The right move

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

THE RIGHT MOVE

Matt 12:1-8

12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." 3 He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread — which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." 

NIV

We could spend time exploring why it was even necessary for his disciples to pluck some of the grain in the field they were walking through, but would that give us a life lesson? Because it was on the Sabbath perhaps it would. As the narrative continues it would seem this would be unlawful to do. The Pharisees were all about the law, at least on the outside where others could see. Jesus defends the actions of his disciples with several examples the Pharisees would be more than familiar with. David, who the Jews held in high esteem, a man after God’s own heart, ate the showbread in the temple, because he was hungry. This gives us a clue to why the disciples ate the grain. It was not as an appetizer before their evening meal, but rather they may well have been short of provision due to being on the move so much following Jesus, they were hungry. Jesus also gives them information about how the priests desecrate the temple on the Sabbath. What this might refer to is that when a male child reaches eight days old and it occurs on the Sabbath, the priests do work on the Sabbath in the temple by preforming the circumcision. They are following the law, by breaking the law. They are guilty by the law, yet innocent. Then he quotes to them from the Prophet Hosea.

Hos 6:6

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

NIV

This is the main point, the reason Jesus went through those examples to prove this point. The Pharisees were all about the sacrifice but had not an ounce of mercy in their hearts. If they knew of the hunger of the disciples, having followed after them, knowing the lack of food, or provisions, knowing they had no time to eat, mercy would have dictated the Pharisees provide them with a meal. But instead of mercy they were all concerned about the law, about the sacrifice.  This serves us well as a life lesson. We could get just as distracted as the Pharisees by trying to be a good Christian, doing all the right moves. Attending church, even going to an adult Sunday school class. We could bring our tithe to church regularly, in either our numbered envelope or by check so we get credit both by the counters and recorded of giving, as well as by the IRS. We could be on some committee or we should say ministry, serving sacrificially, giving of our time that we might need elsewhere. We could do all sorts of things that would come under the law. We could have our list of the things we should not do, such as drinking, smoking, dancing, going to bars, roller rinks, movies, or associate with people who do. Some would even go as far to say woman should not wear slacks, or cut the hair, but must cover it. The list of various rules and regulations, the law, goes on and on depending on which denomination we fellowship with. But if we do no exhibit mercy, all that law abiding is in vain.  So what does it mean to have mercy? If we go to the Hebrew word in Hosea, which Jesus quoted from, this word means kindness especially toward God. The Greek word in the New Testament means the compassion (human or divine) especially active. Either way, it denotes a doing, it is not passive. We cannot just think about mercy, we need to demonstrate it. Do we consider the Hebrew concept which Jesus quoted, or the word Matthew wrote and was translated into Greek, then ultimately into English? This would make a huge difference. If we considered the Hebrew, our mercy would mean being kind to God. That certainly would speak to how the Pharisees acted in opposition to mercy. They were not kind to God, but to themselves. Their religion was all about them, their obedience to their own interpretation of the law. They did not actually serve the Lord, but rather the Law. Having known the Prophets they should have known Jesus was the Messiah, but instead of being kind toward him, showing him mercy, they were plotting how they might get him killed.  If we consider the Greek rendition then our mercy could be either toward God or man. The lesson for us is that in our being a Christian are we more concerned about the rules of religion then actually being kind toward God, loving him with all our heart. Are we more concerned about our lists, our rules and regulations, even our faithfulness to programs or ministries, then showing actual mercy, compassion from our heart toward people in need? This could imply material, and that seems to be the most active type, but people are in spiritual need as well. Mercy toward them could be in the form of a hug, kindness, praying, not for them, but with them, not condemning their lifestyle, but demonstrating the love of God toward them. The Pharisees did what they thought were all the right moves, but lacked any compassion for the sinner.  We certainly should not forgo the right moves, but that which is the rightest move is showing mercy toward God and this would then comply with the rest of Hosea in that by being kind to God, we acknowledge him, who he is, rather then just doing the acts of Christianity. That would be the right move.