The Spirit of the Law

Recently I've been reading The Life of Christ by Ralph Riggs.  It's an old textbook from Global university and has a pretty good survey of Jesus' life and ministry. Riggs made an observation in Jesus early ministry that I think we can all be reminded.

But first a little background.  During the time of Christ, the Sabbath had become much more than just a day of rest.  The rabbinical law and traditions had so construed the meaning of rest that most of the Jewish population of the day spent the Sabbath either in guilt for breaking a law or in paranoia of breaking one. 

Jesus realized this and decided to set the record straight.  You can read the story in Matthew 5:1-14.  He went down to the pool of Bethesda and healed a man.  Not a bad thing; actually a very good thing.  However Jesus decided to do this on the Sabbath, and the Pharisees, the ruling religious leaders of the time were appalled.  How dare Jesus do work on the Sabbath it is a day of rest. 

Most likely the next week, the Bible is not clear, Jesus goes into the Synagogue and begins to read from the scriptures.  He knows the Pharisees know what he did last week and are just waiting to see if he will break the law again.  Jesus does not disappoint.  There is a man in the crowd with a deformed hand.  Jesus heals the man, and now the Pharisees are ready to kill him.   The story can be found in Matthew 12:9-14.

Here is the moral of the story.  Jesus was not breaking the Sabbath.  On the contrary he was still honoring it by doing good.  He wanted to teach the Jews, the Pharisees, and us that it is not about the letter of the law, but the spirit.  What did God really want for everyone to do on the Sabbath?  Rest. Period.  Whatever that means for you. 

My question for you is are you following the letter of the law, doing exactly what it says and leaving no leeway or are you following the spirit and searching for God's purpose.  Do some introspection.  Are you being legalistic with that thing or are you following the command love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and love your neighbor as yourself?

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