God made the Sabbath for mankind, not the other way around. This next story of Jesus shows another example of Jesus’ deity as the Son of God, because here Jesus demonstrates authority even over the Sabbath. But before we get into the story, what does it mean to be the Son of God? This is where there can be much confusion. “Son of” means to be in the direct line of, or in this case, God. God does this by manifesting Himself into the human image of Jesus. Though it may sound strange at first, the Old Testament is filled with stories of God walking among the people, and other spiritual beings and angels not like us. It is actually right in line with God’s character and the rest of the Bible. And as the Son of God, Jesus was also the first to call God, “Father”, a concept that was not used prior to Jesus. It is just one more example of His deity.
Mark 2:23-3:6 ~Jesus Questioned About Working on the Sabbath
On the Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and His disciples began to make their way picking some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry— how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the sacred bread—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests—and also gave some to his companions?” Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Now Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed hand. In order to accuse Him, they were watching Him closely to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath. He told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand before us.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do what is good or to do what is evil, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. After looking around at them with anger and sorrow at the hardness of their hearts, He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Immediately the Pharisees went out and started plotting with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
There are three similar-sounding titles for Jesus: “Son of God”, “Son of Man”, and “Son of David”. What is the difference and why three titles?
Like God, just one title for Jesus cannot cover all his attributes, but these are also three specific claims:
Son of God – in the line of God. God manifested Himself in the image of Jesus. God in the flesh.
Son of Man – only Jesus calls Himself this title. It refers to his humanity, and his ability to identify with our suffering and struggles.
Son of David – in the line of David. Jesus is directly descended from the genealogy of King David through Mary’s blood line, and his earthly father, Joseph, carries the legal line from tribe of Judah. This fulfills the prophecy from the early Israelites and King David’s time.
