What does it mean that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath?

Answer

In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” This statement was a response to the accusation that His disciples were breaking the law regarding resting on the Sabbath when they walked by some fields and plucked heads of grain (see Mark 2:23-28; also Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5).

When the Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples, Jesus referred them to an example from the Old Testament. David was once in need of food and was given consecrated bread that was, technically, only lawful for the priests to eat (1 Samuel 21:1-6). The holy bread had served a practical need of God’s anointed (David) and his followers, just as, in Jesus’ day, the grain served a practical need for God’s anointed (Jesus) and His followers.

David and his men had not acted sinfully in eating the showbread, and neither were Jesus’ disciples acting sinfully in picking heads of grain on the Sabbath. Jesus concludes, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). His response to the accusing Pharisees contains two important teachings.

First, the Sabbath was intended to help people, not burden them. In contrast with the grueling daily work as slaves in Egypt, the Israelites were commanded to take a full day of rest each week under the Mosaic Law. Pharisaical law had morphed the Sabbath into a burden, adding restrictions beyond what God’s law said. The act of picking a head of grain and munching on it as one walked along a field should not be considered “harvesting,” as the Pharisees tried to categorize it. The disciples had not broken God’s law; they had only violated traditional interpretations.

Jesus challenged the Pharisees’ strict interpretation of the law. He reminded them of the original purpose of the Sabbath rest.

In Mark 3:1–6 (also Matthew 12:9-14;Luke 6:6-11), Jesus offers a similar reminder when He heals a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees sought to accuse Jesus and closely monitored His reaction to a man with a withered hand. “Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent” «And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. », (Mark 3:4). The Sabbath was not meant to burden people but to alleviate their burdens. Prohibiting acts of mercy and kindness on God’s day of rest goes against what is right. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, acted rightly by healing the man, leading the Pharisees to conspire with the Herodians to kill Him.

Furthermore, Jesus is the Lord even of the Sabbath. What does this signify? Another way to convey this concept is to state that Jesus is in control of the Sabbath. He is God incarnate, and He instituted the Sabbath day. As the One who authored the law, Jesus undoubtedly has authority over how the law is implemented. The Pharisees elevated their own regulations to the level of God’s, burdening people with heavy loads, and ultimately rebuked the Lawgiver Himself.

Jesus is also the Lord of the Sabbath in that the Sabbath symbolized the rest Jesus offers. Jesus became our rest by completing all the necessary work for our salvation (Hebrews 4). He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets « Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. », (Matthew 5:17).“Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” «For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. », (Romans 10:4). We rest, spiritually, in Him; He has secured our eternal blessing.

As believers, set free in Christ, we are not judged by whether or not we keep the Sabbath day «Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: », (Colossians 2:16). Instead, we follow the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ. We find our rest in Him, and every day of the week is filled with worship of Him.