Mark records two episodes in which Jesus and the Pharisees have a confrontration about the Sabbath.
In Mark 2:23-3:6, the disciples of Jesus are critized for picking heads of grain on the Sabbath, and the Pharisees plot to destroy Jesus when he healed a man on the Sabbath.
Jesus’ pithy, but weighty, summary of the argument against Pharisee criticism is that the Sabbath is made for man, and the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.
Here we discover that the Sabbath day was a weekly reminder that God provided for his people enough during the week to sustain them on the day of rest. The weekly Sabbath is a picture of God’s provision of righteousness for his people, so that they, too, can rest from their works (of righteousness) in order to rely upon God’s provision (of righteousness).
As Hebrews 3:14 in context demonstrates, we who enter God’s rest now enter it “in Christ.” That is, Christ is our Sabbath rest.
Praise God.