Jesus Tweaks the Noses of the Religious Establishment Mark 2:23-3:6
Jesus happened to be going through the grainfields on the Sabbath.
Jesus never just happened to go anywhere or do anything. The Greek genomai can be translated "it came about" or "it so happened". I believe Jesus intentionally decided to do a little gleaning. It would seem that the field he chose was close to the synagogue, because 1) he was seen by the religious leaders and 2) he returned to the synagogue afterwards to make a point (3:1).
I imagine the synagogue lay on one side of the road and a grain field on the other. As the people come out and bid Jesus and his disciples a farewell, he leads his disciples through the field of grain, where they begin to pluck and eat the grain. The text says Jesus' disciples ate the grain. I assume that Jesus didn't eat because he was not hungry, rather than out of conviction. He obviously believed that eating the grain was proper and permissible.
As they made their way, his disciples began picking the heads of grain. (24) The Pharisees said to him, "Look! Why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"
Says who? Picking a few heads of grain and harvesting are not the same. The intention is quite different. Jesus doesn't, however, argue this point, but rather concedes it and says that it is still lawful based on a higher principle: the Sabbath was made for man and not vice versa. He focuses NOT on the intention of the disciples, but on the intention of God! Jesus is like the crackerjack defense attorney who doesn't argue for his client's innocence, but rather says that we have misinterpreted and not followed the intention of the law. He then cites an example to validate his assertion.
(25) He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? (26) How was it that he went into the House of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat, and gave some of it to his companions?" (27) Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. (28) Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Here then is the principle Jesus argues: "The Sabbath was intended by God to help people, NOT to hurt them. God wants his people to experience rest and renewal." I'm not sure I get the "therefore". How does the Sabbath being made for man lead to the conclusion that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. "therefore" is not a good translation of the Greek "wste". So - you need to know - the Son of man is in charge of the Sabbath too." This would bring out 2:10 where Jesus asserts the Son of Man's authority to forgive sins. He forgives sins, is in charge of the Sabbath - who is this Jesus?
Mar 3:1-6 Jesus went into the synagogue again, and a man with a paralyzed hand was there. (2) The people watched Jesus closely to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, intending to accuse him of doing something wrong. (3) He said to the man with the paralyzed hand, "Come forward." (4) Then he asked them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill it?" But they were silent.
Some translations say that Jesus went back into the synagogue. Could it be that Jesus was really ticked off and when challenged, turned right back around and returned to the synagogue to heal a man he had previously seen there? The Greek palin is usually translated again. This in your face Jesus is very different than the Jesus we hear about in Sunday School. Imagine Jesus striding to the front of the synagogue. He pauses briefly as every eye focuses on him. Then he points to the man with the injured hand. ¡§Come here!¡¨ he commands him. The man knows of Jesus, he doesn¡¦t mind be caught in the middle. Who could blame him? With the man in front of everyone Jesus asks them a question ¡V ¡§should the Sabbath be used for doing good or evil? For saving life or killing?¡¨ Silence. Jesus ¡§looked around at them¡¨. Did he walk the room, searching for their eyes? How many dared to look into his eyes? Probably most were memorizing the tops of their sandals. Jesus was ¡§angry¡¨ and ¡§deeply hurt.¡¨ ¡§What kind of people are you?¡¨ he must have thought.
(5) Jesus looked around at them with anger, for he was deeply hurt because of their hardness of heart. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." The man held it out, and his hand was restored to health. (6) Immediately the Pharisees, along with the Herodians, went out and began to plot against him to kill him.
Jesus was really angry (orgn) -- passionately angry. He was also very saddened by their lack of response. Thayer renders this word as "stupidity, callousness, blindness, or hardness. I'm sure it involves a little bit of all four. I wonder how many times he has looked at me and thought "Idiot". I'm sure I've given his many opportunities. Jesus commanded the man to stretch out his injured hand. He, of course, couldn't do so, but the moment he determined to obey Jesus he was able to stretch it out! What would have happened if he had not stretched it out? Probably nothing. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
From this point on the Pharisees and Herodians begin consulting with each other on how to get rid of Jesus. They eventually had Jesus crucified. It should be noted that Jesus himself lit the fuse of their hatred. He forced their hand. He drew a line in the sand by declaring that He had the authority to do what he did. "The Son of Man is Lord! Now what are you going to about that?"
