Interpreting Scripture With JesusНамуна

Let's turn to Matthew 12 and look at a familiar passage. Jesus and the disciples are walking through some grainfields. His disciples are hungry so they begin to pick the heads of grain and eat them. It's the Sabbath. The watchful Pharisees are again incensed. Surely Jesus knows better? Why is He allowing this?

By now you probably know how Jesus begins His response... You guessed it, "Haven’t you read in the Scriptures..." Jesus then pulls a narrative account from 1 Samuel 21 about David eating the sacred bread from the temple. Then He hits them another punch, "And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!" You would think that would be enough to drive His point home but Jesus isn't finished. He was having none of this 'Pharisees condemning His beloved disciples' business. So here comes the uppercut, "But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” One, two, three, they're out!

"Haven’t you read in the Scriptures." "Haven’t you read in the law of Moses." "If you knew the meaning of this Scripture." It's like telling a seminary professor, "Haven't you read the bible?" Or telling a mechanic, "Don't you know that you fill the gas tank here?" No wonder they wanted to kill him.

What made the Pharisees so versed in the scripture but blind to the truth? Well, in this passage in Matthew we see something very important. Not all scriptures are created equal. There was a law about not working on the Sabbath but the law about the priestly duties took priority over the law of no work. There is a law of sacrifices but obedience is better. And ultimately Jesus is the only qualified interpreter of scripture. He is the Lawgiver. He is the Word. The Pharisees didn't understand the priorities of God's heart. They knew the words to the song but they didn't know which ones were whispered and which ones were shouted.

Jesus, You are the Word. Show me Your heart. Open my heart to your desires. Let me feel what Your heart aches for when I read Your scriptures. I pray that I would not just hear the words, but also hear your heart.