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Did
Jesus Break the Sabbath?
by Rod Reynolds
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Practically anyone who has been exposed to Christianity knows
that Jesus Christ grew up in an environment steeped in Old
Testament scriptures; He knew them, quoted them and lived by
them.
Or did He? Some believe that Jesus kept the law so that others
after Him would no longer need to. Others say that He revealed
new meaning through old laws. Many, however, believe that Jesus
made a "break" with the old Law, and in breaking the
law established a new pattern of living for His followers.
Nowadays, even many who call themselves friends of Jesus say that
He broke the law. Originally, howeverduring His lifetime on
earthit was His enemies who made that accusation.
Because Jesus performed miracles of healing on the Sabbath, some
Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10;
Mark 3:2, John 9:14-16). John records that Jesus performed a
healing during one of the festivals in Jerusalem. John's gospel
records what happened next, when Jesus confronted His accusers:
"Jesus answered them, 'My Father has been working until now,
and I have been working.' Therefore the Jews sought all the more
to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said
that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God"
(John 5:17-18). From this, many assume that the Pharisees'
accusation that Jesus broke the Sabbathwas correct,
and that Christians as a result are free to do so.
Scripture also records that Jesus' disciples were walking
through a field on the Sabbath when they plucked and ate heads of
grain. Seeing this, some Pharisees asked them: "Why are you
doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" (Luke 6:2).
Many accept that the Pharisees' accusation is correct, and that
by their actions Jesus and His disciples did not keep the
Sabbath.
To understand what is at issue in these accounts, it is helpful
to understand something of the rabbinical tradition that lay
behind the Sabbath-breaking charges leveled against Jesus and His
disciples. The Pharisaic tradition, by Jesus' day, had developed
into an array of petty rules having to do with the minutiae of
the law. It focused on physical works that had little to do with
the spirit and intent of the lawand which, in fact, often
violated the law (Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13; John 7:19;
Galatians 6:13).
The scribes among the Pharisees created and transmitted the
Pharisaic rabbinical traditions. The body of traditional law that
they formulated, called the Halakah (preserved in the Mishnah),
is extra-biblical. Although authoritative for Jews who follow
Pharisaic tradition, much of the Halakah is not directly
supported by Scripture, but is intended as a "hedge"
about the law, to prevent any possibility of its being broken.
Ironically, in an attempt to ensure their law-keeping by putting
a "hedge" about the law, the Pharisees were breaking
the law, for God had said: "You shall not add to the word
which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep
the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you"
(Deuteronomy 4:2; also 12:32). By adding the weight of their
tradition to the law of God, they bound "heavy burdens, hard
to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders" (Matthew 23:4).
The Pharisees placed the authority of their traditions above that
of Scripture itself, thus going against the word of God.
Scripture scholar Joachim Jeremias affirms that for the
Pharisees, the oral tradition was "above the Torah,"
and that the esoteric writings containing scribal teachings were
regarded as inspired and surpassing the canonical books "in
value and sanctity" (Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, pp.
236, 238-239). Alfred Edersheim also points out that traditional
law was of "even greater obligation than Scripture
itself" (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Book I,
1.98).
What was the nature of these traditional ordinances? "The
Halakah indicated with the most minute and painful
punctiliousness [attention to detail] every legal ordinance as to
outward observance.... But beyond this it left the inner man, the
spring of actions, untouched." Echoing what Jesus said (Mark
7:5-13), Edersheim continues: "Israel had made void the Law
by its traditions. Under a load of outward ordinances and
observances its spirit had been crushed" (Book I, 1.106,
1.108).
The sometimes absurd contradictions within Pharisaic law are
especially apparent in the rules of Sabbath observance. Edersheim
writes: "On no other subject is Rabbinic teaching more
painfully minute and more manifestly incongruous to its professed
object." Edersheim charges the scribes with "terribly
exaggerated views on the Sabbath" and "endless
burdensome rules with which they encumbered everything connected
with its sanctity" (ibid., Book II, 2.52, 2.53). "In
not less than twenty-four chapters [of the Mishna], matters are
seriously discussed [regarding Sabbath observance] as of vital
religious importance, which one would scarcely imagine a sane
intellect would seriously entertain." Yet "in all these
wearisome details there is not a single trace of anything
spiritualnot a word even to suggest higher thoughts on
God's holy day and its observance" (ibid., 2.778-779).
For example, the law included detailed regulations regarding what
constituted a "burden" that could not be carried on the
Sabbath; for example, pieces of paper, horses hairs, wax, a piece
of broken earthenware or animal food. Generally a burden was
anything as heavy as a dried fig, or a quantity sufficient to be
of any practical use (e.g. a scrap of paper large enough to be
converted into a note or a wrapper). It prescribed what might or
might not be saved if one's house caught on fire. Only those
clothes that were absolutely necessary could be saved. But one
could put on a dress, save it, then go back and put on another.
One could not ask a Gentile to extinguish the flames. But if he
did so voluntarily, he should not be hindered. One could eat food
on the Sabbath lawfully only if it had been specifically prepared
for the Sabbath on a weekday. If a laying hen laid an egg on the
Sabbath, it could not be eaten. But if the hen had been kept for
fattening and not laying, the egg could be eaten, since it would
be considered a part of the hen that had fallen off! These
regulations considered studying the Mishna on the Sabbath more
important than studying the Bible. The Hagiographa (the Old
Testament "Writings") were not to be read on the
Sabbath except in the evening. And there are many other similar
examples.
Of special interest to us are the laws regarding harvesting and
healing on the Sabbath. Even the slightest activity involving
picking grainremoving the husks, rubbing the heads,
cleaning or bruising the ears or throwing them up in the handwas
forbidden. Yet if a man wanted to move a sheaf on his field, he
had only to lay a spoon on it; then, in order to remove the
spoon, he might also remove the sheaf on which it lay!
It should be noted that, unlike the Pharisees (whose numbers were
relatively few), most Jews of Jesus' day paid little attention to
these petty rules.
When the Pharisees complained about Jesus' disciples plucking and
eating heads of grain on the Sabbath, Jesus (as He often did) was
able to point out the contradictions in Pharisaic law. Jesus
noted how David and his followers, famished and fleeing for their
lives, ate the shewbread when no other food was available, though
it was normally only for the priests to eat (Matthew 12:3-4;
Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3-4; 1 Samuel 21:1-6). Even the Pharisaic
law agreed with the original written law on this point,
vindicating what David chose to do when his life was in danger
(Edersheim, Book II, 2.58). Jesus simply said: "Yet I say to
you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But
if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not
sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the
Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:6-8).
Of course, the Sabbath commandment is in a separate category from
the sacrificial ordinances. Yet since Jewish law permitted the
feeding and watering of animals on the Sabbath to relieve
unnecessary suffering, this principle would logically and
naturally extend to human beingsin this case, Jesus'
discipleswho were partaking of the only food readily
available at that time.
This controversy would never have been possible were it not for
the Pharisees' exaggerated views about actions forbidden or
allowed on the Sabbath. The priests in the Temple worked on the
Sabbath, yet were guiltless (Matthew 12:5). The scribes knew
this, but apparently did not clearly understand why it was so.
Somehow, they missed the point that God instituted the Sabbath
not only to give human beings rest from physical labors, but also
to give them a time to devote to God by doing His works and
serving Him. The disciples' actions were "clearly not a
breach of the Biblical, but of the Rabbinic Law" (Edersheim,
Book II, 2.56). Jesus said that the Pharisees, not understanding
the law, had "condemned the guiltless" (Matthew 12:7).
Clearly, the disciples were falsely accused, and were not guilty
of breaking the Sabbath as charged.
Since healing might entail work, Pharisaic law permitted it on
the Sabbath only if necessary to save life or prevent death. Thus
a plaster might be applied to a wound if the object was to
prevent it from getting worse, but not to heal it. Yet,
contrarily, a splinter might be removed from the eye, or a thorn
from the body, though no immediate danger to life was perceived.
Furthermore, an animal might be removed from a pit, or taken to
water, on the Sabbath.
When the Pharisees accused Jesus of violating the law by healing
on the Sabbath, He again was able to reveal their hypocrisy by
using their own contradictory rules. First, we will examine
Jesus' acknowledgement that He had been working. The Sabbath law
is, in part: "Six days shall you labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it
you shall do no work" (Exodus 20:9-10). Notice that the work
forbidden by the Sabbath law is "your work." The law
does not forbid works of service towards God. Indeed, the very
reason we are commanded to cease from our own works on the
Sabbath is so we may devote the time to the work of honoring and
serving God; that we may "turn your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a
delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him,
not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor
speaking your own words" (Isaiah 58:13). Here it is clear
that it is our own worksthe course of our everyday businessthat
we are to avoid on the Sabbath. On the other hand, we are to
honor God on the Sabbath. Giving honor to God often entails work"good
works."
A careful reading of Scripture reveals that we are to cease and
rest from common or profane work on the Sabbath, so that the time
may be devoted to God's holy purpose. But implicit in the Sabbath
command is that we do the work necessary to fulfill the spiritual
aim and meaning of the Sabbath. On the first Sabbath, God rested
from His work of physical creation, but He did the work of
creating the Sabbath, blessing and sanctifying it (Genesis 2:2-3;
Mark 2:27). The weekly Sabbaths and the annual Sabbaths were
proclaimed to be "holy convocations"commanded
assemblies for the purpose of gathering to hear God's word
taught, and for congregational worship (Leviticus 23:2, 4). This
includes the "work" required to travel to the place of
assembly, and to listen, learn and participate in the worship
service. Those commissioned to teach did the work of reading and
explaining God's word. On such occasions, people customarily did
the work of eating and drinking, sharing and rejoicing in the
holy day and in the truth of God's word (Nehemiah 8:1-12). Other
work implicit in the command was done, too: even on the most
solemn day of the year the Day of Atonementthe
priests did the work of slaying animals and offering sacrifices
before God, according to the requirements of the law (Leviticus
16).
The work of honoring and worshiping God is not forbidden on the
Sabbath. Indeed, it is the object of the Sabbath. That is why the
priests could work on the Sabbath and not be guilty. Their work
was a necessary part of the congregational Sabbath duty of
honoring and serving God. It was, in that sense, not their work
but God's work that was being done. On a Sabbath day early in His
ministry, Jesus announced in summary form the work He had been
sent to perform. His work was preaching the gospel, healing [both
physically and spiritually] and liberating from oppression (Luke
4:18-19). The works Jesus did were not His works, but God's
works, which He had been sent to perform (John 4:34; 9:4; 17:4).
Healing was an integral part of Christ's ministry. In perfect
harmony with what the Sabbath rest picturesand with the
gospel messageJesus' healings typified the physical and
spiritual healings that Christ will perform during the
Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is established on the earth
(see Isaiah 35:5-6, 57:16-20; Jeremiah 30:10, 17; Ezekiel
47:8-10).
When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He was not breaking the
Sabbath, but fulfilling it, because one is not at rest when
afflicted, oppressed and bound by disease or infirmity. As many
scriptures show, God delights in redeeming and restoring the
afflicted, and giving them the rest exemplified by His Sabbath.
God "hears the cry of the afflicted. When he gives quietness
[rest], who then can make trouble?" (Job 34:28-29). Bound by
their false traditions, the Pharisees did try to make trouble for
the Messiah, condemning Him for giving those whom He healed rest
from their afflictions.
Instead, they should have offered praise. Speaking of ones
afflicted and at death's door, the psalmist wrote: "Then
they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them
out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and
delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give
thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works
to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of
thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing" (Psalm
107:19-22).
Jesus answered those who accused him of breaking the Sabbath:
"If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the
law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because
I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge
according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John
7:23-24).
As we have seen, when John wrote that Jesus "broke the
Sabbath" (John 5:18), he was describing Jesus' actions from
the Pharisees' perspective (compare 9:14-1 6). Those who say
Jesus did actually break the Sabbath are agreeing with Christ's
enemiesHis accusersthat Jesus' miraculous works of
healing were a breach of the Sabbath law. They are agreeing with
Jesus' accusers that He was a Sabbath-breaker. To be consistent,
they must also agree with the Pharisees when they said of Christ:
"We know that this man is a sinner" (v. 24). The blind
man who had been healed knew better than that, saying that
"we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a
worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him" (v. 31).
When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He was not violating the law of
God. By His actions, He demonstrated the true application of
God's lawsrather than Pharisaic traditionsthat
"it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (Matthew
12:12). The "law" that Jesus violated was a man made
rule that was itself against the principles of God's law.
Remember: Had Jesus Christ actually broken the Sabbath, He would
have been sinning. But the Scripture says that He "committed
no sin" (1 Peter 2:22). Had He sinned, He could not be our
Savior. But He, being undefiled and separate from sinners,
offered Himself without spot and without blemish to God for our
redemption (Hebrews 7:26; 9:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19). No, Jesus did
not break the Sabbath. He spent the Sabbath preaching, teaching,
healing, honoring God and doing the good work of His ministrythe
work of God.
The record of Scripture is that Jesus kept the Sabbath
faithfully, as God intended it to be kept. In doing so, He set
us an example. "He who says he abides in Him ought himself
also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6).
©2005 Living Church of God. Reprinted with permission from
the May-June 2005 edition of Tomorrow's World magazine.
Tomorrow's World is available at Tomorrow's
World , P.O. Box 3810, Charlotte, NC 28227-8010 or www.tomorrowsworld.org.
TSS
September
/ October 2005 The Sabbath Sentinel
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