That might seem like a silly title to you, in fact, you may think it is a stupid question. Before you judge it too harshly you might want to know that it is a question that Jesus asked in Matthew 12:12. Surprised? Of course we should realize that Jesus knows the answer to the question. He is not asking out of his need for knowledge, but as with most (possibly all) of the questions he asked in the Bible he is making those around him think about the answer to the question. If Christ thought it was something worthy of their time and attention then it would seem that the question is worthy of our consideration as well.
First let’s see why Jesus was dealing with this subject. (Matthew 12:9-14 KJV) "And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: {10} And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. {11} And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? {12} How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. {13} Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. {14} Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him." The Pharisees of Jesus’ time believed, practiced, and taught the wrong thing about the value of things. The law of Moses under which the Jews lived at the time of Christ was clear that no work was to be done on the sabbath. Some had gone so far as to say that you couldn’t even get out of bed or open your eyelids all day. You want to talk about hard work -- just try laying in bed with your eyes closed all day long. Those Jesus is with at this time didn’t go that far in fact Jesus claims that it was common for them to go get a sheep out of a pit on the sabbath. It is strange then that these same people wanted to destroy him for doing something similar but of a greater value when he healed a man on the sabbath. This was certainly not the only time the Pharisees fought with Jesus over doing good on the sabbath. Jesus is trying to show there hypocrisy and convince them to reevaluate there doctrine about this topic.
See, the Pharisees had foolishly placed the good of a sheep above the good of a man. Does that sound like anything people today would do? Since Jesus asks ‘how much’ better the man is, then we must believe that Jesus believed that man was better than a sheep. We live in a confused world today. You could probably find thousands, maybe even millions or billions, who believe that man is no better than an animal. Evolution, the belief that man is nothing more than an animal that has developed special skills and abilities over millions of years, is being taught as a fact to our children as young as 5 or 6 years old. Is it any surprise then that people are starting to act like animals? Some believe that is all we are. How sad. The Bible tells us that mankind was created by God in the image of God. How differently people who believe they are supposed to be like God act when compared with people who believe they are supposed to be like the animals.
It is disturbing how truly mixed up some people are. There are places where fat cows walk around in complete safety while people are starving to death refusing to eat the food available because the cows are sacred to them. I wonder if it would even change them if God Himself spoke to them and told them to rise, kill, and eat like he told Peter (Acts 10:13-16). I remember a case a few years back where a child was lost in the forest. The rescuers in a helicopter found him, but weren’t allowed to land and save him because of a fear that the wind and noise from the helicopter would harm the ecosystem in the area. Meanwhile a lost child was facing the possibility of death. We have people who will risk their lives to try to save a whale or manatee or some other animal. We are definitely supposed to care for the world God has given us and not be wasteful of life of any kind, but we must remember that only humans have an eternal soul and are, therefore, more valuable than any other creature on earth even if it is the last of its kind.
I remember the wisdom of a judge in Arkansas who was dealing with a wreck where a man claimed it was caused because he had dodged a dog. He had in the process damaged property, endangered his life, and endangered others. The judge said, “I don’t mean to be cruel, but next time hit the dog.” Hopefully, none of us would ever go out and intentionally run over dogs, but if there was a choice to be made between the safety and health of ourselves and our families and the life of a dog wouldn’t we make the right choice? To be Continued.
First let’s see why Jesus was dealing with this subject. (Matthew 12:9-14 KJV) "And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: {10} And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. {11} And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? {12} How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. {13} Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. {14} Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him." The Pharisees of Jesus’ time believed, practiced, and taught the wrong thing about the value of things. The law of Moses under which the Jews lived at the time of Christ was clear that no work was to be done on the sabbath. Some had gone so far as to say that you couldn’t even get out of bed or open your eyelids all day. You want to talk about hard work -- just try laying in bed with your eyes closed all day long. Those Jesus is with at this time didn’t go that far in fact Jesus claims that it was common for them to go get a sheep out of a pit on the sabbath. It is strange then that these same people wanted to destroy him for doing something similar but of a greater value when he healed a man on the sabbath. This was certainly not the only time the Pharisees fought with Jesus over doing good on the sabbath. Jesus is trying to show there hypocrisy and convince them to reevaluate there doctrine about this topic.
See, the Pharisees had foolishly placed the good of a sheep above the good of a man. Does that sound like anything people today would do? Since Jesus asks ‘how much’ better the man is, then we must believe that Jesus believed that man was better than a sheep. We live in a confused world today. You could probably find thousands, maybe even millions or billions, who believe that man is no better than an animal. Evolution, the belief that man is nothing more than an animal that has developed special skills and abilities over millions of years, is being taught as a fact to our children as young as 5 or 6 years old. Is it any surprise then that people are starting to act like animals? Some believe that is all we are. How sad. The Bible tells us that mankind was created by God in the image of God. How differently people who believe they are supposed to be like God act when compared with people who believe they are supposed to be like the animals.
It is disturbing how truly mixed up some people are. There are places where fat cows walk around in complete safety while people are starving to death refusing to eat the food available because the cows are sacred to them. I wonder if it would even change them if God Himself spoke to them and told them to rise, kill, and eat like he told Peter (Acts 10:13-16). I remember a case a few years back where a child was lost in the forest. The rescuers in a helicopter found him, but weren’t allowed to land and save him because of a fear that the wind and noise from the helicopter would harm the ecosystem in the area. Meanwhile a lost child was facing the possibility of death. We have people who will risk their lives to try to save a whale or manatee or some other animal. We are definitely supposed to care for the world God has given us and not be wasteful of life of any kind, but we must remember that only humans have an eternal soul and are, therefore, more valuable than any other creature on earth even if it is the last of its kind.
I remember the wisdom of a judge in Arkansas who was dealing with a wreck where a man claimed it was caused because he had dodged a dog. He had in the process damaged property, endangered his life, and endangered others. The judge said, “I don’t mean to be cruel, but next time hit the dog.” Hopefully, none of us would ever go out and intentionally run over dogs, but if there was a choice to be made between the safety and health of ourselves and our families and the life of a dog wouldn’t we make the right choice? To be Continued.
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