Sunday School Lesson
January 2
Lesson 5 (KJV)
Justice, Vengeance, and Mercy
Devotional Reading: Genesis 4:1–13
Background Scripture: Genesis 4
Genesis 4:1–15
1. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
2. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
10. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Key Text
[The Lord] said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.—Genesis 4:10
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Describe Cain’s troubled relationships.
2. Explain the implications of Cain’s action in light of Hebrews 11:4 and 1 John 3:12.
3. Commit to true repentance of his or her sins.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Leviticus | Leh-vit-ih-kus. |
| Moses | Mo-zes or Mo-zez. |
| primeval | pry-mee-vuhl. |
| Terah | Tair-uh. |
Introduction
A. Acing Sisterhood
The Williams sisters know tennis. Together Serena and Venus have dominated the women’s field, winning 14 Grand Slam doubles titles. They both excel in singles competition as well, although the younger sister has been the brighter star. As of this writing, Serena has won a staggering 73 singles titles while Venus has 49 of her own.
Serena’s relatively greater successes could have made Venus bitter. The 19–12 record of Serena’s wins against Venus in head to head matches could have soured their relationship. Instead, the competition seems to fuel their continued excellence. Both sisters understand the struggles of performing at the highest level of their sport. Instead of giving in to jealousy over their relative successes, the sisters demonstrate their love by cheering each other on, always hoping for the other’s success.
What an example of sibling love! But we know that many siblings do not take joy in the other’s accomplishments. Our text today does not explore a relationship like Serena and Venus have; it sadly shows us what happens when evil takes root in a brother’s heart.
B. Lesson Context
The first part of the book of Genesis is general history (also called primeval history). As Moses introduced new people or nations throughout this section, the emphasis very quickly moved to the person or entity that he intended to feature at that point. For example, the accounts of the first sin and the first murder are set forth in Genesis 3 and 4 (see below), but the goal is to get to another son of Adam and Eve—namely, Seth. Notice the focus on him in Genesis 5:1–4. In Genesis 5:6–26, we see repeatedly that a certain descendant “begat sons and daughters,” but the only one mentioned by name in each case is the one leading to Noah and the flood. This trend continues until the account finally reaches Abram and stays focused on his family (see lesson 6).
Today’s passage comes early in the general history as it focuses on the first human family. The account begins immediately after the fall (Genesis 3). It is worth naming four consequences of sin already in the world at this stage. Two are listed in Genesis 3:16: (1) the woman will experience pain in childbirth, and (2) her desire will be for her husband and he will rule over her. Most scholars agree that the woman’s anticipated “desire” for her husband and his expected “rule” over her are not ideal, but are fallen in nature. This interpretation is grounded in part on the observation that the same words for “desire” and “rule” occur in Genesis 4:7 to describe Cain’s conflicted relationship with sin (see below).
Relevant consequence (3) is that God had cursed the ground on account of sin (Genesis 3:17). This means that humans have to work the ground with hard labor. Food was no longer easy to come by. Noteworthy consequence (4) is that God barred Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden so they could no longer partake of the tree of life (3:23–24). Without such access, they eventually died.
I. Sibling Rivalry
(Genesis 4:1–7)
A. Eve’s Sons (vv. 1–2)
1a. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain.
The conception and birth of the first human offspring follow what people through the generations have known as the ordinary course of events. Unlike Adam and Eve, Cain was a child born through ordinary human sexual reproduction.
1b. And said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
Cain’s name is a play on words. First, it has some of the same Hebrew consonants as the word Eve used to describe how she had gotten a man. Second, Eve specified that the Lord helped her beget her first son. She did not mention Adam. Alone, this observation has ambiguous meaning, but combined with the third and most remarkable insight, we get a clearer picture of her meaning.
Referring to a newborn baby as a man is unique to Eve’s experience with Cain. The same Hebrew word is translated “husband” and was used when God told Eve that she would desire Adam and he would rule over her (Genesis 3:16). In the ancient world, naming infers the authority of the name giver. Adam’s rule over her was demonstrated immediately when he named her Eve (3:20; compare 2:19; 17:5, 15; 41:45; Daniel 1:7).
But God also acknowledged that the woman would have desire for her man. This likely means in part that she would want the power she experienced her husband exercising over her. Thus in taking the initiative to name their son, in stating that she has named a “man,” and in emphasizing her direct relationship to God in this process, Eve may be asserting her own authority in response to the authority that Adam exercised when he named her.
2a. And she again bare his brother Abel.
There is no fanfare in learning Abel’s name. Nor is its meaning very grand, given that the Hebrew word can refer to something that is vain (examples: Job 9:29; Psalm 39:6), something of little substance that disperses quickly into the air (see Hosea 6:4; 13:3; compare James 4:14). The name Abel proves to be tragically apt for Eve’s second son (see Genesis 4:8, below).
2b. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
We should not draw too fine a distinction between Abel and Cain in their work. Though the former specialized in keeping sheep and the latter on working the ground, modern subsistence-level farming (and agriculture throughout the ages) suggests that they were working together to keep the ground productive and the animals healthy. It should be noted that God had cursed the ground because of sin (see Lesson Context).
Even so, a distinction certainly was made between shepherds and farmers in the ancient Near East. For instance, the Egyptians looked down on the Hebrews for being shepherds, a profession they disdained (Genesis 46:34). But that was several centuries later; it’s hard to tell for sure what distinction was really made between Cain’s and Abel’s work.
B. The Sons’ Offerings (vv. 3–5a)
3–4a. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.
Perhaps Adam taught Cain to offer a portion of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Nowhere are we told that God explicitly asked this of the first family. But even before being codified into Israel’s laws (example: Leviticus 2), righteous men offered gifts to God (example: Genesis 8:20–21). Abel apparently followed either his father’s or his older brother’s lead.
4b–5a. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.
God’s accepting Abel’s offering and not Cain’s has led to all sorts of speculation. Most propose that Cain didn’t actually do anything wrong. Some have theorized that God preferred shepherds to farmers, in contrast to the Egyptians who despised shepherds (see Genesis 46:34). A related explanation is that God had less regard for Cain’s offering because it reminded Him of the cursed soil. Cain had to wrestle with the cursed soil to get it to produce food, whereas a shepherd like Abel had to care for his flock. In short, the theory is that God preferred the offering of Abel because of what it signified in that time and place.
Instead, we understand that Abel brought the best of his flock as later required in Israel’s laws (the firstborn and fat portions; see Leviticus 3; Deuteronomy 12:5–7), and Cain did not (Hebrews 11:4). This is an early introduction to a series of events in which God preferred a younger son to the firstborn in the face of cultural convention (example: Genesis 21:12; see lesson 6). While God had reason other than Abel’s birth order to prefer the man’s sacrifice, this account does pave the way for this theme to be pursued throughout the book.
C. God’s Warning (vv. 5b–7)
5b–6. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
It is little wonder Cain felt snubbed. God recognized this and initiated a conversation with him by asking questions. This echoes His approach to Adam and Eve after they sinned (Genesis 3:9, 11, 13). God was not ignorant of their deeds and thoughts. Like a good teacher, He drew them out of their negative inner monologue.
| What Do You Think? How can you learn to identify the first seedlings of sin during painful times? Digging Deeper Will your answer depend on whether the pain is your own fault? Why, or why not? |
This tactful approach from the powerful Creator emphasizes God’s loving desire for relationship. Though He was not pleased with Cain’s sacrifice, God still actively sought out a relationship with the man. From the very beginning, then, we see the Lord seeking to save the lost (see Luke 19:10).
| What Do You Think? In what ways can you be more alert for the voice of God? Digging Deeper What might you gain in doing so? What traps are there to avoid? |
Cain Is Crying
A brief internet search of “why my kid is crying” can reveal all sorts of hilarious causes for a meltdown. Sometimes a toddler’s favorite cup is in the dishwasher, unavailable right now for a drink. Or Dad’s shoes don’t fit her. Or he can’t achieve the physical impossibility of picking up a book he is sitting on or riding a bus that is on a television show. The reasons are as varied as the children themselves.
And while children can cry about all sorts of silly things, sometimes they are in a tizzy because their parents won’t let them do something dangerous. His mom won’t let him eat garbage or drink out of a bottle he found on the road. Her mom won’t let her run into the road.
In a childlike tantrum, Cain was too self-centered to see God’s intervention as mercy. When God reaches out to correct you, what do you have in common with Cain … and the children?
—J. K.
7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
God’s question here implies what the writer of Hebrews asserted: that Cain was not accepted because he did not do well (11:4; see Genesis 4b–5a, above). Failure to do what one knows to be right opens the door to sin. God’s warning contains a heartbreaking echo of the antagonistic relationship between Adam and Eve that was a consequence of their disobedience (3:16; see Lesson Context and 4:1b, above).
This is God’s first instruction about sin, and it rings as true for us today. Ruling over sin isn’t a matter of obsessing about it; it is about busying ourselves with doing the right thing. The first step to inviting sin into our lives is to neglect doing what we ought to be doing. It is the vacuum created by inactivity in righteousness that sucks wickedness into our lives.
| What Do You Think? What are some ways to resist Satan’s pull against the Lord’s correction? Digging Deeper What texts of Scripture can help you most in that regard? Why? |
II. Divine Mercy
(Genesis 4:8–15)
A. Fratricide (v. 8)
8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Rather than heed God’s warning, Cain committed the first murder, probably even the first premeditated murder. Cain did not slay Abel at home, but instead led him into the field. It’s unclear why this place was better to kill his brother than another. Maybe this was where Abel raised his sheep, or where Cain raised his own crops. Or maybe he meant to hide the evidence of his sin against his brother, burying him where he was struck or making the murder look like a workplace accident.
Cain is an example of the extreme opposite of what a Christian ought to be. His problem was that he “was of that wicked one,” the devil (1 John 3:12). As a result, he did wrong instead of right. But instead of repenting, Cain went wild with jealousy.
So I am warned. If I feel inclined to hate a fellow Christian, is it possibly because he or she is more righteous than I am? Should I be cleaning up my own way of living instead of envying someone whose godly living wins for him or her some honor that is denied to me?
B. Consequences (vv. 9–12)
9a. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not.
The Lord again confronted Cain with a question (see Genesis 4:5b–6, above). Cain’s lie indicated that he thought he could play dumb and God would be none the wiser. This lack of both respect and holy fear was reflected in Cain’s inferior sacrifice (see 4:4b–5a, above).
9b. Am I my brother’s keeper?
Here is another play on words. Abel was earlier introduced as a “keeper” of flocks (Genesis 4:2, above). In essence Cain asked God, “Am I the keeper of the keeper?”
| What Do You Think? Where will you draw the line between being your “brother’s keeper” and not? Digging Deeper How do Acts 18:5–6 and James 5:20 help you answer that question? |
Way to Grow!
“Straighten up!” Mom would often snap, but only on New Year’s Day would we obey. That’s when Mom would open the door to the utility room and back us up against it. With our heels against the door and our chins up, we would each stretch to optimum height. A line was drawn that indicated our growth for the past year, marked with our initials and the date. Then Mom would say, “My! How you have grown!”
But Cain remained defiant. As we enter 2022, “How’s it growing?” might not be a slip of the tongue. Ask yourself: Have I accepted the discipline of the Lord? Am I growing in knowledge of my God? If the answer to these questions is yes, it wouldn’t be a slip of the tongue to exclaim, “Way to grow!”
—C. T.
10. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
This time the Lord’s question is rhetorical. There’s no need for Cain to say anything, because Abel’s blood was crying out loudly. God will later declare the shedding of innocent blood to be a pollution on the land (Numbers 35:33).
11. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.
Genesis 3–9 emphasizes that the estrangement between humans and God resulted not only in consequences for people but also for nonhuman creation (examples: Genesis 3:14–15, 17–19; 6:11–21). This being the case, we ought to be careful not to reduce God’s concern just to people. Though we are made in His image and occupy a special position in His creation (1:27–28), God is not solely concerned with the consequences of sin on humans. He still cares for His creation (examples: Jonah 4:11; Matthew 10:29). For this reason, salvation is an all-out, multidimensional solution to the global sin catastrophe (see Romans 8:18–23).
12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
If Cain could not be trusted with his brother’s life, he could not be trusted with God’s land. The land itself would resist all of Cain’s efforts to wrest sustenance from it (compare Deuteronomy 28:15–24). And Cain could not simply run away from this problem. He could not find greener pastures elsewhere and resume his farming profession. No piece of land anywhere would cooperate with the first person who defiled the soil with human blood. He was therefore consigned to a life of roaming without a homeland.
C. Limiting Consequences (vv. 13–15)
13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
The word translated punishment here has three senses, any one of which could be appropriate in this context: (1) It can refer to the wicked deed Cain committed. While in English we would think of punishment as a consequence of a misdeed, this sense implies that the action has natural consequences of its own that will now play out. (2) The word could refer to the guilt Cain bore or felt because of what he did. And finally, (3) it could refer to the sentence that he has received, the most natural English understanding. This final sense is preferable because Cain did not ask for forgiveness or mercy.
14a. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid.
When Cain’s parents were forced out of the garden, God’s presence remained with them, even though they might have believed that God would abandon them. His faithfulness to them was evident in providing clothing (Genesis 3:21), helping Eve in childbirth, and continuing conversations with Cain.
But Cain connected his wandering status with separation from God’s presence. Did he understand that sin creates a rift between people and God (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 4:18)? Or did he believe that God’s geographic reach was limited to his parents’ home? Perhaps Cain viewed his connection with the soil as his primary contact point with God. He would meet God each day as he worked in God’s good creation.
In any case, the murderer believed he was being sent outside of God’s care. The Lord would not be his keeper (see Genesis 4:9b, above; contrast Psalm 23).
14b. And I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Cain’s concern regarded his own family’s desire for vengeance for Abel. He was convinced that his guilt would be known in any case and that, while God did not kill him outright now, He was effectively sentencing Cain to death.
15. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Quite in character, God responded with mercy. He recognized the truth in Cain’s concern. People are inclined toward evil from birth (Genesis 8:21), and the desire for revenge is often a powerful motivator to act with evil, violent intent. Vengeful people do not trust God or leave vengeance to Him; they take it upon themselves to repay evil. They organize mob actions against the Cains of this world. They authorize and deputize someone who is willing to do whatever necessary to rid the world of any and all threats to their community.
Cain would have to live with the consequences of his sin, but he would live nonetheless. We often experience the same. While our sins come with consequences, we know that through Christ we are spared death that is the natural consequence of sin (Romans 6:23).
The text provides no clue as to what Cain’s mark might have been. Perhaps it was a unique physical feature that served as a deterrent. Or perhaps it was a visible sign of a sevenfold level of vengeance, should anyone lay a hand on him.
Conclusion
A. Mercy on Mercy
Cain was not the first to benefit from God’s mercy. It permeates the early chapters of Genesis. He cares for the innocent and the wicked alike in ways that we are typically slow to understand (Matthew 5:45). God does not delight in the death of the wicked but longs for them to repent and live (Ezekiel 18:23). And though we were all enemies of God, Christ died for us (Romans 5:10).
So may we all learn what it means that vengeance belongs to God and how to bless those who persecute us—and so overcome evil with good (Romans 12:14–21). May we, like Abel, offer pleasing sacrifices to our Lord. May we, unlike Cain, ask for the Lord’s mercy and so experience the peace of reconciliation.
| What Do You Think? What principle from today’s text will you have the most problem integrating into your life? Digging Deeper What plan can you enact to resolve this difficulty? |
B. Prayer
Merciful and just God, teach us to trust in Your justice and timing. Give us the faith to extend Your mercy, which You have lavishly poured on us, to a wicked world that needs it neither more nor less than we do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
God calls all people to turn to Him and live.
KID’S CORNER
Where Believers Meet God
Sunday, January 2 , 2022
Matthew 12:1-14
Matthew 12:1-14
(Matthew 12:1) At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.
Some scholars distinguish between ceremonial laws and moral laws in the Old Testament.
Examples of ceremonial laws include laws regulating what should and should not be done by priests and non-priests on the Sabbath (ceremonially defined as Saturday). Ceremonial laws can be cancelled, changed, fulfilled, or made obsolete. The Pharisees added their traditions to the Old Testament ceremonial laws that they expected everyone to obey, and they gave their traditions the same authority and status as the laws of God specifically revealed and recorded in the Old Testament. The Pharisees expected Jesus and His disciples to obey all the ceremonial laws, including their traditional interpretations of these laws, which was the foundation for their discussion with Jesus. The additions of their traditions to the Law of God formed the basis for many of the conflicts between Jesus and them, and later between them and the Apostle Paul and the New Testament Church.
Examples of moral laws are the Ten Commandments and the commands of Jesus. These laws of God will never be changed; for example, God will never change the laws requiring love for God and neighbor. For example, God will never change the laws forbidding murder, theft, bearing false witness, or coveting. The moral law regarding the Sabbath observance can be found in Exodus 20:8-11, which describes one of the ways we should love ourselves and others; how we should love our physical minds and bodies by caring for them, and how we should make certain people and animals under our authority are also given the rest they need one day a week. In addition to mental and physical rest, the Sabbath observation also gives people the time to worship God, enjoy Christian fellowship, and study the Bible. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He showed how we should not even violate these moral laws in our hearts! Because we have violated some of the moral laws both in heart and action, Jesus died and rose again to save is from our sins.
From Leviticus 23:22, we learn that the Law of God, the Law of Love, required farmers to permit the poor to eat from their fields: “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.” Jesus and His disciples were materially poor; therefore, the Law of God permitted them to eat grain from the field as they walked.
(Matthew 12:2) But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”
The poor could not “harvest,” and many did not have the means to collect and save enough food during the week to feed themselves on the Sabbath. By adding to the Law of God, the Pharisees violated the Law of Love; they brought hardship on those God intended to care for and protect when He gave the Law to Moses. Likewise, the disciples who travelled from place to place with Jesus were sometimes hungry, and in this situation on the Sabbath they took a few grains of barley or wheat, rubbed the grain between their hands, let the chaff blow away, and then ate the grains. Using their unlawful traditions, the Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples of harvesting and threshing, thus working on the Sabbath in violation of the Law of God. Adding to or subtracting from the Law of Love, the moral law, can lead to hardship, suffering, and painful, hypocritical, unjust, judgmental accusations against others.
(Matthew 12:3) But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,
In answering their accusation, Jesus referred them back to the Bible as the authority, back to the Old Testament as their authority, back to 1 Samuel 21:1-6, back to David as an example when he was poor and fleeing King Saul. Twelve loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, were put fresh in the tabernacle every seven days (see Leviticus 24:5-9). The priest, Ahimelech, gave David and his men five loaves of bread that had been previously removed and replaced by fresh bread in the tabernacle.
(Matthew 12:4) how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?
In accordance with the ceremonial law, the bread was consecrated or made ceremonially holy, having been previously presented to the LORD by the priests at least seven days earlier as part of worshiping the LORD. The ceremonial law forbids anyone but the priests to eat this holy bread. Ahimelech, the priest, broke the ceremonial law when he gave the ceremonial bread to David and his companions, and David and his companions broke the ceremonial law when they ate it, but no one broke the moral law when they were given and ate the holy bread. Jesus declared that Ahimelech and David were justified in breaking the ceremonial law because of a real, human need: hunger. They did not break the moral law; rather, they complied with the Law of Love when they were given and ate of the bread. Neither the Bible nor Jesus condemned their actions. The priest, Ahimelech, obeyed the moral law, the Law of Love, when he loved his poor, hungry neighbors and gave them something to eat. In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” God never intended for the ceremonial laws in the Old Testament to make life more difficult for people, but to bless them in many ways physically, spiritually, and socially. Many of the ceremonial laws pointed to Jesus as the promised Messiah; they showed some of what Jesus the Messiah would do. In this confrontation with the Pharisees, Jesus’ example and words show that the ceremonial laws should never be applied or interpreted in ways that would violate the moral law, the Law of Love.
(Matthew 12:5) “Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?
The Word of God is the authority for our actions, not human religious traditions; therefore, Jesus went on to give another example from the Scriptures. The priests have “Sabbath duty,” the priests “work” on the Sabbath (Saturday: the Jewish Sabbath); therefore, they “desecrate” or “break” the ceremonial Sabbath law every Saturday, but not the Sabbath moral law — they would keep the Sabbath by resting a different day of the week. Their actions and work on the Sabbath (Saturday) fulfilled the moral law, the Law of Love, because their neighbors benefitted from their temple service and leadership in worship. Jesus and His disciples were also doing the Lord’s work on the Sabbath or were on their way to do “Sabbath duty,” even though what they were doing in the service of God and others was not specified in the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. As the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus had the authority to lead His followers in the service of God and others without breaking any of God’s ceremonial laws. Indeed, Jesus always led them to do the will of God. Furthermore, Jesus never broke a moral law, the Law of Love, nor encouraged anyone to do so.
(Matthew 12:6) “But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.
Jesus, their long awaited and expected Messiah, the King of kings, the only begotten Son of God, their faithful High Priest and Prophet of God, was there with them preaching the good news and healing the sick. Right before their eyes, the One who was speaking to them at that very moment, all that Jesus was, is, will be, and do, was the “something greater” than the temple. The temple represented the presence of the LORD with His people. Jesus came into the world as Emmanuel, as God with us (see Matthew 1:23). God was with them at that moment in Jesus, and wherever Jesus was, God was there. The temple could not move from place to place to bring the LORD to the people, but Jesus could and did bring the LORD to the people wherever He went, and wherever He went He brought and explained the Law of Love.
(Matthew 12:7) “But if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
Having referred to an historical event in the life of their greatest king as an example, having referred to the law that regulated the service of their Levitical priests at the temple as an example; Jesus then directly quoted from their prophets in the Bible as authoritative commands or words of God. These are some examples of what God spoke through their prophets: Hosea 6:6 – “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings;” Isaiah 1:17 – “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow,” and Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The traditions of the Pharisees regarding the ceremonial and sacrificial laws in the Old Testament demanded unlawful behavior, violating the moral law, and disregarding the Law of Love (as fulfilled by Ahimelech, David, and by the priests in their service at the temple, and the specific commands of the LORD through their prophets).
(Matthew 12:8) “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
On various occasions, Jesus told people that He was the Son of Man (an Old Testament prophetic title for the promised Messiah) when He used that title for himself. As the Son of Man, Jesus claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath. He had given the Sabbath laws; therefore, He could and did apply and interpret the ceremonial and moral laws according to the express intention and will of the LORD God. He proved He was Lord of the Sabbath by always doing acts of love on the Sabbath, even miraculous acts that only God could do on the Sabbath
(Matthew 12:9) Departing from there, He went into their synagogue.
The Pharisees often followed Jesus in order to find some reason to accuse Him of breaking the Law of God or their Jewish laws and traditions or even Roman laws, in order to slander Him, or discredit Him in the eyes of the people, or punish Him, or eventually put Him to death. They would do whatever was necessary to silence Him or destroy His influence over others. Therefore, they followed Him from the grainfields as He and His disciples walked on paths through the fields to worship in the synagogue, where Jesus would do more “Sabbath duty” or “work.”
(Matthew 12:10) And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him.
These Pharisees broke the Law of Love, the moral law, when they did not love their neighbor as themselves and help the man with special needs. Instead of comforting him or trying to make his life better any day of the week, as they would have wanted others to do for them, they broke the moral law and tried to use the man as an object lesson in the hope of entrapping Jesus and bringing charges against Jesus; thus, once again breaking the moral law by not loving Jesus as He deserved, but instead seeking to trick Him in order to destroy Him. While breaking the moral law, their evil, unloving hearts prompted their question about obedience to the ceremonial law. Would Jesus break the ceremonial law according to their interpretation and traditions? If He did, they knew they could bring charges against Jesus.
(Matthew 12:11) And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?
The Law of Love given by God in the Old Testament commanded people to help others and even animals in trouble. In Deuteronomy 22:4, we read, “If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet.” This is a moral law, a law of love, a law that commands a person to always do the loving and wisest thing they know to do. Jesus’ question assumes even a person who is selfish and self-centered, like these Pharisees, would save a sheep or ox or donkey that belonged to him rather than suffer the lose if it fell into a pit or on the road, even on the Sabbath. They would break the ceremonial laws regarding the Sabbath to save a valuable sheep for themselves. These Pharisees probably would not break a ceremonial Sabbath law to help a neighbor’s sheep, only their own sheep.
(Matthew 12:12) “How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Jesus then told them (and He tells us) that a person is more valuable than an animal, even a domestic animal. If a person can do good and help a sheep or any other animal on the Sabbath; then, certainly, it is lawful to help a person and do good on the Sabbath. Jesus had already told them that He was the Lord of the Sabbath, so He could declare what was lawful to do on the Sabbath; therefore, it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. In compliance with the moral law, it was lawful to do the loving thing, the good thing, and heal the man on the Sabbath.
(Matthew 12:13) Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.
Jesus then proved He was Lord of the Sabbath by doing good on the Sabbath and working a miracle which was in His power to do. It was in the power of a Pharisee to save his sheep if it fell into a ditch. It was in the power of Jesus to heal person if he was sick or handicapped. Jesus always did the good, wise, and loving thing, even on the Sabbath. So, in obedience to the moral law, we too should and can always do the good, wise, and loving thing within our prayerful power seven days a week.
(Matthew 12:14) But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
These Pharisees did not do the good, wise, and loving thing. Instead, they did the evil, hateful thing in violation of the Law of Love and plotted the death of Jesus. They refused to accept the words of Jesus even when He demonstrated by His actions that He always did what was within His power in wise, good, and loving ways. Indeed, by His words and actions, Jesus demonstrated that He was everything He claimed about himself.
Where Believers Meet God
Sunday, January 2 , 2022
Matthew 12:1-14
“I tell you that something greater than the temple is here” (Matthew 12:6).
One Sabbath day, Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grainfield to worship in a synagogue. Since the disciples were hungry, they obeyed the Law of God designed to feed the poor. God’s Law is the Law of Love; therefore, we read in Leviticus 23:22, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.” Obeying God, the disciples took some grain, rubbed it between their hands, and then ate the grain. When some Pharisees saw Jesus’
disciples, they accused them of lawbreaking for harvesting on the Sabbath and they reprimanded Jesus for permitting them to sin. So, Jesus went back to the Old Testament, to Hoses 6:6, and showed them where they were wrong: they had accused innocent men because they did not know “what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Matthew 12:7). Then, Jesus claimed that as the Son of Man He was the Lord of the Sabbath who applied the Law of God rightly. Then, the Pharisees followed Jesus to the synagogue to see if they could accuse Him further. There, Jesus did good and helped those worshiping God on the Sabbath: He healed a man with a shriveled hand. As the supreme place of worship, people went to the temple to meet God. Because Jesus is greater than the temple, He claimed and proved by His words and actions that when people met Him they were meeting God. So,
Thinking Further
Where Believers Meet God
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Matthew 12:1-14
Name ______________________________
1.Why did the Pharisees accuse Jesus’ disciples of doing something unlawful on the Sabbath?
2. In His response to them, what did Jesus say David had done (and he was not condemned for having done what he did)?
3. Why were the priests allowed to desecrate the Sabbath and were considered innocent?
4. What words from the prophets did Jesus say these Pharisees did not know?
5. After Jesus healed the man with the shriveled hand, what did the Pharisees decide to do?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. Why did the Pharisees accuse Jesus’ disciples of doing something unlawful on the Sabbath?
According to the traditions and rules the Pharisees and others had added to God’s laws regarding the Sabbath in the Old Testament, Jesus’ disciples were harvesting and threshing grain on the Sabbath; thus, they were working on the Sabbath. They were also looking for some reasons to accuse Jesus of breaking or allowing His disciples to break God’s laws. [But their interpretation was not according to God’s laws in the Bible.]
2. In His response to them, what did Jesus say David had done
(and he was not condemned for having done what he did)?
He and his companions ate some loaves of holy bread that according to the ceremonial laws in the Old Testament only the priests could eat legally.
3. Why were the priests allowed to desecrate the Sabbath and
were considered innocent?
They were performing their ceremonial Sabbath duties according to other ceremonial laws of God in the Old Testament; thus, they were considered innocent (they were doing the will of God).
4. What words from the prophets did Jesus say these Pharisees
did not know?
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
5. After Jesus healed the man with the shriveled hand, what did
the Pharisees decide to do?
“The Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
Word Search
Where Believers Meet God
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Matthew 12:1-14
Name ______________________________
G F M S J S O S Y S Y L K T E
S X P E D G N X T K B W J X C
D E U K R I H O C S G Y S W H
I Y E N W C S Z I F E D Z U C
V C U S L H Y C K N L I N Q G
A Y I F I A T Z I E A G R J F
D X K D N R W A I P R P Z P T
B V Z E Y M A F B Y L J M E Y
H C K S F P N H U B M E A O D
Q Z G E K I V E P L A T S U C
A N A C A T J L D Y J S P K M
L T I R O S A C R I F I C E B
D P G A Y C G X F Y Q W U X L
J T R T E T A R C E S N O C G
S K O E H S U S E J G M Z T H
Grainfields
Sabbath
Disciples
Hungry
Pick
Eat
Pharisees
Unlawful
David
Companions
Consecrate
Priests
Desecrate
Mercy
Sacrifice
True and False Test
Where Believers Meet God
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Matthew 12:1-14
Name ______________________________
Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.
1. The Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples of breaking a Sabbath law because they were eating grain as they walked through a grainfield. True or False
2. Jesus told the Pharisees that a priest had given David and his
companions holy bread when they were hungry, so His disciples could eat grains in a grainfield on the Sabbath when they were hungry. True or False
3. The Pharisees asked Jesus questions about the Sabbath law because they really wanted to learn the truth from Jesus and obey Him. True or False
4. Jesus said that the priests broke the Sabbath laws when they worked on the Sabbath, so anyone can work and break the Sabbath laws for any reason. True or False
5. Jesus said He is greater than the temple. True or False
6. If the Pharisees had known what “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” meant, they would not have condemned the innocent. True or False
7. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is Lord of the Sabbath, so His applications of the Sabbath law are right and true. True or False
8. Today, there is no need to rest one day a week. True or False
9. Jesus said it was okay to do good on the Sabbath, and He proved it by healing people on the Sabbath. True or False
10. After the Pharisees left Jesus, they broke the law of God when they went out and did evil by plotting how they might kill Jesus. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
Prayer
Merciful and just God, teach us to trust in Your justice and timing. Give us the faith to extend Your mercy, which You have lavishly poured on us, to a wicked world that needs it neither more nor less than we do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.