You asked

how does jesus' teaching about the sabbath in the gospels relate to this deuteronomic emphasis on liberation?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Mark 2:27-28

“He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."”

This passage is from the Gospel of Mark, which is a fast-paced account of Jesus' public ministry, likely written for a Roman audience. Here, Jesus is responding to criticism from the Pharisees because his disciples were plucking grain on the Sabbath, an act they considered unlawful work.

What does it mean for a rule or practice to be for humanity, rather than humanity being for the rule?

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Read alongside it

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
This passage roots the Sabbath command in Israel's liberation from Egyptian slavery, emphasizing rest and remembrance of freedom.
Matthew 12:9-14
Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, asking whether it is lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, emphasizing compassion over strict interpretation of the law.

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