Lord of the Sabbath

Introduction

Luke arranges three stories at the end of chapter 5 and beginning of chapter 6 to establish a firm demonstration that Jesus is the Son of Man. Last week we noticed that Luke uses this term from Daniel 7 for the first time in 5:24. Jesus uses this term for a second time in 6:5 to further establish his authority. As we explained last week, this phrase “son of man” came from God’s pronouncement that he was giving all authority to the “son of man” in Daniel 7. From the time of Daniel, this phrase became a messianic indication. The Son of Man would be the Messiah, and Luke arranges his material in such a way as to highlight that Jesus is the Son of Man. In our text, the Son of Man has authority over the Sabbath.

The Sabbath was a holy day. From the time of Moses, God had established a law that he wanted his people to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy. However, the holiness of the Sabbath was established at the time of creation. In fact, this is the explanation given in Exodus 20 when the Sabbath is highlighted as a holy day. God worked for six days in creating this world and then rested on the seventh day. His resting served as an example for his people. He intended for his people to rest on the Sabbath. No work was to be done. The Sabbath then was an important day. It was a day to rest, but more than rest. It was a holy day—a day set apart for God, a day to remember God, a day to identify with God.

The first of the three stories is a conversation. We are not given a time reference for this discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the protectors of God’s law. Over time, they had established a number of additional rules and traditions to support the law that God had given. In this first story at the end of chapter 5, Jesus tells the Pharisees that a new day is dawning. This conversation sets up the two Sabbath stories which are to follow. Jesus as the Son of Man is coming to demonstrate a new way of thinking. He is not here to patch the old garment or to add to the old wine. He is here to provide a new garment and a new wineskin—not new to the will of God, but new to the way the Pharisees have been teaching the people. We turn our attention to the Son of Man. Only he can fully teach us what God wants. He is the one that the Ancient of Days has given all authority, and he alone is worthy of our praise.

Two Stories

Luke records two stories, both occurring on the Sabbath, both used to demonstrate the truth of verse 5: the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus rules the Sabbath. The Ancient of Days gave him the authority to deal with life on earth, and he is here on earth to reveal his authority and to point to the Ancient of Days.

In the first story, Jesus and his disciples are going through the grainfields on the Sabbath. They are hungry. The law allows for hungry people to pick grain and to eat it. But the Pharisees had explained the law in greater detail in light of the Sabbath. God commanded no work on the Sabbath. This law, in the mind of the Pharisee, was more important than the law allowing a hungry person to pick grain and eat it. Thus, for a hungry person to pick grain on the Sabbath was a direct violation of the law. The Pharisees’ thinking said there were 39 tasks which were not allowed on the Sabbath, and the disciples broke four of them: they harvested, threshed, winnowed—separating the edible from the inedible—and then prepared food.

The question in verse 2 is more of a warning than an attempt to understand. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of allowing his disciples to break the law concerning the Sabbath. Jesus’ response suggests a rebuke. The example is taken from 1 Samuel 21 and 22. David and his men are running from Saul and they are hungry. David requests and is given bread to eat. The bread is holy bread, reserved for God as a reminder that God’s presence was with the people. Only the priests were to eat the bread. But David and his men eat it because they are hungry. David clearly violated the law, not just tradition. Jesus’ response leaves the Pharisees in a predicament: condemn my men and you condemn David as well. But the overall point is that human need is more important than ceremonial restrictions and traditions.

The second story takes place in a synagogue. Jesus is teaching. The Pharisees in verse 7 are watching Jesus closely. The language gives a sinister note. It carries the idea of watching someone out of the corner of one’s eyes, looking with suspicion at another. In the synagogue was a man with a withered hand. We are told nothing about the man or his hand. But that is beside the point. The Pharisees, in light of God’s command not to work on the Sabbath, had explained that no medical help was allowed on the Sabbath except for three reasons: a life was in danger, a baby was being born, or a circumcision needed to be performed. This man and his withered hand fit none of the exceptions.

But Jesus reduced the Pharisees’ argument to a much broader division: good or evil. Is it right to do good or evil on the Sabbath? For the Pharisees, doing good was keeping the law. For Jesus, doing good was alleviating suffering. Jesus heals the man, and the Pharisees are furious. The word for “furious” carries the idea of irrational anger. Plato uses the word to mean “madness which comes from rage.” The Pharisees are not thinking rationally. They are thinking about doing away with the Son of Man.

So What?

Two things for your consideration. First is the idea of the Sabbath and traditions. God established the idea of a Sabbath at creation. We have no indication of a Sabbath before the law was given to Moses. And when the law was given, the Sabbath was declared to be holy because God rested. But the Sabbath was for God’s people under the law of Moses. Outside of Jewish circles, there is no indication that a Sabbath was observed. The Pharisees, in order to protect the Sabbath, had established a number of traditions and added requirements. Those who argued with their traditions had their faith questioned. Once things were established and a person’s faith was questioned, the traditions became law, even as God’s law to Moses was law. The same thing has happened and can happen today. Traditions intended to encourage a faithful walk can become law which was never intended.

Consider Bible school—a tradition, a program which has been around for a long time and one which has done much good. But it is tradition. If a congregation can be better served by stopping, altering, or instituting a new program, then let it be done. Encourage Bible study, but it is not required.

Dress is tradition. How one dresses at the assembly is a matter of culture and emphasis. What the scripture endorses about dress is that it is to be modest. Jesus didn’t have a Sabbath-only tunic. The limited texts there are about dress encourage not calling attention to oneself and not being concerned about showing one’s wealth or beauty.

Assemblies are also worth examining. I have heard plenty of explanations about two assemblies on Sunday. What I haven’t heard is a scriptural explanation for two assemblies on the Lord’s Day. Our culture is moving away from endorsing a day off on Sunday. We have some who must work on Sunday. But this was similar to the experience at Corinth and other non-Jewish congregations, meeting once on the Lord’s Day, early in the morning or late in the evening, in order to allow as many as possible to meet together. Tradition is to have two assemblies on Sunday.

Do you think this is radical? Controversial? What do you think the Pharisees thought when Jesus broke their traditions? I am not trying to stop Sunday school, change our dress code, or reduce assemblies. But if you are concerned, is it because God’s will is violated in my thoughts, or because you are more attached to traditions than you think you are?

Second, Jesus is Lord. Jesus declares that he is Lord of the Sabbath. But it isn’t just a day that he claims authority over. He claims authority over all things. His use of the term “Son of Man” demonstrates that he is God’s chosen one who has been given authority over all things on earth. The Pharisees understood the point—they left their encounter with Jesus ready to do something to Jesus. If Jesus is the “Son of Man,” then he is Lord of all. He has authority over all things. And he is beckoning for you to make him Lord of your life as well.

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