In verse 5 the Lord asked the Pharisees, “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?” The Lord brought to the attention of the Pharisees another case in the Scriptures to prove to them how little they really knew the Bible. He pointed out that whatever the priests did in the temple on the Sabbath, they were guiltless.
Then in verse 6 the Lord declared, “Now I say to you that a greater than the temple is here.” What boldness the Lord had! He was a Nazarene, but as He stood before the Pharisees He seemed to be saying, “Look at Me. I am greater than the temple.” The Pharisees must have been shocked to such an extent that they could not say anything.
The Lord’s revealing to the Pharisees that He was greater than the temple was another change, a type-fulfilling change from the temple to a Person. In the case of David, it was a change from one age to another. In this case, a case concerning the priests, it was a change from the temple to a Person who is greater than the temple. Since the priests were guiltless in doing things on the Sabbath in the temple, how could the Lord’s disciples be guilty in doing things on the Sabbath in Him who is greater than the temple? In the first case, it was the king breaking the Levitical regulation; in the second case, it was the priests breaking the sabbatical regulation. In the Scripture, neither was guilty. Hence, what the Lord did here was scripturally right.
Apparently the priests were profaning the Sabbath, but actually they were not profaning the Sabbath, because they were in the temple. In that sphere every day and everything were holy. Outside the temple everything was common. But once something was brought into the temple, it was sanctified by the temple. Likewise, every day was sanctified by the temple. Outside the temple, there were common days and holy days, but within the temple there was no such distinction. Everything, every day, every matter, and everyone in the temple were holy. The temple, however, was a shadow, not the reality. The reality is Christ, the greater temple. The Lord seemed to be saying, “I am the greater temple, the real temple. In Me, Peter, John, and all the Galilean fishermen are sanctified, holy. In Me every day is a holy day. If the priests were free to move and engage in various activities on the Sabbath in the temple, then how much more can these dear ones freely do things within Me? The temple protected the priests, and I, the greater temple, protect all My disciples. Pharisees, don’t bother Me. Let My disciples be free, for they are all in the greater temple.” This was a change from the type to the reality. The Lord’s defense was too deep for the Pharisees to argue with. They had nothing with which to counter the Lord’s defense. Thus, they were silent.
Following this, the Lord said, “But if you had known what this is: I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless” (v. 7). By this, the Lord pointed out that what the Pharisees did was not according to God’s heart. They were strict in the regulations, but neglected God’s mercy. But God desires to have mercy rather than sacrifice.
Finally, in verse 8 the Lord said, “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” How bold the Lord Jesus was! He won the case, and the Pharisees, who were shocked and frightened, were silenced. They had nothing to say. The Lord’s telling the Pharisees that He was Lord of the Sabbath was like someone today telling a highway patrolman that he is lord of the highway. Suppose you are stopped by a highway patrolman. Then you tell him, “Don’t bother me. I am the lord of the highway, and the highway belongs to me. You are simply a highway patrolman hired by me. As the lord of the highway, I can change all the regulations. Yes, I gave you some instructions concerning the highway, but now I am changing them. Because I am the lord of the highway, I don’t need to notify you about it.”
In verse 8 the Lord indicated a third change, a right-asserting change from the Sabbath to the Lord of the Sabbath. As the Lord of the Sabbath, He had the right to change the regulations concerning the Sabbath. Thus, the Lord gave the condemning Pharisees a threefold verdict. He was the real David, the greater temple, and the Lord of the Sabbath. Therefore, He could do whatever He liked on the Sabbath, and whatever He did was justified by Himself. He was above all rituals and regulations. Because He was there, no attention should be paid to any rituals and regulations.