In Matthew 12 the conflict between Jesus and the religious elite grows, heightened by two controversies over the rules of the Sabbath. We should remember that God did give instructions to his people (in the Ten Commandments and elsewhere) to “Honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy”. Sabbath keeping became a cornerstone of the identity of the Jewish people and there are still many Sabbath rules kept by Jews who live in Israel today!

The challenge of the Sabbath is that God said it should be honored – yes – but a complex, overwhelming set of manmade rules developed over the centuries that specified exactly what was allowed and forbidden. Many of these rules were man-made and burdensome. Jesus accused the religious elite of enforcing the letter of the law, while missing the point of its original intent.

It starts with Jesus’ disciples picking grain on the Sabbath day, a forbidden work activity (12:1-8). Jesus defends his disciples, and asks a haunting question twice, “Have you not read…? Or have you not read in the Law…?” (12:3,5). He is insinuating that either they have not read the Law and do not know it very well, or they have read it but entirely missed the point. This makes the religious elite angry.

Next Jesus encounters a man with a withered hand in the synagogue (12:9-14). (I’m pretty sure this was a set up to test Jesus.) Jesus points out that all of them would help a hurt or endangered animal on the Sabbath, the law made provision for that. People who are made in God’s image are even more important than animals, therefore one should be able to discern that healing on the Sabbath is a way to honor God and come in alignment with his values. It is not an act of rebellion. Again, Jesus pointed out that their stringent man-made systems undermined God’s heart of mercy toward people in need.

In response, “The Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him” (12:14). Next, Jesushealed a demon-oppressed man (12:22-32) and the religious leaders accused Jesus of using Satan’s power. Jesus pointed out the logical fallacies in this argument and proclaimed that the casting out of demons by the Spirit of God shows that “The kingdom of God has come upon you” (12:28). Something important has shifted in the spiritual world.

Matthew 12 shows Jesus challenging a corrupted religious system that values keeping the man-made rules more than caring for people.

I wonder what man-made rules and cultural traditions we have that prevent us from being people of mercy and engagement with those who are hurting?