I desire mercy, not sacrifice

 Matthew 12:1-14

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.  If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.  For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

The first hint of what is to come: the antagonism runs so deep that Jesus' life is threatened.

Why?

Pharisees seeking the lawful deeds, but Jesus brings mercy better than follow the law.

Pharisees didn't understand the real meaning of the Sabbath, so they were angry and plotted to kill Jesus for Jesus against their laws.

The reaction of the word of Jesus shows their heart hardened and rejected to accept the gospel.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, this is the identity of Jesus Christ.

安息日吃麥穗及醫病的事。

為什麼人不輕省，因為自己律法的重擔。

安息日不吃大衛豈不餓死？祭司安息日也工作。神要的是我們對神的愛，不是要送禮物給神。我們常想我們要做什麼？律法上要做什麼？神已經未我們指出一條回家的路。神要我們安息日什麼事都步要做，是希望我們安息，神已經為我們預備，享受神的恩典。包括醫病及吃麥穗。如果我們知道主喜愛憐恤，我們就是感恩領受。

How?

Jesus is the Lord, my savior, and the son of the Lord. May I have more mercy than sacrifice!