Jesus Healed on the Sabbath, therefore, Jesus worked on the Sabbath. And He performed many other miracles on the Sabbath.
When Jesus was healing on the Sabbaths, he was accused multiple times by the Pharisees, of breaking it.
When his disciples were plucking heads of grain from the grain field on the Sabbath, because they were hungry, they were also accused by the Pharisees, of breaking it.
So, many people today, use those things as an excuse that we no longer have to keep the Sabbath holy. That we can go to work on it, and do pretty much anything else we want to on it, because Christ, and His disciples, worked on it.
But the question is, WHAT KIND OF WORK did they perform on the Sabbath Day? That’s the million dollar question!
Were they works of earning living wages? Were they yard, automotive, or other types of personal works? Or, were they works of compassionate mercy?
Jesus healed on the Sabbath and performed many other miracles on the Sabbath Day.
So, how did Christ respond to some of those accusations of them working on the Sabbath?
Luke 13:15 – “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
Matthew 12:11 – “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would.
Luke 6:9 – “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”
And there is the answer to the question!
Christ taught us that life sustaining works of mercy and compassion, ARE PERMITTED on the Sabbath Day. Jesus was working on the Sabbath, but these were the types of works he performed. All lawful.
Works of mercy that would alleviate pain, hunger, thirst, and suffering, not only to humans, but the very same mercy extended to animals as well, are permitted on the Sabbath.
Christ said that it was better to do good and save life on the Sabbath, rather than to do evil and destroy life on the Sabbath.
After Christ tells them that works of love, mercy, and compassion, are allowed on the Sabbath, he then tells them why:
Because – “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
What did he mean by that?
That because the Sabbath was made for man– it belongs to man now, and he can break it, or do anything else he wants to with it?
No! No! No! Let’s get this right!
The Sabbath is like our planet, it belongs to God because He created it. But, it was made for us to benefit and bless us.
The Sabbath is God’s Holy and special day. He gave it to us- just as he did his other Laws.
However, That Day and His Laws, still belong to Him. He made them as a blessing to us, that we may all know the difference between right and wrong. And to show us how to love and worship Him.
And in doing so, it helps us grow spiritually mature and draws us closer to Him.
So what He meant, when He said that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, is exactly that!
The Sabbath was not made to be a burden to man. To shut him completely out of demonstrating love, mercy, and compassion to others, especially to those in immediate need, on the Sabbath Day.
It was made for man- to be a blessing to him!
We weren’t made slaves for the Sabbath’s benefit or blessing. To have it rule over us as our master, with its strict restrictions of prohibiting ANY WORKS on the Sabbath- even works of love, mercy, and compassion.
Jesus said, No! No! No! You have it all wrong! The Sabbath was made FOR MAN! Not the other way around!
He said, I – am the Lord of the Sabbath! Therefore, works of love, mercy, and compassion- to sustain life and alleviate pain and suffering, are permissible and lawful on My Holy Sabbath.
The Sabbath command is a perpetual covenant with God, stating that we must cease and rest from our works on the Sabbath, and come together to worship God on that Holy Day.
The Sabbath is a blessing to man and all life on planet earth. That’s why Christ clarified, that if the need is there, works of love, mercy, and compassion- to alleviate pain, suffering, and sustain life, are lawful and permissible works on God’s Holy Sabbath.
God said that He desires mercy over sacrifice. Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath when the occasion to be merciful demands it.
How could the Sabbath be Holy, if it would restrict us from demonstrating our love, mercy, and compassion, to those in dire need of it?
How could the Sabbath be called Holy, if it wouldn’t allow us to be merciful in alleviating someone’s pain, suffering, thirst, or hunger, during its Holy time?
Oh, but the Sabbath is Holy! We can keep the Sabbath Holy by resting from our works and coming together to worship God, as the law commands…
…and, if the need is there, we can also be merciful and compassionate to man and beast, by blessing them with our deeds and works of mercy, when they need us.
And just like Jesus healed on the Sabbath, those would be lawful works of mercy.
We are so blessed to have the Holy Sabbath and such a loving and merciful God.
Thank You Father.