Lesson 11

Key Text

“And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not

man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the

Sabbath’ ” Mark 2:27, 28

Throughout His ministry, religious leaders challenged

Christ’s Sabbath observance. When criticized, Christ

emphasized His authority as Lord of the Sabbath

(Matt. 12:8, Mark 2:28, Luke 6:5).

He also showed what correct observance of the

Sabbath should be.

Today we are confronted

not only with the challen-

ge of “correct observan-

ce” of the Sabbath but

lso with the popular

belief that Sunday,

not Sabbath, is

the day of rest.

Those pushing for Sunday, however, have nothing in their favor in the

Gospels. The Sabbath controversies in the Gospels dealt only with

how the Sabbath was to be kept, never with when. Jesus’ life and

teachings leave no doubt that the seventh-day Sabbath would

continue as God’s day of rest, even after His death and resurrection.

This lesson we will

study Christ’s

relationship to the

origin and lordship of

the Sabbath.

Next, we will study

the example and

teachings of Jesus

regarding the

observance of the

Sabbath.

Finally, we’ll look at

the Sabbath as seen

in His teachings and

in the example of His

disciples after the

Resurrection.

“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day

from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in

it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (Genesis 2:2-3)

Who created all things, including the Sabbath? John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16; Acts 1:1-2

Jesus is the Maker of everything, including the Sabbath. Jesus, Adam and Eve were not tired, so why did they need to rest on Sabbath?

In a sinless world, the Sabbath is a temple in time when all creatures come together to praise their Creator and to enjoy a special communion with Him.

Unlike them, we are surrounded by sin, so we need those moments of close communion with our Creator even more.

Jesus set an example by resting on Sabbath both after creating us and after redeeming us.

Christ, who was to be man’s Redeemer, was also his Creator. And

right there, at the end of Creation week, the Lord gave us a day of

rest. “The Sabbath was made for man, it is the Lord’s day. It belongs

to Christ. . . . Since He made all things, He made the Sabbath. By Him

it was set apart as a memorial of the work of creation

The same God who

created humanity

with the need to rest

also provided the

means to rest: a

weekly day in which

human beings are to

set aside weekly toils

and troubles and to

rest in Him, the Creator.

After finishing Creation, He Himself rested on the seventh day, not be-

cause of tiredness but in order to bless and sanctify the Sabbath and

give us an example to follow. And He also rested on Sabbath when He

finished our Redemption on the cross, not because He needed it but in

order to (among other things) confirm the perpetual value of the Sab-

bath. Christ, who invites restless human beings to rest in Him (Matt. 11:28, 29),

invites us to rest in a special way, once a week, every Sabbath day.

“For the Son of Man is Lord

even of the Sabbath.”

(Matthew 12:8)

That was permitted by the law (Dt. 23:25), but they were accused of breaking the law by doing that on Sabbath.

The Pharisees followed very strict rules to observe the Sabbath day. So what the disciples did involved reaping, threshing and fanning the grain for them.

Jesus’ disciples began to pluck

heads of grain from a grain field and

to eat them on Sabbath (Mt. 12:1-2)

Jesus replied the Pharisees. He used two examples involving the services in the Temple:

A. David ate the Showbread. The ceremonial law permitted that transgression.

B. The priests work (even harder) on Sabbath. His work is accepted by God.

Just after that, Jesus stated:

1. “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) The Sabbath is a gift from God for mankind. It was

made to serve us, not the other way around.2. “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the

Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28) Our Savior is the Maker of the Sabbath, so He is

entitled to decide what is appropriate to do on that holy day.

“For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.

And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the

Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” (Luke 4:16)

Jesus’ example of Sabbath keeping is paramount.

1. Jesus gathered with other believers for Scripture study and worship. (Luke 4:16–21)

2. He experienced nature (Matt. 12:1–8)3. He relieved human suffering (Matt. 9–14;

Luke 13:15, 16; John 5:16, 17)4. He rested from work (Gen. 2:1–3)5. Because of Christ’s strict scriptural

adherence, Jesus refrained from merchandising (Matt. 5:17–19; Neh. 13:15–22)

6. We may infer from Jesus’ disciples’ conduct that He observed the preparation day (Luke 23, 24; Exodus 16)

Based upon Jesus’ example, Christians should conscientiously

craft Sabbath practice for today.

How did Jesus observe Sabbath?

Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath because He “worked” by healing people. How did Jesus counter that statement?

“So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him

on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.” (Mark 3:2)

Matthew 12:10-13.

• If a sheep falls into a pit, rescuing it is lawful. Isn’t a man more valuable than a sheep? So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath.

Luke 13:10-17.

• Loosing an animal so it can drink on Sabbath is lawful. Shouldn’t we also loose those that have been tied with sickness by Satan? Shouldn’t we heal them?

John 5:2-18.

• The Father works on Sabbath by supporting the Universe. Shouldn’t helping people on Sabbath be also lawful?

Jesus released the Sabbath from extremism. He helped us to get away

from legalism without transgressing the Sabbath day.

“‘And it shall come to pass that from one New

Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to

another, all flesh shall come to worship before

Me,’ says the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:23)

Popular theology states that Jesus transferred the holiness of the Sabbath to Sunday, to honor His resurrection. Nevertheless, when Jesus spoke about the destruction of Jerusalem (that would take place 40 years after His resurrection), He said, “And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 24:20)

Paul and the rest of the apostles usually attended Church on Sabbath (Acts 13:14, 42; 14:1; 17:1-2; 18:4)

When some Greek people wanted to meet Paul apart from the Jews (outside the synagogue), he preached to them for two consecutive Sabbaths (Acts 13:42-44). He didn’t meet them on Sunday.

“As the Sabbath was the

sign that distinguished

Israel when they came

out of Egypt to enter the

earthly Canaan, so it is

the sign that now distin-

guishes God’s people

as they come out from

the world to enter the

heavenly rest. The Sabbath is a sign of the

relationship existing between God and His

people, a sign that they honor His law. It

distinguishes between His loyal subjects

and transgressors.”

E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, cp. 44, pg. 349)

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