Luke 6:1-5: a reflection

1Now on the second Sabbath after the first, he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands. 2But some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?” 3Jesus, answering them, said, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, 4how he entered into God’s house, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?” 5He said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

When the Pharisees object to Jesus' disciples plucking grain to eat on the Sabbath, Jesus points them past their rigid legalism to a deeper truth, declaring himself lord of the Sabbath. The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath, Jesus says. The Pharisees had turned the Sabbath into a burden of rigid rules, condemning even the hungry for satisfying their need on it. But Jesus points to how David, in need, ate the consecrated bread, and declares that the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath, the one with authority over it, who understands its true purpose. The Sabbath was made for human good, not as a rigid burden; and Christ, its lord, frees it from legalistic bondage. This shows that Christ is lord of the Sabbath, and the law serves human good, not rigid legalism. Christ is lord of the Sabbath, understanding its true purpose. The Sabbath serves human good, not rigid legalism. The law is meant for our good, not as a burdensome bondage. Christ frees the law from legalistic distortion.

Notice how Jesus corrects the Pharisees' legalism. They had turned the Sabbath, a gift of rest, into a system of rigid rules so strict that they condemned even hungry people for plucking a few heads of grain to eat. They had lost the spirit of the Sabbath in the letter of their rules. Jesus points them past this: he reminds them of David, who in need ate the consecrated bread meant for the priests, showing that human need and mercy are not overridden by rigid rule-keeping. And he declares that the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath, meaning he has authority over it and understands its true purpose, which was for human good and rest, not to be a burdensome bondage. This corrects a real danger. We can turn God's good gifts and commands, meant for our good, into rigid, legalistic systems that lose their spirit and even work against the good they were meant to serve. But Christ, the lord of the law, reminds us of its true purpose, that it serves human good and is not a loveless, rigid bondage. We do well to receive God's commands in their true spirit, as serving our good under the lordship of Christ, rather than turning them into loveless legalism. Christ is lord of the law; it serves our good, not rigid legalism. Do not turn God's good commands into loveless, rigid rule-keeping. The law's true purpose is our good, understood rightly under Christ. Receive God's commands in their true spirit, not as legalistic bondage.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ is lord of the Sabbath, and God's commands serve human good rather than being rigid legalistic bondage, and we do well to receive them in their true spirit under Christ's lordship. We can turn God's good gifts and commands into rigid legalism that loses their spirit and even works against the good they serve, as the Pharisees did with the Sabbath; but Jesus corrected them, declaring himself lord of the Sabbath and pointing to its true purpose. The law serves our good. Do not turn God's commands into loveless legalism; receive them in their true spirit, as serving our good under Christ, the lord of the law. Receive God's commands in their true spirit, as serving human good under the lordship of Christ, rather than turning them into rigid, loveless legalism, as when the Pharisees objected to Jesus' hungry disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus pointed them past their legalism, reminding them of David who in need ate the consecrated bread, and declared that the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath; for the Pharisees had turned the Sabbath, a gift of rest, into a system of rules so rigid that they condemned even hungry people for satisfying their need, losing the spirit of the Sabbath in the letter of their rules, but Jesus showed that human need and mercy are not overridden by rigid rule-keeping and declared himself lord of the Sabbath, with authority over it and understanding of its true purpose, which was for human good and rest, not a burdensome bondage, which corrects a real danger, since we can turn God's good gifts and commands, meant for our good, into rigid, legalistic systems that lose their spirit and even work against the good they were meant to serve, but Christ the lord of the law reminds us of its true purpose, that it serves human good and is not a loveless bondage, so that we do well to receive God's commands in their true spirit under the lordship of Christ rather than turning them into loveless legalism.

Lord Jesus, when the Pharisees object to your disciples plucking grain to eat on the Sabbath, you point them past their rigid legalism to a deeper truth, declaring yourself lord of the Sabbath. The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath, you say. The Pharisees had turned the Sabbath into a burden of rigid rules, condemning even the hungry for satisfying their need on it. But you point to how David, in need, ate the consecrated bread, and declare that the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath, the one with authority over it, who understands its true purpose. The Sabbath was made for human good, not as a rigid burden; and you, its lord, free it from legalistic bondage. Show me how you correct the Pharisees' legalism. They had turned the Sabbath, a gift of rest, into a system of rules so strict that they condemned even hungry people for plucking a few heads of grain. They had lost the spirit of the Sabbath in the letter of their rules. You point them past this, reminding them of David, and declaring that you are lord of the Sabbath, with authority over it and understanding of its true purpose, which was for human good and rest, not a burdensome bondage. This corrects a real danger. I can turn your good gifts and commands, meant for my good, into rigid, legalistic systems that lose their spirit and even work against the good they were meant to serve. But you, the lord of the law, remind me of its true purpose, that it serves human good and is not a loveless, rigid bondage. Take that to my heart, for you are lord of the Sabbath, and your commands serve human good rather than being rigid legalistic bondage. Keep me from turning your good commands into loveless, rigid rule-keeping; help me receive them in their true spirit, Lord, as serving my good under your lordship, understanding the law rightly under you, the lord of it.