12:1-14
The Sabbath was the focus of many of the disputes between Jesus and the Pharisees. That the Sabbath was important is beyond doubt, it features in the ten commandments, and figures in several prophetic announcements.However the Pharisees had completely missed the point and had surrounded it with a myriad of regulations. Jesus understood the Law better than they did. The disciples were picking ears of grain from the edge of fields, now this was allowed under the Law, but they were doing this on the Sabbath, which was what offended the Pharisees, or gave them an excuse to get Jesus, or so they thought. So they tell Jesus that His disciples are breaking the Law. Jesus points them to the incident in Samuel when David and his companions ate the consecrated bed. The Pharisees were oblivious to what was really happening, they did not realise that the Messiah was here. Their general approach to the Law was also completely wrong, mercy, not sacrifice, was the pivotal point, and mercy was not the Pharisee’s strong point. Jesus also declares that he was Lord of the Sabbath.
A second incident arises almost immediately. Jesus came across a man with a shrivelled hand, the Pharisees saw another chance to “get” Jesus. But again Jesus points to the Law, it was explicitly stated that a sheep could be rescued on the Sabbath, so it was definitely right to rescue a man, It was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. So Jesus healed the man. The Pharisees responded in typical manner by plotting to kill Jesus.
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