Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today, we really got a glimpse into why Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels.

We read a lot of the same stories through three different lenses.

First, we read about another time when the Pharisees accused the disciples of breaking the Sabbath, and Jesus uses

it as an opportunity to teach them something important. As he often does, he teaches using

imagery and parallels. He points out that while the temple is important, there's something more

important than the dwelling place of God, namely God himself. And he's like, by the way, there's something more important than the dwelling place of God.

Namely, God himself.

And he's like, by the way, that's me.

I'm him.

Then he continues the comparison along these lines.

Sacrifice is important, but there's something more important than sacrifice, namely mercy.

The point he seems to be making with all of this is that the law is important,

but there's something greater than the law, the God who made the law.

And in this instance, he made that specific law to serve the people.

So even the needs of the people are greater than the law of the Sabbath.

The law at large shows us our brokenness and our need,

and it points out what righteous living looks like, and that's important.

But the law never terminates on itself.

It points to him.

And what the Pharisees have done is misinterpreted and misapplied God's law.

They've twisted it into a version that no longer points to him and his heart.

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