Key Themes: Use of the law; self-righteousness
[Core Gospel Concepts: Use of the Law]
One Sabbath day, Jesus and his disciples were going through some grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pluck heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees saw this, and they said to Jesus, “Look, why are your disciples doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, David entered the house of God, and ate the sacred loaves of bread, which is lawful only for the priests to eat. And he gave some to his companions too.”
And Jesus said to the Pharisees, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. Since it was the Sabbath, some Pharisees were there, looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him very carefully to see if he would heal this man, then they could accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” And the man did. Then Jesus asked the Pharisees, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath? To do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent and would not answer.
And Jesus looked around at them in anger, grieved at their hardness of heart. And Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man did, and his hand was completely restored.
Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the supporters of Herod how they might kill Jesus.
Optional Memory Verse: Mark 2:27,28 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”