Unlawful Good
Luke 6:1-16; NL 324 for February 2, 2025
In this week’s text Jesus continues to be in conflict with the Pharisees, this time over the observance of Sabbath (Shabbat) and the application of human kindness.
Sabbath in Torah
Sabbath first appears in Torah in the scroll of Genesis, in the ‘first’ creation narrative. This creation narrative tells the cosmic tale of God (Elohim) who creates the world in six days (three spaces, and three sets of inhabitants) and then rests on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). God blesses the seventh day and marks it as holy.
Sabbath next appears in the scroll of Exodus, after the Hebrew people have been liberated from enslavement in Egypt. In Exodus 16, the people are hungry and complain to Moses, Moses then passes the note along to God, and God feeds the people with quail and ‘manna’ (lit. ‘what is it?’). Each morning the manna would appear, and the people were instructed to gather only enough for that day (their daily bread), and if they saved any overnight it would rot. On the sixth day, however, they would miraculously gather twice as much so that they could rest the next day. A little while later, when Adonai speaks to the people from Mt. Sinai, sabbath observance is one of the commandments that is given (20:8-11). This commandment insists that sabbath observance is not only for Hebrew men, but should be extended to their children, enslaved persons, livestock, and immigrants (and one might even assume women). This theme continues later in Exodus when a sabbath year is introduced along with a sabbath day (23:10-13). Here the land itself is given a rest every seventh year, and the reason given is for the care of the poor and wild animals among them. The final sabbath instructions in Exodus are that sabbath is to be a perpetual covenant and sign for the people and that sabbath breaking is to be punished (31:12-17), and that kindling a fire counts as work on the sabbath (35:3).
The scroll of Leviticus (Ch. 23) presents sabbath as the foundation of the Hebrew calendar, which is highly based on the number seven [Passover starts on the 14th (7x2) day, followed by seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread, followed by another seven days of sacrifice; Festival of Trumpets starts on the seventh month, followed by the Day of Atonement on the 10th (7+3), and seven day Festival of Booths on the 15th (7x2+1), etc]. Later (Ch. 25) the sabbatical year is further expanded with the ‘year of jubilee.’ after seven weeks of years (49) shall be a year of jubilee when every debt is erased, lands are returned, enslaved people (at least Hebrew ones) are emancipated. There are specific instructions about selling one’s land or service, that it is only to be leased until the next year of jubilee, and that those who lend or buy should not refrain from doing so if a jubilee is coming up. Again, human compassion is a major driving force for sabbath practice.
The scroll of Deuteronomy continues the same themes of sabbath. In this ‘second telling’ of the Torah, the commandment to keep the sabbath is much the same, but the reason given is as a remembrance of Hebrew enslavement, rather than creation (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Deuteronomy’s claim for the sabbath year is that debts are to be forgiven every seven years, and that observance of this practice will assure that no one is in need within the community (15:1-18). This bold claim lines up with some of the overall themes of Deuteronomy, the choice of life/blessing and death/curse; however, modern economy minded folx have noted something more. Hypothetically, an erasure of debts every seven years would completely eliminate both generational poverty and generational wealth.
Arguably, Torah (instruction) about sabbath observance is far more concerned with issues of righteousness and equity than it is on specific rules about how sabbath is to be observed.
As an interesting side-note, evidence suggests that the word sabbath may come from Babylon, where it means ‘mid-rest’ and was an observation on the seventh, fourteenth, nineteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-eight day of the lunar month. It is certainly possible that the Hebrews adopted this practice during the Exile.
Extra Biblical
The 39 Melakhot provide 39 categories of work that are to be refrained from during sabbath and holy days that continue to be observed by the Orthodox Jewish community. There is a notable exception for these rules however, the saving of a human life. These categories go all the way back to rabbinic conversations of Torah during the Second Temple Period. In the first century C.E. the Jewish sect from which this rabbinic tradition emerged was known as the Pharisees. While the pharisees get a bad wrap in the Christian Scriptures, they were a legitimate ruling party that was interested in reformation. They believed that the Roman occupation of their lands was punishment from God and a direct result of their lack of righteousness. They critiqued the priestly Sadducees for their openness to Roman cultural influence. They were deeply focused on personal piety and Torah observance for themselves, but also worked to increase that observance among the common people. One of the ways this was accomplished was the establishment of rabbis (teachers) and Synagogues, especially in places like Galilee, further away from Jerusalem where the Sadducees and their Temple had more authority. These Synagogues were centers for the teaching and learning of Torah, especially gathering on Sabbath.
We need to be careful to not allow anti-Jewish sentiment sneak into our interpretations here, it is natural to want to clarify proper observance and gather case-law evidence. The Pharisees where concerned with the righteousness of the people, and what it meant for their continued survival as a people (especially pointing to events like the Exile). Jesus was another teacher (rabbi) who had a different view of sabbath observance. The dialog presented in our text this week was an inter-Jewish discussion on proper Torah observance.
Jesus’ critique of the Pharisaical school of thought was that they were focusing on the wrong thing, strictly defining ‘work,’ rather than the “weightier things.” In both of this week’s stories, Jesus points out the need for human compassion over strict observance of rules.
Grainfield
Jesus and his disciples are walking through a grainfield on the sabbath (perhaps on the way to or from synagogue). Some of the disciples pluck heads of grain, and roll them in their hands to eat them. The pharisees (rightly) point out that this action is not in line with their interpretation of ‘work’ which is prohibited on the sabbath.
Instead of arguing with them about what does or does not constitute work, Jesus points out the story in 1 Samuel 21 where David and his companions ate the holy bread at the Tabernacle. This is a clear-cut transgression of Torah (not just a question of interpretation), only the priests are allowed to eat this bread.
I say (and not Jesus) that David was at this point on the run from Saul, who had recently deemed David an enemy of the state. He and his companions were being pursued by the authorities, and sought sanctuary at the Tabernacle. The priest, Ahimelech, harbored these fugitives, and (committing the sin of empathy) gave them shelter and sustenance. For these priests, human compassion was more important than strict Torah observance.
I will also say that these priests paid for that compassion with their lives. When Saul discovered that they had harbored his enemy, he slaughtered all eighty-five priests, their families, and livestock. Sanctuary is a dangerous practice. However, because of this act of kindness, David would eventually go on to unite all of the Hebrew tribes, establish Jerusalem as the capital city, and bring the Tabernacle to Zion. David’s line would rule in Jerusalem for generations, and in the first Century, the Jewish people were yearning for the anointed ‘Son of David’ to come and rule them.
In this gospel, Jesus ends his story with the stunning pronouncement, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” It is a pronouncement that this messianic figure transcends any sabbath authority.
Synagogue
On another sabbath, as Jesus is at Synagogue, he encounters a man with a withered right hand. His challenge is not life-threatening one, in the strictest sense, though it likely meant that he subsisted on the charity of others.
Again, the pharisees and scribes watch Jesus, knowing that he might heal the man. They seem to have accepted that he can and does heal people, their concern today is that this healing would (technically, according to their interpretation) count as work. Jesus again knows what they are looking for, Jesus invites the man to come forward. Jesus then asks the rhetorical question, “is it lawful to do good or do harm on the sabbath, to save life or destroy it?”
This is an interesting question because it again does not allow the conversation to be framed by the rabbinic focus on Melakha (work), what does or does not count. Jesus’ question goes deeper to the morality of sabbath. By bringing up the saving or destroying of life, he is using their own interpretation against them. Throughout the rabbinic discussion of sabbath observance and the definition of work, there is a clear exception; “When human life is endangered, a Jew is not only allowed, but required, to violate any Sabbath law that stands in the way of saving that person.” While Jesus could have easily healed him the next day, the more challenging and important question is, like the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8, “What is to prevent me?”
Jesus seems to give them a moment to consider the question, and their own reaction. He allows them to stew in their own biases which has told them that observance of Torah is more important than human compassion. This man who has come to the synagogue in search of sanctuary, of healing, of a better life for himself and his family, is being denied it because those with authority has deemed it illegal (let the reader understand).
Finally, Jesus asks the man to stretch out his hand, and it is miraculously healed.
The scribes and pharisees are enraged at his actions, and like those in authority before and after them, they look for a way to punish those who would dare have compassion.