Change The Culture

The Pharisees appear to be upset and maybe confused. On the one hand, some of the things that Jesus does and says are characteristics you would expect of someone who comes from God (John 3:2). On the other hand, he doesn’t do the accepted “religious” things, like fasting (as we saw yesterday); and in this passage, he does things which violate their religious rules and regulations (24). The Jewish Law allowed people to eat grain they could collect in their hands from the fields; it was gathering grain on the Sabbath that was the problem (which for the Pharisees constituted work). Once again, Jesus answers the Pharisees’ criticism (25,26) and then goes on to declare the nature of the reign he’s establishing (27). Richard Shaull, the missionary theologian, suggests that these are the most revolutionary words Jesus said, for they challenge the heart of every political system. He believes Jesus is declaring that the function of social structures and institutions is to serve people, and (referring to the passage we read yesterday) if they don’t serve people they need to be changed so that they fulfill their function. I agree with him!