Overall Question: What is the Sabbath really for?

Memory Text: Mark 2:27-28 NIV “27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."”

Mark 2:27 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY God did not create man because He had a Sabbath and needed someone to keep it. Rather, an Allwise Creator knew that man, the creature of His hand, needed opportunity for moral and spiritual growth, for character development. He needed time in which his own interests and pursuits should be subordinated to a study of the character and will of God as revealed in nature, and later, in revelation. The seventh-day Sabbath was ordained of God to meet this need. To tamper in any way with the Creator’s specifications as to when and how the day should be observed is tantamount to denying that God knows what is best for the creatures of His hand.

Sunday – God’s Gift for Busy People
Genesis 2:2-3 NRSV “2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.”
Genesis 2:2-3 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN The institution of the Sabbath is as old as creation, giving rise to that weekly division of time which prevailed in the earliest ages. It is a wise and beneficent law, affording that regular interval of rest which the physical nature of man and the animals employed in his service requires, and the neglect of which brings both to premature decay. Moreover, it secures an appointed season for religious worship, and if it was necessary in a state of primeval innocence, how much more so now, when mankind has a strong tendency to forget God and His claims?
Ezekiel 20:12 NRSV “Moreover I gave them my sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I the LORD sanctify them.”

Monday – Holy Time
Genesis 2:3 Holman “God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation.”
Isaiah 58:13 Holman ““If you keep from desecrating the Sabbath, from doing whatever you want on My holy day; if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, seeking your own pleasure, or talking too much;”
Exodus 31:12-13 Holman “12 ¶ The LORD said to Moses: 13 “Tell the Israelites: You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the LORD who sets you apart.”
Exodus 31:13 COMMENTARY JOHN WESLEY NOTES The Jews by observing one day in seven, after six days labour, testified that they worshipped the God that made the world in six days, and rested the seventh; and so distinguished themselves from other nations, who having first lost the sabbath, the memorial of the creation, by degrees lost the knowledge of the creator, and gave the creature the honour due to him alone.

Tuesday – Experiencing the Joy of the Sabbath
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 KJ21 “12 "‘Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 13 Six days thou shalt labor and do all thy work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates, that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that 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.”
Exodus 20:8-11 KJ21 “8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
Exodus 20:8 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The spirit of true Sabbathkeeping will lead one to improve its sacred hours by seeking to understand more perfectly the character and will of God, to appreciate more fully His love and mercy, and to cooperate more effectively with Him in ministering to the spiritual needs of his fellow men. Whatever contributes to these primary objectives is appropriate to the spirit and purpose of the Sabbath. Whatever contributes primarily to the gratification of one’s personal desires or to the pursuit of one’s own interests is no more a part of true Sabbathkeeping than is ordinary labor. This principle applies to thoughts and words as well as to actions.
Exodus 20:8 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE he who idles away time on any of the six days, is as guilty before God as he who works on the Sabbath.

Wednesday – Modeling Sabbath Rest to the World
Isaiah 58:12-14 God’s Word to the Nations “12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the foundations of past generations. You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live. 13 ¶ If you stop trampling on the day of worship and doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the day of worship a delight and the LORD’S holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way, by not going out when you want, and by not talking idly, 14 then you will find joy in the LORD. I will make you ride on the heights of the earth. I will feed you with the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob. The LORD has spoken.”
Examples of Jesus and the Sabbath:
Mark 2:23-3:6 CEV “23 One Sabbath Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields. His disciples were picking grains of wheat as they went along. 24 Some Pharisees asked Jesus, "Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do that!" 25 Jesus answered, "Haven’t you read what David did when he and his followers were hungry and in need? 26 It was during the time of Abiathar the high priest. David went into the house of God and ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his followers." 27 Jesus finished by saying, "People were not made for the good of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for the good of people. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath." 3:1 ¶ The next time that Jesus went into the meeting place, a man with a crippled hand was there. 2 The Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong, and they kept watching to see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus told the man to stand up where everyone could see him. 4 Then he asked, "On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save someone’s life or destroy it?" But no one said a word. 5 Jesus was angry as he looked around at the people. Yet he felt sorry for them because they were so stubborn. Then he told the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his bad hand was healed. 6 The Pharisees left. And right away they started making plans with Herod’s followers to kill Jesus.”
Luke 4:16 ESV “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.”
Luke 4:16 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES It is of vast importance that the public worship of God should be maintained; and it is our duty to assist in maintaining it, to show by our example that we love it, and to win others also to love it. See Heb 10:25. At the same time, this remark should not be construed as enjoining it as our duty to attend
where the true God is not worshipped, or where he is worshipped by pagan rites and pagan prayers.
Luke 6:1-11 NLT “1 ¶ One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of wheat, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grains. 2 But some Pharisees said, "You shouldn’t be doing that! It’s against the law to work by harvesting grain on the Sabbath." 3 Jesus replied, "Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what King David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, ate the special bread reserved for the priests alone, and then gave some to his friends. That was breaking the law, too." 5 And Jesus added, "I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath." 6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched closely to see whether Jesus would heal the man on the Sabbath, because they were eager to find some legal charge to bring against him. 8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand here where everyone can see." So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, "I have a question for you. Is it legal to do good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing harm? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" 10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, "Reach out your hand." The man reached out his hand, and it became normal again! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.”
Luke 6:11 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Men are often enraged because others do good in a way which they do not approve of.
Luke 6:11 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE Pride, obstinacy, and interest, combined together, are capable of anything. When men have once framed their conscience according to their passions, madness passes for zeal, the blackest conspiracies for pious designs, and the most horrid attempts for heroic actions.

Thursday – The Sign of Rest
Hebrews 4:9-11 ASV “9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 ¶ Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience.”
Hebrews 4:9 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY We enter into God’s “rest” when we “consider” Jesus and listen to His voice, when we exercise faith in Him, when we cease from our own efforts to earn salvation, when we “hold fast our profession”, and when we draw near to the throne of grace.

Choses 3 & 4 were very interesting I thought. As far as 1&2, I agree with the physical and mental rest or relaxation, but I would've thought the the day was for spiritual stuff.

pk

It sort of depends on the definition of 'relaxation', is that horizontal exercise (sleep)?, or just plain exercise (play)? Or is 'rest' a time to lay down all that harasses, annoys, and burdens us with anxiety and care, and give it all to God to look after - so that we can be in His will alone to give us peace?

I think it is a time to lay aside what make us tired and rest everything in the Lord.

All SDAs are agreed that the Sabbath is a sacred day. Our problem has always been the "how" of keeping the Sabbath. We want to know the "how" but chafe at the "how" that the "red books" tell as to how to keep the Sabbath.

In Europe I've heard that playing volleyball on Sabbath was part of the "relaxation." In the USA especially in SoCal, eating out is part of the "rest" on Sabbath.

Let's hear some principles that could be laid down that would be good for yesterday, today, and tomorrow in matters of Sabbath keeping.

How to keep the Sabbath? True Sabbath-keeping is not a set of laws, but a mind-set. We keep the Sabbath in honor of the Creator. It’s like the third commandment: “Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain (Ex. 20:7)...” Most think that means, “God Damn,” or its equivalent, but it really isn’t. Taking His Name in vain is simply imputing to the Creator’s Holy Name, Satan’s character. That is the abomination. Still, there are many Adventists who are doing just that. They’re worshiping the destroyer, not the Creator, on the Sabbath.

So, let’s not get legalistic with rules and stuff like the Jews did, but worship the Creator, not the destroyer, on the Sabbath. That is all the true God wants.

Let’s prepare for the Bridegroom!

Was it on a sabbath when Jesus went to Matthew's pub and recruited him?

Personally .... I set a bunch of rules for Sabbath keeping so that I can keep my 'mind-set' in the right place.

Yes ... I would agree with you here Gerry. Spirituality is an individual matter. There is no one way to worship God. If God thought it important to have set rules on how to keep the Sabbath like the Jews attempted ... He would have done so.

It is what is in your mind that matters as you worship God. Our actions may differ. I don't go out to eat, read the newspaper or play volleyball on Sabbath. But I don't question those who do.

So why don't you do those things? Maybe it's also ok for someone with a mindset to go to a football or baseball game on Sabbath?

No guiding principles? Just have your own mindset as to what is proper and improper to do on Sabbath because to have some guiding principle is legalism?

It can be legalism. Some who keep Sabbath like I do ... do so for legalism.

We do have principles and it is up to each person to apply those principles. However ... each person will apply them differently. I don't expect people to apply the principles as I do.

So yes ... it IS okay for some to go out to eat or read the newspaper or play volleyball on Sabbath. Just my interpretation of scripture.

So for what purpose is the Sabbath if you can do pretty much what you want to do that is no different than the rest of the week?

Your askin' the wrong person that question. Never heard of a Sabbath keeper who felt that way.

The purpose for the sabbath is rest and relaxation from our weekday work. The thing is, if the Lord has given you something to do during the rest of the week, the purpose of the sabbath is to allow us time to do what we want to do. If we work on Sabbath, then we should take a different day off.

After looking at this discussion, it seems to me that one angle is being left out - our witness as Christians. Can some of the activities mentioned be done and our witness as Christians be undamaged? Just a thought.

HEY ALL

many responses but few votes....


interesting


dgrimm60