Hello
John & Doves,
I’d just like to offer a thought on Mark 3:1-6.
In the Book of Makkabees, Chapter 2, Judah Makkabee (“Men who are
as strong as a hammer”), bemoans, to the ruling priests, that the Syro-Greeks
– under Antiochus Epiphanies IV, has an effective tactic of warring only
on the Sabbath (See also 2 Kings Ch 13 for fighting/killing on Shabbat).
The ruling priests made a takkanah/eruv (Rabbinic decree) allowing
for killing on the Sabbath, when no “work” was to be done.
Seen in this light we see Jesus’ statement to the Prushim (Pharisees),
as very challenging: Mark
3
Healing
on the Sabbath
1 “And He entered the synagogue again, and
a man was there who had a withered hand. 2
So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath,
so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said
to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 4
Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good
or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But
they kept silent. 5 And when
He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness
of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched
it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6
Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians
against Him, how they might destroy Him.”.
Yeshua was fully aware of these ‘Takkanah’s’, especially the Makkabean
one. What is really being
said here is something akin to: The Sabbath was made for man, not vice
verse. In the 6 days in which man was allotted to work, he becomes bedeviled,
and bedraggled and injured emotionally and physically. When the word of
God is properly dispensed (by those called to do so), it can completely
restore, even to the point of resurrection. Now isn’t this what you priests
should be doing when you handle the word of God properly. You priests
provided for the killing of people on Shabbat, how much more so is it
proper to heal and even raise the dead on the Shabbat.
I suspect Yeshua could pose the very same question to many today,
shouldn’t we be wielding the power of God, as did the Apostles/Disciples?
And if not, why aren’t we? I’ve
often wondered what I’m (we) are doing wrong. Perhaps
it’s our denominationalism; if say Jesus anointed a Pentecostal, Jehovah
Witness, Catholic, etc. how would we react? Would we praise God for sending
a healer, or would we all run out and join that denomination? Perhaps
it’s our devotion to denominationalism that makes our Lord pause
to anoint “someone” as it might be interpreted as God “endorsing “ that
particular sect. I don’t think our Lord would “endorse” any particular
denomination, but the chosen one would certainly have to moulded by God
to fully endorse Jesus and The Father and all Their ways.
Ba Shem Yeshua Sarenu Shalom TEFE