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Luke

Luke 
Day 
Day 182

Luke 14 : 1-6 (cf Luke 6:1-10 ; 13:10-17) "THE FOURTH BATTLE OVER THE SABBATH ISSUE"

Day 182 – Luke 14

Text: Luke 14 : 1-6 (cf Luke 6:1-10 ; 13:10-17)

THE FOURTH BATTLE OVER THE SABBATH ISSUE

Once again, Jesus was invited to the home of a Pharisee for a meal. Once again, they watched what He would do, should a sick person should come to Him for healing on the Sabbath.

This was not a new issue. The scenario was similar, except that it was played in a different home situation. The Pharisees watched Jesus closely, as a man who suffered from dropsy came to Him.

It was obvious what the man desired from Jesus. It was also obvious what the Pharisees were looking out for. Here was another classic opportunity to try and lay blame on Jesus!

The Pharisees had failed on three previous occasions. However, they were not deterred. They would keep trying. Would Jesus heal this man – on the Sabbath?

“IS IT LAWFUL TO HEAL ON THE SABBATH?”

In the past, the Pharisees had demanded of Jesus why He healed on the Sabbath.

1. There was a man who had a withered hand who was healed (Luke 6:6-11). This incident enraged the Pharisees (Luke 6:11).

2. On another occasion, Jesus healed a woman whom He described as having been bound by Satan for eighteen years (Luke 13:10-17).

3. On this occasion, there was a man who suffered from dropsy. Of course Jesus healed the poor man. However, before He did, He raised a question to his detractors,

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
Luke 14:3

The Pharisees had always been the ones asking the questions. Jesus turned the tables on them this time round. He posed this question to them first! They were put on the spot!

If they answered in the negative, then their popularity with the people would fall to an even lower level. If they answered in the positive, then they could not find fault with Jesus on the Sabbath issue ever again!

After all this while, the Pharisees had no answer to give to Jesus. He had asked a similar question in the past. He had received no answer from them. We must imagine that they would have discussed among themselves how to answer Jesus, but they figured that they could not come up with an answer that was totally defensible. They chose silence instead (Luke 14:4).

Since there were no objections from the Pharisees, Jesus went on to heal the man ON THE SABBATH! The silence of the Pharisees was telling. They could not say that it was wrong to heal on the Sabbath! To come up with such an answer would be disastrous! The Pharisees realized that Jesus was really more than their match, at every turn. They just could not get the better of Him, no matter how hard they tried!

CONCERN FOR DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Once again, Jesus used an illustration of domestic animals to back up His argument. Let us consider what Jesus said,

“Which of you, having a donkey or an ox
that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately
pull him out ON THE SABBATH DAY?”
Luke 14:5

The answer to this rhetorical question was obvious! All of them would not think twice about rescuing their domestic animal from disaster on any day, even if it were the Sabbath Day! It was common practice to do that. It would be “common sense” to rescue a domestic animal that has fallen into a pit. That domestic animal had economic value!

The logic of Jesus’ argument was inescapable, and could not be gainsaid! If people could rescue an animal, on the Sabbath day, why could He not heal on the Sabbath? Surely a human being is worth much more than an animal!

“AND THEY COULD NOT ANSWER HIM REGARDING THESE THINGS” Luke 14:6

The Pharisees knew that they could not defeat Jesus’ argument! They must have by now realized that their theology on the Sabbath was far more flawed than they would admit. This was now the fourth time that the Sabbath issue had been brought up to the forefront. On all four occasions, they had failed to fault Jesus. They merely resented Him. It is amazing that they did not consider abandoning their faulty logic, and their weak theology! All they could do was to fret and fume in silence, hoping that Jesus would slip on one day!

A MASTER-TEACHER INDEED

Jesus did not want to argue the Sabbath issue with the Pharisees. He had already expounded His theological position on the Sabbath issue on previous occasions. All He needed to do was to raise up the points that the Pharisees could not counter, no matter how hard they tried!

Jesus’ comprehension of the Scriptures on the Sabbath issue and on all other matters had proven to be superb and faultless! It was the onus of the Pharisees to prove Jesus wrong in His exposition of the Scripture. If they could not fault Him, then they were in fact conceding the fact that Jesus was essentially correct in His teachings!

What a great Master-Teacher Jesus was! The Pharisees had never come across such a Teacher of the Law. None of their scholars could hold a candle to Jesus! They may have devoted their whole life to the studying of their Pharisaical teachings, but none could defeat Jesus in His exposition of the Scriptures!

How we must appreciate our precious Saviour. How we must pay close attention to what He taught. His teachings are flawless. We would do well to pay close heed to all He taught if we wish to know the Word of truth!

How important it is for us never to take His teachings for granted. Let us pray for a greater sense of appreciation of our precious Saviour and His teachings.