The Tupelo journal., 1904-02-19

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Calling of Matthew.........Mark 2:l3-l1.
Calling of Luke 5:ZI-32.
Question About Fasting. S:l4-Ii.
Question About asting......Mark 2:ls-Zz.
Question About Fasting. .....L 5:%3-o9.
Plucking Grain on sabbath. Matt. 12:1-S.
Plucking Grain on Sabbath. -. Mark 2:Z3-ZS.
Plucking Grain on Sabbath. Luke CHS.
Heal on the Sabbath. Matt. 12:9-14.
Heal on the Sabbath. ...........Mark 3:1-6.
Heal on the Sabbath...........Luke 6:o-il.
TIME.-The summer (harvest time) or
A. d. 2S part of The Year of Public Fa-
vor').
PLACE.-A country road near Caper-
naum, and a synagogue in one OF the
Galilean towns.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Jesus teachings and methods and
those of the orthodox religious leaders
were so different in every particular that
trouble was certain to come. Many of
the scribes and Pharisees may have
been perfectly sincere, but their point Of
view was so entirely different from that
of Jesus that they could never see things
as He did, and of course they considered
Him a hereto and a dangerous man. In
the first place, in teaching, If not in char
acter, He seemed TO them to be an up
start. He spoke without authority"
And her He had made a publican n
of His disciples g: 9-13). The Pharisees
saw in the publicans or tax collectors a
set of contemplate, unpatriotic merce-
naries who had sold themselves out to
the hated Roman tyrants. Jesus eat
ing with publicans and sinners con-
WINGED the Pharisees that He was a man
of decidedly questionable character
(11:19) Again Jesus and His disciples
braved all criticism and misunderstand-
ing of the best people by ignoring the
weekly Hastings and the rabbinical laws
enjoined and which all religious people
observed. Jesus was directly opposed to
asceticism on principle. This opposi-
ton was considered an affront to the
whole religious system of the Jews.
These four things, without the one we
take up next, were enough to insure the
bitter opposition of official Judaism.
(Matt.12:1-8) One of Jesus most OBJ
noxious heresies was in regard to the
Jewish Sabbath. The Fourth Command
ment He always reverenced and obeyed,
but the absurd restrictions with which
the scribes had surrounded it He reject
ed bodily. Disciples were hungry"
What the disciples did was to meet the
physical necessity for food. Began to
pluck ears and to eat" This was per-
mitted by Jewish law on week days. A
man passing by a wheat field or a vine
yard might eat enough to satisfy his
hunger. But the oral law forbade this
on the Sabbath, on the ground that to
pick the heads of grain was harvesting,
to rub them in the hands was threshing
and to blow out the chaff was winnow-
ing-which things were unlawful
Note Jesus twofold defense of His
disciples: % He cites examples $50;
reminds them of what David once did to
meet his OWL need q Sam. 21:6). They
would not think of questioning the pro-
priety of David's act, especially since he
did what he did with the sanction of the
priest. In his case necessity was seen to
be above ritual. Even the law (Num.
28:9-10) recognized that certain work
connected with the sacrifices was neces-
sary and therefore right. (2) He shows
the underlying principles (6-S). THE
Pharisees were men of rules, not accus-
toned to go back on principles. The pas
sion for minutiae killed reflection
Bruce. Zone greater than the temple"
Commonly taken as a reference to Him
self, but the Greek reads: But | say
unto you a greater thing thar the tenn
pie is here" The man-made regulations
had given way before the claims of the
temple service, the lesser interest CIV
ing way to the greater. A greater inter-
est than that of keeping up the temple
sacrifices was involved here; it was the
work of the kingdom itself. This inter-
probation is the more natural; either is
possible. Il desire mercy, and not sacri-
fee" (Hos. $50; Jesus way of remind
ing them that the principle He was con-
tending for was S%criptural. THE Son
of man is lord OF the Sabbath" Mark
quotes Him as saying in this connection:
"The Sabbath was made for man, and
not man for the Sabbath" The real
good of the Sabbath had been lost;
Christ's purpose was to restore it.
". 9:14). "Is it lawful to heal on the
Sabbath day" Jesus does not answer
the question directly, but with an illus
tration tries to appeal to their common
sense and humane feelings. The discus
sion over the picking of the heads of
wheat made His position plain on works
of necessity; this deals with works of
mercy. 1T is lawful to do good on the
Sabbath" To refuse to do good to one
who needs it is to do evil, nomatter what
the day of the week. Jesus was unyield-
Ing, His influence was increasing and
the Pharisees saw that the only way to
silence Him was to kill Him, and He
must be silenced.