Compassion is First

Mark 2:23-26 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?” 25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
 
GOD is compassionate to plan our lives to enjoy one day a week to relax from our work, to worship him and to help others. In the Sabbath command, God tells us the reason we are to honor this day: Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work…11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The Sabbath is not a r ule day. It is a holy day to remember God is our Creator and LORD of all.
   But the Pharisees made the Sabbath a rule day. They had added countless laws to the Sabbath observance. Jesus and his disciples were breaking some of those rules. One stipulation limited people to a certain number of steps. Walking on a road between grain fields quickly broke that rule. And to pick grain for food was considered threshing, a forbidden Sabbath task. Even though God’s law had provided for such a means for a traveler to eat along the road, the Pharisees said, “No!”
   As Jesus often did, he responded to the Pharisees’ accusations with a reference to Scripture. He reminded them of David’s story in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. David and his men were fugitives from King Saul. David went to a priest to find food. The priest had the 12 loaves of the Bread of the Presence on the altar as prescribed in God’s law. Each week the priests were to eat the old loaves and place new loaves on the altar as a continual remembrance of Israel’s 12 tribes under God’s authority. However, the priest allowed David to have the loaves because the need for food was more important than the ceremonial regulations.
    “Jesus was not condoning disobedience to God's laws. Instead, he was emphasizing discernment and compassion in enforcing the ceremonial laws, something the self-righteous Pharisees did not comprehend. People's needs are more important than technicalities.” (from The Life Application Commentary)
   To emphasize our Lord’s compassion, the gospels tell us Jesus often healed on the Sabbath. These healings so angered the Pharisees their response was to seek ways to kill him. (John 5). Even as the Son of God did the work of God in God’s grace and power, Jesus felt the sting of unholy authority.
   Through the centuries many churches have created many rules for the Sabbath. People who have authority over God’s people forget God is a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Jonah 4:2). The Sabbath is indeed a holy day. We must keep it as a day to remember our compassionate God has consecrated the day for our good and his glory. Rest from your labor. Be prepared to share God’s goodness.