Honoring the Sabbath

January 5, 2014 Background Scripture: Luke 6:1 – 11 Lesson Passage: Luke 6:1 – 11 They were angry because of Jesus. They conspired as to what they might do to harm Jesus. These two statements summarize the last verse of today’s lesson. For Christians, it is considered blasphemous for anyone to be angry enough at Jesus to consider wanting to harm him; yet this is what took place during the events of this lesson. Why would someone want to harm Jesus? According to his accusers, Jesus violated the Sabbath Law—on more than one occasion! On one occasion, he led his disciples through a grain field and they plucked some of the grain from the stalks and ate it. On another occasion, he was teaching in a synagogue and someone with a withered hand was there. Jesus healed the man’s hand. On both occasions, there were religious leaders present who witnessed the incidents. How dare he break the Sabbath Law in the presence of those who believed it was their responsibility to both interpret the Law as well as enforce it? It seems bad enough that he violated the Sabbath Law. But, to add insult to injury, he did it right in their presence which offended them even more. They interpreted Jesus’ actions as totally disrespectful towards them and therefore they needed to avenge themselves. On the other hand, Jesus interpreted his actions during both Sabbath Days but they were not open to receive what he had to say. Jesus’ actions did not violate the spirit of the Law. His accusers were angry because Jesus’ actions were violating their (mis)interpretation of the letter of the Law. Jesus never violated any of the sacred Law which had been passed down through the Jewish generations from Moses. So how do we reconcile Jesus’ actions with the harsh treatment some of the people of Israel received for what appeared to be similar acts under Moses’ leadership? Moses taught Israel to obey the letter of the Law before they understood the spirit of it. Honoring the Sabbath under Moses’ leadership accomplished two things for Israel. First, they remembered that God had given them the Sabbath Day as a sign between Him and them to be remembered throughout their generations. Secondly, the observance taught the former slaves the importance of having a one-day rest every week for the body to rest and be refreshed. Over the years, or down through the generations, Israel continually violated both intentions. During Jesus’ ministry, the recorded actions of the Jewish religious leaders showed hypocrisy and an emphasis on outer appearance and actions rather than on inner spirituality and maturity. Jesus often pointed out the discrepancy between their talk and their walk to them. They had become experts(?) at interpreting the letter of the Law while living in violation of the spirit of it. Jesus’ actions continuously demonstrated the spirit of the Law. Perhaps, this more than anything else kept the religious leaders at odds with Jesus. Even on the Sabbath day, they were angry enough to do him harm. Jesus stated to them that he is Lord of the Sabbath. Therefore, what he chooses to do would always be in honor of the Sabbath. Robert C. Hudson December 30, 2013

Jesus is Presented in the Temple

December 29, 2013 Background Scripture: Luke 2:21 – 40 Lesson Passage: Luke 2:21, 22, 25 – 38 No account of the Gospel narrative gives more details about the events surrounding the birth and early years of Jesus than that written by Luke. In many passages of the Gospel according to Luke, the writer provides a lot of detail that can only be gleaned by carefully interviewing persons involved in the events recorded. Today’s lesson contains three Jewish rituals that took place within the first two months of the birth of Jesus. The first ritual takes place on the eighth day for male babies. The boy is circumcised and given a name on the eighth day. The circumcision makes him a part of the Abrahamic covenant and therefore brings him into right relationship with God. Additionally, it had become a custom in Israel to name the child on the day of circumcision. The second ritual took place on the forty-second day. This ritual was for the religious purification of the mother. Since Mary presented an offering of two turtle doves or two pigeons, then we deduce from Leviticus 12 that Mary was unable to present the preferred offering of a lamb. It is presumed that poverty prevented Mary from offering a lamb rather than the inconvenience of being too far from their home in Nazareth. New mothers were considered ritually unclean until they were religiously purified. Therefore, they were not allowed to touch anything considered holy or to come into the sanctuary. Thus this second ritual delayed the third one. The third ritual was the presentation of the firstborn male child to the Lord. This ritual served as a reminder that God killed all of the firstborn in the land of Egypt except for the Jews who had the blood upon the door posts and lintel of their homes in Goshen. Those who stayed under the blood were spared and therefore God claimed all of Israel’s firstborn to be holy unto Him because he spared them in Egypt. Therefore, every firstborn male had to be presented to God through the priest in the tabernacle (or temple). This was delayed, necessarily, because Mary could not come to the temple until the days of her purification were completed. The third ritual is the central theme of today’s text: Jesus is presented in the temple. He was the firstborn child and a male so it followed that he should be presented to the Lord according to the Law of Moses. The sight of two poor people presenting a son before the Lord at the Temple was nothing strange. Ordinarily, this would have hardly been noticed by anyone except the priest. The Holy Ghost led Simeon into the Temple at the same time and revealed to him that this baby was the promised Messiah or Christ-child of Israel. Simeon took the baby Jesus into his arms and gave thanks unto God for this gift He had given to the world—both Jews and Gentiles. This baby was God’s plan of salvation. Simeon prophesied to Mary concerning Jesus’ ministry and her suffering. There was also an aged prophetess by the name of Anna. As with Simeon, it was revealed to Anna also that this baby was the Redeemer of God’s people. She told others about him although it is not clear if this was done while he was yet in Jerusalem or after the family had left and returned to Nazareth. When Jesus was presented in the temple, the Holy Ghost ensured that his presence did not go unnoticed. Robert C. Hudson December 18, 2013