ESOCS Devotional 10 May 2024 – The Sabbath Day Controversy
MEMORY VERSE: “And He saith unto them, ‘Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day; or to do evil? To save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.’”Mark 3:4 KJV
TEXT: MARK 3:1-6
And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
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In ancient Israel, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, including the high priests, maintained a legal system of Judaism, which lent itself to religious hypocrisy. They had set themselves as self-appointed watchdogs of their corrupt system of religion, in order to force everyone to conform to their traditions. Jesus was of the triune God, who instituted the Sabbath for Israel, as a mere sign of the covenant. Though He also kept the Sabbath Himself, He proved to the Jews that, as God, He was at liberty to set aside the Sabbath Day, if that would help facilitate the work of deliverance and salvation of mankind (Luke 14:1-4). Hence, He did just that to extend divine healing to the man who had a withered hand on a Sabbath day (Mark 3:5; Luke 13:16).
The Sabbath was given to Israel as a sign of the covenant (Exodus 31:13, 17). From Exodus 16:23, we can see that some form of Sabbath observance was kept previously before it became law in Exodus 20. But clearly, the Pharisees in their hypocrisy kept a perverted Sabbath – having turned it into a stern, hard, ritualistic day, hedged with severe restrictions. However, Jesus adopted a different attitude towards the Sabbath day. The Master did many miracles of healing on the Sabbath day, which angered the Jews, and they called Him Sabbath-breaker. Jesus in Matthew 12:8 authoritatively stated, “For the Son of Man is the Lord even of the Sabbath.”
It has been alleged in some quarters that the Roman authorities were responsible for changing the Sabbath Day of rest, and instituted Sunday as a day of worship, to suit their own religious tradition. However, in actuality, Emperor Constantine did pass a decree in 321 AD that all religious worship should be on Sunday (The Sun Day). This decision was, at best, a human effort to promote Christianity over and above other pagan devotions or forms of worship. However, this view is neither biblical nor does it contain any scriptural backing.
In summary, the Sabbath Day commemorates a finished creation (Gen. 2:2); while the Lord’s Day (Sunday) commemorates a finished redemption (Matt. 20:19). The apostolic fathers and the early Church kept the first day of the week (The Lord’s Day). This was mainly used for preaching and teaching the word of God (Acts 20:7). The Lord’s Day was also used to raise offerings for Church work (1 Cor. 16:2). Revelation 1:10 also refers to the first day of the week, as the Lord’s Day. The legalistic Sabbath, just like the physical temple or Tabernacle, are no longer very relevant in God’s eternal scheme of redemption. Just like the circumcision of the heart is preferred to the circumcision of the human flesh. Humanity should look forward to the eternal “Sabbath” rest from all labour – when the Lord returns to harvest true believers unto eternal life.
- The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Ponder over.
- Lord Jesus, give me the grace to work in harmony with you, towards the eternal Sabbath Day of permanent rest.
Further Reading: Exodus 6: 14-30; 2 Kings 11:43-12:16; 1 Thessalonians 3: 1-13
ESOCS Devotional 10 May 2024
