12:1 那時,耶穌在安息日從麥地經過。他的門徒餓了,就掐起麥穗來吃。
12:2 法利賽人看見,就對耶穌說:「看哪,你的門徒做安息日不可做的事了!」
12:3 耶穌對他們說:「經上記著大衛和跟從他的人飢餓之時所做的事,你們沒有念過嗎?
12:4 他怎麼進了上帝的殿,吃了陳設餅,這餅不是他和跟從他的人可以吃得,惟獨祭司才可以吃。
12:5 再者,律法上所記的,當安息日,祭司在殿裡犯了安息日還是沒有罪,你們沒有念過嗎?
12:6 但我告訴你們,在這裡有一人比殿更大。
12:7 『我喜愛憐恤,不喜愛祭祀。』你們若明白這話的意思,就不將無罪的當作有罪的了。
12:8 因為人子是安息日的主。」
12:9 耶穌離開那地方,進了一個會堂。
12:10 那裡有一個人枯乾了一隻手。有人問耶穌說:「安息日治病可以不可以?」意思是要控告他。
12:11 耶穌說:「你們中間誰有一隻羊,當安息日掉在坑裡,不把牠抓住,拉上來呢?
12:12 人比羊何等貴重呢!所以,在安息日做善事是可以的。」
12:13 於是對那人說:「伸出手來!」他把手一伸,手就復了原,和那隻手一樣。
12:14 法利賽人出去,商議怎樣可以除滅耶穌。
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 the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
*************
上帝設立安息日是要人休息享受上帝同在的生活,平常做工的辛苦,也透過一天的安息,讓身心重新得力,好繼續另一周的努力。也因此有一句話說:「休息是為了走更長的路!」
摩西之所以強制規定,是因為人沒有遵守上帝設立安息的法則,所以才用強制的手段。正如《民數記》15章32-36節所記載:一個人在安息日撿柴,是耶和華上帝吩咐摩西說:「總要把那人治死;全會眾要在營外用石頭把他打死。」
然而耶穌的門徒,只是為了肚子餓就掐起麥穗來吃。就遭法利賽人指責:「看哪,你的門徒做安息日不可做的事了!」
而主耶穌就透過大衛吃陳設餅的事件,來說明上帝的律法不是僵化規條,而是可以調整的!而主耶穌也在這裡展現自己是「安息日的主」,主權在上帝而不是法利賽人,而上帝的本性是:『我喜愛憐恤,不喜愛祭祀。』正如《彌迦書》6章6-8節和《何西阿書》6章6節,都說到這一點!
而這些法利賽人更是不死心,無所不用其極就是要抓主耶穌的把柄,一點愛心都沒有,還利用手枯乾的人!但是主耶穌不受影響,仍然堅持『我喜愛憐恤,不喜愛祭祀。』
而主耶穌這樣的榜樣,是要我們知道:我們不是滿足人的自義和守僵化的教條,而是要如《彌迦書》6章6-8節所說:「行公義,好憐憫,存謙卑的心,與上帝同行。」
我們要看重上帝的憐恤的心,勝過靠道德律或教條而得的義!如此才不會為了正義失去憐憫的心,如這一群自義的法利賽人,和生命的主衝突了還不自知,於是與救恩無份了!