“For everyone who exalts himself
will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).
Reading the Gospels we cannot miss the fact that
Jesus spent some considerable time having meals with people: his disciples;
with friends of his disciples; with the multitudes of people gathered to listen
to him; with quite a few Pharisees.
His reputation was such that some named him “a
glutton and a drunkard” (Luke 7:34).
Here we find Him in the house of a prominent
Pharisee sitting at a table…carefully watched (v.1). I wonder what Jesus
Himself was doing.
Usually, we read about the Pharisees asking Jesus
tricky questions with the intent to find some fault in His answers.
This time Jesus turns the tables – He asks a
question.
[Sort of: let’s settle this once for all,
guys…tell me, “Is it lawful to heal on a Sabbath day, or not?”]
Possible answers: yes, no, abstain. They decided to
abstain. Which gave Jesus the liberty to act according to His will.
Jesus healed the man and sent him away (v.4).
The Pharisees were not ready/nor open for a
debate/conversation about the issue. True to their color, they were good at
finding fault and accusing people.
Jesus was kind enough to answer/give His take on His
own question.
If healing a son was “lawful act/work” to
do on a Sabbath day;
If pulling an ox out of a pit was “lawful
act/work” to do on a Sabbath day;
Then healing a man on a Sabbath day was lawful too.
They were silent (v.4); they could not reply to
these things (v.6).
Jesus simply points out their hypocrisy: their own
practice was undermining their accusations.
The “God kingdom” people live lives in sync with
kingdom values!