Jesus defended David when he and his men ate the consecrated bread that, according to the law, was reserved for the priests.
Then He made three astonishing statements:
“Something greater than the temple is here.” — Matthew 12:6
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” — Matthew 12:7
“For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” — Matthew 12:8
If Jesus is greater than the temple and Lord of the Sabbath, shouldn’t His interpretation carry more weight than our traditions?
Yet today, some churches forbid members from working on the Sabbath, even in cases of genuine necessity.
Others deny Holy Communion to believers because they are judged not to be in a “state of grace.”
Now here is my question:
If David was not condemned for eating the holy bread reserved for priests, why should a repentant believer be denied the bread and cup that Christ Himself instituted?
Paul wrote:
“Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” — 1 Corinthians 11:28
Notice what Paul did not say. He did not write, “Examine yourself, and therefore stay away.” He said, “Examine yourself… and so let him eat.”
Have we turned self-examination into self-exclusion?
Have we become more protective of sacred symbols than the mercy they were designed to proclaim?
If Jesus could place mercy above ceremonial restriction, are we certain He would approve of every barrier we have placed around His table?
Matthew 12:1–8 | 1 Corinthians 11:17–34
What are your thoughts?
#Faith #BibleStudy #MercyOverSacrifice #TruthMatters #jollyonyeka
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