Bible Study on Mark 2:27 ("Sabbath was made for man")
Mark 2:27
“The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” (NIV)
Welcome to the Bible Study Guide for Mark 2:27, which leverages questions from the CHARA Bible Study Guide when studying this verse. Below are the questions the Chara team chose to ask, in the order they chose to ask them, but feel free to use other questions or change up the order as you dive into this passage. For ANSWERS from the Chara team on these questions, check out the video below.
APPLY
Yield: What religious bias and assumptions do you bring (if any) to the Sabbath? Have you ever practiced a Sabbath and what did it look like?
CONTEXT
Immediate: What is the theme or main idea leading up to Mark 2:27?? (Hint: read Mark 2:23-28)
HISTORY
Who was Jesus speaking to and who was He speaking about? (Hint: try using a conconcordance or notes found in your study Bible to learn more about them)
How would the Pharisees have heard this message? The Pharisees, who were strict observers of the Old Testament law, would’ve revered David as one of Israel’s greatest Kings, not to mention he wrote nearly half of their sacred Psalms! Yet, as Jesus points out, when David and his men were in need and hungry they ate the consecrated bread that was technically reserved for the High Priest by law (1 Samuel 21:1-6, Leviticus 24:5-9). How does this relate to the events found in Mark 2:23-24?
CONTEXT
Immediate: Continue reading context following our verse, in Mark 3:1-6. How does this continue to build on the theme found in Mark 2:23-28?
HISTORY
Why did Jesus give this message to the Pharisees? Note: The Pharisees built laws around laws, and established oral laws and traditions above and beyond the written law found in the Old Testament (Mark 7:1-13). These extra-biblical laws created a burden for the people (Matthew 23:4) and often disregarded God’s original intent of the law.
AUTHOR
Patterns: What is highlighted through the use of chiasm in Mark 2:27? Chiastic structure is when words are repeated in reverse order and the second part mirrors the first. Mark 10:31 is another example. How does Mark 2:27 reveal what mattered most to the Pharisees (also Mark 3:4)? What about Jesus?
Purpose/Point: As the author and creator of all things (John 1:1-3, Hebrews 1:1-3), including the Sabbath law, what was Jesus’ point (purpose) in Mark 2:28?
CONTEXT
Bible: Does the text quote or allude to another passage in the Bible and what understanding does that give? The Hebrew word for Sabbath is sabbat (shabbath), which means to rest or cease from work. We see this originate in the Bible after God created the heavens and the earth in six days and ceased work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). Later it became the fourth of the Ten Commandments that God gave His people. Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15. What were the Israelites supposed to do on the Sabbath and why?
Also read Exodus 23:11-12. According to this passage, what is God’s purpose for the Sabbath (hint: look for repetition)?
The Sabbath law was not intended to be a burden, yet that’s exactly what the Pharisees turned it into. All the works associated with the Old Testament Law pointed humanity to their need for a Savior - One who could fulfill the works of the law on their behalf (Matthew 5:17). Now let’s look at a few New Testament passages, Hebrews 4:1-3, 9-10 and Colossians 2:16-17. How does Jesus fit into the big story of the Bible? How has Jesus become our Sabbath rest?
APPLY
Respond: What was expected of the original audience and what principles make sense for us now? We have a tendency to create a list of what we can and can’t do on the Sabbath, just like the Pharisees. What should be our focus today?
Pray: Sabbath rest may look different for everyone. Pray and ask God, “what do you want me to learn and how should I apply this to my life?”
Join the Chara Project team as they study Mark 2:27 and see their ANSWERS to the questions asked from the CHARA Bible Study Guide.