The Christian Box – Part Two

If the Earth were a giant caldron, our Lord Y’shuaJesus came to make sure it was well stirred. Take a look at the following selection from The Book of John.

One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”

John 5:5-10

This invalid spent thirty-eight years waiting to be helped to the healing waters. Lord Y’shuaJesus comes along and says, in essence, “If you want to be healed, break the rules of the Sabbath that say you can’t carry any load.” What would you do? Would you refuse, because you follow the rules? Would you question the Lord, try to find out why you were to break the rules of the Sabbath?

G-d made the Sabbath rules in the first place (Jer_17:21; Neh_13:15; Exo_20:8-10). Why did Y’shuaJesus command the invalid to break them then? “It may be answered, wrote Albert Barnes (1798-1870):

“1. That the Son of man was Lord of the Sabbath, and had a right to declare what MIGHT be done, and even to dispense with a POSITIVE law of the Jews, Mat_12:8; Joh_5:17.
“2. This was a poor man, and Jesus directed him to secure his property.
“3. The Jews extended the obligation of the Sabbath beyond what was intended by the appointment. They observed it superstitiously, and Jesus took every opportunity to convince them of their error, and to restore the day to its proper observance, Mat_12:6-11; Luk_6:9; Luk_13:14; Luk_14:5. This method he took to show them what the law of God really “permitted” on that day, and that works of necessity and mercy were lawful.”

The religious community got it wrong. Lord Y’shuaJesus made the rules, and set about trying to show people there is some depth to them, some principles behind them.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .