The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ, by Levi H. Dowling, [1920], at sacred-texts.com

Chapter 93

The Christines go through a field of ripe wheat, and the disciples eat of the wheat. Jesus exonerates them. The Christines return to Capernaum. Jesus heals a withered hand on the Sabbath, and defends his deed.

1. Another Sabbath day had come and Jesus and the twelve walked through a field of ripened wheat.
2. And they were hungry and they took the heads of wheat and in their hands threshed out the grain and ate.
3. Among the men who followed them were Pharisees of strictest sect, and when they saw the twelve thresh out the wheat and eat, they said to Jesus,
4. Sir, why do the twelve do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?
5. And Jesus said, Have you not heard what David did when he and those who followed him had need of food?
6. How he went to the house of God and from the table in the Holy Place took of the presence bread and ate, and gave to those who followed him?
7. I tell you, men, the needs of man are higher than the law of rites.
8. And in our sacred books we read how priests profane the Sabbath day in many ways while they are serving in the Holy Place, and still are free from guilt.
9. The Sabbath day was made for man; man was not made to fit the Sabbath day.
10. The man is son of God and under the eternal law of right, which is the highest law, he may annul the statute laws.
11. The law of sacrifice is but the law of man, and in our law we read that God desires mercy first; and mercy stands above all statute laws.
12. The son of man is Lord of every law. Did not a prophet sum the duties of the man when in the book he wrote: In mercy follow justice and walk humbly with your God?
13. Then Jesus and the twelve returned to Galilee, and on the day before the Sabbath day they reached the home of Jesus in Capernaum.
14. And on the Sabbath day they went up to the synagogue. The multitudes were there and Jesus taught.
15. Among the worshippers was one, a man who had a withered hand. The scribes and Pharisees observed that Jesus saw the man, and then they said,
16. What will he do? Will he attempt to heal upon the Sabbath day?
17. And Jesus knew their thoughts and he called to the man who had the withered hand and said, Arise, stand forth before these men.
18. And Jesus said, You scribes and Pharisees, speak out and answer me: Is it a crime to save a life upon the Sabbath day?
19. If you had sheep and one of them fell in a pit upon the Sabbath day would you do wrong to take it out?
20. Or would it please your God to let it suffer in the mire until another day?
21. But his accusers held their peace.
22. And then he said to them, Are sheep of greater value than a man?
23. The law of God is written on the rock of Right; and Justice wrote the law, and Mercy was the pen.
24. And then he said, Man, raise your hand and stretch it forth. He raised his hand; it was restored.
25. The Pharisees were filled with rage. They called in secret council the Herodians, and they began to plot and plan how they might bring about his death.
26. They were afraid to publicly accuse, because the multitudes stood forth in his defence.
27. And Jesus and the twelve went down and walked beside the sea, and many people followed them.