The Prophetic Telegraph - No.83
In
this second paper on the Sabbath we shall investigate those passages which
reveal our Lord's attitude towards the Sabbath Day. It is well known that the
Jews had compassed the Sabbath about with numerous ADDITIONAL laws. So complex
had the issue become that instead of the Sabbath being a day of delight and
relaxation, of family enjoyment, and worship in the Synagogue, it had
degenerated into a strait-jacket of negativism, a 24-hour minefield of
prohibitions, each of which could cause a Jewish man-in-the-street to become a
"sinner" or even "cast out" from among the people,
"excommunicated" by the Sanhedrin. One can imagine a steady stream of
people being required to present sin offerings at the
From a purely historical point of view the situation had developed since the
days of Ezra and Nehemiah. We learn that before the Babylonian Exile,
With the return of the remnant under Ezra and Nehemiah, a whole new regime was
established. The Jewish leaders said, in effect, "We shall never make that
mistake again. We shall be most punctilious in our observance of the Sabbath,
lest the Almighty send us away again." This was the causative factor in
spawning the multiplicity of additional Sabbath laws over the four centuries
between then and the coming of the Messiah. It was a fear of God that turned
the Day of Delight into a Prison House of Prohibitions.
Without wasting space by giving numerous quotations (does anyone ever look them
up? I seldom do myself!) the stated purposes of the Sabbath were as follows
(a) Rest from labour, and a memorial of Creation,
(b) Opportunity for family worship of God in the Temple or Synagogue,
(c) A time for God's people to sit and listen to instruction from the Torah, a
task that was laid upon the Priesthood as "teachers of the Law."
Upon this scene came the Jewish Messiah, with a clear understanding of what His
Father required of Him. With the anointing of "the whole fount of the Holy
Spirit" He brought healing and deliverance to all those who came to Him.
In our mid-week Bible studies we have just been reading Matthew 12, and this
will be a good starting point for this article. "And at that
time Jesus went on the Sabbath Day through the corn, and His disciples were
hungry." In the Greek the words TOIS SABBASIN are plural, and
therefore we gather that this was not a singular incident, but one which was
repeated a few times. Their hunger indicated that they had not been offered
food by anyone, perhaps through fear of repercussions from the ever-watching
Pharisees, who were following them on this occasion. "They
began to pluck ears of corn and eat them." Up march the
Pharisees with righteous indignation. "Look here, your
disciples are breaking the Sabbath Law. !" they remonstrate,
and if their charge was sustained, then Jesus and His followers would stand as
"sinners" in need of sacrifice.
The Jewish Sabbath law said that if a person plucked ears of corn, then he was
working, if he rubs them together in his hands, then it is the equivalent of
threshing, if he bruises the ears, it is grinding, and if he throws them up in
the air, it is winnowing. In all these actions, there is LABOUR involved, which
is an act of Sabbath-breaking. The Pharisees had, no doubt, already partaken of
their Sabbath meal, and were not in need of food. The Lord was justifiably
angry.
"Have you not read what David did when he and his soldiers were
hungry? They went into the Tabernacle and ate the Showbread of the Presence, which
is only lawful for Priests to eat."
No doubt this engendered dispute and murmuring amongst them as they compared
notes on the historical precedent. But the Lord had more to say. "Furthermore,
haven't you read in the Law how the Priests continually profane the Law each
Sabbath in the
This caused their anger to boil over, and they were about to say something
like, "It's all very well for you to speak like this, but who are YOU .
You are nothing but a commoner, an unlearned carpenter's son." But once
again the Lord pre-empted their criticism. "I tell you, there
is One standing here who is greater than the
I can imagine the crowds standing there. There were the twelve disciples,
together with a number of women who ministered to their needs and followed as
"unwritten disciples". Facing them there were the Pharisees in their
best Sabbath attire, together with a number of other people, mainly those who
were either inquisitive, or in need. I get the distinct impression that the Pharisees
would go no further lest they broke the law relating to the "Sabbath Day's
Journey" a distance from
One cannot help but draw the conclusion that the Lord was baiting the
Pharisees. He knew they were following. He knew what would happen if He and His
disciples plucked ears of corn. But He engineered the circumstance so as to
make Himself into a Mirror. They flung accusation. It bounced off the Mirror
and landed full force on their own heads. Jesus was not so much concerned about
the Pharisees. He WAS very concerned about the simple ordinary folk who were
with Him. He wanted them to know that he had come to bring TIMES OF
RESTITUTION, times of the re-establishment of Divine Law, and the abolition of
unacceptable human legislation encrusted on that Law. And it is quite
remarkable how many times Jesus provoked situations on the Sabbath Day to
reinforce His teaching, and concurrently to demolish Jewish fable, myth, and
invention.
In the twelfth chapter of Matthew, we are led into another of these encounters.
"When He had departed thence He came into a Synagogue of the Jews."
Now a casual glance at the other Evangelists will show that this occurs on
another Sabbath, not immediately after the former event. But Matthew is not
concerned about strict chronology. It is the teaching that is important, and
therefore he continues his history relating to the Sabbath conflicts.
"And behold, a man with a withered hand." He
was a "plant." The Pharisees of that place had found this man, and
brought him into the Synagogue as soon as they learned of Jesus' arrival.
"Is it lawful to heal on Sabbath Days?" they said,
hoping to condemn Him by His answer. Once again, the Lord was angry. "Which
one of YOU having just one sheep, will not pull it out of a ditch on the
Sabbath? Isn't a man more important than. a sheep?"
Here again, the Jewish laws about such an event were very strict. Although
"donkey work" was permitted on the Sabbath by Divine Legislation, the
Jews had elaborated it. It the donkey or sheep seemed to be 'comfortable' then
it could be left until after the Sabbath. If it was struggling, then pillows
and cushions were permitted to make it comfortable! Only in the last resort was
it permitted to drag it out. But in making this law, they had introduced a
further element. It was not permitted to use cushions or pillows that would
thereby be destroyed in the process. One can imagine people standing round a
struggling animal arguing about what was allowed before offering the creature
the assistance it so clearly needed. No wonder the Lord was angry.
"He said to the man 'Stretch forth your hand'" ,
And he stretched it forth, and it was restored healthy as the other hand. What
a parallel! His hand was RESTORED. Jesus had come to set in motion the TIMES OF
RESTORATION. But the Pharisees wanted none of it. They withdrew, and consulted
with each other how best to DESTROY Jesus. Knowing their savage thoughts, He
quickly departed from there and was followed by crowds of excited people.
Visiting the Gentile cities on the east of Jordan He healed all those who were
unwell or afflicted. No 'stick' there, just rejoicing. "In His
name shall the Gentiles trust."
In the 5th chapter of John's Gospel we are told of the healing of the man who
had been infirm, probably a cripple, for 38 years. Together with many other
distressing cases, this man had been taken daily to the Pool of Bethesda, where
at odd times a strange movement of the waters announced the presence of a
healing angel. But someone else had always managed to get into the waters ahead
of him. It was the Sabbath Day, and Jesus made His way to the Pool. Ignoring
the plight of all the others, He went directly to this man. "Do
you wish to be made whole?" The man answered in the context
of the waters of the Pool, not knowing who it was speaking to him. "Jesus
said to him, 'Arise, take up your mattress and walk.' And immediately the man
was made whole."
Acting on the Lord's instructions, the man rolled up his pallet and strode off.
no doubt 'walking on air' . Jesus had disappeared in the crowd before he could
ask any further questions. The man had been so amazed at his miraculous healing
that he hadn't noticed the Lord's departure. Walking away jauntily, he hadn't
got far before being accosted by the Pharisees, the "Jewish Police". "Don't
you know it's the Sabbath? It's not lawful for you to carry your bed."
The man explained his circumstances. "Who told you to take up
your bed and walk?" Notice. they didn't say. "Who healed
you?" It is passing strange in all these cases that the Pharisees never
show any interest or enthusiasm in the well-being of those healed. Their focus
was always on the shibboleths of their law. The man didn't know, and made his
way to the
Jesus must have watched all this, using the shelter of the crowds, and unknown
to the man. But now He approached him. "So, at last you are
made whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thing befall you." Here
is the word of the Master, who saw deep within the man, and knew the first
cause of all things. What had occasioned the man's infirmity we are not told,
but he was cautioned. Whether this caused the man to smart , we don't know, but
he left the
The Jew's were quick to attack Jesus. They totally ignored the blessing of new
health to a crippled man, and got to the point of their criticism.
"Why did you do this on a Sabbath Day?" There was murder
in their faces, as John declares in his account "My Father has
been at work until now, and it is the same with me." The
heated Pharisees now boiled over. Blasphemy was added to Sabbath-breaking. But
the Lord hadn't finished with them. A crowd of people had gathered around, and
He used the opportunity to teach them obliquely whilst addressing the
Pharisees. It was a lengthy address, in which are found those all important
words, "I know you, that you do not have the love of God within
you. "
It was during a festival that all this happened. A day or so later Jesus was in
the
On another occasion Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
"as was His custom on the Sabbath Day. Upstairs, in the
women's gallery there was a woman bent double, unable to straighten herself due
to the cruel operation of a demonic spirit. Our Lord was aware of her presence,
and called out, saying "Woman, you are now released from this
spirit of infirmity." And to effect the deliverance and cure,
He climbed the stairs to the gallery, and laid His healing hands upon her.
Immediately she straightened up, and in a fit of ecstasy, cried out, giving
glory to God. There was much excitement amongst the other women in the gallery
But downstairs, the Ruler of the Synagogue was red in the face with anger,
which he gave vent to by. addressing the men. "There are six
days in the week to do work. Why didn't he heal her then, instead of on the
Sabbath?"
The Lord had by this time descended the stairs, and was once again in the midst
of the men. The noise of the women's excitement was still unrestrained, and the
Lord had no intention of quietening them. They were glorifying God for the
wonderful miracle just performed. But down here - what was the matter with this
man? Why the anger? "You hypocrite!" cried
the Lord to the Ruler .. "Each one of you legitimately releases
his ox or ass from the stall on the Sabbath Day. Why shouldn't this woman be
released from her oppression on the Sabbath Day? I tell you, she is a true
daughter of Abraham, for she has glorified God. Eighteen years she has been
bound by this demon, but is now free at last, and you refuse to rejoice. "
On this occasion the Ruler, and those who took his part, were not only silenced
but were ashamed. As a result, there was a burst of praise and rejoicing from
the whole congregation.
Finally we come to the wonderful story of the man born blind, found in John
chapter 9. It is a strange tale inasmuch as JESUS "Spat on the
ground and made clay, which He put on the man's eye-lids. 'Go and wash in the
Pool of Siloam' , He said. " Now why did Jesus use this
method? Why. didn't he just touch him and give him his sight? Part of the
answer is to be found in the later events of the story. When the man received
his sight, he was able to see but unable to recognise the man Jesus, who had
healed him. That served our Lord's purpose. But additionally, it was the
Sabbath Day, and to make clay with His spittle was classified as doing work! !
It was as though the Lord did it on purpose yet again, so as to shine a light
on the Pharisees' darkness.
The Apostle John tells the story in depth, but I shall only relate it briefly
here. A crowd gathers, and the man is questioned by the Pharisees. He tells his
tale, and hears the accusation of some of the Pharisees. "This
man is not from God because he doesn't keep the Sabbath Day."
But on this occasion, there were other Pharisees who were offended by this
remark. "How can a man who is a sinner perform such
signs?" But excommunication had been threatened to all who
accepted Jesus as Messiah, and therefore it was dangerous to say too much. Even
the man's parents were careful in their choice of words. But the man was so
astounded at their lack of enthusiasm for his healing, that he cast all caution
to the wind, and loudly declared, "If this man were not of God
he could do nothing." They answered him, "You
were altogether born in sins, and you dare to teach us?" And
they straightway excommunicated him. And that was a very serious matter in
those days. He was to be wholly shunned by the community at large, though still
able to purchase the necessaries for his existence. He was "sent to
Here then is the evidence from the pages of the New Testament. Our Lord's insistence
on revealing their total misappropriation of Sabbatic Law had resulted in Him
being classed as a sinner by the Jewish leaders. If He'd kept within THEIR
laws, they might have accepted Him as Messiah.
ANALYSIS OF OUR LORD'S TEACHING ON THE SABBATH
"The Sabbath was made for man. not man for the Sabbath."
It is as clear as daylight that the Sabbath was God's gift to man. Even from
before the fall, the Sabbath was instituted. God rested (literally,
"ceased" from working) on the Seventh Day. It was not because He was
tired or exhausted. That thought is not contained within the word
"rested" It was a cessation from labour. And for what purpose? To
look and see that "all was good". To enjoy the product of His own
workmanship and know that it was not in vain, but with a great and solemn
purpose in view, a purpose that concerned the multitudes of Adam-kind in ages
to come.
When a man builds his own house, he may likewise relax on completion, and take
a good look at his workmanship. If he has done well in every respect, he has
reason to be satisfied. Furthermore, he knows he has not built it in vain
(i.e.. without purpose) but for habitation. In this respect man is able to
reflect the creative ability of God.
But neither God nor man continues to rest. Once the reflective purpose of the
"Sabbath" is over, then work begins once again. Jesus said
"My Father has been at work until now, and it is the same with me."
God the Father enjoyed His Sabbath at the completion of Creation. Likewise the
Son, who, as the Master-builder has declared His post-resurrection, and
heavenly purpose in the words, "I go to prepare a place for
you."
The Sabbath was made for man. And since the fall man has needed a physical rest
every seventh day. Not only is it a time to reflect on the creative toil of the
previous SIX days, but also a time to recuperate, a time for the body to regain
its poise for the following week. When I was a young man I worked in a motor
components factory for a few months. It was a hectic form of work, with long hours
and noisy conditions. And the management had arranged for the machines to
continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and weekend work was encouraged for
the workforce, with double-pay for Sundays. I fell into this trap on one
occasion, and worked thirteen days in a row without a break. The sheer
exhaustion that followed made me realise how foolish I had been. We learn that
Napoleon tried to "decimalise" the week, making it ten days in
length. But he soon found that his soldiers frequently became sick, and even
the horses suffered, and so he reverted to the septenary cycle. "The
Sabbath was made for man." We are designed to operate at our
best when we observe a seven-day-cycle, not ten, twelve, or fourteen.
But coupled with this thought is the statement, "The Son of Man
is Lord of the Sabbath." No one has ever questioned the
identity of the Sabbath. It is, and always has been, the seventh day of the
week. There is no such thing as "the Christian Sabbath" (meaning
Sunday. ) The word Sabbath must always be associated with the seventh day of
the week. And our Lord said that He was the Lord of the Sabbath. And from the
foundation of the world, the Sabbath Day has never been lost. When we speak of
Saturday we know that it is still the seventh day of the week. Calendars have
changed, but the seven-day cycle has never been broken from Adam until now.
Chronologists are all agreed on this point.
It may not be common knowledge, but the incorrect labelling of Sunday as a
synonym for the "Sabbath" never came about until the 17th century.
The Oxford English Dictionary (complete edition) verifies this, saying that the
first written intimation was in 1654 in Trapp's Commentary on Psalm 24. In the
Introduction he says, "The first day of the week - - which is now the Christian
Sabbath." But in 1897 the January edition of "Quarterly Review"
of the Anglican Church stated, "The term Sabbath as applied to the Lord's
Day is unknown to the Articles, the Canons, and the Prayer Book of the Church
of England," we shall have occasion to return to this in P.T.84
Now if Jesus declared that He was "the Lord of the Sabbath ", then
which day of the week is "the Lord's Day"? Dare we suggest that it is
Sunday, the first day of the week? I am fully aware that from earliest times,
in the writings of the Christian Fathers, the Lord's Day has been identified as
Sunday but does that provide us with the AUTHORITY we need to make such a
change? Let me quote from Hastings Dictionary of the
In point of fact the Lord gave every reason why the Sabbath Day should remain
as "the Lord's Day". He said, in the Sermon on the Mount, "Think
not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I am not come to destroy
but to fulfil. Truly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one Yod (the
smallest Hebrew letter} or one Tittle (an ornament placed over certain letters}
shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore
shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall
be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach
them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. "
Of purely academic interest, maybe, is the fact that the Jewish Massorites
numbered no less than 66,420 occasions when the letter Yod is found in the
Hebrew of the O.T Of greater moment to us, perhaps, is the fact that in the
fourth commandment, the Sabbath commandment, the letter Yod occurs no less than
TWENTY TIMES, and the words "seventh day" contains the letter Yod
THREE TIMES, which is twice repeated in the Commandment. On this basis alone, I
would fear greatly to tamper with the Commandment, and suggest that the Sabbath
has been changed to the eighth day, (i.e. the first day of the week. )
In the past we have, like most others, just accepted the norm of Sunday worship
without question. It is so much a part of Christianity in this present world
that to question it seems almost presumptuous and high-handed. But in
retrospect the Protestant Churches are quite prepared to accept the enormous
changes that Luther and the other reformers brought about from 1537 onwards.
Could it be that this process of "restitution" is one which needs
constant upgrading? Jewish people still maintain the seventh day Sabbath. So
also does that branch of the Christian Church known as "Seventh Day
Adventists." And in
Finally. one may ask, does it matter? What an awful upheaval it would be if the
British Sunday disappeared! How could we handle it? From a purely practical
point of view I concur. And I do not wish to become polemical on this issue. In
P.T.84 we shall return to the subject.
Finally in this paper I should like to share a recent finding from the ancient
Jewish writings known as the Talmud. Although there are many things in the
Talmud which our Lord would have questioned (as with the proliferation of
Sabbath laws), yet it contains great wisdom and understanding, the compilation
of the learning of numerous Rabbis who treated the Torah with a respect which
is lacking today amongst many Christians.
I am referring to the Hebrew word for TRUTH. The Talmud states that the word
EMETH contains just three letters, and these letters are the FIRST, MIDDLE, AND
LAST in the Hebrew: Alphabet. The learned Rabbis found this most exciting, and
when they read such verses as Psalm 119:142 "Thy Law is Truth" and
verse 151, "All Thy Commandments are Truth" and verse 160, "Thy
Word is Truth" they gloried in the "Scripture ofTruth"
(Dan.10:21) and meditated on it day and night. What a testimony!
I have done a little further digging. I don't know whether the Rabbis knew
about this - somehow I think they must have done. If we add together the
numbers of the three Hebrew letters we get a total of 441; This number is (3 X
3) X (7 X 7) and what a powerful number that is. both 3 and 7 are
"perfect" numbers, and here we have the square of each.
No wonder our Lord said that He was "The Way, the Truth, and the
Life." Also He said "I am the First and the Last", quoting the
words found in Isaiah 44:6. In Revelation Jesus said that He was Alpha and
Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. And so the timeless
message of the Hebrew word EMETH was made available to the Gentile world, the
"first and the last" letters of both alphabets.
But between them is the letter Mem, meaning water in Hebrew. And so it is that
in the time span that God has allowed for His creation, the time between the
beginning and the end. the "Water of Life" flows freely and
constantly to all the sons of men. Praise God for. this little gem of
understanding.