Matthew - The Necessity of Transformation

In today’s study from Matthew 12:43-45, we take another look at these verses to see the application for the church today.

An Analogy

vv.43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.  (44)  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.  (45)  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Many simply interpret these verses to mean that Jesus was speaking about the issue of Demon Possession. Many times, I have heard them used as a proof text to show that it is useless and unwise to cast a demon out of a lost person. However, just a casual look at the context, would indicate that Jesus was simply making an analogy for the generation of His day, and not necessarily addressing the issue of demon possession.

In these verses, our Lord is describing the generation of His day.

1. He had already described them as “evil and adulterous” (v.38-39).

2. He had already told them that the Ninevites and the Queen of the South would rise up to condemn them at the judgment (v.41-42). We have to keep it in context folks. A text out of context is a pretext. Don’t run with a pretext!

3. And now He describes them as “wicked” (12:45).

Interpretation / the Foolishness of Self-Reformation

Why did our Lord call them wicked? He calls them wicked because they were attempting self-reformation by rejecting His offer of the Kingdom. He simply uses the example of demon possession to show them the foolishness of it.

Illustration: Self-reformation is like driving a car with its front end out of line.  You can stay on the road IF you grip the steering wheel with both hands and hang on tightly.  Any lapse of attention, however, and you head straight for the ditch.

Israel erroneously thought that by “griping the steering wheel” (keeping the external aspects of the Law) they could be self-reformed and ultimately saved from the ditch. However, Jesus taught that self-reformation was not possible as that it would require keeping the Law perfectly. He was already doing that for them, but they were refusing.  Jesus had already addressed the futility of self-reformation in Matthew 5:27-28. He was trying to show them that self-reformation was not possible because the Law is spiritual and not physical (5:20-22). In other words, “The Law is broken in the heart long before it is broken by the hand.”

The Heart is Wicked

Why? - Because the “heart” is wicked. Jeremiah said that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” in Jeremiah 7:9. The truth of the matter is that the heart cannot be reformed, it must be transformed. Reformed is physical in that it is merely “a removal of faults by improved conduct”. Transformed is spiritual in that it is implies a “change of nature.” Reformed is external while Transformed is internal (Cf. Romans 12:1-2).

Our Lord’s Point

Our Lord’s point in this analogy of the Demon Possessed man is that while self-reformation is impossible, transformation is not. However, transformation is not a one-time thing; instead it’s an ongoing process. It can only come about through “sanctification.” It speaks of becoming holy. Not necessarily externally, but internally. To stop this process of transformation (sanctification) is to digress and the last may prove to be worse than the first.

Such had been the case with the Jews of Jesus’ day. Many had initially repented at the preaching of John (3:5-6). Yet, they eventually rejected Jesus and called for his crucifixion. Truly, their “last state” was “worse than the first.”

Application for the Church

The application for the church is the necessity of Transformation. There is an important lesson in the Lord’s analogy for us as well. If we aren’t careful, our “last state” could end up being “worse than our first.”

Illustration: How many of us know someone who seemingly came to the Lord and are now totally in the world worse than they were before?

There is a tremendous need for continued transformation (sanctification) in our lives. Paul said in Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Our Heart is a House

The Bible compares our heart to a house. In it can reside things that produce much harm. Our Lord said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” in Matthew 15:19.

But it can be the source for much good. Our Lord said in Mat 12:35, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. In essence, when we come to Christ our heart (house) is cleansed. The writer of Hebrews said in 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” The Bible also says in Acts 15:8-9, “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”

Fill the House

However, after our house has been cleansed by salvation, we must immediately begin to fill it with holy things. We can’t just leave it vacant or the unholy that left will begin to slowly creep back in.

What if We Don’t?

Scientifically, nature abhors a vacuum. If we do not make the effort to fill our house with good things, then evil things are likely to return with a vengeance.

Example of the Corinthians

Consider the example of the Corinthians mentioned by the Apostle Paul. He said of them in 1 Cor. 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” Obviously, they had been born again.

Yet later, he says of these same people in 2Co 12:20-21, “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:  21  And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

How about Us?

Our hearts too, if left empty, will yearn for other things to fill it. Pro 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. The writer of Hebrews warns in Heb. 3:12-13 “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.  But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. If we are not continually being sanctified, the writer of Hebrews says that we are capable of doing the vilest things. He lists three of them in Heb 10:26-29.

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (insulted the Spirit of grace)” 

Hebrews even warns that by so doing, we could reach the point in which it is impossible to be renewed again to repentance (Heb 6:4-6). Now, many have used this as a proof text for one being able to lose their salvation. If it is, they cannot be “resaved” according to the text. However, I believe a more accurate interpretation of the text is that they could be sent to an early grave because they have committed the sin unto death as mentioned in 1 John 5:16 that we discussed earlier. Either way, “The last state of the man is worse than the first.”

Matthew - Rising Up in Judgment

In today's study from Matthew 12:41-45, we see that our Lord declares that the people of the ancient city of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba will rise up against Israel for rejecting him as their long-awaited Messiah.

Rising Up in Judgment

vv.41-42 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.  (42)  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

In these verses, the Lord’s whole point is that the people of Nineveh repented with far fewer signs having been given to them that Jesus had done for the Jews. The Queen of the South heard the wisdom of Solomon and was amazed, and yet they were rejecting the wisdom of the very Son of God.

Condemnation from Nineveh

Notice, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it.” Why judgment by Nineveh?

a.   Nineveh repented and Israel did not.

b.   Nineveh received the message of Jonah and Israel rejected the message of Jesus.

Jonah was a reluctant prophet who became angry when God didn’t destroy them. However, Jesus was a compassionate prophet who lamented and wept over Israel.

Why judgment by the Queen of the South (Sheba) (1 Kings 10:1-10)?

a.   She traveled a great distance to see Solomon and brought with her spices, gold and precious stones (1 Kings 4:29-34). 

b.   She praised him for his wisdom.

c.    She honored him with gifts.

She was willing to travel a great distance just to hear a mere mortal’s earthly wisdom while the Jews were unwilling to simply walk across the street to hear what Jesus had to say.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba will judge the Jews of Jesus' day because they showed less interest and willingness to heed even though they had a much greater opportunity.

An Analogy

vv.43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.  (44)  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.  (45)  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Many simply interpret these verses to mean that Jesus was speaking about the issue of Demon Possession. Many times, I have heard them used as a proof text to show that it is useless and unwise to cast a demon out of a lost person. However, just a casual look at the context, would indicate that Jesus was simply making an analogy for the generation of His day, and not necessarily addressing the issue of demon possession. In these verses, our Lord is describing the generation of His day.

1. He had already described them as “evil and adulterous” (v.38-39).

2. He had already told them that the Ninevites and the Queen of the South would rise up to condemn them at the judgment (v.41-42).

We have to keep it in context folks. A text out of context is a pretext. Don’t run with a pretext!

3. And now He describes them as “wicked” (Matt. 12:45).

Interpretation / the Foolishness of Self-Reformation

Why did our Lord call them wicked? He calls them wicked because they were attempting self-reformation by rejecting His offer of the Kingdom. He simply uses the example of demon possession to show them the foolishness of it.

Self-reformation is like driving a car with its front end out of line.  You can stay on the road IF you grip the steering wheel with both hands and hang on tightly.  Any lapse of attention, however, and you head straight for the ditch.

In the same way, Israel erroneously thought that by “griping the steering wheel” (keeping the external aspects of the Law) they could be self-reformed and ultimately saved from the ditch. However, Jesus taught that self-reformation was not possible as that it would require keeping the Law perfectly. He was already doing that for them, but they were refusing. Jesus had already addressed the futility of self-reformation in Matthew 5:27-28.

He was trying to show them that self-reformation was not possible because the Law is spiritual and not physical (Matt. 5:20-22). In other words, “The Law is broken in the heart long before it is broken by the hand.”

The Heart is Wicked

Why? - Because the “heart” is wicked. Jer. 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” The truth of the matter is that the heart cannot be reformed, it must be transformed.

Reformed is physical in that it is merely “a removal of faults by improved conduct”. Transformed is spiritual in that it implies a “change of nature.” Reformed is external while Transformed is internal (Romans 12:1-2).

Our Lord’s Point

Our Lord’s point in this analogy of the Demon Possessed man is that while self-reformation is impossible, transformation is not. However, transformation is not a one-time thing; instead, it’s an ongoing process. It can also be called, “sanctification.” It speaks of becoming holy. Not necessarily externally, but internally. To stop this process of transformation (sanctification) is to digress and the last may prove to be worse than the first.

Such had been the case with the Jews of Jesus’ day. Many had initially repented at the preaching of John (Matt. 3:5-6). Yet, they eventually rejected Jesus and called for his crucifixion. Truly, their “last state” was “worse than the first.”

Matthew - Accountability and Signs

In today's study from Matthew 12:33-40, our Lord speaks to how we each are going to be held accountable for our words and the sinfulness of looking for signs.

The Lord’s Point

v.33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

After he warns them again blaspheming the Holy Spirit, he goes goes on to prove that these men were evil by pointing out their fruit (cf. Matt. 7:16-20).

Mental Treasure Hunting

vv.34-35 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  (35)  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Once again we see the Lord’s tone changing. The rejection is almost final. He is no doubt, accusing them of being evil.

How about our mouths?  What comes out of them? I guess that depends upon what you’re treasuring. What do you count worthy of putting in your mental treasure box? I will indeed come out eventually.

The Warning

vv.36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  (37)  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

First and foremost is still dealing with the “words” that the religious just spoke about him by calling him the “god of dung.” He is also letting them know that they will give account of not only those words, but every word that comes out of their mouths.

There are only about 800,000 words in the English language.  The average person only knows about 10,000 of them and only uses about 5,000 of them in their everyday speech. And the Lord here in these verses says that we are going to give an account for every one of them.

Pro. 13:2-3 “A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.  He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”

Pro. 21:23 “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”

Cf. James 3:8-12

Seeking Signs

vv.38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.  (39)  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:  (40)  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

You gotta ask yourself at this point, “What do mean that you want another sign?” He has already healed everybody and their mother. Luke adds a little more light to the motivations of their wicked hearts. Luke 11:16 adds and “Others, testing  Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.” The bottom line is that those seeking signs lack faith or they wouldn’t be asking. There are entire religious movements around the world that focus on miracles, e.g., slain in the spirit, holy laughter, speaking in tongues, healings, the virgin in a piece of toast or on a tortilla, etc… You know why? – Lack of faith in what our Lord has already told us in his Word!

One denominational Statement of Faith actually states, “In the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, received subsequent to the new birth, with speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit gives the utterance, as the initial physical sign and evidence.”

Why the need for signs? - Simple, no faith. 2 Cor 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Rom 14:23 “…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Anything that is not done out of faith is sin. Seeking signs to establish one’s faith is sinful. Look hard enough and the Devil just might give you one. Instead of looking for signs of one’s “salvation” or “holiness”, we should be looking for fruit and fruit alone.

Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Martin Luther once said, “There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of the new obedience do not grow.

The Only Sign

The only sign that any of us should need and will receive according to Scripture, is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

To desire anything more is sin because it comes from a lack of faith. 

Matthew - Blasphemy Against the Spirit

In today's study from Matthew 12:31-32, our Lord warns them of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What did he mean by that? Can we commit it today?

The Unpardonable Sin

vv.31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the  Holy  Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  (32)  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Our Lord knew full well that his offer of the Kingdom was not only being rejected but that his works were being attributed to Satan (v.24), they had just told him as much. He is warning them now that if they reject him, they will commit a sin that will be unforgivable. Why the Holy Spirit? – Because, while the Holy Spirit had not been given in the same measure as it Pentecost, his primary ministry was and still is to testify as to who Jesus Christ. Jesus told them in John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

When one rejects the message of the Holy Spirit in regards to who Jesus is, they are calling him a liar, and thus rejecting his message. The religious leaders were doing this and anyone today who does the same. This is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or what is also called the unpardonable sin. The bottom line is that the only sin that God will not forgive you for is dying without having received His Son as your Lord and Savior. Therefore, one has accepted the testimony of Christ (or the Holy Spirit) cannot commit this sin.

Confusion

I have had some express to me that they are afraid that they have actually committed this sin. My only response is that if one desires Jesus at all, they have not committed this sin. However, my encouragement is that they not continue to reject the offer of salvation, because, I do believe that the heart can eventually become so hardened that the point of no return will be passed. I have heard some people say that they will come to the Lord in their own time. I categorically reject that statement. You will come will he calls you, or you will not come at all.

Sin unto Death

However, many confuse this sin with the sin that leads to death that the Apostle John refers to in 1 John 5:16-17. I believe that we see an example of this in the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.

The Menace of Murmuring

Awesome on The Menace of Murmuring by Dr. Jim Schettler.

Modern Trends and Biblical Truth, Part 1

This is a very good message by Dr. Paul Chappell, President of West Coast Baptist College.

Matthew - Behold! My Servant.

Matthew - Healing on the Sabbath

In today's study from Matthew 12:9-15, we see our Lord healing the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath Day and the sad response of the religious leaders who were even more determined to destroy him.

The Withered Hand

vv.9-10 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:  (10)  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

To further prove His point, he went into the synagogue and healed a man with a withered hand. It’s almost like he was purposely pushing them to make his point. Of course, the Pharisees were there as well. Notice their question, “If it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” Notice their motive, “that they might accuse Him.” They were still not getting it. They did not hear a word he had just said previously about the rest that he came to offer them because they had already rejected him for the most part.

Jesus’ Response

vv.11-12 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  (12)   How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Like our Lord was accustomed to do, he answers their question with one of His own. He is trying to move them from physical to spiritual. He is trying to move them from the “letter of the Law” to the “spirit of the Law.” Mark 3:1-6 gives us more details as to exactly what happened and what was said. Jesus was grieved at the hardness of their hearts.

The Pharisees Were Hypocrites

In actuality, the only ones breaking the Law was the Pharisees. The Lord caught them red handed right before His crucifixion when He went into the temple and they were buying and selling on the Sabbath. We see this in Matthew 21:12-15 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  13  And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a 'DEN OF THIEVES.'"  14  Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.  15  But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant Israel was told not to do this in Lev 23:3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places. We even see that they were guilty of the same with Nehemiah in Neh 10:28-31 Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding—  29  these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes:  30  We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;  31  if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year's produce and the exacting of every debt.

Good vs. Evil

vv.13-14 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.  (14)  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

I think of two things when I read these verses. First, I think of the goodness of God. Even though the Lord knew the trouble that He was going to cause; He still healed the man. Second, I think of the evilness of man. It seems like man is never happy. We tend to thrive on finding fault in another individual. Why? I believe it’s because finding a fault in another makes us feel better about ourselves

That is a sad reality. In psychology, it is called meta-hypocrisy which is hypocrisy about one's own hypocrisy. Nothing makes us feel better than to put others down to lift ourselves up.  This ought not to be brethren.

The Emotion of Rejection

v.15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 

After twenty-five years of ministry, I can honestly say that I know exactly what Jesus was experiencing: rejection. Our Lord said in Joh 15:22-25 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’  Just think about it, our Lord had lived and walked among these people his entire “human” life and they were still rejecting him. The human side of the Lord felt and was hurt by the finality of rejection. Some of the sadist passages in the Bible is Joh 1:1-11 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2  He was in the beginning with God.  3  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  4  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  9  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  10  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  11  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

Matthew - Lord of the Sabbath

In today's study from Matthew 12:1-8, we see the religious leaders beginning to turn on him and his message, and he begins to demonstrate that he is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law.

Breaking of the Sabbath

vv.1-2 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.  (2)  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

It is important to note that this was done on the Sabbath. Here come the accusations! They were now seeking to find fault and put him to death. He was clearly their enemy now.

Sign of the Covenant

The word “Sabbath” means “cessation or rest.” It was given to Israel as a sign of Israel’s covenant relationship with God (Ex. 31:16-17).

Capital Offense

Those who violated the Sabbath were put to death (Ex 31:14-15).

Examples from Scripture

An example is found in Ex 35:1-3 and Num 15:32-36

Jesus’ Response

vv.3-5 But he said unto them,  Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;  (4)   How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?  (5)  Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Jesus responded by giving them two examples from the Old Testament where the Law was violated and God permitted it. These were times of necessity, service to God, and acts of mercy. He is reaffirming that God made the Sabbath for man’s benefit and His glory, but never intended it to be a yoke of bondage. Our Lord said in Mar 2:27 "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”

David and the Shewbread

The first was when David ate the shewbread which was for the priests only when he was fleeing from King Saul (1Sa 21:1-6).

It’s also interesting that Jesus chose this comparison to David because David was also being rejected as king when he did this while fleeing from Saul.

The Priests and Work

And the second was the violation of the priests each Sabbath when they offered the lambs for a burnt offering. What does it mean that the priests “profane the Sabbath”? It means that while everyone wasn’t lifting a finger in Israel to keep the Sabbath, the priests where working twice as hard to keep up with the “double sacrifices” that were required on that day (Num 28:9-10).

The Point

Jesus is saying that the priests broke the “Law” in order to comply with a greater law in that the Law expressly forbad the making of fire on the Sabbath and the butchering of animals and yet that is exactly what the priests were doing! He is beginning to build his case that he is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law. In him would come the rest that God truly wanted for his people if they would accept it.

Prophet Priest and King

vv.6-7 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.  (7)  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Two things to notice here: First, Jesus quotes from Hosea 6:6 where it says, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Second, in Jesus argument to defend himself and his disciples, he points to a prophet (Hosea who declared God loves mercy more than sacrifice), to a priest (who worked on the Sabbath as he was) and to a king (who was David who was initially rejected)! He is proclaiming Himself to be Prophet, Priest and King!

Jesus is the Sabbath

v.8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

What is our Lord Jesus saying? Barnes says, “Here the Saviour refers to himself, and to his own dignity and power. In essence he is saying, “I have power over the laws because I made them.  Thus, I have the right to change them or set them aside if only for a moment if I want to” Furthermore, he is declaring that he is the ultimate fulfillment of the Sabbath in that he offers permanent and not temporal rest (Mat 11:28-30).