Day 11: Mark 2:23-28

Read Mark 2:23-28

Helpful Background Information: 

• In Mark 2:23-28, Jesus and the disciples were traveling and picking grain on the Sabbath. However, the Pharisees saw this as a violation of the Sabbath commands of the Old Testament. 

• In the Ten Commandments, the sabbath command is the longest of the ten. It was meant to be a special sign between Israel and God, and the Jews were to abstain from their work since God himself rested on the seventh day of creation. However, this commandment in the Old Testament is not precise in its details, so the Pharisees built an elaborate wall of rules and traditions around the Sabbath to ensure they would not break this commandment. While this may have been well-intentioned, it made the sabbath a tiring burden and encouraged a false belief that we are accepted by God based on how well we keep the rules. 

• Jesus responds to the Pharisees by pointing out how much their rules violated the whole purpose of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was not meant to enslave God’s people into strict inactivity, but was meant to benefit them: to rest and focus on worshiping and remembering the Lord. 

Reflection Questions: 

• Jesus calls himself “Lord of the Sabbath.” What does that title reveal about his authority, and who he is? 

• In what ways did the Pharisees’ legalism distort God's original purpose for the Sabbath? How can focusing on Jesus bring freedom instead of restriction?

• What do you think it means that “the Sabbath was made for man”? How does this reshape your view of rest and worship?