The First Sunday after Trinity
June 2, 2024
(Mark 2:23–28, NIV84) “One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 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.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.””
The Pharisees were always looking to catch Jesus sinning.
Here they look at picking some heads of grain and compare it to harvesting grain, which was “work” that must not be done on the Sabbath.
They are forgetting the real purpose of the Sabbath Day commanded in the Old Testament. That was to point to the genuine Sabbath, the “rest”, for that is what “Sabbath” means, the eternal rest, which comes through Jesus because of the forgiveness of sins.
Luther’s explanation of the Third Commandment teaches us its meaning for us today. Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it.
When Jesus says “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” We are reminded that Jesus has given us true rest, rest for our souls.
Prayer
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in thee, mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace that in seeking to keep thy commandments we may please thee both in will and deed. All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord. Amen
