“Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”” (Luke 6:2 NIV).
In this passage we see some Pharisees acting as religious police, shadowing the Lord and His disciples. In the legalistic minds of these religious fanatics, when they said "unlawful", it meant "not right," or "not legal," or "not authorized." They claimed to highly revere the law of the Jews. In addition to the Mosaic law, they follow and enforce the oral law, which their scribes claim God gave to Moses but didn't tell him to write down. The oral law supposedly includes specific applications of how to follow the law given through Moses. Pharisees believed the oral law was as binding as the Mosaic law. The Mosaic law forbids Jews from working on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14–15) which the religious priests relatively define according to their own judgements and whims.
As commanded in the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath was a day set apart by God for rest in His presence and worship. However, the Pharisees and religious priests made it a burden rather than a blessing by adding numerous man-made doctrines, regulations and restrictions, like this issue in the corn fields which they are confronting the Lord and His disciples.
They had lost sight of God’s true purpose of the Sabbath, which is to honor Him and to provide rest and refreshment for His people. That's you and I who are in Christ Jesus by faith, saved by His grace - not by our self-effort. Our rest is not in the day and physical place but in HIS presence. In Moses’ intercession with God he pleaded “show me now your ways”. God assured Moses. “And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”” (Exodus 33:14 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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