readers that Jesus values human need over Sabbath law, but it also claims that Jesus is greater than David. It is not readily apparent how important that argument would have been to Mark's gentile audience.
Finally, Mark uses tis story to highlight the authority of Jesus over all things. By identifying him here as the Son of Man, Mark is giving Jesus tremendous status and power. Son of Man here does not mean human being. Thus, Jesus is not saying that humanity can make up its own Sabbath rules or that these laws are no longer needed. Rather, Mark is elevating Jesus and proclaims his authority over and above even the serious and important Sabbath laws.
In all of this we are reminded again that Sabbath laws were meant to be a gift from a loving and freeing God rather than rules from a stern taskmaster.
Questions for Thought
1. What Sabbath laws, if any, have you experienced? Have you seen them as a source of legalism or freedom? What role should they play in the Christian life?
2. While Mark's point of the authority of Jesus over the Sabbath might not mean all that much to most Christians today, what does it mean to you that Christ has authority over all things?
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