Wednesday 27 April 2011
Tuesday 26 April 2011
An Exegetical Study of Mark Ch 2 V 23 - 28
An Exegetical Study of Mark Ch 2 V 23 - 28
Jesus Christ and the Sabbath - Introduction
It is necessary to consider the Revelation given to the Apostle Paul by Jesus Christ in order to fully grasp the meaning of many parables in the Gospels .The Gospel writers record frequent confrontations between the Pharisees and Jesus Christ , and Paul the Apostle was a Pharisee .We see an ongoing theme of Grace , being represented in Jesus Christ , and Law , being represented by the Pharisees , quite often in the parables . This Sabbath parable also contains these Grace versus Law themes , and can best be seen in the light of the Pauline revelation .
The intention of Jesus Christ in this parable recorded in Mark Ch 2 V 23 - 28 was not to place himself above the Law in his statement that ' the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ' in V 28 - Amplified Version . Rather it was to show that he was the fullfilment of the Law .
The purpose of Jesus Christ in this Parable
The Sabbath parable in the Gospel of Mark also illustrates the purpose of Jesus Christ in fullfiling the requirements of the Law . This paper shows that although the Pharisees were trying to bring Jesus Christ into a dispute over the Sabbath , the actual intentions of Jesus Christ as revealed in the story are more far-reaching . What is the purpose of Jesus Christ in this parable ? Once we understand that Jesus had a pre-ordained purpose for this parable it becomes to us much more than a Sabbath dispute with the Pharisees .
The controversial field
In Mark 2 V 23 Jesus and his disciples were walking besides a field of grain . His disciples began to pick some of the grain to eat it . This type of grain picking was not in violation of the Law , as an allowance was made in Deuteronomy Ch 23 v 25 for this activity in the kind of circumstances in which the disciples found themselves . This is why the Pharisees did not dispute the picking of grain as an issue , but rather that it was done on the Sabbath . The Pharisees began to accuse Jesus because his disciples were picking grain on the Sabbath , and in this way their intention was to keep the focus of Jesus on the Sabbath issue . On the other hand the intention of Jesus was to keep the arguments of the Pharisees revolving around his mission .
In his defence of the accusations by the Pharisees , Jesus refers to King David . In V 26 Jesus declares that King David and his men went into the House of God , and ate the sacred bread on display , which eating was not permitted under the Law , and this occured on the Sabbath day . We should therefore ask ourselves , why did Jesus use King David as his example ?
By using King David in this way in His response , Jesus was leading the Pharisees to make a choice between two opposing options . This choice was designed to get the Pharisees attention off the Sabbath and onto Himself . Jesus was not providing an excuse for King David as a Law breaker , or suggesting that King David was above the Law . This choice then amounted to a confounding dilemna for the Pharisees , on the one hand if they choose their own traditions they then pronounced guilt on King David . On the other , if they decide for David they are then exonerating the disciples of Jesus . King David becomes a representation of the choice that Jesus is presenting to the Pharisees between Himself and the Law .
In Verse 27 Jesus states that ' the Sabbath was made for Man , and not Man for the Sabbath ' . It is important to realise at this point that Jesus is not trying to make the Sabbath the central issue , we have to read this in the context of the Pharisees being the audience . By this statement Jesus is laying the foundation for V 28 where He is revealing His authority . He is clarifying by these statements that He made the Sabbath , and created the Sabbath rules , and presides over the Sabbath . The audacity of this proclomation would have greatly shocked the Pharisees , especially since they are trying to fault with Jesus over a technical point of the Law , and now He is explaining to them the purpose of the Sabbath , and His Lordship over the Sabbath , in a manner which suggests that the Pharisees have entirely the wrong idea .
This is exemplified in V 28 where Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man who is Lord of the Sabbath . The Pharisees knew by this statement that the issue was no longer whether the disciples were breaking the Sabbath , but whether the Pharisees were going to choose Jesus Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath . Some writers have presumed from this Verse that Jesus was placing himself above the requirements of the Sabbath , and could therefore decide whether He wanted to keep the Sabbath or not . Perhaps in comparison to a middle ages European King who might decide to ignore some of the rules of law from his own Kingdom if it suited his purpose . If Jesus only wanted to show the Parisees that He was above the Law , then why lead the Pharisees into a place of choosing King David over their traditions ? Jesus was trying to get the Pharisees to realise that by choosing Him they were meeting the demands of their traditions , and this is the reason why He was the ' Lord of the Sabbath ' . The Pharisees were being made aware that He was presenting Himself to them as their Messiah . This point the Pharisees understood and is the reason why they wanted Him crucified . This is represented in choosing the requirements of the Law over choosing King David , and thereby accusing King David of guilt .
Jesus Christ and the Sabbath - Introduction
It is necessary to consider the Revelation given to the Apostle Paul by Jesus Christ in order to fully grasp the meaning of many parables in the Gospels .The Gospel writers record frequent confrontations between the Pharisees and Jesus Christ , and Paul the Apostle was a Pharisee .We see an ongoing theme of Grace , being represented in Jesus Christ , and Law , being represented by the Pharisees , quite often in the parables . This Sabbath parable also contains these Grace versus Law themes , and can best be seen in the light of the Pauline revelation .
The intention of Jesus Christ in this parable recorded in Mark Ch 2 V 23 - 28 was not to place himself above the Law in his statement that ' the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ' in V 28 - Amplified Version . Rather it was to show that he was the fullfilment of the Law .
The purpose of Jesus Christ in this Parable
The Sabbath parable in the Gospel of Mark also illustrates the purpose of Jesus Christ in fullfiling the requirements of the Law . This paper shows that although the Pharisees were trying to bring Jesus Christ into a dispute over the Sabbath , the actual intentions of Jesus Christ as revealed in the story are more far-reaching . What is the purpose of Jesus Christ in this parable ? Once we understand that Jesus had a pre-ordained purpose for this parable it becomes to us much more than a Sabbath dispute with the Pharisees .
The controversial field
In Mark 2 V 23 Jesus and his disciples were walking besides a field of grain . His disciples began to pick some of the grain to eat it . This type of grain picking was not in violation of the Law , as an allowance was made in Deuteronomy Ch 23 v 25 for this activity in the kind of circumstances in which the disciples found themselves . This is why the Pharisees did not dispute the picking of grain as an issue , but rather that it was done on the Sabbath . The Pharisees began to accuse Jesus because his disciples were picking grain on the Sabbath , and in this way their intention was to keep the focus of Jesus on the Sabbath issue . On the other hand the intention of Jesus was to keep the arguments of the Pharisees revolving around his mission .
In his defence of the accusations by the Pharisees , Jesus refers to King David . In V 26 Jesus declares that King David and his men went into the House of God , and ate the sacred bread on display , which eating was not permitted under the Law , and this occured on the Sabbath day . We should therefore ask ourselves , why did Jesus use King David as his example ?
By using King David in this way in His response , Jesus was leading the Pharisees to make a choice between two opposing options . This choice was designed to get the Pharisees attention off the Sabbath and onto Himself . Jesus was not providing an excuse for King David as a Law breaker , or suggesting that King David was above the Law . This choice then amounted to a confounding dilemna for the Pharisees , on the one hand if they choose their own traditions they then pronounced guilt on King David . On the other , if they decide for David they are then exonerating the disciples of Jesus . King David becomes a representation of the choice that Jesus is presenting to the Pharisees between Himself and the Law .
In Verse 27 Jesus states that ' the Sabbath was made for Man , and not Man for the Sabbath ' . It is important to realise at this point that Jesus is not trying to make the Sabbath the central issue , we have to read this in the context of the Pharisees being the audience . By this statement Jesus is laying the foundation for V 28 where He is revealing His authority . He is clarifying by these statements that He made the Sabbath , and created the Sabbath rules , and presides over the Sabbath . The audacity of this proclomation would have greatly shocked the Pharisees , especially since they are trying to fault with Jesus over a technical point of the Law , and now He is explaining to them the purpose of the Sabbath , and His Lordship over the Sabbath , in a manner which suggests that the Pharisees have entirely the wrong idea .
This is exemplified in V 28 where Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man who is Lord of the Sabbath . The Pharisees knew by this statement that the issue was no longer whether the disciples were breaking the Sabbath , but whether the Pharisees were going to choose Jesus Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath . Some writers have presumed from this Verse that Jesus was placing himself above the requirements of the Sabbath , and could therefore decide whether He wanted to keep the Sabbath or not . Perhaps in comparison to a middle ages European King who might decide to ignore some of the rules of law from his own Kingdom if it suited his purpose . If Jesus only wanted to show the Parisees that He was above the Law , then why lead the Pharisees into a place of choosing King David over their traditions ? Jesus was trying to get the Pharisees to realise that by choosing Him they were meeting the demands of their traditions , and this is the reason why He was the ' Lord of the Sabbath ' . The Pharisees were being made aware that He was presenting Himself to them as their Messiah . This point the Pharisees understood and is the reason why they wanted Him crucified . This is represented in choosing the requirements of the Law over choosing King David , and thereby accusing King David of guilt .
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