Many years, but only a couple Bible chapters after our last post, we see one of Jesus’ first Sabbath throw-downs.

While walking along with his disciples, some of Jesus’ students felt a little rumbly in their tumbly. So, as they pressed on through the fields, they broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks and ate the seeds (Luke 6:1). The religious spies lying in wait pounced at the opportunity to point out Jesus’ rule-breaking and they ask him, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” (Luke 6:2).

Jesus responds with an obscure reference to an instance in King David’s life. “‘Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions’” (Luke 6:3-4).

If you’re at all familiar with Scripture, you know King David was “The Dude” to most Israelites. He was the Greatest King to ever have lived. God also held him in pretty high esteem, referring to David as a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

For Jesus to appeal to David’s actions was to appeal to an Israelite hero, and not just any hero, but a holy one. So, on face value, Jesus seems to be saying that David broke the rules, so he can too. But elsewhere, we know that Jesus is getting at something much deeper than that, which we’ll come back to in the next post.

What is it that Jesus adds to this strange ethical justification? He proclaims, “’The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.’” (Luke 6:5)

Jesus has already spoken volumes by putting himself on the same ethical plain as David. And now He’s invoked the phrase “Son of Man.” This was another loaded phrase for an ethnic Jew in this day. Son of Man was a go-to title for the future Messiah—the True King—of Israel.

As Jesus invokes this phrase to describe himself, he lets the religious leaders know that He is Lord over all things, including the sacred ritual of Sabbath.

What is notable in this passage and key for our understanding in this series of posts, is that Jesus does not revoke the Sabbath whatsoever; he simply lays claim over it.

As the great Dutch Theologian said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” And that dominion—that claim of Lordship—includes the Sabbath.

Jesus doesn’t take it away, but rather takes back rightful ownership of the Sabbath. Through his soon-to-be inaugurated Kingdom, the Sabbath will now be under his rule and reign once again.