The Letter v. The Spirit of the Law

Luke 6:1-11

The ways of Jesus were a direct threat to teachings and authority of the Pharisees and other religious leaders. The disciples did not follow all of the Jewish laws from the Old Testament and at times Jesus seems to specifically break the laws in order to make a point. The sabbath was central to self-understanding of the Jewish community and there were specific rules of what could not be done in order to honor God's day of rest. But the sabbath was made to liberate humanity from the incessant demands of laboring for Pharaoh or other oppressors. The sabbath was not designed to be another rule to follow but to open up a way of faithful living.

When Jesus and the disciples pick grain on the sabbath they are technically violating the letter of the law which prohibits work on that day. Jesus makes the point that these rules were designed to give people a day off, not to keep hungry people from being able to eat. Then, when Jesus heals the man with the withered hand on the sabbath he is technically breaking the sabbath laws. Jesus knew the Pharisees were watching but he wanted to make a larger point:

 "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?"

Luke 6:9

When the sabbath laws were first enacted they were seen as a liberating gift for the people of God. Sabbath allows busy people to rest and rejuvenate, to reconnect to God and to trust in God's provisions for life. Over time however, sabbath laws, like all rules and regulations, move from being a means to an end, to an end in themselves. Following the sabbath laws, and militantly making sure everyone else does too, becomes the goal, rather than taking time for regular rest. The letter of the law trumps the spirit of the law. Jesus pushes back against this kind of thinking and challenges us all to think deeply about the spirit of the law not just the letter.

Jesus wants our hearts, not simply that we do what we are told. There are times when following the established rules no longer produces the intended effect or actually prohibits being faithful. Ultimately, the goal of faithful living is to love God and love neighbor. Sometimes following the rules helps us do neither.