Second Sunday after Pentecost: Gospel, Mark 2:23-28                      

Mark 2:23-28 

Our gospel text this week highlights a truth that any reader of the gospels will encounter again and again: Jesus is for us. And not just in person but in all He accomplishes. Mark relates how Jesus cites the Old Testament to defend the behavior of His disciples as they eat grain on the Sabbath. And by doing so, Jesus’ critics are prepared to pounce on their practice of rubbing grain as a work degrading the day of rest. But Jesus sets things right as He always does by taking the crowd back to King David and his companions, who “broke the law” by eating dedicated temple bread.

Have you ever noticed how quick we are to take any opportunity before us and turn it into a display of just how good we are, and how much God should really be impressed? This is what the nay-sayers in the story are doing. “We would never step on the law like YOUR disciples are doing, Jesus.” Jesus points to the revered David and who permits his hungry men to take from the table in the temple. What is David pointing to? Just the fact that the Sabbath was made to benefit man. Funny to think we could ever do anything to benefit the Lord of heaven. But like so many other issues, the Jews of Jesus’ day had gotten the message about the Sabbath 180 degrees wrong. Jesus explains, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (v. 27), and by doing so vindicates His disciples and points to a truth we would be blessed to remember. Namely that the Sabbath, the day of worship, was just one gift of Jesus given for our blessing and benefit. Just like everything else.