Jesus contends with the Pharisees over keeping the Sabbath and they accuse him of casting out demons by the power of demons. Some very well known statements of Jesus are in this chapter, concluding with “those who do the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 12
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck the heads of grain and to eat.
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Sunday is the first day of the week when Jesus rose from the grave. It is “the Lord’s Day” but not the Sabbath. The Sabbath was Law and we do not live under the Law. We quit the Sabbath for the same reasons we eat pork, shellfish and wear 50/50 cotton/poly blend fabrics. The early Christians continued going to the Temple/synagogues but also met DAILY in the homes of other believers. Worship daily and you don’t have to worry about which day is the right one. The New Testament command is to not avoid assembling together.
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God created the heavens and earth in six days, made man in his own image, and on the seventh day Genesis 2 says he rested. He blessed the seventh day, made it holy, and rested. Everything but man was spoken into existence. He is infinite, almighty God; did one week of talking a lot really wear him out?
In the first place, the text doesn’t say he collapsed from exhaustion. There is a difference between dropping dead and taking a break. Rest is a gift. Recall that when criticized for breaking the Sabbath by doing good works Jesus points out that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (ref) One need not be on the verge of collapse to rest, but that’s still not even the point.
God did not rest because he was tired. God leads by example. Continue reading
The Master's Table 