Daily Lesson for May 13, 2019

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 6 verses 6 through 11:

6 On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. 9Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ 10After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. 11But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Now here is the irony Jesus sees in what is happening with these Pharisees. They say they are protecting the Law by condemning Jesus’ work on the Sabbath. Yet, while Jesus’ work is for health and wholeness and restoration, their work condemnation. They say they are defending the Law when in fact they are the greatest Law breakers. It reminds me of those politicians who speak out against gay rights in defense of the “institution” of marriage, all the while themselves being thrice or more divorced. It’s head scratching. 

The Law is not an end in itself. It was made to protect and give life.  It was made to serve humankind and not make humankind its subservient. 

Jesus saw the Law clearly. He understood its purpose and its limitations. He knew it wasn’t God or greater than God. And, importantly, he knew it wasn’t greater than human beings either. 

Jesus saw the hypocrisy of those who made the Law an instrument of oppression. He called them out for their dishonesty. You cannot honor the Sabbath while at the same time colluding on it to decide what is to be done to someone you say broke it.

But then again, it really wasn’t about honoring the sabbath.  It was about control. It was about power. 

Jesus was a threat to their power. That was the real crime. And something had to be done about it — even if it meant doing it on the sabbath.