And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:11-12 (NASB1995)
I previously mentioned the value of the rural illustrations that our Lord painted in His parables; in our verse today is another such illustration, which only those who kept animals would fully understand. To be honest, I learned the significance of this some years ago from a book by Phillip Keller (A Shepherd Looks At The 23rd Psalm), which I recommend.
Each time I read the above verses, I am reminded of the life-threatening nature of a sheep or cow being overturned and unable to get back up itself. Shepherds refer to such a sheep as being cast down. Without the quick help of the shepherd/farmer to get the animal upright, the helpless creature will die in a few hours in summer or a couple of days in winter. Their death comes about by body gases building up and stopping blood circulation, a very uncomfortable end.
Dear Reader, I remember walking the riverside and fields of my home and finding sheep ‘cast down’ in a dip or by the water, and sadly had perished most times. Those listening to our Lord in the above passage knew the desperate need to rescue such animals, regardless of what day of the week it was, including Sabbaths. The legalism of religious men in such incidents goes against the care of God for His creatures, four and two-legged. But our Lord goes further, stating that, “How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” God values all His creatures, but values us more than His Son should die on a cross at Calvary, to save us who are ‘cast down’ in sin. Indeed, Christ is our Shepherd who lay down His life to save us – what an amazing Lord He is!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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