Did Jesus work on the Sabbath?

[k4c]

People who try to refute the Sabbath, in order to justify their disobedience, will say things like, "We no longer have to remember the Sabbath because Jesus worked on the Sabbath thus making the Sabbath unemportant for Christians under the New Covenant". If this were true that would make Jesus a transgressor of the Law and thus would make Him a sinner.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

But those who love God and have His Spirit dwelling in them know this is so far from the truth.

So how do Sabbath refuters justify saying Jesus violated the Sabbath by working on the Sabbath?

They use verses such as Matthew 12:1-5.

Matthew 12:1-5 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!''

Here we have Jesus being accused of a Sabbath violation because they were picking grain on the Sabbath. This was considered work by the religious men of Jesus' time. But listen to how Jesus responds to their accusations.

Then Jesus said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: "how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? "Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?

Jesus' response teaches us two very important Sabbath keeping principles.

1. Anything that is done on the Sabbath that relates to taking care of a necessary need (hunger, healing, saving an animal and so on) is not a violation of the Sabbath and is not considered normal, unecessary or just everyday work.

2. Anything done on the Sabbath that relates to service to God is not a violation of the Sabbath (pot luck clean up, serving and so on).

We can also understand from the words of Jesus that these principles were not new to the New Covenant only but were also Old Covenant principles as well. The religious Jews should have known this if they were not so self-righteous and proud.

 

[StormyOne]

John 5:10-18 Therefore the Jews said to the man who was healed, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed." (11) He answered them, "He that made me whole, He said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.' " (12) Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?" (13) But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had turned aside, while a crowd was in that place. (14) After these things Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have become well. Sin no more, lest something worse may happen to you." (15) The man went away and reported to the Jews that Jesus was the One who had made him well. (16) And on account of this the Jews began to persecute Jesus, and were seeking to kill Him, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. (17) But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I am working." (18) Because of this the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but also He called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

 

[k4c]

John 5:10-18 Therefore the Jews said to the man who was healed, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed." (11) He answered them, "He that made me whole, He said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.' " (12) Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?" (13) But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had turned aside, while a crowd was in that place. (14) After these things Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have become well. Sin no more, lest something worse may happen to you." (15) The man went away and reported to the Jews that Jesus was the One who had made him well. (16) And on account of this the Jews began to persecute Jesus, and were seeking to kill Him, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. (17) But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I am working." (18) Because of this the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but also He called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Acts 10:38 "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Matthew 12:12 "...Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.''

Your interpretation: Therefore the Sabbath is done away with.

 

[Joe67]

K4c,

Your posts are good and useful, for a little while.

They reveal the conflict that is in all of us between the good works of our flesh, which are the motions of sin by the law (which is holy, just and good), and our need to have righteousness imputed to us since our good deeds come short of the glory of God.

Knowledge puffs up. Yet all of us need knowledge. All of us must become puffed up through knowledge, then Jesus works his grace to humble us, then he lifts us up again (like he did Peter) and sends us out into his pasture, to feed his lambs and his sheep and his sheep.

Peter had difficulty with the wisdom that God gave to his brother Paul; but he ceased fighting against it, and remained steady in the election of God.

He addressed the believers scattered abroad as the:
1 Peter 1:2
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. KJV

When Jesus is revealed to at first, he is not revealed to us in the election. It is the revelation of the election that converts us. This is in the Father's will. We cannot choose this revelation. It is given unto us in the fullness of our calling in Jesus Christ. This revelation comes to us in an hour when we are not thinking of it, and when it does, then we understand that we did not desire it, that we did not choose it, that we are chosen for it and its works of grace.

We are given our beginning peace with God through justification by faith before we are converted in the womb of grace/election. When this conversion comes, through the providence and wisdom of God, he prepares us to minister without strife, halting on our thigh, with thorns in our eyes and sides, sorrowing in conception and child-bearing unto the Lord Jesus.

But, at first he gives us to minister through strife, as dear children. We wrestle and quarrel with each other just like the young animals, as the mother watches and waits for their change, so she can teach them again to fulfill their mature work for which they are called and chosen. Then they are faithful unto death. "Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth..."

The adolescents that have been converted/changed in disposition, they learn their mature roll through watching their parent's example as they hear the parents gentle sounds. God gives them ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to understand.

Deut 29:4
4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
KJV

Joe

 

[StormyOne]

Acts 10:38 "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Matthew 12:12 "...Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.''

Your interpretation: Therefore the Sabbath is done away with.

No, my interpretation is simple... Jesus said he was working, and it was sabbath.... so either you believe the narrative or you don't... Either you believe that Jesus actually did and said what the narrative reports or you don't...

 

[k4c]

No, my interpretation is simple... Jesus said he was working, and it was sabbath.... so either you believe the narrative or you don't... Either you believe that Jesus actually did and said what the narrative reports or you don't...

Jesus was a carpenter.

He wasn't building houses on the Sabbath, He was healing and casting out demons, which is doing God's work on the Sabbath.

 

[Avonia]

Jesus was a carpenter.

He wasn't building houses on the Sabbath

I see more evidence he was a rabbi/teacher.

He wasn't building houses on the Sabbath, He was healing and casting out demons, which is doing God's work on the Sabbath. [/SIZE]

Why is building houses not doing God's work?

 

[StormyOne]

Jesus was a carpenter.

He wasn't building houses on the Sabbath, He was healing and casting out demons, which is doing God's work on the Sabbath.

Interesting that you are trying to qualify what work is.... The narrative states that Jesus said, my Father is working and I am working.... quite simple, Jesus said he was working... you are attempting to make it appear that what he was doing wasn't really work.... so what are we to make of this?

 

[M-Class]

People who try to refute the Sabbath, in order to justify their disobedience, will say things like, "We no longer have to remember the Sabbath because Jesus worked on the Sabbath thus making the Sabbath unemportant for Christians under the New Covenant". If this were true that would make Jesus a transgressor of the Law and thus would make Him a sinner.

Exclude me from your supposition. I understand that some people do see it the way you stated, but I do not.

The way I see it, Jesus did not break the Sabbath. In fact, Jesus fulfilled every requirement of the law including Sabbath keeping. If we believe in Him and not our own action/ability, then He will fulfill the requirements of the law on our behalf. By accepting Christ we are a part of the new covenant, not the old one.

 

[Avonia]

If we believe in Him and not our own action/ability, then He will fulfill the requirements of the law on our behalf. By accepting Christ we are a part of the new covenant, not the old one.

Ultimately, I see the same systemic flaw with this and the predominate SDA view of the law - that fulfilling the requirement has something to do, then or now, with us being "saved" - as a test or measure.

The best laws we derive from universal principles are enabling - not limiting. And what is enabling for one group of people at one point in time is often quite different than what is enabling for another group. We know this obvious truth from raising children (well, some parents are slow learners, but you get the point!).

That the Children of Israel "would be OK" if they followed the law was not about the law as an ultimate measure, but about the discipline and hope needed for them to move ahead. And learn. And treat each other better. And for this to happen, the storylines they created about the law had to incorporate the ultimate stakes - their eventual existence. Or lack of.

Christianity as a whole is still waking up to the realization that the way has been made for everyone. Regardless of how hard they make it on themselves and others, or how long it takes.

 

[k4c]

Interesting that you are trying to qualify what work is.... The narrative states that Jesus said, my Father is working and I am working.... quite simple, Jesus said he was working... you are attempting to make it appear that what he was doing wasn't really work.... so what are we to make of this?

Jesus qualified what work is. If you took time to read your Bible or at least believe your Bible you would know these things.

 

[k4c]

I see more evidence he was a rabbi/teacher.

Why is building houses not doing God's work?

If I said Jesus was a rabbi/teacher you would say He was a carpenter. Why is this? Because you and all the others of your mindset are not here to learn but only to refute for the sake of refuting.

 

[Avonia]

If I said Jesus was a rabbi/teacher you would say He was a carpenter. Why is this? Because you and all the others of your mindset are not here to learn but only to refute for the sake of refuting.

It has nothing to do with you. I first looked more deeply at this idea in a couple religion classes I took in college. I simply thought it was interesting and made some sense as I looked at the whole narrative of His life. Given your desire to understand scripture, I thought it me be a useful tidbit.

I am holding a space for you to be more effective here, not less. You are a valued member of the human community, the Christian community, and our Adventist community. I don't see you as "the other" at any level.

 

[Byfaithalone1]

People who try to refute the Sabbath, in order to justify their disobedience, will say things like

You have judged your fellow men and you have judged them incorrectly.

"We no longer have to remember the Sabbath because Jesus worked on the Sabbath thus making the Sabbath unemportant for Christians under the New Covenant".

I've never see this argument in this forum. Rather, I've heard it stated that there is irrefutable evidence that Jesus kept the sabbath.

If this were true that would make Jesus a transgressor of the Law and thus would make Him a sinner.

Why is that? Is Jesus Lord of the sabbath or is the sabbath lord of Jesus?

BFA

 

[k4c]

You have judged your fellow men and you have judged them incorrectly.

I've never see this argument in this forum. Rather, I've heard it stated that there is irrefutable evidence that Jesus kept the sabbath.

Why is that? Is Jesus Lord of the sabbath or is the sabbath lord of Jesus?

BFA

​

Jesus is Lord of all the commandments but that does not mean He breaks them.

 

[Byfaithalone1]

Jesus is Lord of all the commandments but that does not mean He breaks them.

What we know for sure is that He works, even on the seventh day.

BFA

 

[StormyOne]

Jesus qualified what work is. If you took time to read your Bible or at least believe your Bible you would know these things.

tsk, tsk.... it will be your assumptions that cause barriers in our dialog... for what its worth, I've read the bible more times that I can remember, and based on your arguments its clear where you are in your understanding of the word... Likewise I know a whole lot more about the bible and about the positions you are putting forth here in the forum than you give me credit.... its all good though...

 

[VictorC]

If I said Jesus was a rabbi/teacher you would say He was a carpenter. Why is this? Because you and all the others of your mindset are not here to learn but only to refute for the sake of refuting.

Many of us have a genuine interest in learning the Gospel without the various biases that groups dedicated to being "distinct" place on it. I have learned a great deal in discussion with others who share that goal, and there are valuable members on CF offering detailed insights into Scripture.

Several SDAs participate on the General Theology section of the forum. Try out your ideas to see if they will survive peer review there. The learning curve engages when you're forced to see if the Bible supports the ideas you thought it does.

 

[StormyOne]

Many of us have a genuine interest in learning the Gospel without the various biases that groups dedicated to being "distinct" place on it. I have learned a great deal in discussion with others who share that goal, and there are valuable members on CF offering detailed insights into Scripture.

Several SDAs participate on the General Theology section of the forum. Try out your ideas to see if they will survive peer review there. The learning curve engages when you're forced to see if the Bible supports the ideas you thought it does.

V.C., now you know some folks need to stay in the wading area a little bit longer before trying out the deep end of the pool....

 

[VictorC]

V.C., now you know some folks need to stay in the wading area a little bit longer before trying out the deep end of the pool....

One never learns to swim without venturing out into the open.