The Ten Commandments

Is Saturday the Sabbath - Part 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Biblical Law

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2025-11-02

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on the Sabbath by examining how Jesus observed the Sabbath in the New Testament. He argues that the Pharisees had misinterpreted and misapplied the Sabbath law, adding burdensome human traditions. Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, demonstrated that works of necessity, emergency, and mercy are lawful on the Sabbath. The sermon reviews the various Old Testament Sabbaths and emphasizes that the Sabbath was made for man's benefit, not man for the Sabbath. Weaver sets the stage for a future message on why Christians worship on Sunday.

[John Weaver] Well, let's open our Bible's day to Luke chapter 13, and we're going to read verses 10 through 17. This is the second part of the series. Is Saturday the Sabbath? If so, why do we worship on Sunday? And I'm just trying to set the stage today for the final message that I will be bringing next Lord's Day. So notice Luke chapter 13 and we'll begin there reading with verse 10. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said in her, Woman, thou art loose from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. And 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. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo these eighteen years, be loose from this bond on the Sabbath day?

[John Weaver] And when he had said these things, all of his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." I want to take just a few moments to review and remember, if you would please, that the word Sabbath means rest, and as you know that there were many Sabbaths in the Old Testament, and naturally they were carried over into the New Testament. I pointed out that there were at least four different Sabbaths. There was number one, the creation Sabbath, which commemorated creation. There was a Hebrew Sabbath, which commemorated the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. There was a Canaan Sabbath, which of course celebrated the conquest of Canaan. And then lastly, there is the Christian Sabbath, which I pointed out I will deal with next week in detail. So we are commanded by God to remember the creation Sabbath, for it is the pattern of all the other Sabbaths, and everything that God has ordained and decreed shall certainly come to pass in that eternal decree as well.

[John Weaver] So the Hebrew Sabbath then was a celebration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 5 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 5 verse 15, the Word of God says, And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day. So the Sabbath day, the Hebrew Sabbath, was done in commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

[John Weaver] So here's some questions for you to consider. Number one, were you delivered out of Egypt from the house of bondage? And the answer obviously is no. So the next question would be, what in the world does the deliverance from Israel or from Egypt or Israel represent? What would it represent to us? What is the symbolism of that? How does it apply to us? Then think, secondly, about the Canaan Sabbath, since the Canaan Cat Sabbath was a celebration of the conquest of Canaan. The question is, did you participate in the conquest of Canaan? And obviously, again, the answer is no. So, you must then ask the question, What is the symbolism in it and how does it apply to us?

[John Weaver] Hopefully all of these truths are going to be brought together in lesson number three. So it's also important by way of review to remember that there were weekly Sabbaths. But not only weekly Sabbaths but there were monthly or new moon Sabbaths as well. The seven annual feasts were designated as Sabbaths. there was a sabbatical year, and then of course there was the year of Jubilee, which also was considered as a Sabbath. I do not know of any Sabbatarian, I do not know of any individual, who observes and keeps all of the Sabbaths in the way that God ordained for them to be kept.

[John Weaver] Incidentally, may I point out, that all of the Israelitish men were required to attend the feast. They had to attend and they could not appear before God empty. They brought their gifts, they brought their offerings, they brought their sacrifices at that particular time. So, Exodus chapter 34 and verse 24, Exodus 34 verse 24, God said, For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders. Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in a year."

[John Weaver] So three times they had to go for these feasts. Now if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 16 and verses 16 and 17. Deuteronomy chapter 16 verses 16 and 17. God says, three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, that would be Jerusalem, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty. Every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee. So the question would be, Do you attend all the feasts? Do you attend at least the three most important ones? And do you bring your offerings to God at these particular feasts?

[John Weaver] And, of course, the answer is obviously no. Now, I pointed out that the emphasis upon the Sabbath was rest. When you look at the Old Testament, usually the general principle was this, that all work was prohibited. However, many forms of work that were forbidden was clearly marked out in the Lineage in Scripture. But yet on the other hand, there appeared some exceptions, especially revealed in the New Testament. So let me give you the general principle. The general principle was no work, period.

[John Weaver] For instance, you'll find that in Exodus 20, verses 8 through 11. Exodus 34, verse 21, Leviticus 23, verse 3, and Jeremiah 17, verse 22. The gates of the city had to be shut on the Sabbath, Nehemiah 13, verse 19. Every man was to abide in his place, Exodus chapter 16, verse 29. Asses could not be laden, Nehemiah 13, verse 19. nor burdens borne, Jeremiah chapter 17 verses 21 through 22, no fires could be kindled, Exodus 35 in verse 3, no sheaves could be brought in, Nehemiah 10 in verse 31, nor anything sold, Nehemiah 13 in verse 15, and no wine could be trodden in the presses, Nehemiah chapter 13 in verse 15.

[John Weaver] So the general principle in the Old Testament was that no work should be done. However, there were some exceptions, and these exceptions are made exceedingly clear in the New Testament because they are part and parcel of observing the Sabbath. By the time of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament, the Pharisees had totally misinterpreted and misapplied the law of God. And they did this especially in relationship to the Sabbath as well. And thus they sought to always condemn the Lord Jesus Christ for doing what he did on the Sabbath. Not that our Lord violated the Sabbath. What he did violate was their interpretation of the Sabbath and their misapplication of the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] So I would encourage you to read Matthew chapter 5 this afternoon. Matthew chapter 5 shows you how the Pharisees and the scribes misapplied the law of God. In fact, over and over in Matthew chapter 5, our Lord said this, you have heard it said by them of old time. And then he would tell you what they said. And then he would say this, but I say unto you, in other words, this is what they said. They were wrong.

[John Weaver] But now I'm correcting it. Here is what is true. Here is reality. So over and over in Matthew chapter 5, he does that. They said this in old time, but I say unto you.

[John Weaver] Now, when we look at our text that I'm going to show you today, you're going to see that the scribes and the Pharisees attacked our Lord Jesus Christ not only with regularity, but they did so openly and they did so vehemently. and they always accused him of violating the Sabbath. So I'm going to say this just one more time just to make it clear. Our Lord did not violate the Sabbath day. He violated their interpretations of the Sabbath and their misapplications of the Sabbath. Now let me show you how the Pharisees were. If you look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 7 And look, if you would please, at verse 49.

[John Weaver] Of course, here is what the Bible says. And this is the attitude of these Pharisees. Look at it. They said in John 7, verse 49, but this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Now. They're not necessarily talking about God's law, they may think they're talking about God's law. But these are the Pharisees, so they're talking about their interpretation and their application of God's law. So what they really meant when they said, but this people who have not the law are cursed, what they really meant was this. Those that do not know as we know, those that do not see as we see, and those who do not understand as we understand, they are cursed.

[John Weaver] I hate to say this. But I know some preachers, and I know some professing Christians just like the Pharisees. If you do not agree with them, then you're cursed. If you don't see what they see, then you're cursed. If you don't believe the way they believe, then you're cursed. And it's not just with eschatology. It's with a lot of different subjects. So they've set themselves up, as the Pharisees have done, as the standard for belief. and the standard for understanding.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. Although there was general work prohibited on the Sabbath day, there were exceptions according to our Lord Jesus Christ. And before I show you these texts, there's one passage that I must expound that you must understand not only in relationship to this message, but the one that's coming up next week as well. So if you'll turn in your Bibles to the book of Mark chapter 2 and look if you would please at verse 27. We will come back to this passage several times. We will also come back to Luke chapter 13. But notice if you would Mark chapter 2 and verse 27 Jesus is speaking and he said unto them the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Now, the Pharisees had clouded the true meaning of the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] They had misinterpreted it, they had misapplied it, and all of their legalistic forms were now demanded of everyone. For instance, one of the rules that they had was you could not even eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath day. I don't know how you could find out if your egg was laid on the Sabbath, unless you happened to watch the chickens on that particular day. But that was one of their rules.

[John Weaver] Moreover, there were things that were called, and I'm pronouncing this, muxin, which literally means forbidden. So although there were things that were forbidden, they would always try to find ways to get around those forbidden things. Here is a direct quote. Listen carefully. Many objects have been designated by our sages as Muxin. We are forbidden from moving them in some cases, even for activities permitted on the Sabbath. Muxin may not be moved directly with one's hand or even indirectly with an object such as sweeping it with a broom. However, Muxin may be moved in a way that is very awkward, in an unusual manner, with other parts of the body. In other words, with one's teeth, or elbow, or by blowing upon it. Now, wait a minute. If something is forbidden to be moved, I don't care if you use your teeth, or your elbow, or your wind, it's still being moved.

[John Weaver] But that's what they did. In other words, it's rules for thee, but not for me, is what it amounts to. So, even today, there are many things that are being carried to the extreme by the Orthodox. In fact, the Bible says in Exodus 35 that you're not the light of fire on the Sabbath day. Well, they now apply that to turning on a light switch because it strikes a little fire and brings electricity into the room.

[John Weaver] But although they will not do it themselves, it is alright for someone else to do it for them. So, if there's a condemnation then, or a censure, to be applied for anyone who created a light on the Sabbath, then it's alright for someone else to be condemned and censured, but not them. So the way they get around that is they just have someone else to flip the light switch for them. I'm just simply pointing out the fact that there's so many rules and regulations that have been made, not just by the Jews, but also by many preachers today that have no understanding of the law of God. Now, notice if you would again in Mark 2 and verse 27, and he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. First of all, man was created on the sixth day of creation, and the Sabbath did not occur until the seventh day. Thus, logically speaking, the Sabbath was created for man since he was created before the Sabbath. Now, secondly, we could rightly say that the Sabbath was created for man, that is, for man's good, for man's safety, for man's benefit, and for man's blessing.

[John Weaver] Our bodies need rest and our souls need worship. So the Sabbath then, even that which God ordained, was not created to add to the sufferings and the burdens of man. It was created to be a blessing and a benefit for them.

[John Weaver] Now I want to give you several quotes. The first one is two long paragraphs. But I want you to pay close attention. This first quote is by Albert Barnes. Listen to what he said. The Sabbath was made for man, for his rest from toil, his rest from the cares and anxieties of the world, to give an opportunity to call off his attention from earthly concerns and to direct it to the affairs of eternity. It was a kind provision for man that he might refresh his body by relaxing his labors, that he might have undisturbed time to seek the consolations of religion, to cheer him in the anxieties and sorrows of a troubled world, and that he might render to God that homage which is most justly due to him as the Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, and Redeemer of the world.

[John Weaver] and it is easily capable of proof that no institution has been more signally blessed to man's welfare than the Christian Sabbath. Now I'm going to talk about that next week. He said, to that we owe more than to anything else the peace and order of a civilized community. Where there is no Sabbath, there is ignorance, vice, disorder, and crime. On that holy day, the poor and the ignorant as well as the learned, have undisturbed time to learn the requirements of religion, the nature of morals, the law of God, and the way of salvation.

[John Weaver] On that day man may offer his praises to the Great Giver of all good, and in the sanctuary seek the blessing of Him whose favor is life. Where that day is observed in any manner as it should be, order prevails, morals are promoted, the poor are elevated in their condition, vice flies away, and the community puts on the appearance of neatness, industry, morality, and religion. The Sabbath was therefore preeminently intended for man's welfare, and the best interests of mankind demand that it should be sacredly regarded as an appointment of merciful heaven intended for our best good, and were improved or right infallibly, resulting in our temporal and eternal peace.

[John Weaver] Now, one last paragraph he has here. Man was made first, and then the Sabbath was appointed for his welfare. The Sabbath was not first made or contemplated, and then the man made with reverence to that. Since, therefore, the Sabbath was intended man's real good, the law respecting it, must not be interpreted so as to oppose his real welfare. It must be explained in consistency with a proper attention to the duties of mercy to the poor and the sick and to those in peril. It must, however, be in accordance with man's real good on the whole and with the law of God. The law of God contemplates man's real good on the whole, And here it is, and we have no right under the plea that the Sabbath was made for man to do anything contrary to what the law of God admits. It would not be for our real good, but for our real and eternal injury to devote the Sabbath to vice, to labor, and amusement. So, again, he's just amplifying that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] And what happens today is so many reverse that order and they try to say that the Sabbath was made, that man was made for the Sabbath and that man must keep all these rules and all these regulations which are obnoxious and humanistic and usually imposed upon us by preachers, cult leaders, and people who really do not understand what they're saying. I want you to look back at Mark 2 and verse 27. And he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Now, hang on. Look at verse 28. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath. The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm going to give you a quote from A.B. Simpson. But before I do, I want to remind you of something, and that is the Greek word for Lord. It is the word Kyrios, and it literally means boss, owner, sovereign, master. So look at verse 28. Therefore the Son of Man is boss, owner, sovereign, and master also of the Sabbath. Now listen to the quote by A.B. Simpson out of his book, the fourfold gospel. Here's what he said. So that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. The expression Son of Man is used 88 times in the New Testament and always means Messiah and not man in general. The Sabbath was made for man's convenience and blessings and so Jesus who was the complete and perfect manhood was Lord of it.

[John Weaver] But men who were incomplete and imperfect in their manhood cannot trust their fallible judgment to tamper with it. Though the day was made for man, this fact would not entitle man to use it contrary to the laws under which it was granted. As the Lord of the day, Jesus had a right to interpret it and to apply it, listen, and to substitute the Lord's day for it. in asserting his lordship over it, hang on, Jesus takes the question outside of the range of argument and brings it within the range of authority. When he said the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath, he has all authority, all power in heaven and earth, he may do as he pleases on the Sabbath and with the Sabbath as well.

[John Weaver] Now one more quote before we get started. This is from John Gill. He said this, and since Christ is greater than the temple and has all the perfections of the divine nature in him, is equal to the Father in power and glory, and even as mediator, has all power in heaven and earth given to him, so as he is Lord of all things, he is also Lord of the Sabbath, listen, and has the power of dispensing with it and even abolishing it, And since the Lord of the Sabbath had a power of dispensing with it, and made use of it in the cases of David and his men, and of the priests in the temple formerly, the Pharisees ought not to think it strange that the Son of Man, who is equally Lord of the Sabbath, dispensed with it in His disciples now." So, when the Bible says that Jesus Christ is Lord even of the Sabbath, it means that He has the absolute right to change it, to modify it, to dispense with it, to abolish it.

[John Weaver] He may do with it as he pleases because he is God. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12. I have an awful lot of scriptures. Some of them I will just have to give you and let you look at them later. But look, if you would, in Matthew chapter 12 to begin with at the first eight verses. We're going to see how Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath. Watch this. At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, our disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. But he said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry? and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat his showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests.

[John Weaver] Or have you not read in the law, how then on the Sabbath days the priests of the temple profaned the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple. But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day."

[John Weaver] Now, if you would turn right over to the book of Mark, chapter 2, I will read this one, but this passage is also found in Luke, chapter 6, verses 1 through 5. So if you look at Mark, chapter 2, And we're going to begin reading at verse 23. Watch again. And it came to pass that he went through the cornfields on the Sabbath day, and his disciples began as they went to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said to him, Behold, why did they on the Sabbath day do that which is not lawful? And he said to them, Have you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry? he and they that were with him, how he went into the house of God in the days of Leviathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat, but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him. And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made man, and not man, but the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] Therefore the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Now I'm not going to read the same passage in Luke chapter 6 verses 1 through 5, but note if you would, we're now talking about a work of necessity. because the disciples were hungry. They'd had nothing to eat. And they're walking through the grain fields, the cornfields, and they're plucking the grain, and they're rubbing them in their hands, and they're eating raw grain.

[John Weaver] Now, I have a question to ask you. Whose grain field were they in? Well, the disciples did not have grain fields. Our Lord did not have a grain field. So they were in someone's grain field. And they're walking through and they're just plucking the grain and eating it raw. You say, well, they were stealing. No, they were not stealing. The Pharisees did not accuse them of theft. If it was possible to accuse them of theft, they would have certainly done so. But let me show you why it was not theft.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in your Bibles. to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 23 and look if you would please at verse 25. Deuteronomy 23 and look if you would at verse 25. Look what God says. Here is a principle of the law. Deuteronomy 23 verse 25. When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, that thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand, but thou shalt not move a sickle into thy neighbor's standing corn." So God says it is right to eat out of your neighbor's garden, but you can't harvest. If you're hungry, you can eat.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to give you a good quote here by Matthew Poole and then one by Adam Clarke. Listen to what Matthew Poole said. To take for our needs so much as our neighbor's goods as we may reasonably think that if he were present and knew our circumstances, he would give us, is not theft. The Pharisees, therefore, do not accuse them of theft, but of violation of the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] Plucking ears of corn or snatching handfuls of grain would be considered work. Yet our Lord allowed his disciples to do so in order to sustain his disciples satisfy their hunger and to teach them and the Pharisees the true meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. So it is lawful to prepare food to sustain life on the Sabbath day.

[John Weaver] Now here's a quote from Adam Clark. He said, we may well wonder at the extreme poverty of Christ and his disciples. He was himself present with them and yet permitted them to lack bread. I love this next quote. A man therefore is not forsaken by God because he is in want. It is more honorable to suffer the want of all temporal things and be in fellowship with Christ and his followers than to have all things in abundance and be in connection with the world. Now, so here's what God is saying. We may eat of our neighbor's crops or our neighbor's garden, but we cannot put in a sickle. We cannot harvest them. We cannot steal them.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a good illustration. Years ago, I had a number of horses, and we had a neighbor who had several different farms, and he wanted to borrow my horse and ride through his bean fields just to check to see if there were any disease or insects. Well, I said, sure. I said, but I will ride with you if you don't mind. He said, I'll be glad to have you ride. So I settled two horses and we started riding through the grain fields. Well, my horse was always wanting to eat and she kept putting her head down and snatching up a bean vine and chewing on it. And I would be trying to hold her neck tight so she wouldn't do that and And Thomas saw me holding her back and he looked at me and said, Preacher, he said, let her eat.

[John Weaver] He said, they're working for us. This is this is just simply letting them have pay for their labor. Let her eat.

[John Weaver] Now, his was not doing it, but mine did. So I said, fine. Well, that's exactly what the principle here. In other words, she was not running around stomping and tearing up his beans. She's just eating one every now and then. And this is what God is saying. It's lawful to satisfy your hunger from the extent that you know that if your neighbor was present, he would certainly give it to you.

[John Weaver] But you cannot take any more than that. OK.

[John Weaver] Now, it is for our benefit that our stomachs are filled with food. Now, when you stop and think about this, I don't know if they were eating wheat, rye, barley, corn. It says grain. It says ears. Well, you have to be pretty hungry to eat something raw like that. So the disciples were indeed hungry, that is for sure. I've always observed this. There are a lot of people that are picky eaters. They won't eat certain things. I mean, I've got friends, they won't eat broccoli, they won't eat cauliflower, they won't eat any veggies hardly, they just meat and potato folks, that's all there is to it. And my point has always been, you just haven't been hungry enough. If you get hungry enough, you'll eat just about anything. I've had people tell me, well, I'd never be like John the Baptist, I couldn't eat locusts and wild honey. Well, you can eat the wild honey very easily, but the locusts, that's a horse of a different color. He said, I'd never eat a locust. You would if you were hungry enough.

[John Weaver] That is for sure. Here's what the Bible says in the book of Proverbs 27, verse 7. The full soul loatheth a honeycomb. But to the hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet. So you get hungry enough. The most bitter thing is sweet to you because it's filling and it's taking care of you. So you can make sure If you get hungry enough, you'll be thankful for anything.

[John Weaver] So our Lord then, in this situation, reminds the Pharisees what David did. David and his men were fleeing from Saul. So they went to a biathlon. David said, do we have anything to eat here? Well, we have just the showbread. David said, well, give that to me. And David took some. What about these young men? Well, I want them to have some too. Well, the priest said, at least if they've kept themselves from women these three days.

[John Weaver] Yes, he said they have. And so here they ate the food that was reserved solely for priests. And our Lord is using this. In other words, he is saying it was a work of necessity. They had to eat. They had to be filled. They were hungry. And so it was taking place. Now, I will point out that even saving the life of animals would be a work of necessity. Animals must eat as well. You remember our passage back in Luke chapter 13 and verse 15, look what our Lord said to this wicked man.

[John Weaver] The Lord then answered and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? Well, of course. You also feed your animals on the Sabbath day. I fed my animals this morning. I feed my animals every day.

[John Weaver] Now, a work of necessity is easily connected with the sixth commandment. The sixth commandment is thou shalt not kill. The sixth commandment has a negative and a positive. Thou shalt not kill. That is, life cannot be taken except on God's terms. But here's the positive. Thou shalt preserve life. And so eating is a preservation of life. So, works of necessity are not confined to just simply to cooking and eating. There are other works that are necessary even on the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] Now, if you go back to Matthew chapter 12 and look if you would now at verses 5 through 7. Matthew chapter 12. Look at this. Beginning here with verse 5. Matthew 12 verse 5. He said, or have you not read in the law how then on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profaned the Sabbath and are blameless. But I say unto you that in this place is one greater than the temple.

[John Weaver] But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would not condemn the guiltless. So the priests then had to function even on the Sabbath day. And of course they were not condemned for doing that which they did. If you will turn right over to the book of John chapter 7. John chapter 7. and look if you would please at verse 22 John chapter 7 look at this John 7 and verse 22 and let's read through verse 24 John 7 verse 22 Our Lord said let's read verse 21 Jesus answered and said unto them I have done one work in you all marvel Moses therefore gave you circumcision not because it was of Moses but of the fathers and you on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath day receives circumcision that the law of Moses should not be broken. Are you angry at me because I made a man every whit hole on the Sabbath day?

[John Weaver] Then he says judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgments. So it's necessary to work on the Sabbath day. I don't care if we're talking about the Hebrew Sabbath, the Canaan Sabbath, or the Christian Sabbath, it is necessary to work on the Sabbath day. Now listen, I work more on Sunday than I do any other day during the week. My Sundays are 12-hour days. I work all during the week because you have to study, you have to prepare, you have to do research, you have to You have to pray, you have to do a lot of things just to prepare a message. And there's a lot of work during the week, but come Sunday, I'm teaching twice and driving all day. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that, yes, there are works of necessity even on the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] Now, notice back, if you would, please, in Matthew chapter 12 again. I want you to go back there. Matthew chapter 12. Look, if you would, please, at verses 9 through 14. Matthew chapter 12 verse 9, And when he was departed hence, he went into their synagogue. And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days, that they might accuse him? Now, they asked him this question not because they were interested in learning, not because they wanted truth, but they wanted a reason to accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep?

[John Weaver] And if he fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore, it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then said he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand, and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole as the other. I want you to note something. Our Lord said it's lawful to do well on the Sabbath day.

[John Weaver] This is not necessarily a work of necessity. This could be considered a work of emergency. So if my animal is in the ditch and can't get out, I have to get him out. Why? Because if I don't, he may die. And thus, that would be, again, a violation of the sixth commandment. Life can only be taken on God's terms. So here again, God is saying it's lawful to do well on the Sabbath day.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to see how desperate these people were to condemn our Lord. Look in verse 14. Look what happens. Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. Here is teaching that it's lawful to save life. It's lawful to do well. and they get so irritated and so aggravated they go out and hold the council that they might put him to death. This is the Pharisees. You have this same truth revealed in Mark chapter 3 verses 1 through 5 as well.

[John Weaver] Here's the point I'm trying to make. The Pharisees will always place their rules, their regulations, their customs, their traditions, above the Word of God and above the people. They don't really care about people. Look in Luke chapter 13, when our Lord healed the woman who had been bent over for 18 years. And what did the ruler of the synagogue say? There are six days to work. Let them come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath. And our Lord said, you hypocrite. He was not concerned about the woman who had been bent over for 18 years. He was concerned about their traditions, about their customs. When you have people that are more concerned about their rules and their regulations, we're not talking about the Word of God, but their personal rules, their personal regulations, their personal customs and traditions than people, then you've got a Pharisee. And there are plenty of Pharisees that are around today, that is for sure. Now, our Lord, then, was constantly healing on the Sabbath, eating on the Sabbath, living on the Sabbath, and doing works of emergency and works of necessity on the Sabbath as well.

[John Weaver] So, our Lord, then, healed this woman. Now, look, if you would, in Luke chapter 14, if you would, Luke chapter 14, because in this passage, our Lord heals a man of the dropsy. on the Sabbath day and watch this again Luke chapter 14 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 Luke 14 in verse 1 and it came to pass as he went into the house of one of the chief pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day and they watched him and behold there was a certain man before him which had the drop seat And Jesus answering, spake unto the lawyers, and the Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

[John Weaver] Now they had been asking him that question, that they might accuse him. Now he asked them that question, and look at this, verse 4, And they held their peace. They wouldn't answer him. They could not answer him. Now notice, And they held their peace, and he took him, and healed him, and let him go. and answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into the pit, will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer him again to these things." Wow. So our Lord is saying, yes, it is right to do well on the Sabbath day. Now, our Lord healed on the Sabbath day regularly in the New Testament. He not only healed on the seventh day, he aggravated the describes of the Pharisees by doing so, so much so they wanted to kill him. So if you look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 5, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. John chapter 5 and verse 8. John 5 and verse 8.

[John Weaver] But if you would, Let's begin reading there with verse 8, John 5 verse 8. Jesus said unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. So now Jesus has seen this man by the fool of Bethesda, and he heals him. Watch verse 9. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked. And on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed." Wow! He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

[John Weaver] And he that was healed wist not who it was, for Jesus had coveted himself away, among the dude being in that place. Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole. said, No more lest a worse thing come upon thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole. Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day." Wow! Just healing someone on the Sabbath day, according to these Jews, merited the death penalty. They sought to kill him.

[John Weaver] They took counsel against him. Now, I want you to turn over to John chapter nine. I'm going to try to tie this thing together for you just shortly. But John chapter nine. Is one of my favorite chapters. This is so refreshing. Let's begin with verse one. And Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work.

[John Weaver] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When he had thus spoken, he sped on the ground, and made a clay of spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind men with the clay. And he said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation set. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbors therefore, and they which were about before him had seen him that was born blind, said, Is not this he that sat in bed?

[John Weaver] Some said, This is he. Others said, He is like him. But he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? And he answered and said, A man, that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash. And I went, and washed, and I received my sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he?

[John Weaver] He said, I know not. They brought to him, to the Pharisees, him that aforetime was blind. And it was the Sabbath day where Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then again, the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, he put clay upon mine eyes and I watched him do see. Therefore, said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Now look at that. Now what they meant was he's not keeping our interpretation of the Sabbath. He's not keeping what we think the Sabbath means. Others said, how can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?

[John Weaver] And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, what sayest thou of him that he had opened thine eyes? He said, he is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight until they called the parents of him that he received his sight. And they asked him, saying, Is this your son whom you say was born blind?

[John Weaver] How then does he now see? His parents answered him and said, We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But by what means he now seeth, we know not. Or he would open his eyes. We know not. He is of age. Ask him he shall speak for himself."

[John Weaver] Now watch, these words make his parents because they feared the Jews. For the Jews had agreed already that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents, said his parents, he is of age, ask him.

[John Weaver] Now listen closely to this part, I love it. Then again called me the man that was blind and said unto him, Give God the praise, we know that this man is a sinner. The answer is said, whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I do know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they unto him again, what did he to thee?

[John Weaver] How opened he thine eyes? Love it. Watch this next one. He answered them, I've told you already and you didn't unhear. Wherefore will you hear it again? Will you also be his disciples? Then they reviled him and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why, hearing is a marvellous thing, that you know not from whence he is, and yet he opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners, Could any man be a worshipper of God, and do with his will him heareth? Since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind? If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?

[John Weaver] And they cast him out. Wow! Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when he found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that talketh thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

[John Weaver] Now notice, if you would, here's a man that was born blind, ended up preaching to these Pharisees. Did they listen? No. Did they hear? No. Did they receive it? No. What did they say? Thou was all together born in thy sins and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. But they want to know how Jesus healed him. He said, I've told you already. If I tell you again, will you be his disciples? Wow. I want you to listen to this statement.

[John Weaver] I don't care where you turn in scripture, you're going to find this is an absolute truth. You cannot reason with a Pharisee. Pharisees are unreasonable, illogical, and they will not receive anything that you say. They already have their minds made up that they have the truth and they're not going to listen to anyone who says anything contrary to what they have already believed. In other words, their position is, we have arrived. We're the ultimate. We have it all. Everyone should listen to us. Everyone should bow to us.

[John Weaver] No one need teach us. Now, let me tie some things together for you. I've tried to show you, and there were other texts I did not even get to use today, But I've tried to show you where our Lord went about on the Sabbath day doing works of necessity, works of emergency, and works of mercy. And he was condemned consistently by the Pharisees for it.

[John Weaver] Now by next Sunday, Lord willing, I'm going to be showing you why we worship on Sundays. Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, if you want to call it that. It is the Lord's Day. So here's my question. I don't care what day you call your Sabbath in one sense of the word, but you'd have to answer this question. Would you be willing to give up your rest to help and to rescue someone, maybe in a car wreck? Would you be willing to give up your rest to help feed the poor? Would you be willing to give up your rest to take food to a grieving family who's lost a loved one? Would you be willing to give up your day of rest to visit someone in a nursing home who's been neglected by her family or his family and hardly ever has a visitor or friend. I'm just simply pointing out we have to understand that works of necessity, works of emergency, and works of mercy are demanded on the Sabbath day. Would you be willing to drive a sickly neighbor or friend or relative to the hospital, sit there for hours on your day off, on your day of rest, on your Sunday?

[John Weaver] Would you be willing to do that? Would you be willing to be the good Samaritan? Or would you be willing to be like the priest and the Levite who just passed by and ignored the situation? So the essence of the Sabbath is rest. That is true. But there are works of emergency, there are works of necessity, and there are works of mercy that must be done. So how then does all of this work together?

[John Weaver] And what do all of these Sabbaths in the Bible symbolize and represent? And the answer is You will have to be here next Sunday to hear. But listen carefully. You must remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath. He is the creator. He's the ordainer of the Sabbath. So he has the absolute power, right and authority to change it, to dismiss it, to alter it, to do with whatever he pleases, for he is God in the flesh. So let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace. We ask for your mercy. Teach us, we pray. Father, build us up in the most holy faith and give us, Lord, your blessing. We pray for these that are sick once again and ask healing in their lives. And we pray for safety and protection and preservation for each one. as we travel. May the Lord's hand be upon us and may He be honored and glorified in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen.

Is Saturday the Sabbath - Part 2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	114252026595679
Subject	Biblical Law
Course	The Ten Commandments
Genre	Sermon
Date	2025-11-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 182: Is Saturday The Sabbath? — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	77

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review of Old Testament Sabbaths

Weaver reviews the four types of Sabbaths: creation, Hebrew, Canaan, and Christian, and notes that the Sabbath means rest. He questions whether modern believers participated in the deliverance from Egypt or the conquest of Canaan, implying symbolic application.

Well, let's open our Bibles today to Luke chapter 13, and we're going to read verses 10 through 17. This is the second part of the series, "Is Saturday the Sabbath? If so, why do we worship on Sunday?" And I'm just trying to set the stage today for the final message that I will be bringing next Lord's Day. So notice Luke chapter 13, and we'll begin there reading with verse 10:

Scripture Reading — Luke 13:10-17

"And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath." "And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said unto her, 'Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.' And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. And 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.' The Lord then answered him and said, 'Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?'"

"And when he had said these things, all of his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." I want to take just a few moments to review and remember, if you would please, that the word Sabbath means rest, and as you know, there were many Sabbaths in the Old Testament, and naturally they were carried over into the New Testament. I pointed out that there were at least four different Sabbaths. There was, number one, the creation Sabbath, which commemorated creation. There was a Hebrew Sabbath, which commemorated the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. There was a Canaan Sabbath, which of course celebrated the conquest of Canaan. And then lastly, there is the Christian Sabbath, which I pointed out I will deal with next week in detail. So we are commanded by God to remember the creation Sabbath, for it is the pattern of all the other Sabbaths, and everything that God has ordained and decreed shall certainly come to pass in that eternal decree as well.

So the Hebrew Sabbath then was a celebration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 5 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 5:15, the Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 5:15

"And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day."

So the Sabbath day, the Hebrew Sabbath, was done in commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. So here's some questions for you to consider. Number one, were you delivered out of Egypt from the house of bondage? And the answer obviously is no. So the next question would be, what in the world does the deliverance from Egypt or Israel represent? What would it represent to us? What is the symbolism of that? How does it apply to us? Then think, secondly, about the Canaan Sabbath, since the Canaan Sabbath was a celebration of the conquest of Canaan. The question is, did you participate in the conquest of Canaan? And obviously, again, the answer is no. So you must then ask the question, what is the symbolism in it and how does it apply to us?

The General Principle of No Work and Its Exceptions

The Old Testament generally prohibited work on the Sabbath, but the New Testament reveals exceptions. The Pharisees had misinterpreted the law, and Jesus corrected their misapplications.

For instance, you'll find that in Exodus 20:8-11, Exodus 34:21, Leviticus 23:3, and Jeremiah 17:22. The gates of the city had to be shut on the Sabbath, Nehemiah 13:19. Every man was to abide in his place, Exodus 16:29. Asses could not be laden, Nehemiah 13:19, nor burdens borne, Jeremiah 17:21-22, no fires could be kindled, Exodus 35:3, no sheaves could be brought in, Nehemiah 10:31, nor anything sold, Nehemiah 13:15, and no wine could be trodden in the presses, Nehemiah 13:15.

So the general principle in the Old Testament was that no work should be done. However, there were some exceptions, and these exceptions are made exceedingly clear in the New Testament because they are part and parcel of observing the Sabbath. By the time of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament, the Pharisees had totally misinterpreted and misapplied the law of God. And they did this especially in relationship to the Sabbath as well. And thus they sought to always condemn the Lord Jesus Christ for doing what he did on the Sabbath. Not that our Lord violated the Sabbath. What he did violate was their interpretation of the Sabbath and their misapplication of the Sabbath.

So I would encourage you to read Matthew chapter 5 this afternoon. Matthew chapter 5 shows you how the Pharisees and the scribes misapplied the law of God. In fact, over and over in Matthew chapter 5, our Lord said this: "You have heard it said by them of old time." And then he would tell you what they said. And then he would say this: "But I say unto you." In other words, this is what they said. They were wrong.

The Sabbath Was Made for Man

Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for man's benefit, not man for the Sabbath. This principle means the Sabbath law should not be interpreted to oppose human welfare.

They had misinterpreted it, they had misapplied it, and all of their legalistic forms were now demanded of everyone. For instance, one of the rules that they had was you could not even eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath day. I don't know how you could find out if your egg was laid on the Sabbath, unless you happened to watch the chickens on that particular day. But that was one of their rules. Moreover, there were things that were called—and I'm pronouncing this—muktzah, which literally means forbidden. So although there were things that were forbidden, they would always try to find ways to get around those forbidden things. Here is a direct quote. Listen carefully. "Many objects have been designated by our sages as muktzah. We are forbidden from moving them in some cases, even for activities permitted on the Sabbath. Muktzah may not be moved directly with one's hand or even indirectly with an object such as sweeping it with a broom. However, muktzah may be moved in a way that is very awkward, in an unusual manner, with other parts of the body." In other words, with one's teeth, or elbow, or by blowing upon it. Now, wait a minute. If something is forbidden to be moved, I don't care if you use your teeth, or your elbow, or your wind, it's still being moved.

But that's what they did. In other words, it's rules for thee, but not for me, is what it amounts to. So, even today, there are many things that are being carried to the extreme by the Orthodox. In fact, the Bible says in Exodus 35 that you're not to light a fire on the Sabbath day. Well, they now apply that to turning on a light switch because it strikes a little fire and brings electricity into the room.

But although they will not do it themselves, it is alright for someone else to do it for them. So, if there's a condemnation then, or a censure, to be applied for anyone who created a light on the Sabbath, then it's alright for someone else to be condemned and censured, but not them. So the way they get around that is they just have someone else to flip the light switch for them. I'm just simply pointing out the fact that there's so many rules and regulations that have been made, not just by the Jews, but also by many preachers today that have no understanding of the law of God. Now, notice if you would again in Mark 2 and verse 27, "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." First of all, man was created on the sixth day of creation, and the Sabbath did not occur until the seventh day. Thus, logically speaking, the Sabbath was created for man since he was created before the Sabbath. Now, secondly, we could rightly say that the Sabbath was created for man, that is, for man's good, for man's safety, for man's benefit, and for man's blessing.

Our bodies need rest and our souls need worship. So the Sabbath then, even that which God ordained, was not created to add to the sufferings and the burdens of man. It was created to be a blessing and a benefit for them.

Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath

As Lord (Kyrios) of the Sabbath, Jesus has authority to interpret, modify, or even abolish the Sabbath. This lordship is central to understanding His actions on the Sabbath.

Now, I'm going to give you a quote from A.B. Simpson. But before I do, I want to remind you of something, and that is the Greek word for Lord. It is the word Kyrios, and it literally means boss, owner, sovereign, master. So look at verse 28. "Therefore the Son of Man is boss, owner, sovereign, and master also of the Sabbath." Now listen to the quote by A.B. Simpson out of his book, The Fourfold Gospel. Here's what he said. "So that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. The expression 'Son of Man' is used 88 times in the New Testament and always means Messiah and not man in general. The Sabbath was made for man's convenience and blessings and so Jesus, who was the complete and perfect manhood, was Lord of it.

But men who were incomplete and imperfect in their manhood cannot trust their fallible judgment to tamper with it. Though the day was made for man, this fact would not entitle man to use it contrary to the laws under which it was granted. As the Lord of the day, Jesus had a right to interpret it and to apply it—listen—and to substitute the Lord's Day for it. In asserting his lordship over it—hang on—Jesus takes the question outside of the range of argument and brings it within the range of authority. When he said the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath, he has all authority, all power in heaven and earth, he may do as he pleases on the Sabbath and with the Sabbath as well.

Now one more quote before we get started. This is from John Gill. He said this: "And since Christ is greater than the temple and has all the perfections of the divine nature in him, is equal to the Father in power and glory, and even as mediator, has all power in heaven and earth given to him, so as he is Lord of all things, he is also Lord of the Sabbath—listen—and has the power of dispensing with it and even abolishing it. And since the Lord of the Sabbath had a power of dispensing with it, and made use of it in the cases of David and his men, and of the priests in the temple formerly, the Pharisees ought not to think it strange that the Son of Man, who is equally Lord of the Sabbath, dispensed with it in His disciples now." So, when the Bible says that Jesus Christ is Lord even of the Sabbath, it means that He has the absolute right to change it, to modify it, to dispense with it, to abolish it.

He may do with it as he pleases because he is God. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12. I have an awful lot of scriptures. Some of them I will just have to give you and let you look at them later. But look, if you would, in Matthew chapter 12 to begin with at the first eight verses. We're going to see how Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath. Watch this. "At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, 'Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.' But he said to them, 'Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Works of Necessity: The Disciples Plucking Grain

Jesus defended His disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath because they were hungry. This was a work of necessity, not theft, and was permitted under the law.

Or have you not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple. But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.'"

Now, if you would turn right over to the book of Mark, chapter 2, I will read this one, but this passage is also found in Luke chapter 6, verses 1 through 5. So if you look at Mark chapter 2, and we're going to begin reading at verse 23. Watch again. "And it came to pass that he went through the cornfields on the Sabbath day, and his disciples began as they went to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said to him, 'Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful?' And he said to them, 'Have you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and they that were with him, how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?' And he said unto them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Therefore the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'" Now I'm not going to read the same passage in Luke chapter 6 verses 1 through 5, but note if you would, we're now talking about a work of necessity, because the disciples were hungry. They'd had nothing to eat. And they're walking through the grain fields, the cornfields, and they're plucking the grain, and they're rubbing them in their hands, and they're eating raw grain. Now, I have a question to ask you. Whose grain field were they in? Well, the disciples did not have grain fields. Our Lord did not have a grain field. So they were in someone's grain field. And they're walking through and they're just plucking the grain and eating it raw. You say, well, they were stealing. No, they were not stealing. The Pharisees did not accuse them of theft. If it was possible to accuse them of theft, they would have certainly done so. But let me show you why it was not theft.

I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 23 and look, if you would please, at verse 25. Deuteronomy 23 and look, if you would, at verse 25. Look what God says. Here is a principle of the law. Deuteronomy 23:25: "When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor's standing corn." So God says it is right to eat out of your neighbor's garden, but you can't harvest. If you're hungry, you can eat.

Now, I want to give you a good quote here by Matthew Poole and then one by Adam Clarke. Listen to what Matthew Poole said. "To take for our needs so much of our neighbor's goods as we may reasonably think that if he were present and knew our circumstances, he would give us, is not theft. The Pharisees, therefore, do not accuse them of theft, but of violation of the Sabbath." Plucking ears of corn or snatching handfuls of grain would be considered work. Yet our Lord allowed his disciples to do so in order to sustain his disciples, satisfy their hunger, and to teach them and the Pharisees the true meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. So it is lawful to prepare food to sustain life on the Sabbath day.

Now here's a quote from Adam Clarke. He said, "We may well wonder at the extreme poverty of Christ and his disciples. He was himself present with them and yet permitted them to lack bread." I love this next quote. "A man therefore is not forsaken by God because he is in want. It is more honorable to suffer the want of all temporal things and be in fellowship with Christ and his followers than to have all things in abundance and be in connection with the world." Now, so here's what God is saying. We may eat of our neighbor's crops or our neighbor's garden, but we cannot put in a sickle. We cannot harvest them. We cannot steal them.

Works of Emergency and Mercy: Healing on the Sabbath

Jesus consistently healed on the Sabbath, demonstrating that doing good and saving life are lawful. The Pharisees condemned Him, but He exposed their hypocrisy.

But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would not condemn the guiltless." So the priests then had to function even on the Sabbath day. And of course they were not condemned for doing that which they did. If you will turn right over to the book of John chapter 7. John chapter 7. And look, if you would please, at verse 22. John chapter 7, look at this. John 7 and verse 22, and let's read through verse 24. John 7:22. Our Lord said—let's read verse 21—"Jesus answered and said unto them, 'I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision; not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers; and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?'

Then he says, "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." So it's necessary to work on the Sabbath day. I don't care if we're talking about the Hebrew Sabbath, the Canaan Sabbath, or the Christian Sabbath, it is necessary to work on the Sabbath day. Now listen, I work more on Sunday than I do any other day during the week. My Sundays are 12-hour days. I work all during the week because you have to study, you have to prepare, you have to do research, you have to pray, you have to do a lot of things just to prepare a message. And there's a lot of work during the week, but come Sunday, I'm teaching twice and driving all day. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that, yes, there are works of necessity even on the Sabbath.

Now, notice back, if you would, please, in Matthew chapter 12 again. I want you to go back there. Matthew chapter 12. Look, if you would, please, at verses 9 through 14. Matthew chapter 12 verse 9, "And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue. And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?' that they might accuse him." Now, they asked him this question not because they were interested in learning, not because they wanted truth, but they wanted a reason to accuse him. "And he said unto them, 'What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep?

And if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.' Then saith he to the man, 'Stretch forth thine hand.' And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other." I want you to note something. Our Lord said it's lawful to do well on the Sabbath day. This is not necessarily a work of necessity. This could be considered a work of emergency. So if my animal is in the ditch and can't get out, I have to get him out. Why? Because if I don't, he may die. And thus, that would be, again, a violation of the sixth commandment. Life can only be taken on God's terms. So here again, God is saying it's lawful to do well on the Sabbath day.

Now, I want you to see how desperate these people were to condemn our Lord. Look in verse 14. Look what happens. "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him." Here is teaching that it's lawful to save life. It's lawful to do well. And they get so irritated and so aggravated they go out and hold a council that they might put him to death. This is the Pharisees. You have this same truth revealed in Mark chapter 3 verses 1 through 5 as well.

Here's the point I'm trying to make. The Pharisees will always place their rules, their regulations, their customs, their traditions, above the Word of God and above the people. They don't really care about people. Look in Luke chapter 13, when our Lord healed the woman who had been bent over for 18 years. And what did the ruler of the synagogue say? "There are six days to work. Let them come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath." And our Lord said, "You hypocrite." He was not concerned about the woman who had been bent over for 18 years. He was concerned about their traditions, about their customs. When you have people that are more concerned about their rules and their regulations—we're not talking about the Word of God, but their personal rules, their personal regulations, their personal customs and traditions—than people, then you've got a Pharisee. And there are plenty of Pharisees that are around today, that is for sure. Now, our Lord, then, was constantly healing on the Sabbath, eating on the Sabbath, living on the Sabbath, and doing works of emergency and works of necessity on the Sabbath as well.

So, our Lord, then, healed this woman. Now, look, if you would, in Luke chapter 14, if you would, Luke chapter 14, because in this passage, our Lord heals a man of the dropsy on the Sabbath day. And watch this again. Luke chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Luke 14 in verse 1: "And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?'

Now they had been asking him that question, that they might accuse him. Now he asked them that question, and look at this, verse 4: "And they held their peace." They wouldn't answer him. They could not answer him. Now notice: "And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying, 'Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?' And they could not answer him again to these things." Wow. So our Lord is saying, yes, it is right to do well on the Sabbath day. Now, our Lord healed on the Sabbath day regularly in the New Testament. He not only healed on the seventh day, he aggravated the scribes and Pharisees by doing so, so much so they wanted to kill him. So if you look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 5, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. John chapter 5 and verse 8. John 5 and verse 8.

But if you would, let's begin reading there with verse 8. John 5 verse 8:

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"Jesus saith unto him, 'Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.'"

So now Jesus has seen this man by the pool of Bethesda, and he heals him. Watch verse 9:

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, 'It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.'"

Wow! He answered them,

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"He that made me whole, the same said unto me, 'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"

Then asked they him,

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"What man is that which said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed, and walk'?" "And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, 'Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.' The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day."

Wow! Just healing someone on the Sabbath day, according to these Jews, merited the death penalty. They sought to kill him.

The Pharisees' Unreasonable Opposition

The Pharisees placed their traditions above God's Word and people. They were unreasonable and refused to listen to truth, as seen in the healing of the man born blind.

They took counsel against him. Now, I want you to turn over to John chapter 9. I'm going to try to tie this thing together for you just shortly. But John chapter 9 is one of my favorite chapters. This is so refreshing. Let's begin with verse 1. "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, 'Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And he said unto him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,' (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, 'Is not this he that sat and begged?' Some said, 'This is he.' Others said, 'He is like him.' But he said, 'I am he.' Therefore said they unto him, 'How were thine eyes opened?' And he answered and said, 'A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.' Then said they unto him, 'Where is he?'

He said, 'I know not.' They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, 'He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.' Therefore said some of the Pharisees, 'This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day.' Now look at that. Now what they meant was he's not keeping our interpretation of the Sabbath. He's not keeping what we think the Sabbath means. Others said, 'How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?'

And there was a division among them. They said unto the blind man again, 'What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes?' He said, 'He is a prophet.' But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, 'Is this your son, who ye say was born blind?' 'How then doth he now see?' His parents answered them and said, 'We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.'

Now watch, these words spake his parents because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, 'He is of age; ask him.' Now listen closely to this part, I love it. "Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, 'Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.' He answered and said, 'Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.' Then said they to him again, 'What did he to thee?' 'How opened he thine eyes?' Love it. Watch this next one. He answered them, 'I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples?' Then they reviled him, and said, 'Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.' The man answered and said unto them, 'Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.' They answered and said unto him, 'Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?'

And they cast him out. Wow! Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, 'Dost thou believe on the Son of God?' He answered and said, 'Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?' And Jesus said unto him, 'Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.' And he said, 'Lord, I believe.' And he worshipped him. Now notice, if you would, here's a man that was born blind, ended up preaching to these Pharisees. Did they listen? No. Did they hear? No. Did they receive it? No. What did they say? "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out. But they want to know how Jesus healed him. He said, "I've told you already. If I tell you again, will you be his disciples?" Wow. I want you to listen to this statement.

I don't care where you turn in scripture, you're going to find this is an absolute truth. You cannot reason with a Pharisee. Pharisees are unreasonable, illogical, and they will not receive anything that you say. They already have their minds made up that they have the truth and they're not going to listen to anyone who says anything contrary to what they have already believed. In other words, their position is, we have arrived. We're the ultimate. We have it all. Everyone should listen to us. Everyone should bow to us.

No one need teach us. Now, let me tie some things together for you. I've tried to show you, and there were other texts I did not even get to use today, but I've tried to show you where our Lord went about on the Sabbath day doing works of necessity, works of emergency, and works of mercy. And he was condemned consistently by the Pharisees for it.

Application and Conclusion

Weaver challenges listeners to consider whether they would perform works of necessity, emergency, and mercy on their day of rest. He previews the next message on the Christian Sabbath.

Now by next Sunday, Lord willing, I'm going to be showing you why we worship on Sundays. Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, if you want to call it that. It is the Lord's Day. So here's my question. I don't care what day you call your Sabbath in one sense of the word, but you'd have to answer this question. Would you be willing to give up your rest to help and to rescue someone, maybe in a car wreck? Would you be willing to give up your rest to help feed the poor? Would you be willing to give up your rest to take food to a grieving family who's lost a loved one? Would you be willing to give up your day of rest to visit someone in a nursing home who's been neglected by her family or his family and hardly ever has a visitor or friend? I'm just simply pointing out we have to understand that works of necessity, works of emergency, and works of mercy are demanded on the Sabbath day. Would you be willing to drive a sickly neighbor or friend or relative to the hospital, sit there for hours on your day off, on your day of rest, on your Sunday?

Would you be willing to do that? Would you be willing to be the good Samaritan? Or would you be willing to be like the priest and the Levite who just passed by and ignored the situation? So the essence of the Sabbath is rest. That is true. But there are works of emergency, there are works of necessity, and there are works of mercy that must be done. So how then does all of this work together?

And what do all of these Sabbaths in the Bible symbolize and represent? And the answer is you will have to be here next Sunday to hear. But listen carefully. You must remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath. He is the creator. He's the ordainer of the Sabbath. So he has the absolute power, right and authority to change it, to dismiss it, to alter it, to do with whatever he pleases, for he is God in the flesh. So let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace. We ask for your mercy. Teach us, we pray. Father, build us up in the most holy faith and give us, Lord, your blessing. We pray for these that are sick once again and ask healing in their lives. And we pray for safety and protection and preservation for each one as we travel. May the Lord's hand be upon us and may He be honored and glorified in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Sabbath was made for man's benefit

Summary: The Sabbath was instituted for human rest and worship, not as a burdensome set of rules. It should be interpreted in a way that promotes human welfare.

Evidence: Jesus said, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath' (Mark 2:27). Albert Barnes is quoted: 'The Sabbath was made for man, for his rest from toil...'

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

Summary: As Lord, Jesus has absolute authority over the Sabbath, including the right to change or abolish it. This lordship undergirds His actions and teachings on the Sabbath.

Evidence: Mark 2:28: 'Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.' Weaver explains the Greek word Kyrios means boss, owner, sovereign, master.

Works of necessity, emergency, and mercy are lawful on the Sabbath

Summary: Jesus demonstrated that acts necessary to preserve life, relieve suffering, or do good are permitted on the Sabbath. This includes eating, healing, and rescuing animals.

Evidence: Matthew 12:1-8 (disciples plucking grain), Matthew 12:9-14 (healing the withered hand), Luke 13:15 (loosing an ox for watering).

Pharisaic legalism versus God's law

Summary: The Pharisees added human traditions and misinterpreted the Sabbath, condemning the innocent. Jesus exposed their hypocrisy and prioritized mercy over sacrifice.

Evidence: John 7:49, Matthew 12:7 ('I will have mercy, and not sacrifice'), and the Pharisees' reaction to healings.

The symbolic nature of Old Testament Sabbaths

Summary: The Hebrew and Canaan Sabbaths commemorated historical events that modern believers did not experience, pointing to a symbolic or spiritual application.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 5:15 (Hebrew Sabbath) and the question, 'Did you participate in the conquest of Canaan?'

The unreasonableness of Pharisees

Summary: Pharisees are characterized as unwilling to listen to truth, placing their traditions above people. This attitude persists in some modern religious leaders.

Evidence: John 9: the healed blind man's exchange with the Pharisees; they cast him out and refused to be taught.

Key Arguments

Jesus did not violate the Sabbath; He violated Pharisaic interpretations

Summary: The Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath, but He only broke their man-made rules. His actions were consistent with the true intent of the law.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'Our Lord did not violate the Sabbath day. He violated their interpretations of the Sabbath and their misapplications of the Sabbath.'

The Sabbath law must be interpreted in light of mercy and human need

Summary: Jesus taught that mercy takes precedence over ritual observance. The Sabbath was intended to bless, not burden, so acts of compassion are always lawful.

Evidence: Matthew 12:7: 'But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.'

Jesus' lordship over the Sabbath gives Him authority to change it

Summary: Because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, He has the right to alter or abolish it. This is foundational for the transition to the Lord's Day.

Evidence: Quotes from A.B. Simpson and John Gill: 'Jesus had a right to interpret it and to apply it—and to substitute the Lord's Day for it.'

Works of necessity are not confined to cooking and eating

Summary: The principle of preserving life extends to various activities on the Sabbath, including rescuing animals and performing religious duties.

Evidence: Matthew 12:5 (priests in the temple), John 7:22-23 (circumcision on the Sabbath), and the example of pulling an ox from a pit.

The Pharisees' rules were hypocritical and burdensome

Summary: The Pharisees created elaborate loopholes for themselves while imposing strict rules on others. This legalism is contrary to the spirit of the Sabbath.

Evidence: The example of muktzah and the rule about not eating an egg laid on the Sabbath, yet allowing others to turn on lights.

The Sabbath is a pattern pointing to spiritual rest

Summary: The various Old Testament Sabbaths symbolize greater spiritual realities. The creation Sabbath is the pattern, and all Sabbaths point to rest in Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'We are commanded by God to remember the creation Sabbath, for it is the pattern of all the other Sabbaths.'

Scripture References

Luke 13:10-17

Context: Jesus heals a woman bent over for 18 years on the Sabbath, and the ruler of the synagogue objects. Jesus calls him a hypocrite and defends healing on the Sabbath.

Deuteronomy 5:15

Context: The Hebrew Sabbath was a commemoration of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.

Exodus 34:24

Context: God promised to protect the land while Israelite men went up to appear before the Lord three times a year.

Deuteronomy 16:16-17

Context: All males were to appear before the Lord three times a year at the feasts and not appear empty-handed.

Exodus 20:8-11

Context: General prohibition of work on the Sabbath, part of the Ten Commandments.

John 7:49

Context: The Pharisees said, 'This people who knoweth not the law are cursed,' revealing their arrogant attitude.

Mark 2:27-28

Context: Jesus declares the Sabbath was made for man and that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:1-8

Context: Jesus' disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath; Jesus defends them by citing David and the priests, and declares Himself Lord of the Sabbath.

Deuteronomy 23:25

Context: The law allowed plucking grain by hand from a neighbor's field, which explains why the disciples were not accused of theft.

Proverbs 27:7

Context: The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet, illustrating the disciples' hunger.

Matthew 12:5-7

Context: Jesus argues that priests profane the Sabbath and are blameless, and that God desires mercy, not sacrifice.

John 7:22-24

Context: Jesus points out that circumcision is performed on the Sabbath, so healing a whole man should not cause anger.

Matthew 12:9-14

Context: Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, teaching that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath.

Luke 14:1-6

Context: Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath and silences the Pharisees by asking if they would not pull an ox from a pit.

John 5:8-16

Context: Jesus heals the man at Bethesda on the Sabbath, and the Jews persecute Him and seek to kill Him.

John 9:1-38

Context: Jesus heals a man born blind on the Sabbath; the Pharisees interrogate him and cast him out, but he believes in Jesus.

Historical References

Albert Barnes (19th century theologian)

Context: Quoted extensively on the meaning of the Sabbath being made for man's welfare and the blessings of the Christian Sabbath.

A.B. Simpson (founder of Christian and Missionary Alliance)

Context: Quoted from 'The Fourfold Gospel' on Jesus' lordship over the Sabbath and His right to substitute the Lord's Day.

John Gill (18th century Baptist theologian)

Context: Quoted on Christ's power to dispense with and abolish the Sabbath as Lord of the Sabbath.

Matthew Poole (17th century commentator)

Context: Quoted on the disciples' plucking grain not being theft, as it was a work of necessity.

Adam Clarke (18th-19th century Methodist commentator)

Context: Quoted on the poverty of Christ and the honor of suffering want in fellowship with Him.

Pharisaic traditions (muktzah, egg rule)

Context: Examples of extreme Pharisaic rules: not eating an egg laid on the Sabbath, and the concept of muktzah (forbidden objects).

Modern Orthodox Jewish practices

Context: Reference to modern Jews not turning on light switches on the Sabbath but having others do it for them.

Important Quotes

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Significance: This is the central principle Jesus taught, emphasizing the Sabbath's purpose for human benefit rather than as a burden.

Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

Significance: This declaration establishes Jesus' authority over the Sabbath, foundational for understanding His actions and the transition to the Lord's Day.

Our Lord did not violate the Sabbath day. He violated their interpretations of the Sabbath and their misapplications of the Sabbath.

Significance: Clarifies that Jesus' conflicts were with human traditions, not God's law.

I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.

Significance: Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 to show that compassion takes precedence over ritual observance.

Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.

Significance: Jesus explicitly permits acts of goodness and mercy on the Sabbath.

Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering?

Significance: Jesus exposes the Pharisees' inconsistency in caring for animals but objecting to healing a suffering woman.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding that 'the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath' change the way we view a day of rest?

Context: Based on Mark 2:27 and the sermon's emphasis on the Sabbath's purpose for human benefit.

What does it mean for Jesus to be 'Lord of the Sabbath,' and how does that affect our understanding of the Sabbath command?

Context: From Mark 2:28 and the discussion of Jesus' authority to change or abolish the Sabbath.

How do we distinguish between works of necessity, emergency, and mercy on our day of rest, and what principles guide us?

Context: From the examples of the disciples plucking grain, healing on the Sabbath, and rescuing animals.

In what ways might modern Christians act like Pharisees by elevating man-made rules over compassion and mercy?

Context: From the sermon's critique of Pharisaic legalism and the application to today.

Why were the Pharisees so resistant to Jesus' Sabbath healings, and what does that reveal about the danger of religious tradition?

Context: From the accounts in John 5 and John 9, and the Pharisees' desire to kill Jesus.

How should the principle 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice' shape our priorities on the Lord's Day?

Context: From Matthew 12:7 and the call to prioritize compassion over ritual.

What are some practical ways we can perform works of mercy on our day of rest, as suggested by the sermon?

Context: From the concluding application about helping the needy, visiting the sick, and being a Good Samaritan.

Applications

Prioritize mercy over rigid rule-keeping

Summary: Believers should be willing to set aside personal rest to help others in need, reflecting God's heart of compassion.

Evidence: Weaver asks: 'Would you be willing to give up your rest to help and to rescue someone...?'

Avoid Pharisaic legalism

Summary: Christians must not impose man-made rules or traditions as if they were God's law, especially when they burden others.

Evidence: The sermon warns against those who 'set themselves up... as the standard for belief and the standard for understanding.'

Recognize Jesus' authority over the Sabbath

Summary: Since Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, believers should submit to His interpretation and His right to establish the Lord's Day.

Evidence: The emphasis on Mark 2:28 and the quotes from Simpson and Gill.

Perform works of necessity and mercy on the Lord's Day

Summary: Acts of necessity (like eating), emergency (like rescuing), and mercy (like healing) are lawful and good on the day of rest.

Evidence: Jesus' examples of healing, allowing disciples to eat, and the principle 'it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.'

Examine personal traditions in light of Scripture

Summary: Believers should test their customs and practices by God's Word, not by human tradition, to avoid the error of the Pharisees.

Evidence: The contrast between what the Pharisees said and what Jesus taught in Matthew 5.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T22:38:49Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:05:13Z

Clean Transcript

Is Saturday the Sabbath - Part 2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, let's open our Bibles today to Luke chapter 13, and we're going to read verses 10 through 17. This is the second part of the series, "Is Saturday the Sabbath? If so, why do we worship on Sunday?" And I'm just trying to set the stage today for the final message that I will be bringing next Lord's Day. So notice Luke chapter 13, and we'll begin there reading with verse 10: "And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath."
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"And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said unto her, 'Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.' And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. And 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.' The Lord then answered him and said, 'Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?'"
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"And when he had said these things, all of his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." I want to take just a few moments to review and remember, if you would please, that the word Sabbath means rest, and as you know, there were many Sabbaths in the Old Testament, and naturally they were carried over into the New Testament. I pointed out that there were at least four different Sabbaths. There was, number one, the creation Sabbath, which commemorated creation. There was a Hebrew Sabbath, which commemorated the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. There was a Canaan Sabbath, which of course celebrated the conquest of Canaan. And then lastly, there is the Christian Sabbath, which I pointed out I will deal with next week in detail. So we are commanded by God to remember the creation Sabbath, for it is the pattern of all the other Sabbaths, and everything that God has ordained and decreed shall certainly come to pass in that eternal decree as well.
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So the Hebrew Sabbath then was a celebration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 5 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 5:15, the Word of God says, "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day." So the Sabbath day, the Hebrew Sabbath, was done in commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
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So here's some questions for you to consider. Number one, were you delivered out of Egypt from the house of bondage? And the answer obviously is no. So the next question would be, what in the world does the deliverance from Egypt or Israel represent? What would it represent to us? What is the symbolism of that? How does it apply to us? Then think, secondly, about the Canaan Sabbath, since the Canaan Sabbath was a celebration of the conquest of Canaan. The question is, did you participate in the conquest of Canaan? And obviously, again, the answer is no. So you must then ask the question, what is the symbolism in it and how does it apply to us?
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Hopefully all of these truths are going to be brought together in lesson number three. So it's also important by way of review to remember that there were weekly Sabbaths, but not only weekly Sabbaths, but there were monthly or new moon Sabbaths as well. The seven annual feasts were designated as Sabbaths. There was a sabbatical year, and then of course there was the year of Jubilee, which also was considered as a Sabbath. I do not know of any Sabbatarian, I do not know of any individual, who observes and keeps all of the Sabbaths in the way that God ordained for them to be kept.
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Incidentally, may I point out that all of the Israelitish men were required to attend the feast. They had to attend and they could not appear before God empty. They brought their gifts, they brought their offerings, they brought their sacrifices at that particular time. So Exodus chapter 34 and verse 24, Exodus 34:24, God said, "For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders. Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in a year."
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So three times they had to go for these feasts. Now if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 16 and verses 16 and 17, Deuteronomy 16:16-17, God says, "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose"—that would be Jerusalem—"in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty. Every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee." So the question would be, do you attend all the feasts? Do you attend at least the three most important ones? And do you bring your offerings to God at these particular feasts?
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And, of course, the answer is obviously no. Now, I pointed out that the emphasis upon the Sabbath was rest. When you look at the Old Testament, usually the general principle was this: that all work was prohibited. However, many forms of work that were forbidden were clearly marked out in the lineage of Scripture. But yet on the other hand, there appeared some exceptions, especially revealed in the New Testament. So let me give you the general principle. The general principle was no work, period.
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For instance, you'll find that in Exodus 20:8-11, Exodus 34:21, Leviticus 23:3, and Jeremiah 17:22. The gates of the city had to be shut on the Sabbath, Nehemiah 13:19. Every man was to abide in his place, Exodus 16:29. Asses could not be laden, Nehemiah 13:19, nor burdens borne, Jeremiah 17:21-22, no fires could be kindled, Exodus 35:3, no sheaves could be brought in, Nehemiah 10:31, nor anything sold, Nehemiah 13:15, and no wine could be trodden in the presses, Nehemiah 13:15.
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So the general principle in the Old Testament was that no work should be done. However, there were some exceptions, and these exceptions are made exceedingly clear in the New Testament because they are part and parcel of observing the Sabbath. By the time of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament, the Pharisees had totally misinterpreted and misapplied the law of God. And they did this especially in relationship to the Sabbath as well. And thus they sought to always condemn the Lord Jesus Christ for doing what he did on the Sabbath. Not that our Lord violated the Sabbath. What he did violate was their interpretation of the Sabbath and their misapplication of the Sabbath.
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So I would encourage you to read Matthew chapter 5 this afternoon. Matthew chapter 5 shows you how the Pharisees and the scribes misapplied the law of God. In fact, over and over in Matthew chapter 5, our Lord said this: "You have heard it said by them of old time." And then he would tell you what they said. And then he would say this: "But I say unto you." In other words, this is what they said. They were wrong.
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But now I'm correcting it. Here is what is true. Here is reality. So over and over in Matthew chapter 5, he does that. They said this in old time, but I say unto you.
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Now, when we look at our text that I'm going to show you today, you're going to see that the scribes and the Pharisees attacked our Lord Jesus Christ not only with regularity, but they did so openly and they did so vehemently. And they always accused him of violating the Sabbath. So I'm going to say this just one more time just to make it clear. Our Lord did not violate the Sabbath day. He violated their interpretations of the Sabbath and their misapplications of the Sabbath. Now let me show you how the Pharisees were. If you look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 7 and look, if you would please, at verse 49.
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Of course, here is what the Bible says. And this is the attitude of these Pharisees. Look at it. They said in John 7:49, "But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." Now, they're not necessarily talking about God's law; they may think they're talking about God's law. But these are the Pharisees, so they're talking about their interpretation and their application of God's law. So what they really meant when they said, "But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed," what they really meant was this: those that do not know as we know, those that do not see as we see, and those who do not understand as we understand, they are cursed.
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I hate to say this, but I know some preachers, and I know some professing Christians just like the Pharisees. If you do not agree with them, then you're cursed. If you don't see what they see, then you're cursed. If you don't believe the way they believe, then you're cursed. And it's not just with eschatology. It's with a lot of different subjects. So they've set themselves up, as the Pharisees have done, as the standard for belief and the standard for understanding.
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Now, the interesting thing is this. Although there was general work prohibited on the Sabbath day, there were exceptions according to our Lord Jesus Christ. And before I show you these texts, there's one passage that I must expound that you must understand not only in relationship to this message, but the one that's coming up next week as well. So if you'll turn in your Bibles to the book of Mark chapter 2 and look, if you would please, at verse 27. We will come back to this passage several times. We will also come back to Luke chapter 13. But notice, if you would, Mark chapter 2 and verse 27. Jesus is speaking and he said unto them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." Now, the Pharisees had clouded the true meaning of the Sabbath.
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They had misinterpreted it, they had misapplied it, and all of their legalistic forms were now demanded of everyone. For instance, one of the rules that they had was you could not even eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath day. I don't know how you could find out if your egg was laid on the Sabbath, unless you happened to watch the chickens on that particular day. But that was one of their rules.
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Moreover, there were things that were called—and I'm pronouncing this—muktzah, which literally means forbidden. So although there were things that were forbidden, they would always try to find ways to get around those forbidden things. Here is a direct quote. Listen carefully. "Many objects have been designated by our sages as muktzah. We are forbidden from moving them in some cases, even for activities permitted on the Sabbath. Muktzah may not be moved directly with one's hand or even indirectly with an object such as sweeping it with a broom. However, muktzah may be moved in a way that is very awkward, in an unusual manner, with other parts of the body." In other words, with one's teeth, or elbow, or by blowing upon it. Now, wait a minute. If something is forbidden to be moved, I don't care if you use your teeth, or your elbow, or your wind, it's still being moved.
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But that's what they did. In other words, it's rules for thee, but not for me, is what it amounts to. So, even today, there are many things that are being carried to the extreme by the Orthodox. In fact, the Bible says in Exodus 35 that you're not to light a fire on the Sabbath day. Well, they now apply that to turning on a light switch because it strikes a little fire and brings electricity into the room.
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But although they will not do it themselves, it is alright for someone else to do it for them. So, if there's a condemnation then, or a censure, to be applied for anyone who created a light on the Sabbath, then it's alright for someone else to be condemned and censured, but not them. So the way they get around that is they just have someone else to flip the light switch for them. I'm just simply pointing out the fact that there's so many rules and regulations that have been made, not just by the Jews, but also by many preachers today that have no understanding of the law of God. Now, notice if you would again in Mark 2 and verse 27, "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." First of all, man was created on the sixth day of creation, and the Sabbath did not occur until the seventh day. Thus, logically speaking, the Sabbath was created for man since he was created before the Sabbath. Now, secondly, we could rightly say that the Sabbath was created for man, that is, for man's good, for man's safety, for man's benefit, and for man's blessing.
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Our bodies need rest and our souls need worship. So the Sabbath then, even that which God ordained, was not created to add to the sufferings and the burdens of man. It was created to be a blessing and a benefit for them.
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Now I want to give you several quotes. The first one is two long paragraphs. But I want you to pay close attention. This first quote is by Albert Barnes. Listen to what he said. "The Sabbath was made for man, for his rest from toil, his rest from the cares and anxieties of the world, to give an opportunity to call off his attention from earthly concerns and to direct it to the affairs of eternity. It was a kind provision for man that he might refresh his body by relaxing his labors, that he might have undisturbed time to seek the consolations of religion, to cheer him in the anxieties and sorrows of a troubled world, and that he might render to God that homage which is most justly due to him as the Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, and Redeemer of the world.
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And it is easily capable of proof that no institution has been more signally blessed to man's welfare than the Christian Sabbath." Now I'm going to talk about that next week. He said, "To that we owe more than to anything else the peace and order of a civilized community. Where there is no Sabbath, there is ignorance, vice, disorder, and crime. On that holy day, the poor and the ignorant as well as the learned, have undisturbed time to learn the requirements of religion, the nature of morals, the law of God, and the way of salvation.
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On that day man may offer his praises to the Great Giver of all good, and in the sanctuary seek the blessing of Him whose favor is life. Where that day is observed in any manner as it should be, order prevails, morals are promoted, the poor are elevated in their condition, vice flies away, and the community puts on the appearance of neatness, industry, morality, and religion. The Sabbath was therefore preeminently intended for man's welfare, and the best interests of mankind demand that it should be sacredly regarded as an appointment of merciful heaven intended for our best good, and were improved aright, infallibly resulting in our temporal and eternal peace.
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Now, one last paragraph he has here. "Man was made first, and then the Sabbath was appointed for his welfare. The Sabbath was not first made or contemplated, and then the man made with reference to that. Since, therefore, the Sabbath was intended for man's real good, the law respecting it must not be interpreted so as to oppose his real welfare. It must be explained in consistency with a proper attention to the duties of mercy to the poor and the sick and to those in peril. It must, however, be in accordance with man's real good on the whole and with the law of God. The law of God contemplates man's real good on the whole, and here it is, and we have no right under the plea that the Sabbath was made for man to do anything contrary to what the law of God admits. It would not be for our real good, but for our real and eternal injury to devote the Sabbath to vice, to labor, and amusement." So, again, he's just amplifying that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.
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And what happens today is so many reverse that order and they try to say that man was made for the Sabbath and that man must keep all these rules and all these regulations which are obnoxious and humanistic and usually imposed upon us by preachers, cult leaders, and people who really do not understand what they're saying. I want you to look back at Mark 2 and verse 27. "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." Now, hang on. Look at verse 28. "Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath." The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.
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Now, I'm going to give you a quote from A.B. Simpson. But before I do, I want to remind you of something, and that is the Greek word for Lord. It is the word Kyrios, and it literally means boss, owner, sovereign, master. So look at verse 28. "Therefore the Son of Man is boss, owner, sovereign, and master also of the Sabbath." Now listen to the quote by A.B. Simpson out of his book, The Fourfold Gospel. Here's what he said. "So that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. The expression 'Son of Man' is used 88 times in the New Testament and always means Messiah and not man in general. The Sabbath was made for man's convenience and blessings and so Jesus, who was the complete and perfect manhood, was Lord of it.
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But men who were incomplete and imperfect in their manhood cannot trust their fallible judgment to tamper with it. Though the day was made for man, this fact would not entitle man to use it contrary to the laws under which it was granted. As the Lord of the day, Jesus had a right to interpret it and to apply it—listen—and to substitute the Lord's Day for it. In asserting his lordship over it—hang on—Jesus takes the question outside of the range of argument and brings it within the range of authority. When he said the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath, he has all authority, all power in heaven and earth, he may do as he pleases on the Sabbath and with the Sabbath as well.
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Now one more quote before we get started. This is from John Gill. He said this: "And since Christ is greater than the temple and has all the perfections of the divine nature in him, is equal to the Father in power and glory, and even as mediator, has all power in heaven and earth given to him, so as he is Lord of all things, he is also Lord of the Sabbath—listen—and has the power of dispensing with it and even abolishing it. And since the Lord of the Sabbath had a power of dispensing with it, and made use of it in the cases of David and his men, and of the priests in the temple formerly, the Pharisees ought not to think it strange that the Son of Man, who is equally Lord of the Sabbath, dispensed with it in His disciples now." So, when the Bible says that Jesus Christ is Lord even of the Sabbath, it means that He has the absolute right to change it, to modify it, to dispense with it, to abolish it.
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He may do with it as he pleases because he is God. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12. I have an awful lot of scriptures. Some of them I will just have to give you and let you look at them later. But look, if you would, in Matthew chapter 12 to begin with at the first eight verses. We're going to see how Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath. Watch this. "At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, 'Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.' But he said to them, 'Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
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Or have you not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple. But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.'"
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Now, if you would turn right over to the book of Mark, chapter 2, I will read this one, but this passage is also found in Luke chapter 6, verses 1 through 5. So if you look at Mark chapter 2, and we're going to begin reading at verse 23. Watch again. "And it came to pass that he went through the cornfields on the Sabbath day, and his disciples began as they went to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said to him, 'Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful?' And he said to them, 'Have you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and they that were with him, how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?' And he said unto them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
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Therefore the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'" Now I'm not going to read the same passage in Luke chapter 6 verses 1 through 5, but note if you would, we're now talking about a work of necessity, because the disciples were hungry. They'd had nothing to eat. And they're walking through the grain fields, the cornfields, and they're plucking the grain, and they're rubbing them in their hands, and they're eating raw grain.
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Now, I have a question to ask you. Whose grain field were they in? Well, the disciples did not have grain fields. Our Lord did not have a grain field. So they were in someone's grain field. And they're walking through and they're just plucking the grain and eating it raw. You say, well, they were stealing. No, they were not stealing. The Pharisees did not accuse them of theft. If it was possible to accuse them of theft, they would have certainly done so. But let me show you why it was not theft.
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I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 23 and look, if you would please, at verse 25. Deuteronomy 23 and look, if you would, at verse 25. Look what God says. Here is a principle of the law. Deuteronomy 23:25: "When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor's standing corn." So God says it is right to eat out of your neighbor's garden, but you can't harvest. If you're hungry, you can eat.
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Now, I want to give you a good quote here by Matthew Poole and then one by Adam Clarke. Listen to what Matthew Poole said. "To take for our needs so much of our neighbor's goods as we may reasonably think that if he were present and knew our circumstances, he would give us, is not theft. The Pharisees, therefore, do not accuse them of theft, but of violation of the Sabbath."
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Plucking ears of corn or snatching handfuls of grain would be considered work. Yet our Lord allowed his disciples to do so in order to sustain his disciples, satisfy their hunger, and to teach them and the Pharisees the true meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. So it is lawful to prepare food to sustain life on the Sabbath day.
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Now here's a quote from Adam Clarke. He said, "We may well wonder at the extreme poverty of Christ and his disciples. He was himself present with them and yet permitted them to lack bread." I love this next quote. "A man therefore is not forsaken by God because he is in want. It is more honorable to suffer the want of all temporal things and be in fellowship with Christ and his followers than to have all things in abundance and be in connection with the world." Now, so here's what God is saying. We may eat of our neighbor's crops or our neighbor's garden, but we cannot put in a sickle. We cannot harvest them. We cannot steal them.
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Let me give you a good illustration. Years ago, I had a number of horses, and we had a neighbor who had several different farms, and he wanted to borrow my horse and ride through his bean fields just to check to see if there were any disease or insects. Well, I said, sure. I said, but I will ride with you if you don't mind. He said, I'll be glad to have you ride. So I saddled two horses and we started riding through the grain fields. Well, my horse was always wanting to eat and she kept putting her head down and snatching up a bean vine and chewing on it. And I would be trying to hold her neck tight so she wouldn't do that. And Thomas saw me holding her back and he looked at me and said, "Preacher," he said, "let her eat."
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He said, "They're working for us. This is just simply letting them have pay for their labor. Let her eat."
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Now, his was not doing it, but mine did. So I said, fine. Well, that's exactly what the principle here. In other words, she was not running around stomping and tearing up his beans. She's just eating one every now and then. And this is what God is saying. It's lawful to satisfy your hunger to the extent that you know that if your neighbor was present, he would certainly give it to you.
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But you cannot take any more than that. OK.
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Now, it is for our benefit that our stomachs are filled with food. Now, when you stop and think about this, I don't know if they were eating wheat, rye, barley, corn. It says grain. It says ears. Well, you have to be pretty hungry to eat something raw like that. So the disciples were indeed hungry, that is for sure. I've always observed this. There are a lot of people that are picky eaters. They won't eat certain things. I mean, I've got friends, they won't eat broccoli, they won't eat cauliflower, they won't eat any veggies hardly, they're just meat and potato folks, that's all there is to it. And my point has always been, you just haven't been hungry enough. If you get hungry enough, you'll eat just about anything. I've had people tell me, well, I'd never be like John the Baptist, I couldn't eat locusts and wild honey. Well, you can eat the wild honey very easily, but the locusts, that's a horse of a different color. He said, I'd never eat a locust. You would if you were hungry enough.
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That is for sure. Here's what the Bible says in the book of Proverbs 27:7: "The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." So you get hungry enough. The most bitter thing is sweet to you because it's filling and it's taking care of you. So you can make sure if you get hungry enough, you'll be thankful for anything.
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So our Lord then, in this situation, reminds the Pharisees what David did. David and his men were fleeing from Saul. So they went to Abiathar. David said, do we have anything to eat here? Well, we have just the showbread. David said, well, give that to me. And David took some. What about these young men? Well, I want them to have some too. Well, the priest said, at least if they've kept themselves from women these three days.
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Yes, he said they have. And so here they ate the food that was reserved solely for priests. And our Lord is using this. In other words, he is saying it was a work of necessity. They had to eat. They had to be filled. They were hungry. And so it was taking place. Now, I will point out that even saving the life of animals would be a work of necessity. Animals must eat as well. You remember our passage back in Luke chapter 13 and verse 15, look what our Lord said to this wicked man.
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"The Lord then answered and said, 'Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering?'" Well, of course. You also feed your animals on the Sabbath day. I fed my animals this morning. I feed my animals every day.
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Now, a work of necessity is easily connected with the sixth commandment. The sixth commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." The sixth commandment has a negative and a positive. "Thou shalt not kill"—that is, life cannot be taken except on God's terms. But here's the positive: thou shalt preserve life. And so eating is a preservation of life. So, works of necessity are not confined just simply to cooking and eating. There are other works that are necessary even on the Sabbath.
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Now, if you go back to Matthew chapter 12 and look, if you would, now at verses 5 through 7. Matthew chapter 12. Look at this. Beginning here with verse 5. Matthew 12:5. He said, "Or have you not read in the law how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless? But I say unto you that in this place is one greater than the temple.
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But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would not condemn the guiltless." So the priests then had to function even on the Sabbath day. And of course they were not condemned for doing that which they did. If you will turn right over to the book of John chapter 7. John chapter 7. And look, if you would please, at verse 22. John chapter 7, look at this. John 7 and verse 22, and let's read through verse 24. John 7:22. Our Lord said—let's read verse 21—"Jesus answered and said unto them, 'I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision; not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers; and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?'
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Then he says, "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." So it's necessary to work on the Sabbath day. I don't care if we're talking about the Hebrew Sabbath, the Canaan Sabbath, or the Christian Sabbath, it is necessary to work on the Sabbath day. Now listen, I work more on Sunday than I do any other day during the week. My Sundays are 12-hour days. I work all during the week because you have to study, you have to prepare, you have to do research, you have to pray, you have to do a lot of things just to prepare a message. And there's a lot of work during the week, but come Sunday, I'm teaching twice and driving all day. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that, yes, there are works of necessity even on the Sabbath.
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Now, notice back, if you would, please, in Matthew chapter 12 again. I want you to go back there. Matthew chapter 12. Look, if you would, please, at verses 9 through 14. Matthew chapter 12 verse 9, "And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue. And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?' that they might accuse him." Now, they asked him this question not because they were interested in learning, not because they wanted truth, but they wanted a reason to accuse him. "And he said unto them, 'What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep?
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And if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.' Then saith he to the man, 'Stretch forth thine hand.' And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other." I want you to note something. Our Lord said it's lawful to do well on the Sabbath day.
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This is not necessarily a work of necessity. This could be considered a work of emergency. So if my animal is in the ditch and can't get out, I have to get him out. Why? Because if I don't, he may die. And thus, that would be, again, a violation of the sixth commandment. Life can only be taken on God's terms. So here again, God is saying it's lawful to do well on the Sabbath day.
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Now, I want you to see how desperate these people were to condemn our Lord. Look in verse 14. Look what happens. "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him." Here is teaching that it's lawful to save life. It's lawful to do well. And they get so irritated and so aggravated they go out and hold a council that they might put him to death. This is the Pharisees. You have this same truth revealed in Mark chapter 3 verses 1 through 5 as well.
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Here's the point I'm trying to make. The Pharisees will always place their rules, their regulations, their customs, their traditions, above the Word of God and above the people. They don't really care about people. Look in Luke chapter 13, when our Lord healed the woman who had been bent over for 18 years. And what did the ruler of the synagogue say? "There are six days to work. Let them come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath." And our Lord said, "You hypocrite." He was not concerned about the woman who had been bent over for 18 years. He was concerned about their traditions, about their customs. When you have people that are more concerned about their rules and their regulations—we're not talking about the Word of God, but their personal rules, their personal regulations, their personal customs and traditions—than people, then you've got a Pharisee. And there are plenty of Pharisees that are around today, that is for sure. Now, our Lord, then, was constantly healing on the Sabbath, eating on the Sabbath, living on the Sabbath, and doing works of emergency and works of necessity on the Sabbath as well.
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So, our Lord, then, healed this woman. Now, look, if you would, in Luke chapter 14, if you would, Luke chapter 14, because in this passage, our Lord heals a man of the dropsy on the Sabbath day. And watch this again. Luke chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Luke 14 in verse 1: "And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?'
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Now they had been asking him that question, that they might accuse him. Now he asked them that question, and look at this, verse 4: "And they held their peace." They wouldn't answer him. They could not answer him. Now notice: "And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying, 'Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?' And they could not answer him again to these things." Wow. So our Lord is saying, yes, it is right to do well on the Sabbath day. Now, our Lord healed on the Sabbath day regularly in the New Testament. He not only healed on the seventh day, he aggravated the scribes and Pharisees by doing so, so much so they wanted to kill him. So if you look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 5, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. John chapter 5 and verse 8. John 5 and verse 8.
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But if you would, let's begin reading there with verse 8. John 5 verse 8: "Jesus saith unto him, 'Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.'" So now Jesus has seen this man by the pool of Bethesda, and he heals him. Watch verse 9: "And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, 'It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.'" Wow! He answered them, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me, 'Take up thy bed, and walk.'" Then asked they him, "What man is that which said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed, and walk'?"
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"And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, 'Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.' The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day." Wow! Just healing someone on the Sabbath day, according to these Jews, merited the death penalty. They sought to kill him.
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They took counsel against him. Now, I want you to turn over to John chapter 9. I'm going to try to tie this thing together for you just shortly. But John chapter 9 is one of my favorite chapters. This is so refreshing. Let's begin with verse 1. "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, 'Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
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As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And he said unto him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,' (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, 'Is not this he that sat and begged?'
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Some said, 'This is he.' Others said, 'He is like him.' But he said, 'I am he.' Therefore said they unto him, 'How were thine eyes opened?' And he answered and said, 'A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.' Then said they unto him, 'Where is he?'
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He said, 'I know not.' They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, 'He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.' Therefore said some of the Pharisees, 'This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day.' Now look at that. Now what they meant was he's not keeping our interpretation of the Sabbath. He's not keeping what we think the Sabbath means. Others said, 'How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?'
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And there was a division among them. They said unto the blind man again, 'What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes?' He said, 'He is a prophet.' But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, 'Is this your son, who ye say was born blind?'
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'How then doth he now see?' His parents answered them and said, 'We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.'
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Now watch, these words spake his parents because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, 'He is of age; ask him.'
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Now listen closely to this part, I love it. "Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, 'Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.' He answered and said, 'Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.' Then said they to him again, 'What did he to thee?'
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'How opened he thine eyes?' Love it. Watch this next one. He answered them, 'I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples?' Then they reviled him, and said, 'Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.' The man answered and said unto them, 'Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.' They answered and said unto him, 'Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?'
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And they cast him out. Wow! Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, 'Dost thou believe on the Son of God?' He answered and said, 'Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?' And Jesus said unto him, 'Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.' And he said, 'Lord, I believe.' And he worshipped him.
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Now notice, if you would, here's a man that was born blind, ended up preaching to these Pharisees. Did they listen? No. Did they hear? No. Did they receive it? No. What did they say? "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out. But they want to know how Jesus healed him. He said, "I've told you already. If I tell you again, will you be his disciples?" Wow. I want you to listen to this statement.
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I don't care where you turn in scripture, you're going to find this is an absolute truth. You cannot reason with a Pharisee. Pharisees are unreasonable, illogical, and they will not receive anything that you say. They already have their minds made up that they have the truth and they're not going to listen to anyone who says anything contrary to what they have already believed. In other words, their position is, we have arrived. We're the ultimate. We have it all. Everyone should listen to us. Everyone should bow to us.
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No one need teach us. Now, let me tie some things together for you. I've tried to show you, and there were other texts I did not even get to use today, but I've tried to show you where our Lord went about on the Sabbath day doing works of necessity, works of emergency, and works of mercy. And he was condemned consistently by the Pharisees for it.
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Now by next Sunday, Lord willing, I'm going to be showing you why we worship on Sundays. Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, if you want to call it that. It is the Lord's Day. So here's my question. I don't care what day you call your Sabbath in one sense of the word, but you'd have to answer this question. Would you be willing to give up your rest to help and to rescue someone, maybe in a car wreck? Would you be willing to give up your rest to help feed the poor? Would you be willing to give up your rest to take food to a grieving family who's lost a loved one? Would you be willing to give up your day of rest to visit someone in a nursing home who's been neglected by her family or his family and hardly ever has a visitor or friend? I'm just simply pointing out we have to understand that works of necessity, works of emergency, and works of mercy are demanded on the Sabbath day. Would you be willing to drive a sickly neighbor or friend or relative to the hospital, sit there for hours on your day off, on your day of rest, on your Sunday?
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Would you be willing to do that? Would you be willing to be the good Samaritan? Or would you be willing to be like the priest and the Levite who just passed by and ignored the situation? So the essence of the Sabbath is rest. That is true. But there are works of emergency, there are works of necessity, and there are works of mercy that must be done. So how then does all of this work together?
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And what do all of these Sabbaths in the Bible symbolize and represent? And the answer is you will have to be here next Sunday to hear. But listen carefully. You must remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath. He is the creator. He's the ordainer of the Sabbath. So he has the absolute power, right and authority to change it, to dismiss it, to alter it, to do with whatever he pleases, for he is God in the flesh. So let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace. We ask for your mercy. Teach us, we pray. Father, build us up in the most holy faith and give us, Lord, your blessing. We pray for these that are sick once again and ask healing in their lives. And we pray for safety and protection and preservation for each one as we travel. May the Lord's hand be upon us and may He be honored and glorified in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T22:38:49Z

Is Saturday the Sabbath - Part 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on the Sabbath by examining how Jesus observed the Sabbath in the New Testament. He argues that the Pharisees had misinterpreted and misapplied the Sabbath law, adding burdensome human traditions. Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, demonstrated that works of necessity, emergency, and mercy are lawful on the Sabbath. The sermon reviews the various Old Testament Sabbaths and emphasizes that the Sabbath was made for man's benefit, not man for the Sabbath. Weaver sets the stage for a future message on why Christians worship on Sunday.

Introduction and Review of Old Testament Sabbaths

Scripture Reading — Luke 13:10-17

"And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath." "And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said unto her, 'Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.' And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. And 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.' The Lord then answered him and said, 'Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?'"

So the Hebrew Sabbath then was a celebration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 5 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 5:15, the Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 5:15

"And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day."

The General Principle of No Work and Its Exceptions

The Old Testament generally prohibited work on the Sabbath, but the New Testament reveals exceptions. The Pharisees had misinterpreted the law, and Jesus corrected their misapplications.

The Sabbath Was Made for Man

Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for man's benefit, not man for the Sabbath. This principle means the Sabbath law should not be interpreted to oppose human welfare.

Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath

As Lord (Kyrios) of the Sabbath, Jesus has authority to interpret, modify, or even abolish the Sabbath. This lordship is central to understanding His actions on the Sabbath.

Works of Necessity: The Disciples Plucking Grain

Jesus defended His disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath because they were hungry. This was a work of necessity, not theft, and was permitted under the law.

Works of Emergency and Mercy: Healing on the Sabbath

Jesus consistently healed on the Sabbath, demonstrating that doing good and saving life are lawful. The Pharisees condemned Him, but He exposed their hypocrisy.

But if you would, let's begin reading there with verse 8. John 5 verse 8:

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"Jesus saith unto him, 'Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.'"

So now Jesus has seen this man by the pool of Bethesda, and he heals him. Watch verse 9:

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, 'It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.'"

Wow! He answered them,

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"He that made me whole, the same said unto me, 'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"

Then asked they him,

Scripture Reading — John 5:8-16

"What man is that which said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed, and walk'?" "And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, 'Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.' The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day."

Wow! Just healing someone on the Sabbath day, according to these Jews, merited the death penalty. They sought to kill him.

The Pharisees' Unreasonable Opposition

The Pharisees placed their traditions above God's Word and people. They were unreasonable and refused to listen to truth, as seen in the healing of the man born blind.

Application and Conclusion

Weaver challenges listeners to consider whether they would perform works of necessity, emergency, and mercy on their day of rest. He previews the next message on the Christian Sabbath.

Is Saturday the Sabbath - Part 2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	114252026595679
Subject	Biblical Law
Course	The Ten Commandments
Genre	Sermon
Date	2025-11-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 182: Is Saturday The Sabbath? — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	77

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review of Old Testament Sabbaths: Weaver reviews the four types of Sabbaths: creation, Hebrew, Canaan, and Christian, and notes that the Sabbath means rest. He questions whether modern believers participated in the deliverance from Egypt or the conquest of Canaan, implying symbolic application.
The General Principle of No Work and Its Exceptions: The Old Testament generally prohibited work on the Sabbath, but the New Testament reveals exceptions. The Pharisees had misinterpreted the law, and Jesus corrected their misapplications.
The Sabbath Was Made for Man: Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for man's benefit, not man for the Sabbath. This principle means the Sabbath law should not be interpreted to oppose human welfare.
Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath: As Lord (Kyrios) of the Sabbath, Jesus has authority to interpret, modify, or even abolish the Sabbath. This lordship is central to understanding His actions on the Sabbath.
Works of Necessity: The Disciples Plucking Grain: Jesus defended His disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath because they were hungry. This was a work of necessity, not theft, and was permitted under the law.
Works of Emergency and Mercy: Healing on the Sabbath: Jesus consistently healed on the Sabbath, demonstrating that doing good and saving life are lawful. The Pharisees condemned Him, but He exposed their hypocrisy.
The Pharisees' Unreasonable Opposition: The Pharisees placed their traditions above God's Word and people. They were unreasonable and refused to listen to truth, as seen in the healing of the man born blind.
Application and Conclusion: Weaver challenges listeners to consider whether they would perform works of necessity, emergency, and mercy on their day of rest. He previews the next message on the Christian Sabbath.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Jesus did not violate the Sabbath; He violated Pharisaic interpretations

The Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath, but He only broke their man-made rules. His actions were consistent with the true intent of the law.

Weaver states: 'Our Lord did not violate the Sabbath day. He violated their interpretations of the Sabbath and their misapplications of the Sabbath.'

The Sabbath law must be interpreted in light of mercy and human need

Jesus taught that mercy takes precedence over ritual observance. The Sabbath was intended to bless, not burden, so acts of compassion are always lawful.

Matthew 12:7: 'But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.'

Jesus' lordship over the Sabbath gives Him authority to change it

Because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, He has the right to alter or abolish it. This is foundational for the transition to the Lord's Day.

Quotes from A.B. Simpson and John Gill: 'Jesus had a right to interpret it and to apply it—and to substitute the Lord's Day for it.'

Works of necessity are not confined to cooking and eating

The principle of preserving life extends to various activities on the Sabbath, including rescuing animals and performing religious duties.

Matthew 12:5 (priests in the temple), John 7:22-23 (circumcision on the Sabbath), and the example of pulling an ox from a pit.

The Pharisees' rules were hypocritical and burdensome

The Pharisees created elaborate loopholes for themselves while imposing strict rules on others. This legalism is contrary to the spirit of the Sabbath.

The example of muktzah and the rule about not eating an egg laid on the Sabbath, yet allowing others to turn on lights.

The Sabbath is a pattern pointing to spiritual rest

The various Old Testament Sabbaths symbolize greater spiritual realities. The creation Sabbath is the pattern, and all Sabbaths point to rest in Christ.

Weaver says: 'We are commanded by God to remember the creation Sabbath, for it is the pattern of all the other Sabbaths.'

Scripture References

Luke 13:10-17: Jesus heals a woman bent over for 18 years on the Sabbath, and the ruler of the synagogue objects. Jesus calls him a hypocrite and defends healing on the Sabbath.
Deuteronomy 5:15: The Hebrew Sabbath was a commemoration of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.
Exodus 34:24: God promised to protect the land while Israelite men went up to appear before the Lord three times a year.
Deuteronomy 16:16-17: All males were to appear before the Lord three times a year at the feasts and not appear empty-handed.
Exodus 20:8-11: General prohibition of work on the Sabbath, part of the Ten Commandments.
John 7:49: The Pharisees said, 'This people who knoweth not the law are cursed,' revealing their arrogant attitude.
Mark 2:27-28: Jesus declares the Sabbath was made for man and that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:1-8: Jesus' disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath; Jesus defends them by citing David and the priests, and declares Himself Lord of the Sabbath.
Deuteronomy 23:25: The law allowed plucking grain by hand from a neighbor's field, which explains why the disciples were not accused of theft.
Proverbs 27:7: The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet, illustrating the disciples' hunger.
Matthew 12:5-7: Jesus argues that priests profane the Sabbath and are blameless, and that God desires mercy, not sacrifice.
John 7:22-24: Jesus points out that circumcision is performed on the Sabbath, so healing a whole man should not cause anger.
Matthew 12:9-14: Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, teaching that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath.
Luke 14:1-6: Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath and silences the Pharisees by asking if they would not pull an ox from a pit.
John 5:8-16: Jesus heals the man at Bethesda on the Sabbath, and the Jews persecute Him and seek to kill Him.
John 9:1-38: Jesus heals a man born blind on the Sabbath; the Pharisees interrogate him and cast him out, but he believes in Jesus.

Historical References

Albert Barnes (19th century theologian): Quoted extensively on the meaning of the Sabbath being made for man's welfare and the blessings of the Christian Sabbath.
A.B. Simpson (founder of Christian and Missionary Alliance): Quoted from 'The Fourfold Gospel' on Jesus' lordship over the Sabbath and His right to substitute the Lord's Day.
John Gill (18th century Baptist theologian): Quoted on Christ's power to dispense with and abolish the Sabbath as Lord of the Sabbath.
Matthew Poole (17th century commentator): Quoted on the disciples' plucking grain not being theft, as it was a work of necessity.
Adam Clarke (18th-19th century Methodist commentator): Quoted on the poverty of Christ and the honor of suffering want in fellowship with Him.
Pharisaic traditions (muktzah, egg rule): Examples of extreme Pharisaic rules: not eating an egg laid on the Sabbath, and the concept of muktzah (forbidden objects).
Modern Orthodox Jewish practices: Reference to modern Jews not turning on light switches on the Sabbath but having others do it for them.

Important Quotes

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

This is the central principle Jesus taught, emphasizing the Sabbath's purpose for human benefit rather than as a burden.

Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

This declaration establishes Jesus' authority over the Sabbath, foundational for understanding His actions and the transition to the Lord's Day.

Our Lord did not violate the Sabbath day. He violated their interpretations of the Sabbath and their misapplications of the Sabbath.

Clarifies that Jesus' conflicts were with human traditions, not God's law.

I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.

Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 to show that compassion takes precedence over ritual observance.

Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.

Jesus explicitly permits acts of goodness and mercy on the Sabbath.

Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering?

Jesus exposes the Pharisees' inconsistency in caring for animals but objecting to healing a suffering woman.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding that 'the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath' change the way we view a day of rest?

[Context]

Based on Mark 2:27 and the sermon's emphasis on the Sabbath's purpose for human benefit.

[Question]

What does it mean for Jesus to be 'Lord of the Sabbath,' and how does that affect our understanding of the Sabbath command?

[Context]

From Mark 2:28 and the discussion of Jesus' authority to change or abolish the Sabbath.

[Question]

How do we distinguish between works of necessity, emergency, and mercy on our day of rest, and what principles guide us?

[Context]

From the examples of the disciples plucking grain, healing on the Sabbath, and rescuing animals.

[Question]

In what ways might modern Christians act like Pharisees by elevating man-made rules over compassion and mercy?

[Context]

From the sermon's critique of Pharisaic legalism and the application to today.

[Question]

Why were the Pharisees so resistant to Jesus' Sabbath healings, and what does that reveal about the danger of religious tradition?

[Context]

From the accounts in John 5 and John 9, and the Pharisees' desire to kill Jesus.

[Question]

How should the principle 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice' shape our priorities on the Lord's Day?

[Context]

From Matthew 12:7 and the call to prioritize compassion over ritual.

[Question]

What are some practical ways we can perform works of mercy on our day of rest, as suggested by the sermon?

[Context]

From the concluding application about helping the needy, visiting the sick, and being a Good Samaritan.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:05:13Z