01/10/2026
Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
By Rev. Dr. Anne Gatobu
Scripture
Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grain
fields on the Sabbath; his disciples were
hungry, and they began to pluck heads of
grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw
it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were
hungry? How he entered the house of God, and they ate the bread of the Presence, which it
was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? Or have you not read
in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are
guiltless?
I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, ‘I
desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of
Man is lord of the Sabbath
Devotion
While this passage focuses on the Sabbath and its regulations, it ultimately raises a deeper
question: What does genuine relationship with God look like, and how should it shape Christian
living? At its core, Jesus confronts a faith that elevates rule-keeping above love, mercy, and
justice.
My understanding of this tension is grounded in two key scriptures:
• Micah 6:8 — What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk
humbly with God.
• Jesus’ greatest commandment — To love the Lord your God withal your heart, mind and
soul and to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
Viewed through this lens, Matthew 12:1-8 becomes especially clear. God originally gave Israel
ten commandments as guidance for loving God and others. Over time, these were expanded
into 613 laws that governed every aspect of daily life. What was meant to nurture faithful
relationship with God and neighbor, became an oppressive system, Obedience to
these laws became the measure of righteousness.
Jesus challenges this thinking. He reminds the Pharisees that David ate the consecrated bread
without condemnation, and that priests routinely worked on the Sabbath in the temple and
were still innocent. His message is unmistakable: strict adherence to religious law is not the true
measure of righteousness.
Instead, true righteousness is found in loving God and God’s creation — which naturally gives
rise to mercy and justice. When love requires choosing compassion over rigid rules, Jesus
makes clear where God stands: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
Freed from legalism that distorts faith, we are invited into the abundant life Christ offers—one
rooted in love, grace, and authentic relationship with God.
Prayer
Dear God, open our hearts and minds to discern when faithfulness to You calls us beyond
surface rules into deeper acts of love, mercy, and justice.
