p. 14 | SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 10, 1904

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

LESSON 8.—FEBRUARY 21.—JESUS AND THE SABBATH.

Lesson Scripture, Matt. 12:1-13, A. R. V.

(1) "At that season Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields; and His disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears and to eat. (2) But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto Him, Behold, Thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath. (3) But He said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him; (4) how he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests? (5) Or have ye not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless? (6) But I say unto you, that One greater than the temple is here. (7) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. (8) For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. (9) "And He departed thence, and went into their synagogue: (10) and behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? that they might accuse Him. (11) And He said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? (12) How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day. (13) Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other." Golden Text.—"It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day." Verse 12.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) Through what did Jesus and His disciples pass on a certain Sabbath? In what condition were the disciples? What did they do to satisfy their hunger? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) Who raised a complaint about this action? What was the complaint? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) In replying to this charge, to what circumstance did Jesus refer? Verse 3. (4) What had David and his men done? Verse 4. Note 3. (5) To what other example did Jesus call attention? Verse 5. Note 4. (6) Then what emphatic announcement did He make? Verse 6. Note 5. (7) Of what did Jesus imply that His accusers were ignorant? From what would a knowledge of this scripture have saved them? Verse 7. (8) What did Jesus say of His own relation to the Sabbath? Verse 8. Note 6. (9) Where then did He go? Verse 9. (10) To whom was His attention called in the audience? What question was asked Him? For what purpose was this question asked? Verse 10. Note 7. (11) With what pointed question did Jesus reply? Verse 11. (12) How did He emphasize this question? Then what comprehensive truth did He utter? Verse 12. Note 8. (13) After thus making plain His doctrine, what did Jesus say to the crippled man? And what was the result? Verse 13. Note 9.

NOTES.

1. "Corn" (in the Common Version), as understood in America, was not raised in Palestine. It was a wheat or barley field through which Jesus and His disciples were passing on their way to the synagog. They plucked the heads of grain (called "ears" in the text) and rubbed out the kernels in their hands. Luke 6:1. 2. "Not lawful." They meant that it was contrary to rabbinical law, which allowed no eating on the Sabbath prior to the morning service in the synagog, except in case of sickness. It is also said that the act of rubbing out the grain in the hands was technically reckoned as threshing, and therefore a secular work. This is a specimen of the trivial character of most of the traditions of the rabbis, by which the law of God was set aside. Mark 7:9. 3. The law of necessity and mercy is plainly set forth by the Saviour of men. See Ps. 103:17; 130:7; Prov. 21:21; Micah 6:8; Matt. 9:13. The account of David's trespass is found in 1 Sam. 21:1-6. The showbread, twelve loaves, was kept on the table in the first apartment of the sanctuary, and changed every Sabbath day (1 Chron. 9:32), after which the old supply was used by the priests (Lev. 24:5-9). David and his men came to the sanctuary at Nob on the Sabbath (for the fresh bread had been sanctified that day). See 1 Sam. 21:5, margin. He was given the bread of the priests, which was technically unlawful, and King Saul put to death eighty-five priests because of the act of Ahimelech; but Jesus did not condemn the deed, because David and his men were suffering from hunger. The precedence that Christ gave to mercy is also shown in John 7:22, 23. 4. The priests technically profaned the Sabbath by doing an extra amount of labor on that day, their offerings in behalf of the people being double those of other days. Num. 28:9. Yet Jesus says they were guiltless. 5. The One "greater than the temple" was Jesus Himself. He had a right to construe the meaning of the temple service, and to vary the letter to fit the purpose to any circumstance as He thought best. 6. The Sabbath was an institution of Christ's own creation (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17; Gen. 2:2, 3); therefore He was Lord of it, and shall He not do as He pleases with His own? (Matt. 20:15). 7. "To accuse Him."—There was a determination on the part of the Pharisees to bring some accusation that would serve to condemn Jesus, and, seeing that He was disposed to disregard their traditional Sabbath regulations, their opportunity seemed to lie along this line, and they sought to make the most of it. 8. In verses 11 and 12 Jesus appeals to one interpretation of the Sabbath law which the rabbis themselves allowed, and then turned it against their criticism of Him for healing an unfortunate man. No one would assume to deny that a man was better than a sheep. Then He added an universal principle, which no one could gainsay, namely, that "it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day." 9. The healing of the withered hand was really an act of creation, but it was done with a word, as was the creation of all things in the beginning. As Christ performed no manual labor, there was no pretext for a criminal charge.