The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-11-29
Jesus Law of Doing Good
Matthew 12:1:14
by Ralph Rogers

Rome was known for her laws
and Greece for her culture. Both
have crumbled il the ashes of the
past. Pre-dating either by some
centuries was the Mosaic law which
has stood the test of time and is
today the model for morals anc
personal relations for groups or
states. Jesus did complain of the
Interpretation of the law but did
not improve on the decalogue. He
simply summarized it in what has
been called the eleventh command
ment. His law, or Interpretation
was simply that of doing good
which was contrary to that of the
religious leaders then and even
now.
Fancriul fees by legions of law
yers have been paid for the inter-
probation of the many laws of the
land. The diarrhea Of verbiage II
most court cases makes it diff
ficul for even an experienced law
yer to determine who is wrong.
Frequently guilty parties escape
the penalty through some slight
technicality. It is not always a
case of right or wrong, Of doing
good. or evil. One of the ancient
coees was that of Shelomith who
"bIasphemed the Lord, and cur
sed." He was then placed in Gust
ody until Moses decided his guilt
or innocence and the penalty. The
victim was taken outside the camp
and stoned to death. (Lev. 24:11 II
The severe penalty in this case
seemed to be the guiding principle
Cor future religious interpreters
of the law. and prevailed in Jesus
day. ,
In the lesson today which evoked
a storm of protest begins with "his
disciples-began to pluck ears and
to eat" It was late April or early
MAY and the corn on the stalk was
ripe. II no doubt was one OF those
beautiful days in Galilee and most
glorious in the spring. The ser
vices in the synagogue had been
oyerlong and the disciples were
hungry, so they simply plucked an
ear. rubbed off the kernels ant
munched them as they walked
They had broken the law. The
PhariSees stormed at Jesus,
'cLook, your disciples are doint
what is not lawful to do on the
Sabbath.
There may be times when one
, should do good, rather than con
form strictly to the law. Jesus
then calls attention to what David
did when he was hungry, that Of
eating the dread of the Presence,
which was sacred and to be eater
only by the priests. Il Sam. 81: 1-6,
The PhariseeS probably WINGED al
this for their traditions, their pat
riotism and their obstinancy hac
all been enlisted in the scrupulou;
maintenance of the law. The mar
row school of Shammai insisted or
the painfully precise and ludi
crously insignificant restrictions
which prevented comfort to the
sick, Even the preservation of life
was the breaking of the Sabbath
and to kill flea was as to kill
camel. The Pharisees worshlppeC
Shammai instead of God.
Jesus then told his critics that
"The priests in the Temple profane
the Sabbath and are guiltless,
which was another stunning blow
The scribes taught that the Sabbath
laws did not apply to the priests ir
the sanctuary, The rabbis said
1.-THE servile work which is done
| in the holy things is not servile.
Then when Jesus declared, Il say
unto you, that one greater than the
temple is here" it was like heap
| ing Goals of fire on he heads o.
the law-spitting Pharisees. While
Jesus himself did not break the law
his claim to be greater than the
temple certainly aroused the hostil
4 "a E. If q Al