Sabbath-Day's Journey by John Nevins Andrews

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 8, 1865

Sabbath-Day's Journey.

By John Nevins Andrews

"The Sabbath-day's journey [Acts i, 12] was about seven-eighths of a mile; and the term denoted the distance which Jewish tradition said one might travel without a violation of the law. Ex. xvi, 29. It is supposed that this distance extended, first from the tabernacle to the remotest section of the camp, and afterward from the temple to the remotest part of the holy city.

"The term a day's journey [Num. xi, 31; Luke ii, 44] probably indicated no certain distance, but was taken to be the ordinary distance which a person travels on foot in the prosecution of a journey, perhaps twenty miles." Union Bible Dictionary, Art. Measures.

The above is not presented for the purpose of defining the distance that we may travel on the Sabbath; for as this quotation indicates, the whole thing was only a matter of Jewish tradition, which is no sufficient authority or guide in any religious observance.

But there is one idea set forth that will be of some value perhaps to a certain class. Those who pray that they may "make a Sabbath-day's journey toward the heavenly city," as though this was an unusual degree of progress, should understand that this is the shortest of all journeys. When we pray we should do it with the spirit and "with the understanding ALSO." 1 Cor. xiv, 15.

J. N. A.