Matthew 12

“And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (v7).  Jesus quoted the Old Testament to show that the religious leaders who condemned him and his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath (breaking the law against work) had completely missed the point of God’s commands.  They also criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, revealing their obsession with “keeping the law”, which ignored God’s loving concern for people (v12).

“A bruised reed He will not break … and in His name the Gentiles will hope” (v20-21).  Religion for its own sake crushes us, but Jesus brings healing, freedom, and life.