Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-04-30
Two Sabbath
Incidents
S02sy Sehosl LsssOs for Nay !, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper

and not sacrifice Matt. 12.7
TIME.-Early summer OF A. y. 8 Mark
and Luke place the event earlier than
Matthews grouping would indicate
PLACE.-Some field and synagogue IN
Gahlee: probably in Capernaum.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
A Work OF Necessity. Is. The
Cause OF Criticism ". ID. What act
OF the disciples seemed 20 defy the
law OF the Sabbath Can you not
imagine that quiet Sabbath afternoon
walk through the ripeninE corn-feldsi
The sun is declining IN the western
sky. there IS not a cloud In the blue
heavens, the breath or wind stirs the
wheat-held now white with harvest
Tomorrow busy reapers will be here
with the sickle. % begin the great
work Of the year-the cutting and car.
rying OF the grain Then the heavy
ears and the light ears. the scarlet
poppy and the blue-bottle and the
purple corn-cockle will be mown down
together. AS Jesus and the twelve
walk through the corn fields they are
hungry. and they pluck the ripe ears.
rub them in their hands. blow away
the light husk and eat the hard
brown-yellow grains that remain IN
their palms. Rev. s. Barring Gould
The Charge ". %. What was Il in
the act that the Phrrisees. spying
upon them. objected TOT Not taking
the grain or eating 10. but the manual
work involved. Reaping and thresh-
INK were properly forbidden on the
Sabbath. and the Pharisees insisted
that plucking grain with the hands
was kind OF reaping. and rubbing
the husk on was a kind OF threshing,
G. The Fourfold Reply Tvs. $50
Our Lords answer TO the Pharisees'
charge is especially interesting be
cause or it's variety.
First Reply. the Example OF David
Tvs. ,. ~. who. when fleeing from
Saul. persuaded Ahimelech the priest
70 feed him and his hungry followers
with the twelve symbolic loaves OF
bread kept on the golden table In the
Holy Place OF the tabernacle % signify
that God was the provider Of the PEG
pies food
Moreover. this was done on the Sab
bath. che day when the loaves we're
changed (see Inductive Study 30. and
no one but the priests was allowed
20 eat that sacred food Thus Jesus
met them first on their own ground:
because life SIS more than law. even
according 20 rabbits Ian Maclaren.
10 was an illustration of the far great
er Importance OF human need than
any ceremonial requirement or out
ward form. however sacred per
haps there may De just hint IN the
double. Have ye not read2 that they
could not produce Scripture for their
liberty which ne allowed The first
illustration is perhaps chosen with
some reference 10 the parallel between
himself. the true King. now uurecog-
mixed and hunted with his humble fol
lowers. and the fugitive outlaw with
his band. "-Alexander Maclaren. DID.
Second Reply. the Example OF the
Priests Tvs g. 50. for whom the Sab
bath IS the busiest day OF the week.
But no one blames them but rather
all men praise them. because they are
serving Gods holy temple
Third Reply. the Laws Real Re
quirement ~. ~. which Is mercy. and
not sacrihce-a point upon which the
prophets often insist
Fourth Reply, Christs Authority (v
g.. Marks account precedes these
words with the notable utterance.
'The sabbath was made for man. and
not man for the Sabbath" The Sab
bath was not made 20 annoy man. re-
strict him, impoverish him. but 10 en-
rich him, free him from bondage 70
toll, bless him with the highest Joys
that God can bestow upon him.
a Work Of Mercy.-Vs 9-14 A. The
Blessed Opportunity Tvs. 9. 1O). What
is the best test of correct Sabbath
keeping See whether IL conforms 20
Chrisrs example, Seven Of his re-
corded miracles were performed on
the Sabbath. among them, this Of the
withered hand.
What sad case won Christ's sym
PATTY? a man which had his hand
withered.-his right hand, the most
useful one. as Luke the physician
carefully noted.
Tradition says the man begged
Christ 10 heal him. and Luke tells US
that the scribes and Pharisees were
there watching him. as they had
logged his steps through the wheat
held.-watching him furtively. the
Greek implies.
How was the cure performed? With
look Of sorrow and indignation cast
upon the cold-hearted Pharisees
MARK. and with only a calm com
mand 20 the cripple. stretch forth
thine hand" Perhaps only the hand
was withered. but probably the arm
also was paralyzed. and If the man
had stopped to think and reason, in
stead of promptly obeying. ne would
not have been healed. And IL was
restored whole"
The Unmerciful Pharisees ". IA.
What effect had the miracle on the
Pharisees2 They could bring no
charge against Christ. for he had done
no work: he had merely spoken
quiet sentence. Nor could they pro
coed against the cured man. for he
aptu otF hf.