Our Sabbath

The Sabbath, observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening, is a revered tradition across numerous cultures, epitomizing a designated time for rest, reflection, and familial bonding. This weekly observance functions not only as a respite from the demands of daily life but also as an occasion for participating in meaningful rituals that reinforce community bonds and cultivate spiritual connections. As the week culminates in this sacred day, individuals and families are afforded the opportunity to rejuvenate their spirits and strengthen their relationships. However, it is important to acknowledge that the Sabbath, instituted by the Lord as a day of rest to seek Him, has somewhat lost its intended purpose. Therefore, let us examine the origins of the Sabbath and reflect on what Jesus reminded us about its purpose.

Sabbath Traditions During Jesus’ Time

The Sabbath dinner in Jesus’ time began at sunset on Friday and marked the start of a sacred period of rest, with all food and preparations completed beforehand since no work was permitted; families gathered in their homes where lamps were lit, blessings were spoken over wine and bread, and a peaceful, unhurried meal was shared, typically consisting of simple foods like bread, fish, lentils, olives, and fruit, accompanied by conversation, teaching, and remembrance of God’s creation and deliverance, making the meal not merely physical nourishment but a weekly expression of trust in God’s provision, fellowship within the household, and dedication of time set apart for Him.

On one Sabbath, as Jesus and His disciples were passing through a grain-field, they became hungry. The disciples began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat the kernels. This happened on a Sabbath, and when the Pharisees saw it, they immediately confronted them, insisting that such an action was unlawful because it counted as work on the Sabbath.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:2 (NIV)

Jesus asked them a question regarding the great King David whom the Pharisees adored. While David was on the run from King Saul, he had nothing to eat and one day he entered town of Nob and tricked the priest into giving him the consecrated bread there was meant to be eaten only by priests. David callous act brought the raging King down to Nob where he executed all the priests of the town.

David eating the consecrated bread was never questioned by the Pharisees in the teachings in fact it was praised that he brought bread for his companion as well which was a lie as David was alone on the run at that time. But when the poor, who were allowed to gather grain from the fields on the Sabbath precisely because the fields were otherwise deserted, attempted to feed themselves, the Pharisees rushed in with their rulebook to stop them.

The second example Jesus gave concerned the priests serving in the temple on the Sabbath. They, too, technically broke the Sabbath laws by performing their duties, yet this was accepted because they were serving in the temple — a man-made structure that the Pharisees valued more highly than God Himself.

I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
Matthew 12:6-7 (NIV)

Healing Barred On Sabbath

This kept happening during Jesus’ ministry where he would heal someone on Sabbath and people took offense rather than praise God. When Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on one Sabbath, He noticed a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years, bent over and unable to stand upright. He called her forward, declared her free from her condition, laid His hands on her, and she was immediately healed and began praising God.

Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
Luke 13:14 (NIV)

In anger, Jesus rebuked the synagogue leader and called him a hypocrite. If he truly observed the Sabbath as he claimed, he would not even rise to untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to drink water. Yet the Jewish leaders practiced the Sabbath on their own terms and according to their own convenience. It was never about drawing near to God; instead, it became a means of placing obstacles and barriers before those who sought Him. This woman, who had suffered for eighteen years, was healed instantly on the day of the Lord. Jesus questioned the leader whether the Sabbath was meant to be a day of liberation or a day of bondage.

Another time when Jesus went into a synagogue and saw that there was a man whose hand was shriveled, he wanted to heal him, but he saw that the Pharisees watching him closely just to accuse him of healing on the Sabbath, so Jesus asked them

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. – Mark 3:4 (NIV)

They all remained silent because their only agenda was find evidence that Jesus was breaking the Sabbath. Seeing their stubbornness Jesus was angered but at the same time distressed knowing the intention of their hearts. He simply asked the man to stretch out his hand and his hand was completely restored. When the Pharisees saw this they immediately went out of the synagogue and join with the Herodians to plot on how to kill Jesus. They left the synagogue in the middle of the service as their intention was not to worship God that day but to reject the gift of God.

Origins of Sabbath

Why did the Jewish leaders carry such strong emotions and sentiments regarding the Sabbath?

To understand this, we must look at the origins of the Sabbath itself. The Sabbath formed part of the Ten Commandments given to Moses on the mountain (Exodus 20:8–11). The first mention of the Sabbath in the Old Testament (Exodus 16:23–30) appears shortly after the Israelites escaped from Egypt and were in desperate need of food. The Lord provided them with manna and quail each day, and they were instructed to gather twice as much on the sixth day so that they would have enough for the following day — the Sabbath — which was their day of rest. The Old Testament laws concerning the Sabbath were straightforward and carried severe consequences, including the death penalty for offenders:

For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. – Exodus 31:15

In fact, in the book of Numbers, we read about a man who was stoned to death simply for gathering sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32–36). Perhaps this historical severity contributed to the Pharisees’ anger and their rigid approach. However, the word Sabbath was first used to describe the seventh day when God “rested” after creation. Yet we know that God does not rest in the way mankind does, nor does He ever cease His work. If He were to stop working, our lives would be thrown into chaos, and we would be left scrambling to survive.

During their time in the wilderness, the Israelites could afford to rest on the Sabbath because God had already provided for them with manna and quail from heaven. He continually sustained them throughout their time in the wilderness. Those who attempted to stockpile food or gather sticks, even after God’s clear provision, showed a lack of trust in Him and faced the consequences. Thus, the Sabbath was established so that the people would not be consumed with worry about food or work but instead be free to connect with God.

Dependence on Sabbath

When the lockdown struck, nearly every sector shifted to a work-from-home model. Offices adapted quickly, equipping employees with everything they needed — network solutions, infrastructure, laptops — so that they could remain connected with business partners from wherever they were. Schools followed the same approach, and even churches initially adopted it out of necessity. Yet, unlike the corporate world, the church did not emphasize equipping believers to connect with God in the Spirit throughout the week.

Neither before the lockdown, during it, nor after it, was there a strong focus on helping people cultivate a continual connection with God. Instead, many leaders preferred that believers remain dependent on them for spiritual access. As a result, while companies embraced the work-from-home model permanently, churches almost immediately returned to a strict weekly Sabbath routine. While during the lockdown period, people were seeking God daily; but once restrictions lifted, it quickly returned to a once-a-week practice. Our approach to observing the Sabbath often resembles a lover who declares affection in the morning, only to say by evening, “I need to see other people.” We praise God on Sunday mornings, yet by the evening we part ways with Him, returning only the following week.

Sabbath was Made for Man

While mankind was in the Garden, they were in perpetual rest as he did not need to work and was able to spend his evenings communing with God every day so there was no need for the sabbath. But when we were kicked out of the Garden because of our sins, we had to work to survive. Among the hustle and bustle of our work-lives, a day of rest was provided by God as man was not able to commune with him every day.

Similarly, when the Israelites were slaves in foreign lands, they found creative ways to observe the Sabbath, even in the midst of their hardship and oppression. They celebrated it in their hearts, gathering quietly when they could to share stories and memories of their freedom, reminding one another of the works God had done in their lives.

Thus Sabbath was made for man as a concession not as an end goal to reach God. But men turned it around and planned their lives around Sabbath. Even when we are not under bondage and enjoy rest several times a week and sometimes even day we do not want to give that time to God rather reserve the few hours of Sunday to worship God, say our prayers, pay our dues and return to our lives.

However, now that Jesus is residing in our hearts we do not need a concessionary day to commune with Him as He is with us always. The pharisees wanted to restrain God to the temple altar and did not allow Him to enter their hearts. Like the pharisees many of us are also content with our modern-day sabbaths and restrict God to the altar of our churches. Just like Sabbath was made for Man and not the other way round, the church was made for God and not the opposite. Jesus is where we will find our Sabbath, our true Rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)