One Saturday, on the day of rest, Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field of wheat. The disciples were hungry, so they plucked off some heads of grain and rubbed them in their hands to eat. But when some of the Pharisees saw what was happening, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples shouldn’t be harvesting grain on the Sabbath!”
Jesus responded, “Haven’t you ever read what King David and his men did when they were hungry? They entered the house of God and ate the sacred bread of God’s presence, violating the law by eating bread that only the priests were allowed to eat.
“And haven’t you read in the Torah that the priests violated the rules of the Sabbath by carrying out their duties in the temple on a Saturday, and yet they are without blame? But I say to you, there is one here who is even greater than the temple. If only you could learn the meaning of the words ‘I want compassion more than a sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t be condemning my innocent disciples. For the Son of Man exercises his lordship over the Sabbath.”
Then Jesus left them and went into the synagogue where he encountered a man who had an atrophied, paralyzed hand. The fault-finding Pharisees asked Jesus, “Is it permissible to perform a work of healing on the Sabbath?” They only asked him this question because they hoped to accuse him of breaking the Jewish laws.
He answered them, “If any of you had a lamb that fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you reach out your hand and lift it out? Isn’t a man much more valuable than a lamb? So of course, it’s always proper to do miracles, even on the Sabbath.”
Then he turned to the man and said, “Hold out your hand!” And as he stretched it out, it was restored, exactly like the other.
Immediately the Pharisees went out and started to scheme about how they would destroy him. Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he left by another way. Massive crowds followed him from there, and he healed all who were sick. However, he sternly warned them not to tell others or disclose his real identity, in order to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah:
Take a careful look at my servant, my chosen one.
I love him dearly
and I find all my delight in him.
I will breathe my Spirit upon him
and he will decree justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or raise his voice in public.
He won’t brush aside the bruised and broken.
He will be gentle with the weak and feeble,
until his victory releases justice.
And the fame of his name
will birth hope among the people.
Then a man was brought before Jesus who had a demon spirit that made him both blind and mute. Jesus healed him instantly, and he could see and talk again! The crowds went wild with amazement as they witnessed this miracle. And they kept saying to one another, “Could this man be the Messiah?”
But when the Pharisees overheard what the people were saying, they said, “He casts out demons by the power of Satan, the prince of demons!”
Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and motives, so he told them this parable:
“Any kingdom that fights against itself is reduced to ruins. And any family or community splintered by strife will fall apart. So if Satan casts out Satan, he is making war on himself. How then could his kingdom stand? So if Satan empowers me to cast out demons, who empowers your exorcists to cast them out? Go ask them, let them be your judges. But, if I drive out demons by the power of the Spirit of God, then the end of Satan’s kingdom has come! Who would dare enter the house of a mighty man and steal his property? First he must be overpowered and tied up by one who is stronger than he. Then his entire house can be plundered.
“So join with me, for if you’re not on my side you are against me. And if you refuse to help me gather the spoils, you are making things worse. This is why I warn you. God will forgive people for every sin and blasphemy except one. There is no forgiveness for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. If anyone speaks evil of me, the Son of Man, he can be forgiven; but if anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will never be forgiven, now or ever!”
“You must determine if a tree is good or rotten. You can recognize good trees by their delicious fruit. But if you find rotten fruit, you can be certain that the tree is rotten. The fruit defines the tree. But you who are known as the Pharisees are rotten to the core like venomous snakes. How can your words be good if you are rotten within? For what has been stored up in your hearts will be heard in the overflow of your words!
“When virtue is stored within, the hearts of good, upright people will produce good fruit. But when evil is hidden within, those who are evil will produce evil fruit. You can be sure of this: when the day of judgment comes, everyone will be held accountable for every careless word he has spoken. Your very words will be used as evidence, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.”
Then a few Jewish scholars and Pharisees spoke up and said, “Teacher, why don’t you perform a miraculous sign for us.”
Jesus replied, “Only evil people who are unfaithful to God would demand a sign. There will be no sign given to you except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The people of Nineveh will also rise up on the day of judgment to condemn this generation. For they all repented when they heard the preaching of Jonah. And there is one greater than Jonah here preaching to you today! Even the Queen of Sheba will rise up on the day of judgment to condemn this generation for its unbelief! She journeyed from a far and distant land just to hear the wisdom of King Solomon. Yet now there is one greater than Solomon speaking to you today.”
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