Questions for Sabbath controversies Sections 44-51
44. First Sabbath controversy: Jesus heals a lame man (John 5:1-15)
Three festivals (or “holy days”) required all Jewish males to come to Jerusalem: (1) the Festival of the Passover and Unleavened Bread, (2) the Festival of Pentecost (also called the Festival of Harvest or the Festival of Weeks), and (3) the Festival of Shelters. What do you make of the fact that Jesus followed these holy days?
Compare your answer to Matthew 5:17-18 and Colossians 2:16-17.
Jesus asked a man who had been there for thirty-eight years an interesting question: “Do you want to get well?” (v.6) In Jesus’ day, many people depend on their unfortunate condition for financial support given by healthy individuals out of pity. What sometimes motivates people today to not accept the spiritual healing or the life-guidance of God’s Word?
Another possible reason for Jesus’ question relates to the man’s spirit. Many who have experienced prolonged pain or misfortune have surrendered even the will to attempt to overcome their situation in life. In what ways do we have to exercise our will in order to receive the blessings of God?
When the invalid shared with Jesus his difficulty of getting to the pool for healing, Jesus did not help him the way the man was asking. Instead, He proclaimed: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (v.8) What does this teach us about Jesus?
This healing took place on a Sabbath. The Jewish leader’s response was not joy over the man’s healing but anger that he was carrying his mat on the Sabbath! What does this teach us about people who choose to overlook God’s blessings in order to focus on the negative?
The Law of Moses did not forbid carrying your mat on the Sabbath; only the Jewish interpretation of the Law of Moses forbade it. You can have the best laws in the world, but if you have bad judges interpreting them, justice will die in the land. You can have the worst laws in the world, but if you have good judges interpreting them, justice can yet prevail. What does this teach us about the importance we must place in correct interpretation of God’s Word?
How can we ensure that we are correctly interpreting it?
Jesus found the lame man, and as with the Samaritan woman at the well, He addressed the deeper condition of the man’s relationship with God. Jesus’ words are interesting: “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (v.14) What does this tell you about the man and his condition?
What does this tell you about some of the troubles and trials of life?
Are all trials and tribulations the consequence of sin? Can you give some biblical examples?
45. Jesus claims to be the Son of God (John 5:16-30)
(v.16) The Jewish leaders saw both a mighty miracle of healing and a broken rule. They threw the miracle aside as they focused their attention on the broken rule, because the rule was more important to them than the miracle. In what ways can we get so focused on the wrong things that we neglect the miracles around us?
On what miracles should we focus?
God is prepared to work in our lives, but we can shut out His miracles by limiting our views about how He works. In what ways do we tend to try to box God or God’s way of working in?
How do we know when a man-made rule is taking up too much of our focus?
(v.17) Genesis 2:2 says that God rested on the seventh day, but this can’t mean that He stopped doing good. If God stopped every kind of work on the Sabbath, nature would fall into chaos, and sin would overrun the world. What application should we therefore find in the Sabbath rest?
What should the limitations of the Sabbath rest be?
(v.17) Jesus clearly identified Himself with God. The Pharisees also called God their Father, but they realized Jesus was claiming a unique relationship with Him. How does this verse apply to those who say Jesus never claimed deity for Himself?
How does this verse apply to those who claim to believe in God but not in Jesus?
What two choices did Jesus leave the Pharisees? What was their choice?
What factors do you think entered into their choice?
Are these factors still relevant today?
Because of His unity with God, Jesus lived as God wanted Him to live. If we identify ourselves with Jesus, how then should we live?
People like to use the phrases “What would Jesus do?” and “What would Jesus have me do?” How do we know?
(v24) According to this verse, what is required to have eternal life and the forgiveness of sins?
What then is the role of baptism?
What is the role of works in salvation?
(vv 25, 28) Jesus said the time had already come when the dead would hear His voice and if they listened would live. What did He mean?
Do you think that 1 Thessalonians 4:16 can also apply?
(v.26) God is the Source and Creator of life, for there is no life apart from God, here or hereafter. The life in us is a gift from Him (Deuteronomy 30:20; Psalm 36:9). By claiming that authority (John 14:6), what was Jesus claiming?
How did He back that claim up?
The Old Testament mentioned three signs of the coming Messiah. In this chapter, John shows that Jesus has fulfilled all three signs. Examine the following passages and indicate what the signs were:
cf. 5:27 with Daniel 7:13-14
cf 5:20 with Isaiah 35:6; Jeremiah 31:8-9
cf. 5:21, 28 with Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; 2 Kings 5:7
Those who have rebelled against Christ will be resurrected too. However, to what will they be resurrected?
Jesus said that what He did was just because He did nothing without consulting the Father. What is the obvious application for ourselves?
46. Jesus supports His claim with witnesses (John 5:31-47)
What were Jesus’ claims in the following verses?
John 5:17
John 5:18
John 5:19
John 5:20
John 5:21
John 5:22-23
John 5:24
John 5:26
John 5:27
Notice the emphasis John puts on the importance of testimony. He has already recorded the witness of several people to Jesus, and now he gives us Jesus’ words on the subject. Why?
Jesus says in v.31 that if He were testifying on His own behalf that His testimony would not be valid. Why could the Son of God, God Incarnate not testify on His own behalf or about Himself?
Do these principles apply to us? In what ways?
Consider Jesus’ example in 5:30. What does this mean for us?
Ask God to show you how you can follow Jesus’ example. Meditate and pray about this verse daily this week.
In studying and interpreting Scripture, we should always be alert for lists of commands, promises, reasons, etc. What witnesses to His identity does Jesus name?
5:33-35
5:36
5:37
5:39
5:46
What witnesses testify about Jesus besides those named in 5:33-46? See 15:26-27
(v.36) Jesus speaks often of “work” and “works.” He is usually referring to the Father’s work(s) that He, Jesus, is doing. Notice how even though Jesus is performing them, He still considers them the Father’s works? What should we learn from this?
These works include the miraculous “signs” of transforming things, healing, and raising the dead. However, they also include Jesus’ teaching and all His other actions day to day as the manifestation of God. How can we apply this to our day to day actions?
Whereas John usually calls Jesus’ miracles “signs,” Jesus calls them and everything else He does “works.” Unlike “sign” and “miracle,” “work” is a mundane word. It implies that both Jesus’ natural and His supernatural actions are simply His work, His job, just as other men have their jobs. What is the importance of understanding our works as signs?
What is the importance of imitating Jesus’ attitude toward His works?
Jesus’ work comes from the Father and points to the Father; in the Old Testament, God’s “works” are involved with creating and delivering people from slavery (Genesis 2:2-3; Psalm 8:3; 66:5-7). What then should be our philosophy when it comes to “works”?
For what faults does Jesus rebuke the Pharisees in 5:39-44? Record as many as you can find.
With Jesus standing before them, how could the Jewish leaders have failed to see or hear God (5:37-38)?
(vv. 39-40) Are these issues also a danger to us? In what ways?
The religious leaders knew what the Bible said but failed to apply its words to their lives.
They knew the teachings of the Scriptures but failed to see the Messiah to whom the Scriptures pointed.
They knew the rules but missed the Savior.
Entrenched in their own religious system, they refused to let the Son of God change their lives.
47. Second Sabbath controversy: plucking grain (Mark 2:23-28; Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5)
The Pharisees felt it was more important to avoid potential ceremonial defilement than to help those in need. According to Luke 5:33 and Mark 7:1-5, the Pharisees say that Jesus does not have enough regard for what two important disciplines of their tradition?
The command to wash their hands (Mark 7:3) is from the tradition later called the Mishnah, a written tradition of the elders, not the Mosaic Law. This ordinance involved washing their hands in a special way, although we cannot be sure what that special way was.
One of the Pharisees greatest contentions is their perception of Jesus’ attitude toward the Law in general. What is their accusation? (Matthew 5:17)
According to Matthew 12:1-8 and Luke 6:6-11, they accuse Him of having disregard for what else?
Pharasaic Tactics: The Pharisees hound Jesus even in semi-private settings (Mark 2:24). “They watched Him closely…so that they might accuse Him” (Mark 3:2. “Watched closely” (Greek paratereo) has the idea of lying in wait to catch someone in an act of transgression. This mood of criticism prompts public questions aimed at undermining Jesus’ credibility as a spiritual leader (Mark 2:16; 7:5). Read the following verses and note the tactics: a) Matthew 16:1; b) Matthew 22:15-17, Mark 10:2; c) Mark 3:6; Matthew 26:14-16
Pharasaic Characteristics: The following passages list attitudes that characterize Pharasaism as Jesus encountered it. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and duplicate references to the same attitude are not included. a) Matthew 3:7; b)Matthew 3:9; c) Matthew 9:11; d) Matthew 9:33-34; e) Matthew 12:1-8; f) Matthew 12:9-14; g) Matthew 15:3-6 cp. Mark 7:8-13; h) Matthew 15:7-9; i) Matthew 16:1; j) Matthew 22:15; k) Matthew 23:3; l) Matthew 23:4; m) Matthew 23:5; n) Matthew 23:6,8; o) Matthew 23:7; p) Mark 12:38; q) Matthew 23:13
48. Third Sabbath controversy: healing palsy (Mark 3:1-6; Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11)
For what people was the Sabbath to serve as a sign? (Ezekiel 20:12)
Is the Jewish Sabbath binding on the Christian church since the resurrection of Christ? (Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16-17)
Does it appear that Jesus did or did not use His miraculous powers for the feeding of His own disciples? (Matthew 12:1)
What technical “violation” of the ceremonial law by David did Jesus sanction? (Matthew 12:3-4; 1 Samuel 21:5-6)
By the priests in the temple? (Matthew 12:5; Numbers 28:8-10)
So was the Sabbath made for man, or man for the Sabbath? (Mark 2:27) What does that mean?
Who is the Lord of the Sabbath day? (Matthew 12:8) What does that mean?
Perhaps the Pharisees had brought this handicapped man to the synagogue to tempt Jesus to perform an act of healing that would be considered a breach of the Sabbath. Under the Pharasaic view of the law even the binding of a wound on the Sabbath, unless neglect threatened life itself, was forbidden. What question regarding the Sabbath did the Pharisees ask Jesus next? (Matthew 12:9-10)
Luke 6:6 tells us that the man’s right hand was useless. What did Jesus’ question imply about the failure to do good? (cp. James 4:17)
What technical “violation” of the Sabbath would the most legalistic Jew commit? (Matthew 12:11)
How did Jesus prove His teaching regarding the Sabbath to be correct, and to have God’s approval? (Matthew 12:13)
The religious leaders, however, were beyond humanitarian considerations. They had nothing to say (Mark 3:4) to a question that any reasonable person could have answered readily. What did their silence demonstrate?
Jesus was both angry and grieved, not because His enemies hated Him, but because of their hardness of heart (Mark 3:5). What can we learn from this?
In healing this man, Jesus did nothing that violated the Sabbath. He merely spoke a word of command, and the man’s hand was restored. There was no law, even Pharasaic that prohibited speech! What did the fact that the religious leaders still were angry with Him show?
Matthew 12:11 describes the deep fury of Jesus’ critics. They felt humiliated. Now they were more than critics; they were enemies. What can we learn about pride from this?
What effect did this have on the Pharisees? (Matthew 12:14)
This miracle was the parting of the ways between Jesus and the religious authorities, who felt that He was striking at the foundation of the Sabbath law. In reality, He was merely stripping it of the man-made restrictions that had overlaid it. What does this teach us about how we should examine our traditions? What criteria should we use to judge them?
What did the Pharisees do when they could not discredit Jesus in confrontations over their specialty, the Law? (Matthew 12:14)
Is this reaction limited to the Pharisees, or is it a human response?
How did Jesus’ respond to the plot of the Pharisees fulfill the “good Law” about the Messiah as the Suffering Servant? (Matthew 12:15-21)
In spite of their tactics, Jesus was not implacably hostile toward the Pharisees. Examine the following passages and note what He was willing to do:
Luke 7:36
John 3:1-21
However, as seen Jesus’ interchange in Matthew 12, He solidly resisted the Pharisees when necessary. How did their accusation that His deliverance ministry was a blasphemy against the Spirit (12:31) come back on them (John 5:18)?
Read the following scriptures and note Jesus’ charge against them:
Matthew 23:4
Matthew 23:5-7
Matthew 23:13-15
Matthew 23:16-22
Matthew 23:23-24
Mark 7:9-13
What is Jesus’ overall summation of their problem? (Matthew 22:29)
What is a major root cause of this problem? (Luke 18:9)
Many people claim to despise hypocrites. In the New Testament, this word is used of people who reject the truth about God’s kingdom, not out of ignorance but willful blindness. Their hypocrisy involves deliberate pretense with a clear knowledge of the truth: “I know the Bible says…but”. Examine Mark 7:6-13 and see if we are not all, at times hypocrites.
Jesus knew what His enemies were planning (v.15). How can this fact be a source of comfort to us?
What should knowing that Jesus knows our enemies plans cause us to do?
Christ chose to leave on this occasion and He did this because His hour had not yet arrived. He could have found protection in a miracle. He could have made the Pharisees disappear. However, He chose to secure Himself in ordinary flight. What should we learn from the Lord’s example when we are undergoing persecution?
Christ did not quit simply because the way ahead was difficult. He could not continue where He was, but He didn’t quit; He simply went to a place where He could work. What lesson can be learned here?
Though He was persecuted for doing good, Christ kept on doing it. He healed them all (v.16), yet He warned them not to say who He was. Is there a place or role for publicly known good works?
Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 in describing Jesus’ earthly ministry. It says that during that time He would “not fight or shout or raise His voice in public.” How do we reconcile this with the many incidents when He publicly berated the religious elite or the two times He cleared the Temple?
It says that during His earthly ministry that He would not “crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.” What does that mean?
Is that still true today or was that characteristic unique to that time period? (Revelation 2:27; 12:5; 19:11-19)
The last verse of this passage quotes Isaiah as prophesying that the name of the coming Messiah would be “the hope of all the world.” How do you think the xenophobic Israelites reconciled that?
What does this show us about the dangers of approaching God’s Word and especially prophecy with preconceived notions? (Romans 1:18-21)
Notice that in describing Jesus’ mission and purpose justice came up twice. He was to proclaim justice to the nations and cause justice to be victorious. This gives us insight into God the Father’s heart. However, was this “justice” merely social justice? What else could it be?
51. Jesus chooses the twelve (Matthew 5:1a; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)
“The Twelve” is one of the special names for the group of men Jesus selected as His original apostles (Mark 4:10; Luke 6:13). Matthew referred to them as “His twelve disciples” (10:1). With the exception of Judas Iscariot, a Judean, they are all Galileans, like their Master. The number twelve is significant to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28). What are their names? (Luke 6:14-16).
Among the Twelve are two named Simon. What is the political affiliation of the second Simon? (Luke 6:15)
Mark (3:18) and Matthew (10:4) call him “Simon the Canaanite,” but this does not mean he is from Cana or Canaan. “Canaanite,” here, is a Greek transliteration of the Aramaic word for Zealot, which explains why Luke called Simon “the Zealot.” What additional name does Jesus later give to John? (Mark 3:17)
As was common among first-century Jews, “Judas the son of James” (Luke 6:16) has a second name. What is it? (Mark 3:18)
Matthew also has another name. What is it? (Mark 2:14) What is his occupation when called? (Matthew 10:3)
“Tax collector” here likely refers to a customs official who sat in a roadside toll either to collect customs or transport taxes for Herod Antipas. Jewish tax collectors were considered unpatriotic, and they were despised for their regular contact with the ritually unclean. What does the choice of Matthew as an Apostle tell us about Jesus?
Who among the Twelve are brothers? (Matthew 10:2)
What is one of Jesus’ primary reasons for calling disciples? (Matthew 4:9)
During His final Passover meal with the Twelve, Luke records Jesus’ affectionate words of appreciation to His loyal group (22:28-30.
For what does He commend them? (v.28)
What does He confer on them (v. 29)
What does He promise them? (v.30)
These men would be with Him and somehow participate in His ultimate Messianic rule. According to Acts 1:15-26, who took Judas Iscariot’s place?
Jesus’ initial call on their lives is to follow Him. In so doing, He will model kingdom life, character, and ministry for them. He will confront their characters, challenge their priorities, teach them, rebuke them, empower them, commission them, and ultimately entrust them to continue doing what He “began both to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1). All this occurred in about three years’ time. According to Matthew 5:1-7:29, what is one way in which He educated them?
According to Matthew 13:10-11, what is another method He used?
According to Mark 6:45-52, what is one way He taught them to trust in God amidst adverse conditions?
Before commissioning them to ministry on their own, what is one way Jesus initiated them into ministering the miraculous? (Mark 6:30-44)
Realizing that we sometimes learn valuable character lessons through direct confrontation, the Master occasionally confronted sin and deficiency in the lives of the Twelve. Read the following scriptures and note what character deficiency He addressed or what character trait He wanted to see develop:
Luke 9:49-50
Luke 9:51-56
A testimony to John’s obedience and God’s grace is that some years later Luke noted John “prayed [for the Samaritans] that they might receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:15) Compare this to Mark 10:35-45 and make a conjecture as to how this drastic a change could have happened.
Jesus desires that we serve Him as grateful, humble servants, not that we come to Him seeking opportunities for personal advancement. So important is this, and so difficult for the human ego to grasp, that Jesus demonstrated it again during His final Passover meal (John 13:1-20). What principles did the Master demonstrate?
An integral part of their training was the ongoing challenge to their priorities and instructions about the requirements of biblical discipleship. How does Luke summarize the conditions of discipleship?
This being the case, what did Jesus instruct would-be disciples to do? (Luke 14:28-32)
