Matthew 12:1-13 – The Sabbath
It’s important to notice that nowhere does Christ say we are not to keep the Sabbath. What Christ is doing here is freeing the Sabbath from incorrect interpretations and purifying it from man-made additions. He has just stripped away the miserable traditions the Pharisees have wrapped around the day, traditions that make the Sabbath a burden not a blessing. Our Lord leaves the fourth commandment exactly where He finds it – a part of the eternal law of God, of which not one jot or tittle was ever to pass away.
Our Lord Jesus Christ allows all works of real necessity and mercy to be done on the Sabbath day. Our Lord justifies the disciples for picking corn on the Sabbath when they need food. He maintains that it’s lawful to heal a sick man on the Sabbath day. He reminds the Pharisees how David and his men ate the holy showbread; He reminds them how the priests in the Temple are obliged to work on the Sabbath, by killing animals and offering sacrifices. He reminds them that even they would help an animal out of a pit on the Sabbath rather than let it suffer and die. He is making the point that we do not rest from doing good; we do not explain the fourth commandment in a way that breaks other commandments. We are not to be unkind and unmerciful to our neighbour, whatever the day.
We need to be careful though that we don’t take Jesus’ teaching as an excuse and pretend we’re doing things on the Sabbath from necessity and mercy, which in reality we’re doing for selfish reasons. The Pharisee pretended to add to the holiness of the day; we’re more prone to take away from that holiness and treat it like any other day.
Questions
- What does Christ teach about the Sabbath?
- What should we be doing on the Sabbath?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for the gift of the Sabbath day.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.