Matthew 12:1-8 ESV At that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: How he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what it means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
Legalism is idolatry. Idolatry is considering something as important as or more important than God. Legalism is taking a man-made rule and making it equal to or possibly higher than God’s commands.
Jesus reserved His most severe criticism for the Jewish religious leaders of that day. They were the ones who were supposed to be teaching the people how to obey God. Instead they were promoting a counterfeit, idolatrous religion to God’s people. The idol they worshiped was “the law”.
The original Law was given by God to Moses, and it was good. Obeying those 613 commands was the right thing to do. The problem came when over the centuries men added to those laws. Then those rules became part of “the law” and were considered to be as sacred as the ones God set forth.
In the passage above, the Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples of breaking the Law regarding working on the Sabbath. God had forbidden working on the Sabbath (Exodus 35:2). God also allowed people to eat grapes when in a vineyard and eat grain when in a field, even if the property did not belong to them (Deuteronomy 23:25-26). At some point somebody decided that picking grain on a Sabbath was “harvesting” and therefore work. By adding to “the law” the religious leaders had nullified one of God’s commands with their own.
Some Christian leaders continue to do this exact same thing. They add to God’s commands and then set their standards as being equal to God’s. God says getting drunk is a sin (Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 5:18). Some Christians claim drinking any alcohol is a sin. Not drinking alcohol may be a good idea, especially if one is easily tempted, but nowhere in the Bible does it say any alcohol consumption is sinful. There are many other examples of legalism but in the modern church but I don’t want to get bogged down on this point.
Jesus even points out in this passage that legalism misses the purpose of the Law. Jesus gives the examples of the priests working on the Sabbath and David eating food reserved for the priests to show that being too rigid can miss the “spirit” of the Law. God gave the Law for His glory and man’s benefit. The Law was designed for men to honor God by living purely and be set apart from the idolatrous nations around them. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus states the Sabbath was made for man’s benefit (Mark 2:27). God designed the Sabbath for people to have a day of rest dedicated to growing in their relationship with God. It was not created to cause an extra burden. For example, God said no work was to be done on the Sabbath. However, I am confident that He would not hold a doctor treating an ill patient as breaking the Sabbath.
Legalism inherently makes the rule more important than the person. With God, rules are made to benefit the person. Jesus reminds us to look to Him first and foremost. He is Lord! His mercy, compassion, and holiness should flow through us. Let the Holy Spirit guide us rather than setting human restrictions that may be well-intentioned, but are not divinely inspired.
God, You are sovereign over all. Keep my heart and mind focused on You and my heart guided by Your Holy Spirit. Let the world see Your mercy and goodness in me and through me.