THE SON OF MAN IS LORD OF THE SABBATH

Matthew 12:1-21

Key Verse 12:8

“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Read verses 1-2. Why did the disciples pick heads of grain on the Sabbath? Why did the Pharisee criticize them to Jesus? What was their motive?

Verses 1-2, “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath.  His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.’”

They were probably hungry.  Ever since they began following Jesus they were not able to properly solve their food need.  The spent all their time following Jesus going from town to town preaching the Good News and healing all the people.

The Pharisees criticized them to Jesus because they were not obeying their practice of not working on the Sabbath.  By their own practices they had decided that even picking a few heads of grain was considered ‘harvesting’.  

In criticizing the disciples, the Pharisees were trying to place themselves over Jesus and His disciples, as though they were the ‘final’ word on the matter.  They were placing themselves above Jesus.

 Read verses 3-8. What did David do that was unlawful? Why? How did priests violate the Sabbath laws? Why does working in the temple excuse them from keeping Sabbath laws? 

Verses 3-8, “He answered, ‘Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?  He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.  Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?  I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.  If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. ^‘For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’”

This regulation comes from Lev. 24:5-9.

David ate the consecrated bread, that was reserved for the priests alone to eat. (See I Sam. 21:1-6)

David and his men were being chased by King Saul.  They had no time to collect food.  Ahimelech the priest gave David the bread after making sure that David and his men had kept themselves from women (which they had).

The priests also ‘violated’ the Sabbath laws by working on the Sabbath.  The slaughtered the animals and cooked and washed on the Sabbath.

Because they were doing the work God had called them to do.

Who is the one greater than the temple? What did Jesus teach them about what God considers important? How did they condemn the innocent? What did He teach them about Himself? (6,8)

Jesus is greater than the Temple.

God desires mercy not sacrifice.

By demanding the disciples to obey their rules and regulations, they were condemning them.

Read verses 9-10. When Jesus went into the synagogue, who was there? What did the Pharisees ask Jesus? What was their motive in asking this? What was their attitude toward the man with the shriveled hand?

Verses 9-10, “Going on from that place, He went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’”

A man with a shriveled hand.

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

They were trying to find a reason to accuse Jesus.

This man was a ‘pawn’ in their machinations.  They had no mercy or compassion on this man.  They could care less about him , except to help them remove their own problem, which was Jesus.

Read verses 11-14. How did Jesus answer them? What did He teach? What did He do? How did the Pharisees respond? What does this show about real shepherds and false shepherds? 

Verses 11-14, “He said to them, ‘If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?  How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’  Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’   So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.  But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”

Jesus taught the heart of God’s compassion.  He taught them God’s shepherd heart for His people.

Jesus taught that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

Jesus taught that man is more valuable than sheep and all other creation.  God first, man second, creation third.

The highest matter of good is to help others to be rescued from a pit.

Jesus healed the man’s hand.

They plotted to kill Jesus.

Real shepherds look to help bring life to men.  False shepherds bring only death ultimately.

Read verses 15-17. What was Jesus aware of? Why did the people follow Jesus? What did they know about Him? Read verses 18-21. How did Jesus fit Isaiah’s description of the Lord’s chosen servant? Who are the bruised reeds? How is Jesus the hope of the nations?

Verses 15-17, “Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed Him, and He healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who He was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:”

Jesus was aware of the plot of the Pharisees to kill Him.

They were like sheep without a shepherd and in great need, because of all their sicknesses.

They saw Jesus as the Christ.

Verses 18-21, “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.  He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.  A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.  In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Jesus did everything that Isaiah prophesied that the Christ would do.

All people are bruised reeds, even the Pharisees.  All were in need and ‘bruised’.

Jesus is the only hope for all mankind.  There is no other hope.  Hope is a surety and certainty and Jesus is the only One who fulfills this.  Man can fully place their hope in Jesus.