Greater Than the Temple



Matthew 12:1-14
1At 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.
2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
3He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
4how 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?
5Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
7And 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.”
9He went on from there and entered their synagogue.
10And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him.
11He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
12Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.
14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

As we have discussed in past posts, Jesus comes onto the world stage with a revolutionary message. The events recorded in today’s reading pointed those around Him in a completely different direction. Slowly but surely He chips away at the status quo and begins the work of re-framing reality for all who would believe in Him.

I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 

As the Pharisees castigate Jesus for allowing His Disciples to “work” on the Sabbath, He attempts to take their ideas in a whole new direction. Instead of mounting a defense for the Disciples, He changes the conversation (as He is wont to do on numerous occasions!), directing attention away from this innocent gleaning and focusing attention upon Himself, where it belongs. He brings up King David who also “broke the law” by eating the Showbread (a sacred offering of bread that was placed into the Temple to be eaten only by the priests after the Sabbath had passed). Jesus uses this act of gleaning to help the Pharisee see that they are missing the whole point. The Temple was sacred to the Jews, as it had been since the days of King Solomon. But because of their focus on their Laws the Pharisees are missing Jesus - the Messiah. He is greater than both King David and the Temple. This is a completely new thought for them and they are obviously resistant. Just to put a fine point on it, Jesus continues to push the boundary lines by healing a man on the Sabbath. This too would have been considered “work” and thus breaks their man-made laws about the Sabbath.

In the midst of this lesson, Jesus quotes from the prophet Hosea. “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 He clarifies for all who can hear (and that is literal as well as figurative!) exactly what God wants in a follower. Whether or not you pick a little grain on the Sabbath is not on God's list!

This message must resonate for us too. The faith is not about keeping up outward appearances but instead is about what goes on inside. Who do we truly bow down to and what does our heart worship? These are the things that define us and motivate how we will live. These are the things that God pays attention to and that truly witness to the world about the power and passion of God.

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