The Lord of the Sabbath!

 READ: Numbers 3, 4; Psalm 60; Mark 2:18-28

SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”...27 Then 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.”

OBSERVATION: The Pharisees considered themselves as the guardians of the law of Moses. They emphasized on observing the law given to Moses. So, they followed strict traditions and urged every Jew to follow it. Those Jewish traditions made the law difficult to follow, because it demanded people to observe so many rules and regulations that burdened the people. Here, Pharisees questioned Jesus  about his disciples' behavior during a Sabbath. According to the Gospel, Pharisees repeatedly questioned Jesus, concerning the violation of the Sabbath. In those days, following the Law according to the tradition became more important  than following the very purpose of the law. In this case, Jesus was speaking about the law of Sabbath which was given through Moses so that the Israelites gain some rest in a day to restore their physical, spiritual, and mental strength. Jesus reminded the Pharisees that "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." He informed them that he is Lord even of  the Sabbath. Jesus objected their interpretations of the law, and their customs and regulations to observe it. He reinforced the original purpose of the Sabbath. It is a day of rest and worship. 

 APPLICATION: I need to be watchful not to fall off in any of the pitfalls of commonly recognized customs and traditions. Sometimes, instead of helping us, customs and traditions may become burdens and may create a guilty feeling among the people. Further, it could lead us away from God. The purpose of the Sabbath was to emphasize the needed rest to refresh for a man, not to emphasize a particular day. The purpose of a man is to rest in the LORD. For, he is the Lord of the Sabbath!   

PRAYER:  Father God, thank you for your concern for my well being and spiritual freshness. While I wholeheartedly spend my time to make the end needs of my worldly life,  help me to relax myself and to take the needed rest for my spirit, soul and my body. As St. Augustine prayed, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Amen. 

- Arputharaj Samuel
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