Mercy involves being tenderhearted and kind to your fellow man as God is (Lk 6:36). It is the practice of perfect love that extends compassion to our neighbor without partiality. A Biblical mercy is rooted in a heart that first seek to address human need over our ingrained biases and hypocritical customs that only benefit a few we deem worthy of it.
This was a central the problem the Pharisees. On this day (in the text), the disciples were walking through grainfields on the Sabbath. Our Lord permitted them to pluck some of the heads of grain to satisfy their hunger and need for sustenance. Instead of the Pharisees seeing the example of mercy by which Jesus modeled, they falsely accused him of breaking the Sabbath. In attempt to bring Jesus to open shame, they misused the law to condemn him, thus they charge him (v2), “…Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
Clearly, they had disregarded the purpose of the Sabbath which was a symbol of God’s sovereignty and hope of eternal rest (Heb 4:9) for his people. Additionally, since they rejected Jesus as the Messiah, they were also blinded to the truth that he was Lord of the Sabbath (v8) who very presence and Person fulfills all aspects of the meaning of the Sabbath.
As surely as God cares for all mankind by means of “common grace”, so do all who truly follow him. As a Christian, we are given freedom to love our neighbor in this way at all times, according to Biblical prescription. The Sabbath does not restrict this type of mercy, but encourages it, as Jesus is the full manifestation of how to live out the Sabbath. We must remember Jesus expectation for all who claim to follow him, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice…” Meaning, we need to resist being like Pharisees who misused and misapplied rules, regulations and customs discriminately for one group over another. How we apply God’s Word is for the good of man. It was not meant to be burdensome when it concerns serving each others human needs.
Further, we must not be hypocritical in our application mercy and grace. The Pharisees condemned the disciples of breaking the Sabbath by satisfying their needs, yet, when the shoe was on the other foot, they did not practice what they preached. Jesus even rebuked them before about this matter when he exposed their hypocritical practice of the Sabbath. He challenged them (Lk 14:5), “…Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath, will not immediately pull him out?”
Here is Jesus point: Showing mercy is always right on any day. Why? Because that is how God relates to all sinners (this includes you and I). We are called to love as God does, even towards our enemies (Lk 6:35). Jesus is not simply Lord of 6 days of the week, but also the 7th (the Sabbath). Therefore, we are called to be the arms and feet of his expressed desire to show mercy to our fellow man without partially. When we obey and do this, we starting loving like God does. He does not want our sacrifices of following only scriptures we believe supports our self-centered living that we have misinterpreted for our own selfish gain. He wants true obedience that lives out the heart of his Word to love as he does his creation. May he be glorified in our lives forever and ever. Amen!
Blessings,
Dr. Jason S. Price. Th.D.
www.springoflivingwaters.com