Stroll through Scripture for February 2, 2025

Based on Luke 6:1-16

This passage of Scripture is filled with three different sections.  It’s Jesus versus the nitpickers part 1 and 2 and then the naming of the disciples.  

Honestly, when I read this passage, it just drives me crazy.  Maybe that’s because it seems like there are still plenty of people who have attitudes like the Pharisees in the story – far more worried with making sure everyone is following the letter of the law, rather than the intent.  When we focus on the letter of the law, we easily lose sight of the humanity of people.  People turn into just another thing, or check box, or something else.  

In part 2, Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees.  They are just sitting around, watching him, waiting for him to break the Sabbath law.  We get the sense that they are hoping he would, so that they would have something to be upset about.  The world is full of people like this – those who enjoy being upset by someone else’s action.  This is especially the case when a person can point out the “sins” of another that they themselves are not guilty of.  Humans love to point out others’ flaws and show their own innocence – it makes us feel superior or more righteous to be able to look down on others. 

Jesus cuts to the chase in this scene asking the Pharisees the most vital question – “is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?”  Ironically, they don’t answer.  Mostly because the obvious answer would show them for who they are and what they care about – their own “rightness” rather than the well-being of others.  Humanity is addicted to being “right” and that addiction is costly.  

What Jesus does in healing the man with the withered hand is reject the importance of being “right” and instead focus on Shalom – being in right relationship, moving towards wholeness and restoration.  Following Jesus isn’t about having the right answers and it’s not about making sure that everyone is living the “correct” way according to any group’s preferences.  It’s far deeper than all of that superficial mess that has created more conflict for humanity than anything else.  Jesus shows us that so much of what he is about is moving us toward Shalom, healing, and right relationship with God, our neighbors, and the rest of creation. 

Questions for further reflection:

• Imagine rewriting the story of Jesus in conflict with Pharisees to a modern context. Who might the Pharisees be today?  How are we and our preferred groups being a bunch of Pharisees?  
• How is Jesus calling us to be in right relationship with others in spite of the modern day Pharisees in our midst?