Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath

누가복음(Luke) 6:1-11

1 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. \ 안식일에 예수께서 밀밭 사이로 지나가실쌔 제자들이 이삭을 잘라 손으로 비비어 먹으니
2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
\ 어떤 바리새인들이 말하되 어찌하여 안식일에 하지 못할 일을 하느뇨
3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: \ 예수께서 대답하여 가라사대 다윗이 자기와 및 함께한 자들이 시장할 때에 한 일을 읽지 못하였느냐
4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” \ 그가 하나님의 전에 들어가서 다만 제사장 외에는 먹지 못하는 진설병을 집어 먹고 함께한 자들에게도 주지 아니하였느냐
5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” \ 또 가라사대 인자는 안식일의 주인이니라 하시더라
6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. \ 또 다른 안식일에 예수께서 회당에 들어가사 가르치실쌔 거기 오른손 마른 사람이 있는지라
7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. \ 서기관과 바리새인들이 예수를 송사할 빙거를 찾으려 하여 안식일에 병 고치시는가 엿보니
8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. \ 예수께서 저희 생각을 아시고 손 마른 사람에게 이르시되 일어나 한가운데 서라 하시니 저가 일어나 서거늘
9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” \ 예수께서 저희에게 이르시되 내가 너희에게 묻노니 안식일에 선을 행하는 것과 악을 행하는 것 생명을 구하는 것과 멸하는 것 어느 것이 옳으냐 하시며
10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. \ 무리를 둘러 보시고 그 사람에게 이르시되 네 손을 내밀라 하시니 저가 그리하매 그 손이 회복된지라
11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. \ 저희는 분기가 가득하여 예수를 어떻게 처치할 것을 서로 의논하니라

갈라디아서(Galatians) 3:22
But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. \ 그러나 성경이 모든 것을 죄아래 가두었으니 이는 예수 그리스도를 믿음으로 말미암은 약속을 믿는 자들에게 주려 함이니라

---

Text: Luke 6:1-11

Title: Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath

Last week, we began to see the growing conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes. The Pharisees and scribes based their beliefs on God’s Word. So how could their thinking clash with Jesus’ and lead to such tension?

In the time of Ezekiel, elders sincerely asked him, “Why were we taken into exile in Babylon?” Ezekiel answered them with God’s Word: it was because they failed to live according to His commands. When they finally returned home, they took God’s Word very seriously.

After that, they tried very hard to live by the Scriptures. They put enormous effort into obeying God’s Word, learning from the painful lesson that disobedience had led to their nation’s downfall. However, in their effort to follow God’s Word, they started adding their own detailed rules, much like lawmakers today who create additional regulations based on a foundational law. Over time, these human additions led to rules that were far from God’s intent.

Using Moses’ Law as a foundation, they added countless details, making the law increasingly complex and difficult to follow. As a result, a group of legal experts emerged, gaining power by interpreting and enforcing these complex laws. These elites turned the law into a tool for control, shaping society to their preferences.

The more complicated the law became, the more power its enforcers gained. They could interpret and apply the rules as they saw fit, giving them great influence over the people. The Bible calls this “the traditions of the elders,” often portraying it in a negative light. Jesus even referred to such practices as being influenced by Satan, saying, “Your father is the devil.” The laws about the Sabbath are one such example.

The Sabbath law was meant to govern time. It commanded people to refrain from work on a specific day, not simply as a restriction, but as a way to provide rest. In ancient times, workers and slaves could be forced to labor endlessly. The Sabbath law was God’s compassionate provision to ensure rest and prevent exploitation. God, who rested after creation, set this example for humanity, showing that even the strongest need time to breathe and recover.

The Sabbath was not just for individuals but for the health and sustainability of society as a whole. However, when such laws were ignored in ancient Israel, the people turned to pagan practices, worshiping gods like Baal, the god of fertility and prosperity. This led to the spiritual and physical ruin of both the people and the land, eventually causing their nation to fall.

The Bible teaches that the moral and spiritual condition of people is closely tied to the health of the land. When people’s hearts are desolate, the land suffers. Conversely, when people’s souls flourish, the land becomes fruitful. This connection exists because ecosystems are deeply interconnected, with every part affecting the whole.

Today’s passage focuses on how the Sabbath law became a point of contention. In Luke 6, the Pharisees and scribes used the law to challenge Jesus. Jesus responded by saying, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Yet, they sought evidence to accuse Him, using the law not for its intended purpose, but as a tool to oppose Him.

How do we apply this teaching today? Do we use God’s Word to find fault in others, even when they are doing good? Do we turn Scripture into a weapon to criticize rather than uplift? Satan is skilled at twisting Scripture, and we can fall into his trap if we are not careful. The Pharisees and scribes already harbored resentment toward Jesus. They felt threatened as people began to follow Him instead of them. They had strayed from God’s true purpose.

Luke 6:7 shows that their motive was to find fault with Jesus, hoping to accuse Him. This was not about seeking justice but maintaining their power. It was what they were accustomed to—using the law as a tool to control and condemn others.

Jesus, however, focused on doing good. On the Sabbath, He healed a man with a withered hand. In verse 9, He posed a question: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” The answer was obvious, but their rigid interpretation of the law blinded them to the truth.

Instead of recognizing the good Jesus was doing, they were filled with rage, focused only on defeating Him. Their pride and self-righteousness drove them to oppose the very essence of God’s law—compassion and mercy.

What about us? Do we, like the Pharisees and scribes, use our knowledge of Scripture to judge and condemn others? Do we harbor resentment toward those who challenge our way of thinking? Even those who have been faithful for years can fall into the trap of self-righteousness, using the law to control rather than serve others.

The Pharisees and scribes were respected and influential, akin to judges, lawyers, and scholars today. Yet, their misuse of the law made them blind to the heart of God. The truth of Scripture warns us that we, too, can unknowingly oppose Christ. Even our best intentions can lead us astray if we use God’s Word to judge rather than love.

God’s law was never meant to oppress but to protect. Its foundation is love and mercy, especially for the weak and vulnerable. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, showed this by healing on the Sabbath, prioritizing life and compassion over rigid rules.

Let us reflect on our own hearts. Are we living as though we are the masters, expecting God to follow our will? True faith recognizes that Jesus is Lord, and His ways are higher than ours. May we align ourselves with His heart, living not to condemn but to love, not to control but to serve.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.