Jesus' disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, and he heals a withered hand on the day of rest. “The sabbath was made for man,” he says—and calls himself its Lord.
The Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, brings the early Sabbath conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees (Mark 2:23–3:6). In The Mass Readings Explained, Dr. Brant Pitre walks through this Sunday's readings and shows how Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, reveals the day of rest as God's gift for human good.
When the disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath, Jesus answers, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath,” and then heals a man with a withered hand, showing it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. The commandment to keep the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5) and Paul's image of the treasure carried in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4) accompany it. Dr. Pitre examines the meaning of the Sabbath in the Mosaic Law, the nature of the two conflicts, and Jesus' claim to be Lord of the Sabbath.
GOSPEL, FIRST READING & PSALM TRANSCRIPT (Subscribe or Login for Full Transcript):
The 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year B continues the Church's journey through the Gospel of Mark and brings us to some of the early conflicts in that Gospel between Jesus and the Pharisees and other opponents of his over the way he handles the question of the Sabbath, the day of rest in Jewish law, in the Mosaic Law, and in the Old Testament. Let's turn to Mark 2:23-3:6 and look at these two episodes in which Jesus comes into conflict over the Sabbath. The passage begins in verse 23 with these words...
SECOND READING TRANSCRIPT (SubscribeorLoginfor Full Transcript):
The 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year B continues our journey through the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, and a very powerful and memorable passage that reflects on human weakness and human mortality, and also on the grace of Christ in 2nd Corinthians 4:6-11, this well-known image of jars of clay or earthen vessels...
GOSPEL, FIRST READING & PSALM TRANSCRIPT (Subscribe or Login for Full Transcript):
The 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year B continues the Church's journey through the Gospel of Mark and brings us to some of the early conflicts in that Gospel between Jesus and the Pharisees and other opponents of his over the way he handles the question of the Sabbath, the day of rest in Jewish law, in the Mosaic Law, and in the Old Testament. Let's turn to Mark 2:23-3:6 and look at these two episodes in which Jesus comes into conflict over the Sabbath. The passage begins in verse 23 with these words...
SECOND READING TRANSCRIPT (SubscribeorLoginfor Full Transcript):
The 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year B continues our journey through the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, and a very powerful and memorable passage that reflects on human weakness and human mortality, and also on the grace of Christ in 2nd Corinthians 4:6-11, this well-known image of jars of clay or earthen vessels...
The Readings for the Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
First Reading: Deuteronomy 5:12–15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 81
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:6–11
Gospel: Mark 2:23–3:6
Key passages & sources examined: the two Sabbath conflicts (Mark 2:23–3:6); “the sabbath was made for man”; Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath; the Sabbath commandment (Deuteronomy 5); treasure in earthen vessels and human weakness (2 Corinthians 4).
What are the Mass readings for the Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B? Deuteronomy 5:12–15; Psalm 81; 2 Corinthians 4:6–11; and the Gospel, Mark 2:23–3:6.
What does “the sabbath was made for man” mean? The Sabbath is God's gift for human good, not a burden; and Jesus declares himself its Lord.
Why do the Pharisees object to Jesus? They accuse the disciples of breaking the Sabbath by picking grain, and object to Jesus healing on the day of rest.
What does Jesus do in the synagogue? He heals a man with a withered hand, showing that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.
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This was another great and informative lecture on Catholic teachings concerning a Catholic belief not shared by our Christian brothers and sisters. And, like his other lectures on the Jewish Roots of our Faith, Dr. Pitre gives great insight using biblical texts, history and language lessons. But, this left me burning questions Dr. Pitre did not ask or answer: When, after death, is purgatory? Do our resurrected bodies partake in purgatory? If those who experience purgatory are saved then how does the doctrine of the beatific vision play into all this? Maybe these questions are answered in another lecture?
This was another great and informative lecture on Catholic teachings concerning a Catholic belief not shared by our Christian brothers and sisters. And, like his other lectures on the Jewish Roots of our Faith, Dr. Pitre gives great insight using biblical texts, history and language lessons. But, this left me burning questions Dr. Pitre did not ask or answer: When, after death, is purgatory? Do our resurrected bodies partake in purgatory? If those who experience purgatory are saved then how does the doctrine of the beatific vision play into all this? Maybe these questions are answered in another lecture?
