St Matthew 12: 1 – 21
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.”
He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 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.” Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, 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. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.”
Reflection
Palestine Action, founded in 2020, became involved in Gaza war protests in the UK in the wake of the ongoing Gaza genocide. It was proscribed as a terrorist group in July 2025 under the UK’s Terrorism Act, after some vandalism at RAF Brize Norton. Since then, over 1600 people, including the Rev’d Sue Parfitt – an 83 year old retired Anglican priest – have been arrested for waving signs saying ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’. In response, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The law doesn’t have an age limit, whether you’re 18 or 80. If you’re supporting proscribed organisations, then the law is going to be enforced.”
As I read today’s passage, images of folk arrested for protesting genocide came to mind. There’s a nuance to be considered and that I may not know the full reasons for Palestine Action being proscribed; I take the liberty of assuming that Ms Parfitt was, in effect, saying ‘genocide is not ok and I had to do something’.
Hungry disciples walked through grainfields, picking a few heads of grain and ate them. It was the sabbath and the Pharisees took the opportunity to highlight this lawbreaking. In response, Jesus seemed to say there are times we should break the law for the greater good. Offering precedent he recalled David and his disciples eating consecrated bread on the Sabbath and provided a tricky question himself. He declared ‘it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath’
When our laws conflict with our ability to feed the hungry, heal the sick, or speak out about genocide, remember Jesus’ words: ‘it is lawful to do good’. And when those around us plot our death for doing so, we might want to follow Jesus’ lead, take his bravery, and withdraw to a place where we can feed and heal a larger crowd, or where we can make a louder statement, ‘proclaiming justice to the nations’.
Prayer
God of justice,
give us the eyes of compassion to see where hunger and suffering afflict your people,
grant us wisdom as we discern where laws offend your active love,
offer us the bravery to make a stand in the name of justice,
be with us as we face derision and hate,
and may we hope in your deep peace if doing what is good leads to our end.
This day, may we go in peace, to love and serve the Lord. Amen