“If
You Had Known What This Means”
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On a particular occasion Jesus’ disciples were hungry as they walked
through a grain field. To satisfy
their hunger they began to pluck some of the kernels of grain and rub off the
husks in order to eat them. The
Pharisees immediately began to criticize Christ’s disciples saying,
"Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath”
(Matt. 12:1-2 RSV).
Jesus had just told the disciples that His yoke was easy and His burden
was light (Matt. 11:30). Now they
were being criticized by the much stricter Pharisees.
Jesus came to their defense by pointing out that David and his men ate
the show bread in the temple which was not lawful for them to eat.
The show bread was in the sanctuary which could only be entered by the
priests (v.3-4). Since David was a
Jew and none of his men were priests, it was unlawful for them to enter the
sanctuary and eat the show bread.
Realizing that He
didn’t convince them, Jesus went to another example.
Now He showed that even the priests violated the letter of the law.
He asked, “Have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the
priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?” (v. 5).
He told them that someone
greater than the temple was in that place and then went on to say, “And if you had known what this
means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' (a quote from Hosea 6:6 For
I desired mercy, and not [rather than] sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more
than burnt offerings.) you would not have condemned the guiltless” (v. 7).
As we analyze Hosea 6:6 we see the connection of the "For" (Hos
6:6), God had said, "They shall go with their flocks and herds to seek the
Lord, but they shall not find Him;" (Hosea 5:6) for He adds here, "I
desired mercy, and not sacrifice."
What
God is saying is, “Do not excuse yourselves by thinking of the sacrifices you
have offered to me: these were not what I required, so much as mercy and general
goodness and piety on your parts: but these are the very duties which you failed
to fulfill in obedience to me, and without which, your sacrifices are vain.”
The
phrase, ”And not sacrifice” should be, 'rather than sacrifice.' Since God
Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He did not absolutely desire
them, but that, even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience, which the
positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, stood for. Moral obedience was something more important than a mere
external ritual obedience (1 Sam 15:22; Ps 50:8-9; 51:16-17; Isa 1:11-12. Matt
9:13; 12:7).
And "the knowledge of God" is something that is experimental
and practical, not merely theoretical (Hos 6:3; Jer 22:16; 1 John 2:3-4).
"Mercy" refers to the second table of the law which is our duty to our
fellowman. But "the knowledge
of God" refers to our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The
second table is put first, not as superior,
but in the order for us to understand the first.
How can we love God whom we have not seen if we cannot love our brothers
and sisters made in His image?
This must
have been one of Jesus’ favorite statements because when He ate at dinner the
“publicans and sinners” came there with Him.
The Pharisees, in a condemning manner, asked His disciples why their
Master ate with people like that.
When
Jesus heard it He said the sick need a physician not the healthy and then He
said, “Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.'
For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13) RSV).
Jesus used this statement to show the Pharisees that they ought not to be
so condemning of others. Further He
demonstrated that even the law of God must be tempered with mercy.
As
an example, what if a person could not bend down to wash another’s feet?
What if his/her hands are paralyzed?
What about fasting on Day of Atonement?
What if one is sick? What
about a nursing baby? What if
a person is under a physician’s care for hypoglycemia, sugar diabetes, or
other serious illness which requires the taking of food or medicine?
Are there no exceptions? Yes
there are. “Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not
sacrifice.”
Read Prov.
21:3: “To do what is right and
just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice”(NIV).
Micah asks, “With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before
the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a
year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand
rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my
body for the sin of my soul?” (6:6-7 NIV).
God reveals to Micah the answer to his questions.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require
of you? To act justly and to love
mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”(v. 8 NIV).
-- David L. Antion