A Glimpse of Spirituality 靈修一瞥157 (Matt 瑪12:1-8)                                                                                                                 

 

Jesus asked the Pharisees, “Have you not read in the law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless?” What does this question mean? Jesus’ saying is quoted from Num 28:9, “On the Sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering.” In short, they slayed the victims and placed the bread that involved an amount of labor. Thus, what the priests did on the Sabbath would have broken the Sabbath rest; yet no one blamed the priests, for they were serving in the Temple.

 

This Law unveiled the Pharisees’ wrong accusation against Jesus: “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” This false accusation against Jesus at the same time accused the Pharisees’ misinterpretation of the Law because their intention is not to defend the Sabbath Law but to smear Jesus that he is a great sinner who breaks the Law of Moses.

 

Jesus answered, “I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.” This “something” is the Son of Man as Jesus elaborated, “For the Son of man is lord of the Sabbath.” The Son of Man is so merciful that he empathized with the physical hunger of the disciples and let them feed themselves by plucking the ears of grains. That is what Jesus insisted, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” The noun “mercy” (eleos) refers to readiness to help those who are in trouble. God is a merciful Lord who likes people’s merciful love the best.

 

耶穌問法利塞人：“你們在法律上沒有念過：安息日，司祭在聖殿內違犯了安息日，也不算為罪過嗎？”什麼意思？耶穌的話出自戶28:9的法律：“安息日，應獻兩隻一歲無瑕的公羔羊，十分之二「厄法」油調的細麵，當作素祭；還有同獻的奠祭。”看到司祭宰殺祭物，擺上供餅，這都需要大量勞動力；從這角度，可以說司祭在安息日所作的事，破壞安息日的法律；然而，沒有人責怪司祭，因為他們在聖殿裡舉行祭獻。

這法律揭露法利塞人對耶穌的錯誤指控：“看，你的門徒作安息日不許作的事。”對耶穌的誣告，同時也讓法利塞人自我指控在曲解法律，因為他們本意不是捍衛安息日法律，而是抹黑耶穌，說他是破壞梅瑟法律的大罪人。

耶穌回答：“這裡有比聖殿更大的。”這“比聖殿更大的”是人子，正如耶穌所闡述：“因為人子是安息日的主。”人子如此仁慈，他對門徒飢餓感同身受，讓他們“掐麥穗吃”。這是耶穌所強調：“我喜歡仁愛勝過祭獻。”名詞“仁愛”（eleos）指向隨時準備幫助陷入困境的人。天主是一位仁慈的主，他最喜歡人的慈悲大愛。