Why did Jesus instruct a healed man to break the Sabbath?

[trophy33]

Not my opinion. It is the context of the passage which you clearly do not understand. Again, why would Yeshua say to obey EVERYTHING that they taught if some of it was not correct Torah and then go on to recite the 7 woes and call them hypocrites?? Also, in Hebrew Matthew (Shem tov) it says this: "Upon the seat of Moses the Pharisees and Sages sit, and now, all which HE (Moses) will say unto you, keep and do; but THEIR ordinances and deeds do not do, because THEY say and do not.”

ומעשיהם אל תעשו שהם אומרים והם אינם עושים

In this passage, it is clear to recognize that the plural ישבו (they sat) referred to the Pharisees and the sages, while the singular יאמר referred only to Moshe.

You seem to misunderstand what the term "hypocrites" mean. It does not mean having a strict interpretation or even a wrong interpretation of the Mosaic commandments.

It means that one is not doing what he requires from others. Being pretentious. This is what Jesus criticized.

 

[d taylor]

The question is why did Jesus said to carry the mat on sabbath. The topic is not if their interpretation of the commandment was right or not, it was simply the accepted interpretation in their culture.

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Why because it is not breaking the Law given by God.

 

[Soyeong]

This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.
Jer 17:21 (NIV)

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
J 5:8-11 (NIV)

"...they tried all the more to kill him [Jesus]; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God"
J 5:18 (NIV)

The carrying of the mat was not necessary for the healing or walking.

Jesus did not tell him to break the Sabbath and he did not break it. It is contradictory to think that Jesus was correct about it being lawful to heal on the Sabbath and to think that the Pharisees were correct that Jesus had broken the Sabbath by healing on it. The reality is that it has always been lawful to heal on the Sabbath, so the Pharisees were incorrect to think that Jesus had broken it, though John 5:18 accurately records the reasons that the Pharisees had for wanting to kill him.

 

[trophy33]

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Why because is not not breaking the Law given by God.

I understand that your opinion is that it was actually allowed. However, it was not allowed in their society and according to their authorities. So why did Jesus said to him to do it?

 

[trophy33]

Jesus did not tell him to break the Sabbath and he did not break it. It is contradictory to think that Jesus was correct about it being lawful to heal on the Sabbath and to think that the Pharisees were correct that Jesus had broken the Sabbath by healing on it. The reality is that it has always been lawful to heal on the Sabbath, so the Pharisees were incorrect to think that Jesus had broken it, though John 5:18 accurately records the reasons that the Pharisees had for wanting to kill him.

The question is not about healing, but about carrying the mat, as said in the OP and repeated many times.

 

[d taylor]

I understand that this is your opinion. Its not a response to "why", though. They all knew it was not allowed to do.

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That is not my opinion, carrying ones mat was a rule man added to the Law given by God. If you do not believe it, that is your problem and will never have an answer to your question.

 

[trophy33]

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That is not my opinion, carrying ones mat was a rule man added to the Law given by God. If you do not believe it, that is your problem and will never have an answer to your question.

Its an opinion, because its not based on evidence. The law said "you will not carry any load" or "you will not do any work". Where the work begins and ends in practice was on the Jewish authorities to declare, not on us in the 21st century, 2,000 years after the law has ended.

However, the question is why Jesus gave such instruction. For what purpose. Let us try to focus on that. Even if you were right, the question still stays - no God's law forbids you to cross the road when the lights are red, however its not allowed in our society. If Jesus gave you an instruction to cross it (and therefore to get into troubles with our authorities), the question would still be "why".

 

[zelosravioli]

no God's law forbids you to cross the road when the lights are red, however its not allowed in our society. If Jesus gave you an instruction to cross it (and therefore to get into troubles with our authorities), the question would still be "why"

Oral law prevented the killing of a fly or spitting on the ground on Sabbath, where running a stop sign is an extremely dangerous and serious offense (something I'm sure Jesus would not argue, or advise) so its not the same. Picking up a mat is not dangerous, it is simply a ridiculous interpretation of the Mosaic Sabbat Law, not a law itself.

I believe this was Jesus' way of drawing attention to the oppressive micro aggressive interpretations, and laws, that they had added and concocted, which were not in the Mosaic Law. It was not Gods plan to have these excessively burdensome interpretations. The Pharisees had their own interpretations of Torah in their 'Oral law' and their other traditions. The Pharisees even disputed certain divisions within the Oral law amongst themselves, something I'm sure Jesus would love to dispute with them.

 

[honey badger]

Oral law prevented the killing of a fly or spitting on the ground on Sabbath, where running a stop sign is an extremely dangerous and serious offense (something I'm sure Jesus would not argue, or advise) so its not the same. Picking up a mat is not dangerous, it is simply a ridiculous interpretation of the Mosaic Sabbat Law, not a law itself.

I believe this was Jesus' way of drawing attention to the oppressive micro aggressive interpretations, and laws, that they had added and concocted, which were not in the Mosaic Law. It was not Gods plan to have these excessively burdensome interpretations. The Pharisees had their own interpretations of Torah in their 'Oral law' and their other traditions. The Pharisees even disputed certain divisions within the Oral law amongst themselves, something I'm sure Jesus would love to dispute with them.

This was what Jesus was getting at when he said, "If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?"
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[Bob S]

Jn 5:16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath. He could dictate anything He pleased to anyone He pleased.

Do you really believe a ceremonial could not be broken especially by the one who created the law in the first place? What about the soldiers who marched around Jericho for eight days in a row. Where not all the Israelites to remain in their tents on the ceremonial weekly Sabbath? When was that law changed? I cannot find where God changed that rule, but the Israelites certainly did at some point leave their tents.

Exodus 16:29
Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

All of those laws were given to only one nation, Israel. Since mankind is no longer under the old covenant laws, see Eph2: 10-15 and 2Cor3:6-11, we are free to rest when we please. We are free to turn on Light switches and carry anything we please every day. We are free to assemble ourselves together in corporate worship anytime we please. Amen!

 

[Soyeong]

The question is not about healing, but about carrying the mat, as said in the OP and repeated many times.

It is just as true that the Pharisees were incorrect about breaking the Sabbath by carrying a mat.

 

[trophy33]

It is just as true that the Pharisees were incorrect about breaking the Sabbath by carrying a mat.

I do not think we can be the judge of this (we do not sit in the Moses' seat), but even if you were right, you are still not answering why Jesus gave this instruction that was breaking their law.

 

[trophy33]

Picking up a mat is not dangerous, it is simply a ridiculous interpretation of the Mosaic Sabbat Law, not a law itself.

Was this also a ridiculous interpretation?

Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Lk 23:56

If the preparing of a dead body for a proper burial was not allowed, why would a public carrying of a bed across the city be allowed?

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Was this also a ridiculous interpretation?

Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Lk 23:56

If the preparing of a dead body for a proper burial was not allowed, why would a public carrying of a bed across the city be allowed?

Spiritual discernment. One was no work - to carry a mat- the others would take hours and hours.

 

[trophy33]

Spiritual discernment. One was no work - to carry a mat- the others would take hours and hours.

Carrying a mat is work. Its basically moving his furniture and that was not allowed, as Jews reminded to the man.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Carrying a mat is work. Its basically moving his furniture and that was not allowed, as Jews reminded to the man.

A mat is not a piece of furniture nor is it a mattress. You keep siding with the Pharisees over the Words of Jesus- Jesus said it wasn't a sin therefore it was not work.

 

[Studyman]

I cannot find any answer to my question in your post - why did Jesus instruct the healed man to carry his mat on sabbath?

There are only two answers to that question. How you responded to the questions posed by my post would signify which answer you will give.

#1. The reason why Jesus told the healed man to pick up his matt, was because Jesus didn't care about God's Sabbath Commandment and told this guy who HE just healed to "Go and transgress God's Laws".

#2. The reason why Jesus told the healed man to pick up his matt was because it was not, nor had ever been against God's Sabbath Commandment to carry a child, or food or a mat to sit or lay on, into Jerusalem on God's Sabbath.

In my understanding, I believe that between the children of the devil, (Pharisees) and the Righteous Son of the Living God (Jesus), that Jesus would know more about God and His Sabbath than the Pharisees. So my answer is #2.

It seems in your religion the Pharisees knew more than Jesus. My point was to perhaps consider, that maybe Jesus wasn't a sinner, and didn't teach this healed man to transgress God's Commandments. And that Jesus was only guilty of transgressing the "Commandments of Men" Jesus Himself said the Pharisees "taught for doctrines".

I am looking forward again, to your answer to my question, since I have now clearly answered yours.

 

[daq]

Jn 5:16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

The phrase, (heos arti), and the context show that it is not "this very day" but something more like this very hour, "just now", "right now", "this very moment", (as shown in my previous post). Moreover the Master teaches the tzohorim-midday hour of prayer in the same exact manner in the previous chapter .

John 4:6-7 KJV
6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

And during their conversation the midday hour commences exactly when he says:

John 4:23-24 KJV
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The underlined portion is the same statement we find in John 5:25 concerning the daily Shabbat hour. Thus we have the midday hour of prayer taught in John 4, (see also Acts 10:9 where Peter is observing it), and the daily Shabbat hour being taught in John 5.

 

[ralliann]

Its just your opinion, the text says to obey whatever they taught. But its getting off topic - the question is why did Jesus instruct the man to carry a mat on sabbath.

I think because his "works" were the works of God, and his "words" were equally the words of God.
God healed him, he no longer needed the mat. The mat no longer carried him, but him the mat.
God performed a miraculous work, and men are arguing over the authority of his words

 

[honey badger]

I think because his "works" were the works of God, and his "words" were equally the words of God.
God healed him, he no longer needed the mat. The mat was no loger carrying him, but him the mat.
God performed a miraculous work, and men are arguing over the authority of his words

like debating which is the worse crime ... to save ones ox from a pit or carry ones bed home ....