Lord of the Sabbath

Setting and Overview
In the chapters leading up to the invitation of Matthew 11:28-30, we had seen several cases of opposition to Jesus (Matthew 9:3, 9:11-14, 9:34, 10:25, and 11:19.) If one was not familiar with the Gospels, they might anticipate that the invitation would lead to the quieting of critics, or even winning them over, but of course that is far from what happens. As we enter chapter 12, we see two more conflicts between Jesus and the religious authorities, both over what Jesus does on and teaches about the Sabbath. By the end, the Pharisees are plotting to assassinate him.

Exposition
The first conflict is set up in 12:1-2, with Jesus and his disciples apparently strolling through a field and picking wheat to eat, a practice allowed by Deuteronomy 23:24-25. The issue for the Pharisees is that they are doing this on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-10, 34:21), which arguably breaks four of the Mishnaic traditions, even if not the Mosaic Law itself. Instead of attacking the specific tradition, Jesus gives several responses which challenge their approach to the Old Testament in general. In the first, Jesus brings up the example of David and his men eating bread that was supposed to be only for the priests (I Samuel 21:1-7.) This may seem like a puzzling example to bring up since Jesus and his disciples aren’t starving and don’t seem to actually be breaking an Old Testament command, and because I Samuel 21 doesn’t even bring up the Sabbath. Jesus’ point, however, is regarding their approach to the law. The Pharisees were making the rules themselves the focus, instead of looking to their core purpose. Neither David and his men, nor Ahimelech the priest were condemned in I Samuel 21 because they broke a command in order to carry out God’s purpose. The hunger and need overrode the liturgical provision. Similarly, the second example that Jesus brings up is priests in the temple. In carrying out Numbers 28:9-10, they have to break the Sabbath to do their work, but they aren’t condemned either because the temple takes priority over the cultic responsibilities of the sacrifice. Since Jesus as the Messiah who inaugurates the Kingdom is greater than the temple, neither should Jesus and his disciples be condemned. For his third response, Jesus again quotes Hosea 6:6 (see Matthew 9:13), which along with Amos 5:21-24, Isaiah 1:11-17, and Micah 6:8 condemns insincere sacrifices combined with blatant disobedience to God’s commands. If the Pharisees had properly reflected on that passage, they would have seen the parallel between their cumbersome commands with detracted from the Sabbath, and the insincere sacrifices in Hosea which encouraged disobedience instead of obedience. In contrast to the Pharisees, Jesus offers not cumbersome burdens, but the true rest toward with the Sabbath pointed (Matthew 11:28-30), echoing his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17-48.)
In the second conflict (Matthew 12:9-10) the setting is a healing on the Sabbath. The Pharisees permitted healing only in a life and death situation, which was certainly not the case in this situation. Jesus brings up a scenario where the Pharisees were actually more lenient than the community at Qumran: pulling an animal out of a ditch. While Qumran did not allow that action, the Pharisees generally did, so Jesus brings it up as something that they do permit, highlighting the hypocrisy between that view and their unwillingness to heal a person on the Sabbath. His healing of the man, however, is not a cause for repentance by the Pharisees, but rather additional resentment, and immediately after that we see them plotting to kill Jesus.

Examination and Application

As Jesus had already warned that he would, even as he did good and meets the physical needs of the people, he still faced opposition because he also reveals failings. He has further warned us that as they treated him, so to can we expect to be treated as we obey his commands (Matthew 10:24-25.) Of course, this is not meant to dissuade us from doing good, but rather to prepare us. We should be moved with compassion when we see the world’s needs, and we should address physical suffering where we can, and especially seek to do so as a way to spread the Gospel to those who don’t know Christ. As we do, we will often face opposition, but to suffer in the name of Christ should be considered an honor to those who bear his name.