What is the greater evil?

[Elijah John]

What is the greater evil, picking up sticks on the Sabbath? Or Stoning that person to death for doing so?

[gadfly]

What is the greater evil, picking up sticks on the Sabbath? Or Stoning that person to death for doing so?

I confess I am a bit of an historian and philosopher.

Thus I might amend: What is the greater evil, picking up sticks on the Sabbath, stoning a person for doing so, or for a person born almost 4,000 years later presuming he can legally represent someone born 4,000 years earlier.

That is, It should be noted that the human author who recorded the account didn't see an injustice. It should be noted that no one saw an injustice. Even when Moses was banned from the Promised land, he did not cry out "what?! Unfair?"

If they don't, why should we?

gadfly

[DavidLeon]

I confess I am a bit of an historian and philosopher.

Thus I might amend: What is the greater evil, picking up sticks on the Sabbath, stoning a person for doing so, or for a person born almost 4,000 years later presuming he can legally represent someone born 4,000 years earlier.

That is, It should be noted that the human author who recorded the account didn't see an injustice. It should be noted that no one saw an injustice. Even when Moses was banned from the Promised land, he did not cry out "what?! Unfair?"

If they don't, why should we?

gadfly

Not to mention that the law was tempered with mercy. Was Joseph stoned for not reporting Mary as a fornicator when he thought that must have been the case? David from keeping his company from the bread? Jesus from keeping his disciples from plucking the grain? When a child was born 8 days before the sabbath day the priests performed the circumcision on that day.

It's important to recognize what the law was and what it's purpose was. An imperfect law foreshadowing a more perfect law and a tutor. It taught the chosen people of Israel their sin and thus their need for the messiah.

The critic will spin it either way. Jesus was a sinner for disobeying the sabbath and what a horror it is to stone a person to death for picking up sticks on the sabbath. Anyone have a scriptural reference of anyone being stoned for picking up sticks on the sabbath?

[Difflugia]

Anyone have a scriptural reference of anyone being stoned for picking up sticks on the sabbath?

Numbers 15:32-36:

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. Those that found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to all the congregation. They held him, because it had not been decided what should be done to him. Then Yahweh said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death. The entire congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp." The entire congregation brought him outside of the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

[DavidLeon]

Anyone have a scriptural reference of anyone being stoned for picking up sticks on the sabbath?

Numbers 15:32-36:

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. Those that found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to all the congregation. They held him, because it had not been decided what should be done to him. Then Yahweh said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death. The entire congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp." The entire congregation brought him outside of the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Excellent. My favorite Bible, the NWT gives Exodus 31:14 and Leviticus 24:14-16 as references. So what is happening in those scriptures that differs from the events of Joseph, David, Jesus, and the Priests circumcising I mentioned in my earlier post above? To me it seems that the earlier cases (picking up sticks and the references given) are of an example being given on the importance of the sabbath day during it's establishment.

So, what is the significance of the sabbath? It wasn't really about pork, shellfish and picking up sticks. See the post I made here today for the answer. It's a long one, but there's a short one here.

[Difflugia]

So what is happening in those scriptures that differs from the events of Joseph, David, Jesus, and the Priests circumcising I mentioned in my earlier post above?

God told Moses to kill a man.

[DavidLeon]

So what is happening in those scriptures that differs from the events of Joseph, David, Jesus, and the Priests circumcising I mentioned in my earlier post above?

God told Moses to kill a man.

For picking up sticks. Right. So why didn't God instruct the others for more serious sins? I think because he was setting an example. The bigger question, though, is, what was the reasoning behind all of it? The answer is preserving God's purpose for man to live forever.

[RJG]

What is the greater evil, picking up sticks on the Sabbath? Or Stoning that person to death for doing so?

I confess I am a bit of an historian and philosopher.

Thus I might amend: What is the greater evil, picking up sticks on the Sabbath, stoning a person for doing so, or for a person born almost 4,000 years later presuming he can legally represent someone born 4,000 years earlier.

That is, It should be noted that the human author who recorded the account didn't see an injustice. It should be noted that no one saw an injustice. Even when Moses was banned from the Promised land, he did not cry out "what?! Unfair?"

If they don't, why should we?

gadfly

The Bible isn't a history book.

[Difflugia]

God told Moses to kill a man.

For picking up sticks. Right.

Is that incredulity that God would be so fickle? Is the stated reason is so outrageous that there must have been a higher purpose than the one given in the text?

So why didn't God instruct the others for more serious sins?

Under what circumstances is it justifiable to have a man killed as a lesson to the others?

I think because he was setting an example. The bigger question, though, is, what was the reasoning behind all of it? The answer is preserving God's purpose for man to live forever.

What happened to "the sabbath was made for man?" Was the sabbath made for the guy that they crushed with stones?

[RJG]

Stoning somebody to death for doing nothing wrong is the action of a psychopath.

[Elijah John]

So what is happening in those scriptures that differs from the events of Joseph, David, Jesus, and the Priests circumcising I mentioned in my earlier post above?

God told Moses to kill a man.

Not just kill a man, but to kill him in an extremely cruel manner. I would ask the defenders of this incident, how in the world is that "justice tempered with mercy"?

But I doubt very much the orders originated from God. More probably from the barbarity of the theocratic ruler known as "Moses", who it seems was using God to shore up his own iron fist.