Mark 2: 23 28 – Sabbath Laws And Practices

Target year level: Year Seven

Scripture text

Introduction

Mark 2:23-28 is in a section of the Gospel of Mark usually called the Galilean ministry (Mark 1:14 - 7:23). From 1:16 to 3:6 within this Galilean ministry section, Mark emphasises the authority of Jesus.

For a summary of key aspects of the Gospel of Mark and an outline of its structure see the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) Introduction to Mark.

World behind the text

The authorship of the Gospel which bears the name of Mark is unknown. The Gospel writer was influenced by the stories, wisdom and leadership of Peter until Peter’s martyrdom sometime between 64 and 67 CE. The Gospel of Mark was probably written between 65 and 70 CE, after the death of Peter and towards or at the end of the four-year war between Israel and Rome. This was a time of turmoil, violence and great suffering. By 67 CE, Nero, the Roman Emperor had already killed many of the leaders of the Christian community in Rome.

Mark and many of his Christian contemporaries held strongly the early Christian apocalyptic hope for the end of the world and the imminent second coming of Jesus. Mark thinks of himself and his Christian community as caught up in events that indicate that the end of the world and the end of history is near at hand.

According to tradition, Mark’s Gospel was written in Rome. The Gospel of Mark was written for a Christian church that was made up for the most part of Gentile Christians. Scholars think that the community for whom Mark wrote needed affirmation and encouragement as they dealt with problems of being members of a small and often persecuted Christian community struggling to preserve its identity and integrity amidst the cultural and religious pluralism and upheaval of the Greco-Roman World .

World of the text

Jesus’ disciples pluck heads of corn as they accompany Jesus through the grain fields one Sabbath day. According to the Pharisees, who complain to Jesus, the disciples are breaking Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath) Law by their action (v24). It is important to note that Jesus does not dispute the point of law with the Pharisees. The Pharisees may very well have been factually and legally correct. However, Mark puts Jesus in the role of Rabbi or master teacher, using the occasion to re-interpret the Shabbat Law to take account of the context and circumstances of ordinary Jewish people.

The precedent of David, an Israelite king widely revered by Jews. is cited (v25-26). The point is hammered home with a pithy aphorism: “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath (v27). Then Mark underlines his message with an assertion of Jesus’ authority: “so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (v28).

World in front of the text

Christians today have at their disposal a rich theology, literature, art and spirituality, the outcome of some two thousand years of Christian living, reflection, writing and artistic expression. With Mark’s Gospel we are back near the beginning of this process of historical, cultural and religious development. Mark and many of his Christian contemporaries did not anticipate much history in front of his Gospel text. This gives a sense of forcefulness and urgency to what Mark communicates.

Some Christians believe in our times that the world will end soon. Many others think we are in for the long haul. Christians of both persuasions need, however, to be forceful and urgent as Mark was in interpreting Jesus, the Son of Man, the one who has authority, even over the Sabbath, for our times and our context.