In this Eastertide season we are reading the Gospel of Mark, examining the life and teachings of Jesus - because we are convinced that his path through this world is the only one that will truly last.
This week we turn to Mark 2, where Jesus makes some stunning claims about how he (and we) view the 'rules' that we've been taught are of paramount importance to God. When the ancient Hebrew tribes were making their own way through the wilderness, seeking their promised land, they were guided by a series of very firm commandments from God. Chief among these rules for living was the doctrine of the Sabbath - the command that for one day each week absolutely no work was permitted, and that this would be a way of being set apart as holy unto the Lord.
Jesus shocks his onlookers, therefore, when he appears to 'break the Sabbath'...and instead of defending his actions in terms of the Law, he instead tells them that what God actually cares about is humankind and its flourishing.
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27 апр 2024
