To Pluck or Not To Pluck

Mark 2 : 23 - 28

In many religions, there are consecrated places considered to be holy. But in Judaism, not only are certain places considered holy, but also specific times. One of the most important laws is the law regarding the Sabbath day.

In our modern context, Sabbath observance is no longer publicly practiced. However, here in Germany, we still get a foretaste of the Sabbath, as Sunday remains a quiet day. In this way, we see some structural influence of Christian values. Sadly, many people no longer understand the true meaning or substance of practicing the Sabbath.

This is also what Jesus addressed in this pericope: people were losing the essence of the Sabbath while still practicing the outward religious duties.

If we read the Ten Commandments again, we’ll notice that the fourth commandment is one of the longest. The people of Israel took this Sabbath observance very seriously. The Sabbath was not only for the Jews themselves but also extended to slaves, animals, and even the land. The vegetation could not be plucked. That’s why the Pharisees were annoyed when the disciples picked heads of grain on the Sabbath.

The original meaning of Sabbath observance was beautiful—it was a universal day of rest. The Westminster Confession of Faith emphasizes that Sabbath observance is not only for Christians but should be universally insisted upon. Sunday rest, however, is not meant to be merely a time for sleeping or idleness.

So what does true rest mean? It is no other than enjoying the special presence of God, especially in Sunday worship. If we fail to appreciate God’s presence, then we cannot observe the Sabbath correctly.

The observance of the Sabbath became increasingly complicated in human hands. During Jesus’ time, certain rules were strictly enforced: working on the Sabbath was forbidden unless absolutely necessary. But what did “necessary” mean?

They interpreted it as something life-threatening. For instance, if you dislocated your foot or hand on the Sabbath, it wasn’t treated immediately unless it endangered your life—you had to wait until the next working day. Even walking was limited: you couldn’t take more than 1,999 steps on the Sabbath. These regulations may sound absurd to our modern ears, but they were followed strictly out of a sense of religious duty before God.

In Mark 2:23, the disciples began to pluck heads of grain—something that may seem trivial to us. But if we understand the Sabbath context during Jesus’ time, we realize this action became a problem because, in the strictest interpretation, it was considered a violation—even denying rest to the land.

Interestingly, in verse 25, Jesus responds by appealing to the story of David. When David and his men were hungry and in need, they entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence—something that was not lawful. Why did Jesus mention this story?

At first glance, it may seem that Jesus was making an exception, but that’s not the point. This wasn’t an excuse; it was a precedent. The people of Israel expected the coming of the Messiah as the son of David, but they didn’t recognize or want to accept that Jesus was the fulfillment of that expectation. The story of David entering the house of God and eating the bread of the Presence foreshadows Jesus’ coming—and now it is fulfilled in Mark 2:23–28. The emphasis is not on David’s story, but on its prophetic fulfillment in Jesus.

There is a connection between this passage and the previous one about fasting and the metaphor of the wineskins. Now, once again, Jesus addresses the deeper issue of law observance. There is always a tendency to treat religious duties as burdensome rather than joyful.

I read a quote from Charles Spurgeon (freely translated): “How do you know if you are spiritually regenerated? If you enjoy the life of holiness, then it’s a sign that you are spiritually regenerated. But if holiness feels like a burdensome yoke, then perhaps you are not.”

Of course, in the realistic Christian life, there is also self-denial—because of our fallen nature. But if we cannot enjoy the beauty of holiness at all, then something is wrong with our spiritual life. The same is true for Sabbath observance. If religious duties feel like a burden, then we miss the beauty of religion. From a Christian—especially Reformed—theological perspective, it’s impossible for sinful human beings to enjoy God’s presence without spiritual regeneration.

The last two verses summarize the whole pericope. Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (v. 27). What does this mean?

It means there is always a danger that we miss the spiritual meaning—the substance—of religious duties. In our daily lives, we may try to preserve order for the sake of order itself, but we forget the reason behind that order. As a result, we can lose the relationship, human connection, and the mercy at its heart. We begin to live only for the sake of rules, and we get annoyed when others don’t follow them as strictly as we do.

In Jesus’ time, people followed the Sabbath so strictly that they lost the true goal of Sabbath observance. This is the danger of legalistic spirituality. People may use God’s name to support their obsession with the law and become self-righteous—possibly even despising others who don’t follow their rules. But Jesus reminds us that the Sabbath was given for people, not the other way around.

Today, in some regions during fasting periods, certain groups may prohibit restaurants from opening during fasting hours. People get upset that others are not fasting while they are. Isn’t this the same danger of legalism? They don’t enjoy their religious practice (fasting), and instead of embracing its meaning, they want to force others into the same misery. Isn’t that a miserable religion? That’s why it’s important to challenge ourselves: Can we truly enjoy God’s presence in our practice of holiness?

We’ve discussed the danger of legalism—practicing religious duties without joy or a relationship with God. But there’s also the opposite danger: antinomianism, which is the desire to live a lawless life, without rules or order. When Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, He was rebuking both extremes:

He rebuked legalism by placing human well-being at the heart of Sabbath law.

He rebuked antinomianism by affirming that the observance of Sabbath still matters; He did not abolish it.

Sabbath should always be related to Jesus Himself. Without a personal relationship with Him, Sabbath practice becomes meaningless. Verse 28 says, “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” That means our Sabbath observance must take place under Jesus’ Lordship.

We must be careful—many of us are tempted to act as though we are the lord of the Sabbath. Without Christ in our hearts, we might use our “autonomous freedom” to sleep in, travel, skip church, and ridicule those who still observe Sunday as a day of rest and worship.

Now is the time to reflect: Is Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath in our lives, or is it more about our personal freedom?

True rest on the Sabbath only comes when we rest in Christ. Resting in ourselves, our choices, or our freedoms is ultimately meaningless. May we grow in maturity and find deeper joy in God’s presence in our lives.

In the story of humanity’s fall in the Garden of Eden, what was disrupted was the enjoyment of God’s presence. Adam and Eve were terrified and no longer joyful when God came to them. This shows us that the core of the Fall is humanity’s inability to enjoy God’s presence.

Being away from God is not soothing—it is disturbing. But when we are spiritually regenerated, one of the first things that is restored is the ability to enjoy God’s presence once again. And this is the very meaning of Sabbath observance. May God bless us. (G.N.S)