REJECTING LEGALISM
Matthew 12:1–14
Religious Rules (1–2)
I have never known a smiling legalist. They always seem to be looking for someone who is breaking the rules. The problem with legalism is that it is based on performance. Grace is nowhere to be found.
We have some silly rules in the United States. Did you know that in Fairbanks, Alaska, it is against the law to serve alcohol to a moose? There is also a town in Minnesota where you can be arrested for impersonating Santa Claus!
When I was young, there were lots of rules. You couldn’t go to the movies; you couldn’t have dice or cards in your home. Jesus encountered the Pharisees, who were the masters of legalism. Jesus and His disciples plucked some kernels of grain to eat as they were passing through a field.
The problem was not what the disciples were doing but when they were doing it. The Pharisees and rabbis had taken the fourth commandment — “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” — and expanded it to 39 categories of unacceptable actions on the Sabbath.
They had ignored the spirit of the commandment and inserted their manmade rules.
Their list of rules included things we might expect, such as plowing, hunting and butchering, but also some things we might not expect, such as tying or loosening knots, sewing more than one stitch or writing more than one letter. The disciples had violated three man-made rules of the Sabbath. Walking more than 800 meters was forbidden, plucking a head of grain was considered harvesting and rubbing away the husk was considered threshing.
These “rules” were not part of God’s law. We need to be careful not to exalt human tradition over biblical truth. I believe in the saying, “In essentials unity; in nonessentials liberty; in all things charity.” Thomas Campbell said, “Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent.”
Something Greater (3–8)
The Pharisees confronted Jesus, but He rebuked them by reminding them of what David and his men did when they were hungry. David entered the temple and ate the shewbread, which was unlawful for them to eat. It was reserved for the priests.
Jesus also instructed the Pharisees about the exemption given to the priests to work on the Sabbath. He then outraged them by stating of Himself, “I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. … For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Compassionate Response (9–14)
It’s interesting to note that Jesus next went into “their” synagogue. He encountered a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees confronted Jesus with the question, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
Jesus, knowing their hearts, answered their question with a question of His own. “Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out? A person is worth far more than a sheep; so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”
They conceded that a sheep could be rescued. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, proceeded to heal the man. This event marked a major break between Jesus and the religious leaders. The section concludes with the Pharisees meeting to plot for His ultimate destruction.
EDITOR’S NOTE — The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.
