‘One thing that makes legalism so dangerous is that it always flows our of the best of intentions. Legalists never see themselves as legalists. They see themselves as obedient to the Bible’ Accidental Pharisees by Larry Osborne

Matthew 12:1-2 New International Version - UK (NIVUK) Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath 12 At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some ears of corn and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.’

Matthew 12:3-4 New International Version - UK (NIVUK) 3 He answered, ‘Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread – which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.

1 Samuel 21:1-4 and 6 New International Version (NIV) David at Nob 21 [a]David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” 2 David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.” 4 But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here—provided the men have kept themselves from women.” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

Matthew 12:3-4 New International Version - UK (NIVUK) 3 He answered, ‘Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread – which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.

Matthew 12:5 New Life Version (NLV) 5 Have you not read in the Law how the religious leaders do that which is not right to do on the Day of Rest, and yet they are not guilty?

Matthew 12:6-8 New Life Version (NLV) 6 I tell you that Someone greater than the house of God is here. 7 If you had understood what the words mean, ‘I want loving-kindness and not a gift to be given,’ you would not say a person is guilty who has done no wrong. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Day of Rest.”

Matthew 12:9-12 New Life Version (NLV) Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest 9 From there Jesus went into their place of worship. 10 A man was there with a dried-up hand. The proud religious law-keepers asked Jesus, “Does the Law say it is right to heal on the Day of Rest?” They wanted something to say against Him. 11 He said to them, “If one of you has a sheep which falls into a hole on the Day of Rest, will you not take hold of it and pull it out? 12 How much better is a man than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the Day of Rest.”

Matthew 12:13-14 New Life Version (NLV) 13 Then He said to the man, “Put out your hand.” He held it out and it was made as well as the other. 14 The proud religious law-keepers went out and made plans against Him. They planned how they might kill Him.

‘ As I started to keep the Sabbath, I developed some rules, good rules, I thought, but rules all the same. At first I exhorted myself to keep the rules. Then I castigated myself for not keeping the rules. Then I prided myself for keeping them, if not perfectly, then at least better than other people did. Then I started to find fault with those other people, people who didn’t have the same rules I had or who didn’t keep the rules as consistently as I did. Then I found myself getting angry with those people when they dared to feel tired or stressed. Well, if you had kept the Sabbath holy - as I do - you wouldn’t feel that way now, would you? Its not too far from here to plotting murder.’ The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

‘ No one starts out with a desire to become a Pharisee ‘ No one starts out with a desire to become a Pharisee. They’re the bad guys. We all know that in the say way no one ever looks in the mirror, and see a Pharisee. I bet you haven’t either. That word always describes someone else. But the truth is accidental Pharisees are made up of people just like you and me, people who love God, love the scripture and are trying their best to live by them.’ Accidental Pharisees by Larry Osborne