The Heart of the Sabbath

While he was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”  

Luke 6:1-5

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Merciful Shepherd

Jesus taught with authority and healed on the Sabbath, which drew the ire of religious authorities. The “sheep without a shepherd” were like mangled castaways in the eyes of the Good Shepherd, who came to free them to love.

The choice of the word “discard” in the second line of the couplet comes from Matthew 9:36: 

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

The Greek word translated as “abandoned” (errimmenoi) means cast away, thrown off, scattered, dejected, helpless, downcast, and distressed.

Law Promotes Life

Setting an example for his future shepherds, Jesus took pity on his disciples and defended their right to pick heads of grain on the Sabbath to alleviate their hunger. The law promotes life, not death. If “resting” on the Sabbath results in legal nitpicking that kills, starves, or oppresses people (and animals), the law has been misapplied.

But if it is not lawful to do good on the sabbath and the law forbids the saving of life, you have made yourself an accuser of the law.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 23

Traditional Chinese Translation

《安息日之心》
 仁慈和憐憫使上帝的心喜樂。
 安息日沒有憐憫心的人會丟棄他的羊。

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Related posts:

The Lord of the Sabbath
His Heart Was Moved With Pity For Them