doing what is prohibited on the Sabbath!” Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did, when he and
his men were hungry? He went into the House of God, and they ate the bread offered to God, though neither he
nor his men had the right to eat it, but only the priests. And have you not read in the law, how, on the Sabbath,
the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath, yet they are not guilty? I tell you, there is greater than the temple
here. If you really knew the meaning of the words: It is mercy I want, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned
the innocent. Besides, the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Reflection:

Points of the law has been the main contention between Jesus and the
religious authorities during His time. The latter are kin on making others observe the
Law. In this way, they have a neat criterion to classify people as righteous or sinner.
The problem is, the Law is a burden to ordinary people. They cannot fulfill it without
harm to their daily living. Only the rich and persons of leisure can afford to follow
it. Thus, the Law which is supposed to make life worth living by sanctifying
human endeavor becomes a yoke and burden to the majority. And this is what
Jesus wants the Pharisees to understand. That they consider the situation of
those who cannot fulfill the tenets of the Law because of necessity. It is not sterile
legalism that should govern their thoughts and actions but mercy and compassion
on which the Law is founded.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2021