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On a Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples walked by a grain field on at least one side of the path. This was the day of the week that the Jews honored God by not working [see Exodus 20:8-11]. The Jewish people spent serious effort determining the appropriate definition of work. They wished neither to consciously nor unknowing dishonor God through an act of work on the Sabbath. In ancient ages and economic conditions, refusing to work honored God because daily work often was necessary to survive that day. Ultimate dependence on God in Israel in the ancient times was declaring each week, "I can depend on God's care. I depend on it so much that I honor God by doing nothing a day a week. That is a measure of my faith in God. He Who delivered my ancestors from Egyptian slavery certainly will provide for me each Sabbath. I honor You God as You directed. You rescued my ancestors from slavery and gave my people Canaan." The Sabbath was not a manipulation of God. It was a declaration of personal trust in God.
Unfortunately, commonly people find ways to reduce religious relationship into religious rules and regulations. If "I" keep the "correct" rules and follow the "correct" regulations, "I" obligate God to behave as "I" want "because I did the 'right things.'" Thus, if we are not honest with ourselves, obedience acquires the objective of manipulating God rather than serving God. From this perspective, obedience is an attempt to manipulate rather than to appreciate.
If you think that God did not want a relationship of love with Israel, read Deuteronomy. Read Deuteronomy passages such as 4:37-40; 5:8-10 with 7:9, 10; 6:4-9; 7:12-16; 10:12-22; 11:1, 13-17, 22, 23; 13:1-3; 19:7-10; and 30:6, 15-20. Note two things: (1) the frequency that obedience is coupled with showing love for God and (2) God's desire for a "heart" relationship--not mere control!
As Jesus and his disciples took their Sabbath walk [the distance a Jew could walk on Saturday was regulated by Sabbath laws], some Pharisees followed them. They followed Jesus and his disciples to observe. The objective was not an attempt to learn or understand. The objective was to find fault. They who declared obedience's importance followed to criticize. When the hungry disciples stripped heads of grain from stalks almost ready for harvest, the Pharisees condemned their act.
The Mishnah interpreted and applied Jewish laws to changing situations. Many of its statements are regarded as reflecting first century positions. The Mishnah contains a definition of work by dividing acts of work into thirty-nine categories [Mishnah, Shabbath 7.2] Among these categories in Herbert Danby's translation (Oxford University Press, 1964) is reaping [harvesting]. The Pharisees' accusation was this: Jesus' disciples violated Sabbath regulations against work by reaping [harvesting].
Their accusation is quite relevant to our understanding of obedience. Consider the progression. (1) Acts of work unquestionably violate Exodus 20:8-11. (2) However, work must be defined if Exodus 20:8-11 is to be obeyed. (3) As passing time increased ways to perform work, the definitions must be broad enough to cover anticipated changes. (4) The human interpretation of work [the definitions attacked to the concept of work] in time was accepted as being as authoritative as God's directive not to work. (5) Violation of human definitions was equated with a violation of God's directive.
If we observe the progression of human efforts to be true and accurate to biblical instructions, we do not observe a march toward unity but a march toward division. Humans invent hundreds of ways to be divisive in their declaration, "We seek to be true to the Bible." However, if we examine the divisions honestly, in the majority of instances we divide over human interpretations or applications of God's directives, not over the validity of God's directive itself. We ask two things: (1) What does that God-given directive mean, and (2) how is that God-given directive applied in this situation? Often human evaluation, not God-given directive, divides us.
Jesus' response is fascinating. Basically, Jesus said the Pharisees' concept of obedience to God's directive was much too small. He cited two examples to illustrate their thinking was too small. (1) He cited the example of David [the man after God's own heart] who asked a priest for provisions (1 Samuel 21:1-6). The only bread available to give David was the bread of presence that only priests were to eat (Leviticus 24:5-9). Yet, God did not condemn David for taking and eating that bread. (2) He cited the example of priests offering temple sacrifices on the Sabbath. The temple did not cease its functions on the Sabbath! Sacrificial worship did not cease on the Sabbath! By the Pharisees' own concept, the priests violated Sabbath regulation! Butchering animals, preparing dead animals for sacrifice, and offering sacrifices is work! Yet, the priests were innocent.
We never would have quoted Hosea 6:6 to emphasize God's values! Maybe we would quote a scripture from Exodus, Leviticus, or Deuteronomy as "the law" regarding obedience. But a quote from a smaller writing of a prophet--never! I can hear our argument: "Our quote from 'the law' trumps your quote from a prophet." Yet, Jesus quoted a prophet's small writing: "I [God] desire compassion [or mercy], and not a sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). Jesus' answer was based on God's priorities arising from His character--not on human interpretations of God's directive.
Was sacrifice commanded in Israel? Certainly! Examine the first seven chapters of Leviticus. Then what was Jesus' point? Not all commands are equal [which the Pharisees and Jewish people understood]. Among the most important commands from God are those (1) that arise from His character, (2) reflect His priorities, and (3) are based on His values. Worship is not the most important form of human praise and glorification of God. Honoring God by observing His priorities based on His acts that arise from His character are more important than acts of worship.
Should both be done? Certainly! However, when we conclude we can substitute acts of "appropriate" worship for human acts of devotion to God's priorities, our concept misses obedience's objective. Jesus said if they correctly understood the meaning of Hosea 6:6, they would not have condemned his innocent disciples. Stripping the raw heads of grain as they walked by did not dishonor God by breaking His priorities!
We should find it sobering to realize people whose lives are dedicated to being religious can and do misunderstand the concept of obedience.
For Thought and Discussion:
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 13
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