1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadSo often, when Jesus is challenged and questioned about his authority, he doesn’t just defend himself or talk himself down like I would do. Instead, he suddenly raises the stakes and makes outrageous claims about himself.So in today’s passage, he’s accused of letting his disciples break the Sabbath command. He could have said, “Don’t be silly – they’re not breaking the Sabbath”. Instead, he points out that both King David and the priests in the Old Testament broke the strict rules of the Old Testament law, about the temple and the Sabbath.What is Jesus saying – that he’s as great as King David and the priests? Well, yes – except that what he actually says next goes much further than that: “I tell you that something greater than the temple is here” (v. 6). Greater than the temple itself – the holy building where God himself dwelled with his people??And then in verse 8, we get: “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” He just doesn’t know when to stop! Jesus is greater than the Sabbath command itself, so none of the old rules apply to him!?I found this a great reminder and confirmation that all the symbols and rituals and laws of the Old Testament – including two of the holiest of all, the temple and the Sabbath – were designed to point to Jesus and find their end and their fulfilment in him. He is the One who brings God’s true presence into our lives, and he will bring true rest and restoration to all who trust in him. I’m sure that’s why he restored the man’s hand on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a weekly promise of life, rest, hope and restoration from God.Now that promise has a name. Will you come to Him – and enjoy the blessing of God’s presence through Him – today?ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.