Mark 2:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

NIV: The Pharisees said to him, 'Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?'

NASB: The Pharisees were saying to Him, 'Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?'

CSB: The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath? "

NLT: But the Pharisees said to Jesus, 'Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?'

KJV: And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

NKJV: And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees have finally escalated to the point where they question Him directly. The word translated "it is lawful" is from the Greek root word exesti. Exesti is comprised of ek, "originating from," and eimi, "to be." So, literally, the Pharisees are saying the disciples' actions do not come from a place that should be. The act of plucking grains on the Sabbath, according to their view, "shouldn't be."

In an attempt to ensure the people come nowhere near breaking the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders will enforce thirty-nine clarifying rules, or Melachot, that specify what is and is not allowed. In this case, their definition of "work" originates from six actions that needed to be accomplished to build the tabernacle: making the showbread, making the fabric curtains, making the leather curtains, making the beams, erecting the structure, and finishing the final touches. Of the eleven prohibited tasks related to making the showbread, the Pharisees considered the disciples guilty of four: reaping, threshing, winnowing, and selecting.

It's likely the Pharisees accepted these Melachot in their oral law before they were written in the second century AD, but are the disciples guilty of breaking the Mosaic Law? Did plucking grain heads and removing the husk qualify as work (Exodus 20:8–11) or preparing food (Exodus 12:16)? Leviticus 25:1–7 prohibits working in a field during a Sabbath year, but makes no mention of a Sabbath day.

Jesus doesn't argue with the Pharisees about the finer points of the Law. Instead, He addresses their hearts and the hypocrisy they live under.

Mark 2:23–28 demonstrates how, the more Jesus shows His authority, the more the Pharisees resent Him and take notice of His unorthodox ways. Here, as Jesus' disciples break the Sabbath, is the first time the Pharisees directly confront Him. The Law's Sabbath-day restrictions were preparing food (Exodus 16:23–26), working (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12–17), kindling a fire (Exodus 35:3), farming (Leviticus 25:1–7), and carrying a burden (Jeremiah 17:19–22). But priests (Numbers 28:9–10; Matthew 12:5) and guards (2 Kings 11:4–9; Nehemiah 13:15–22) still worked. Rather than arguing whether the disciples broke the letter of the Mosaic Law, Jesus argues that it's all moot: He is the Lord of the Sabbath. This story is also found in Matthew 12:1–8 and Luke 6:1–5.

Mark chapter 2 follows the typical style of Mark's gospel with a rapid succession of stories. Jesus heals a man who cannot walk, but only after declaring the man's sins to have been forgiven. Jesus then calls Levi, one of the publically-reviled tax collectors, as a disciple and is seen eating with those the Pharisees view as ''sinners.'' Jesus then answers a challenge about fasting and defends His disciples when they violate the Pharisees' views on keeping the Sabbath. All of these events are met with some resistance from Jesus' critics. He responds in each case with a spiritual, reasonable defense.

In Mark chapter 1, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist then led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit where He was tempted by Satan. He also taught and healed in Capernaum and throughout Galilee. In chapter 2, having returned to Capernaum, Jesus displays authority over four particular areas: the forgiveness of sins, social traditions, extra-biblical religious traditions, and the Sabbath. In response, the Pharisees—legalistic religious leaders—escalate their antagonism toward Him, culminating in a direct condemnation of His teachings. This sets the scene for Mark 3:6 when the religious and national leadership first get the idea to destroy Jesus.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.