Mark 2:23-28, Matthew 12:1-8, Luke 6:1-5

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:23-28

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:1-8

1 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:1-5

How do you think about the Sabbath?  In these passages we see another clear collision of worldview’s.  Again, Jesus is reprioritizing common reason and refocusing well intended minds on God’s plan and purposes verses mans.    

So how should we think about the Sabbath?  Here are my thoughts.

First, the Sabbath, while a concept from the covenants God made with Moses is also a core creation ordinance.  (Gen. 2:2-3) Therefore this is a unique ordinance not necessarily distinctive of Israelite society but at the core is an element God placed into creation as a guiding principle for His creation.  This is why Jesus states that the sabbath is “made for man not man for the Sabbath”. (Mark 2:27)  I like to think of it this way.  In the same way there was a core element given pre-sin into creation of one man and one women joining together in a life binding partnership, so was the element of Sabbath.  We don’t commonly understand marriage’s origins as deriving from Jewish customs and laws and in the same way should consider the Sabbath.

Second, God is good and made man in His image and therefore knows what is best for man.  Because of man’s sin condition God has been working from the beginning to restore creation unto Himself.  He choose a people to birth a perfect and forever King, Jesus.  Jesus’ perfect life and willing but unrighteous death provided atonement or covering of man’s sins.  In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection He fulfilled the laws previously given to God’s people. (Matthew 5:17-20)       

Therefore, if the Sabbath ordinance is not exclusive to God law and Israelite society then how should a modern follower of Christ think?  Warning, the day of the week in which you cut the grass could be pending? 

There are several NT texts we could consider that shed some light on the Sabbath in 2021.  For simplicity sake I want to just focus on one.  The original wording of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian church speaks not of a sabbath but sabbath’s.  (Col.2:16) This is important, as Paul’s plural usage makes application of this core principle truth of humanity specific yet broad in application.  Faithful intrerpretioan of Paul’s writing suggest a Sabbath could be a day.  It also could be a year or an intentional stop from doing or working on this or that. In Christ there is a definitive freedom from the law however the law’s purpose now serves as a great teacher of application. 

So should I mow my grass, wash my truck, or fix a leaky roof on Sunday?  I believe Jesus’ teachings along with truths from Genesis and Paul’s writing clearly teaches the Sabbath is something that should be regularly observed for rest and focus on Jesus.  God knows we need time to rest and refocus and we are unfaithful if we don’t regularly include a Sabbath in our lives. However, we must also remember that in Christ we are free from the endless laws and exhausting rituals of Jewish Sabbath standards.  I personally enjoy some laborious activities that others don’t.  Therefore for me to wash my truck or do light home repair can be helpful in my personal walk with Christ while for you it may not.  

A Sabbath is something we should take serious but we should allow our teaching from Christ today to guide us.  Our Sabbath focus should be not on what we don’t do but whom we stop with and move forward with!