Luke 6:1-5
One Sabbath while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
What’s the point of rules?
It’s a simple, curious, and almost never-asked question (at least once you leave adolescence), but I think it’s at the center of this and a number of other passages in the Gospel.
Sabbath laws were very important in Israel. Sabbath was a time of rest, a time of renewal, a time reserved for worship and remembering all that God had done for the Israelites. These rules were given to the Israelites after their escape from the slavery of Egypt. Which is important to remember. Because while we may think that having to rest for an entire day – limiting our activity, restricting work, and more – would be a burden, to those who had recently been slaves it was only sheer gift. It’s not that they have to rest, it’s that God makes sure they get to rest.
Over time, these rules grew, or at least were applied with greater particularity, to preserve both the quality of rest the Sabbath sought to guarantee and Israel’s identity as a distinct nation and culture.
So when Jesus’ disciples come through the cornfield on the Sabbath picking grains – considered work according to the law – they not only disrupt the Sabbath order but are seen as disrespectful.
Which is when the question comes up: what’s the point of rules? Jesus points to the example of King David doing the same thing out of need, demonstrating that rules are intended to serve humans – hence the importance of Sabbath rest – not simply to be obeyed for their own sake.
In short, life isn’t about rules; rather, rules are intended to help us get more out of life. And that’s part of what Jesus came to show as the Son of Man and Lord of the Sabbath.
Prayer: Dear God, let us remember that you gave us laws to help all of your children, and especially the most vulnerable, to get more out of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Myers-Briggs I S T J – rules, rituals and regulations
“while we may think that having to rest for an entire day – limiting our activity, restricting work, and more – would be a burden, to those who had recently been slaves it was only sheer gift. It’s not that they have to rest, it’s that God makes sure they get to rest.”
What a great point! I think this realization that God and his relationship with us is dynamic rather than static is so important. God doesn’t change, but we do all the time. His commands are not for His benefit, but for ours.