The Gospel of MarkSample

When Jesus’ disciples are seen picking grain on the Sabbath (also recorded in Matthew 12:1-8 and Luke 6:1-5), the religious leaders challenge Jesus on the issue of violating the law of working on the Sabbath. The religious leaders of the day had stacked specific regulations around the law of not working on the Sabbath. In fact, there were 39 types of activity that you could not do, including reaping grain. And He teaches them that Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. It was given as a gift to man for spiritual and physical refreshment. And if the Sabbath is for the benefit of mankind, and if the Son of Man is Lord over all mankind, then the Son of Man is surely lord even of the Sabbath.

Why does Jesus challenge traditional views of the Sabbath, and what does it teach us about how we should approach religious traditions in light of Christ's authority?