Day 15 – What Jesus taught – Good deeds
“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥, “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵? 𝘖𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘱! 𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘩.” 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸 12:11-12 𝘕𝘓𝘛
Instead of answering the Pharisees’ question about healing on the Sabbath, Jesus masterfully reframes the issue by turning the tables on them. The construction of his question implies that none among them would leave one of their flock in the pit until after sundown of the Sabbath. Every one of them would trouble themselves on the Sabbath to lift their sheep out of the pit. Jesus’ question infers that this was a common and approved practice accepted by the Pharisees, and they would hardly think twice about doing it. The welfare of the animal (their wealth) required this sort of compassion.
Because they did not answer Jesus’ question, He answered 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘱! There is no comparison. We are created in God’s image and are immeasurably valuable to Him.
God did not forbid people from helping and doing good on the Sabbath. With Jesus turning the tables on the Pharisees, He established this truth, highlighting the goodness of God’s perfect Law and its superiority over the Pharisees’ Sabbath rules.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for teaching us to always have compassion and that goodness and kindness (the fruit of the Holy Spirit) has no law against it. Show us opportunities on these holy rest days to reach out and do good, and lift someone from their pit. Amen.
