Sacrifices Are Easy

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6.

Sometimes we get so caught up on the letter of the law that we forget the purpose of the law. The meaning and intent become obsolete and we scrutinize every word and nuance of meaning until we turn God's colorful world into a simplistic black and white version. The most interesting fact is that the people who ran the fine-tooth comb through the letter of the law were the Pharisees. Turn to Matthew 12:1-14. You read here that these so-called religious leaders of the day were not really interested in upholding the law, but looking for a reason to make an accusation.

The Pharisees questioned Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" You can look in Exodus 20 to read about the Ten Commandments. This is what it says about the Sabbath in verses 8-11:

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

It says you shall not do any work. Our first inclination then, would be to say it wasn't lawful. Here, we must keep in mind what it says in the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

We think we're so smart and we puff out our chests as we focus on one word or one verse. We are quick to judge and slow to think. So, take a moment and think. As a reading teacher, there are several key components to consider when you are trying to comprehend text. Taking the text at face value is not one of them. You must consider the author's purpose and the context. Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this commandment? What is the context of the commandment and what is the context of the situation where the Pharisees asked this question? There's also one more thing. You have to look at the text as a whole and look at what is written in the other parts.

Reread the verse at the top of this post. Now, consider what Jesus said in Matthew 12:7. "If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[b] you would not have condemned the innocent." What does it mean 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'?

Let's define mercy. Mercy means compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence.

Now let's define sacrifice. The World English Dictionary offers several definitions. Let's look at three of them.

1. a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil
2. a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity
3. a symbolic offering of something to a deity

Consider Matthew 5:23-24. "23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."

It is so much easier to sacrifice and give up something than it is to show compassion to each other. It is easier to ask for forgiveness than just obey in the first place. If we can't show mercy, what good is our sacrifice? It means nothing. Read Matthew 22:36-40:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments. All. Keeping that in mind, return to the question the Pharisees asked Jesus. "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Jesus never said yes or no, but he healed the man with the shriveled hand. His answer was, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." He also tells us in Mark 2:27 that ". . . “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

Let us put away our "red pens" and lower our fingers and show mercy. Be merciful like your heavenly Father.