In Mark 2:24 we read “The Pharisees said to [Jesus], ‘Look, why are they [Christ’s disciples] doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’” What was their horrid offense? Snagging a snack — a few heads of grain!
There was an incident in my junior high days (8th grade) that reflects the meaning of the word “look” in this passage — to express shocked disapproval calling for immediate correction.
In those days you could buy a wind-up gizmo that fit in the palm of your hand with an attachment for your index finger. When you shook someone’s hand, their palm would press a little button and this contraption would buzz/vibrate!
Of course I owned one of these things (!!) and one day I decided to greet my woodshop teacher by “buzzing” him on the back!
“How ya doing, Mr. Gartrell!”
My “friendly” greeting was met with shocked disapproval that demanded immediate correction! Mr. Gartrell grabbed me, shook me violently (teachers could get away with that in those days!) then said, “Don’t you ever do that again!”
In fact, I recall another incident the previous year when I was goofing off in class and my 7th grade woodshop teacher, Mr. Bowman, grabbed me by my hair and shook me while I was seated on my stool!
In like manner, the Pharisees expressed “shocked disapproval”, expecting Jesus to reprimand His disciples for breaking a Sabbath rule.
Aren’t you glad our walk with the Lord, as believers in Jesus, is not one of legalism and punishment? To be sure, we are to present ourselves completely to the Lord, willing to do His bidding — but when we fall short we are not punished; instead, we are disciplined, corrected, admonished to forsake our sin. Once we do that, we simply continue our daily walk with Jesus.
We can “buzz” Jesus (better clarify: give Him a call! ) anytime. Oh my, we serve an awesome God!