Christ's Example in Sabbath Observance
By William Covert
Was Lord of the Day — Therefore Was Authority on How to Observe It — Bigoted Actions of Church Rulers — The Master Exposed the Narrow Wickedness of Their Traditions PAUL, in speaking of the greatness of Christ our Saviour, discusses the eternity of His work, the divinity of His nature, and the omnipotence of His power. Col. 1:13-20. And in verses 16 and 17 he says, "By Him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." It was in view of what Christ is to all things, that He said, "The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28. By studying the context of this verse from Mark, it will be seen that the Pharisees were accusing His disciples of Sabbath-breaking because they plucked and ate grain while they were passing through a field on the Sabbath day. THEIR EXACTING TRADITIONS
The Hebrews had changed from a loose disregard for the Sabbath to a traditional exactness which made it a burden to be dreaded. God intended that the Sabbath should be a day of delight, and of refreshing rest; but the Jews were binding it about with restrictions which made it a hindrance to real joy. In "Sabbath Manual of American Tract Society," pages 214 and 215, is set forth a bit of Jewish traditions regarding the Sabbath. They enumerated about forty things which should not be done on the Sabbath day. Among the things forbidden was threshing; and the disciples of Christ were transgressing the law as viewed by the Pharisees, because they were threshing out the grain when they took the heads of wheat in their hands and rubbed out the kernels. The Hebrew tradition said one might minister to the sick to relieve a pain on the Sabbath day, but that one must not heal the disease. So when Christ, by the power of His word, made a suffering man every whit whole on the Sabbath, the Pharisees advised that He be put to death. See Matt. 12:13, 14. On another Sabbath, He healed a woman who had been bowed down with an infirmity for eighteen years. And when the miracle was performed, "the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Luke 13:14. Jesus rebuked the folly of this elder, and spoke of the inconsistency of their traditions. In substance He said: "You think it wrong to carry water to a thirsty ox on the Sabbath day; but you will carry and pour water into a trough, and then lead the ox to the trough to drink it. You loose the ox from the place where he is bound, and lead him away to quench his thirst; but your unreasonable tradition calls for wrath to fall upon Me because this suffering woman has been loosed from her bound condition under Satan on the Sabbath day." MAN'S NEEDS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE
Christ's answer to the Pharisees who criticized His disciples for plucking and eating wheat on the Sabbath day was, that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." In this answer, Christ was saying to the Pharisees: "Man's needs are to be considered of first importance. One does not desecrate the Sabbath day by ministering to the comforts of a hungry man. Better pluck some heads of wheat and eat the kernels on the Sabbath day than to suffer of hunger. Better heal the afflicted on the Sabbath day than to let them suffer of pain. It is better to be consistent, and to deal in tenderness with man, than to give out the impression that God requires an unreasonable service." Men can not love God if they are made to believe He is dealing in an arbitrary manner with them. It is better to know that God is full of mercy and tenderness than to think His people should do penance to gain His favor. In saying that "the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28), or as stated by Matthew, "The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day" (Matt. 12:8), the significance is that Christ was associated with the Father in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and that the Sabbath was made by Him for man. Since it is true that all things were made by Him and for Him, and that He is before all things, and that "by Him all things consist" (Col. 1:16, 17), it is only stating the same truth in other words to say that Christ was co-Creator with the Father in making the heavens and the earth, and that His blessing was associated with the blessing of the Father when the Sabbath was made at creation and given to man. In saying these things, we are only reiterating the glorious truth of Christ's divinity as taught by Paul where he speaks of "God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Eph. 3:9), or by John where he said of Christ: "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." John 1:3, 4, 10. The statement that He is "Lord of the Sabbath" is a mild and dignified way of saying He is divine. And since He is divine, and one with the Father (John 10:30), there can be no division in Their work, nor lack of agreement between Them. There is no rivalry with reference to the Sabbath; for the Father and the Son in counsel said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." Gen. 1:26. So the work of the one was the work of the other, and the rest and the blessing were mutual. Therefore the Sabbath of the Father was the Sabbath of the Son. It was this truth that Christ was affirming when He said, "The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." And as Christ made all things, He made the Sabbath, and therefore5He was perfect judge of its design and its proper observance. He had a broad and impartial grasp of the whole problem of the Sabbath question for time and for eternity. In saying that it was made for man, He spoke for all time and for all men. Every man who has come upon the stage of action because of the Creator's work, is entitled to the Sabbath, and should observe it according to the design which the Maker has in it. HOW CHRIST OBSERVED THE DAY
When Christ came from His conflict with Satan in the wilderness, it is said He "returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And 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 for to read." Luke 4:14-16. It was because of His regard for the Sabbath day that He went to the meeting on that day to engage in worship. The Scripture says it was His "custom" to attend the synagogue on the Sabbath day. It had previously been His custom, during His early years at Nazareth, to attend the Sabbath services, and to read from the Scriptures; and He continued this kind of service after He entered upon His ministry. At Nazareth He had been a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and had doubtless labored at His trade upon the six working-days (Eze. 46:1), but on the Sabbath day He did not work, but went to the synagogue to worship. When His testimony was rejected at Nazareth, it is said He "came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days." Luke 4:31. AGAINST THEIR SABBATH LAW
It is not claimed that His teaching was confined to the Sabbath; but conditions were such that no small share of it came upon that day, and many of His noted miracles of healing were performed upon that day. Because of His healing on the Sabbath, He incurred the greatest displeasure from the Pharisees. Their claim was that it was against the law to heal on the Sabbath, and that there were six other days in which such work could be done, and that the people who wanted healing done should come upon one of the six working-days. See Luke 13:14. "And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him." Matt. 12:10. THE MASSES OF THE PEOPLE WAITED
The Jews appeared not to be averse to His healing, but they said that to heal on the Sabbath days was wicked. In proof of this proposition, read the account of how all the sick at Capernaum were brought to Him to be healed "at even, when the sun did set." Mark 1:32. He had healed Simon's wife's mother of a fever on the Sabbath day, but the mass of the people waited till the close of the Sabbath, at the setting of the sun, and then "they brought unto Him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door [of Simon's house]. And He healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils." Mark 1:32-34. Christ labored to correct false theories and false practises. As the Jews had imbibed serious errors regarding the manner of keeping the Sabbath, He labored with a view to putting the Sabbath upon its proper basis. He was not teaching a disregard for the Sabbath, but on the other hand He wanted them to regard the Sabbath with delight, and to call it the holy of the Lord, and honorable. He was showing them and us what is lawful and right to do on the Sabbath day.