Summary

Both the Pharisees and Jesus agreed that the Sabbath was important, but the Pharisees forgot why. In Luke 6, Jesus shows how legalism confuses the signs of faith with its substance, and replaces a relationship to God with rules.

Text

“On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there.And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?”And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.”

(Luke 6:1–11 ESV)