• For Your Own Good,  Mark 2:23-30     (see below)
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer
   

• Giving a Fig 1 Samuel 3:1-10 [11-20], John 1:43-51
  by Rev. Karen Goltz
   

• Look Who’s Talking, 1Samuel 3:1-10  [11-20]
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer
   
• GOD is calling! Are you listening?, 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) by Rhino
   
• God on Line 2, 1Samuel 3:1-10, John 1:43-51
   by HW in HI

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For Your Own Good
a homily based on Mark 2:23-30
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Could it be true? Jesus and his disciples were caught breaking the Mosaic Law. What they did sounds harmless enough, they plucked grains on the Sabbath. I’ll ask it again: was Jesus really guilty of breaking the law? Or did the Pharisees misinterpret the law?

It is true that the fourth commandment says to keep the Sabbath holy. A Sabbath Day is a Day of rest and God wants us to take a break just as God rested on the 7th day after creating the world. There are indeed many passages in Leviticus that address what you can and cannot do on the Sabbath.

And the punishment was actually pretty severe. In Numbers 15:32-36, we read: “a man gathering firewood on Sabbath is put to death” The potential punishment for desecrating Sabbath (stoning) is the most severe in Jewish law.

The Pharisees are quick to accuse Jesus. Now, they probably think, “finally, we have something concrete against him.”

As I pondered this passage, I couldn’t help thinking how this accusation would have fared in a 21st century court trial. Let’s imagine shall we?...

The prosecuting attorney calls Jesus to the witness stand. Jesus is sworn in and counsel starts questioning him: Your disciples are accused of a serious violation of the Mosaic sabbath law; remember you’re under oath now. Did your disciples pluck wheat from the field on the sabbath? Yes.

Did you know that it was the sabbath day? Yes

Did you know that your disciples were plucking the wheat? Yes
And as disciples, they are under your care, are they not? Yes.
Did you say anything to stop your disciples from plucking the wheat? No
No further questions, your honor.

Judge: Would the defense like to question the witness?

The defense attorney walks up to the witness box: “Now, some would argue that plucking wheat was not necessarily on  [continue]