The Israelites were given laws by the Lord through His servant Moses. God insisted that in order to please Him, the people must be separated from the rest and live a certain way. Law-abiding was the only way the Israelites relate to God. In Luke 6, our Lord Jesus allowed His disciples to eat in the cornfield. Eating the corn was not an issue, but rubbing the corn with their hands posed a problem. The Pharisee had build fences around the laws such that rubbing the hands was considered a form of work and they were offended that Jesus allowed His disciples to do that in the Sabbath. When questioned, Jesus replied with a question about David allowing his people to eat the shewbread that was meant only for the priests. We know that Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to uphold it (Matthew 5:17). Why it seemed that He is breaking them? The reason is that there were times when the laws conflict. Eg. Exodus 23:4 stated that one must bring back the lost animal of their neighbor and what if this happened in a Sabbath where people are not supposed to work? People have to give greater authority for one law to be applied over another. The Pharisees exerted the Sabbath law over another because they wanted to find fault with Jesus. You can see this clearer in the next incident in Luke 6. On another Sabbath, Jesus was in the synagogue, there was a man with a withered right hand. The Pharisees were waiting in anticipation if Jesus will heal on a Sabbath. Jesus knowing their thoughts, asked a question, " Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good or to do evil? To save a life, or to destroy it? Jesus then healed the man and the Pharisees were angered. The Pharisees had missed the point. They observed holy laws but do not have a holy attitude. They were critical of Jesus because Jesus was able to do the things they could not and was gaining popularity among the poor and needy. Missing the point in religion is tragic. The spirit of the law is often neglected by those who observe them. Being religious aften breed the "holier than thou" attitude. In the end it bred murder.

May we learn the heart of God through the laws and build up the love for God and man through our practices. May we choose law over lawlessness and choose love over law.