The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Mark:2:23-3:6

kjv@Mark:2:23 @ And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

kjv@Mark:2:24 @ And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

kjv@Mark:2:25 @ And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

kjv@Mark:2:26 @ How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

kjv@Mark:2:27 @ And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

kjv@Mark:2:28 @ Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

kjv@Mark:3:1 @ And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

kjv@Mark:3:2 @ And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

kjv@Mark:3:3 @ And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

kjv@Mark:3:4 @ And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

kjv@Mark:3:5 @ And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

kjv@Mark:3:6 @ And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

Today's notes:

Context:

Before - Fasting, new cloth, new wine
After - Lest they should throng Him

Key Concepts:

slidy:Sabbath

What is God's righteousness observed doing?:

Righteousness is moving forward even on the Sabbath, it's disciples along with it. It is determined to even challenge if need be the lesser interpretation of itself other men hold.
Proceeding to heal, knowing the accusation of men and their bend toward wanting to destroy it, knowing that it is the right thing in the spirit of the law to do.
Being angered at the hardness of hearts.

What does this tell us about God's righteousness?:

Righteousness supersedes observance such as Sabbath. It was righteousness that initiated the Sabbath for man not man that initiated the Sabbath for righteousness. In general the observance of Sabbath is always righteous when the situation allows for it (which is almost always). However, when righteousness (God's expressed righteousness) calls for something other, as it did with Jesus on the ground/short time left/proclamation of the gospel moving forward/leaving nothing undone until tomorrow, then the Son of God and His disciples obediently following Him have the right to perform a specific righteousness above the overall righteousness of Sabbath on this day of rest.
Righteousness does not ever rest; the soul of man can take rest in that. It does not rest just because we are told to rest. It does not put off to tomorrow knowing that the opportunity may not be presented again tomorrow. It is something different than the daily affairs that we burden ourselves with and reasonably could plan ourselves around to become observant to in devoted measure.

How is man reacting?:

holding their peace, privately seeking to destroy Jesus.

Notes:

We are witness to an incredible contrast being drawn here. A righteousness that compels otherwise intelligent men to destroy another in the name of God. A righteousness that compels one in the name of God to come to the rescue of another despite the consequence to his own righteousness (as estimated by others). Which righteousness do you suppose God's righteousness more closely to be? Answer this and you've answered the question "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?".

The question then becomes "is it lawful to intend/do evil upon one who does good on any day"?

The law of Sabbath has always been peppered by the question of what constitutes "work". The common tradition holds absolutely everything regardless. The interpretation perhaps being suggested is everything that can either be planned for or put off another day. Better stated everything that you have chosen to do minus the essential thing the Lord is telling you to do. Most every Sabbath no doubt the Lord is telling us to observe the Sabbath. Occasionally (frequently if you are the Lord Jesus) there is an immediate pressing righteousness above strict obedience to traditional interpretation

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

Hardness of heart is often the result of legalism when the legalism is detached from the person and purpose of God. When one is so wrapped up in what is lawful and what is not they often fail to see what is intended.
When one is convinced that what another is doing is unlawful, especially another who is presenting himself to be more holy than you, there seems to be then justification to lawfully do that which is otherwise unlawful. These men have it on their mind that it is their duty to protect all others from this lawless one even though few Pharisee/Herodian has been given the scriptural position to do so.

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Mark:2:23-3:6
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Mark:2:23-3:6 rwp@Mark:2:23-3:6 mhcc@Mark:2:23-3:6
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

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