Post by Mark on Oct 31, 2008 4:20:20 GMT -8
Messiah had come into the synagogue where there was a man with a withered hand. The religious leaders knew from His character that He would likely heal such a man, so they watched, expecting to have an opportunity to accuse Him.
There is much discussion and debate within the various ideas of Judaism about what is acceptable to do and what is wrong on ther Sabbath day. The common standard is of 39 prohibitions for Sabbath established around the 12th Century AD/CE. These prohibitions generally apply to an agrarian society; but generally fall under one basic rule that one must neither create nor destroy on the Sabbath day. Depending upon how one might interpret this principle, the applications can be endless and also open to an infinte spectrum of further debate.
The manner in which our Messiah addresses this issue places the rabbinical application of Sabbath prohibitions in conundrum. To allow the destruction of something, even passively, when one has the opportunity and devises to make it right is to destroy. This is a prohibition of Sabbath, by their definition; yet, to actively take steps to improve a thing is to create, also a prohibition. The question Messiah Yeshua poses, then, makes every application an impossible scenario. One is breaking the prohibition whether one acts or not, because by active involvement he creating and by not acting he is destroying.
In the Greek Scriptures, there is little help for our understanding. We are commanded not to "work" on the Sabbath day. The Greek word for work is "ergon" and refers to any physical act. By the simple definition, in Greek, Sabbath is to be a holy day of do nothing.
In Hebrew, the equivelant word to "ergon" is the word "abad" which simply means to make or do. This is a big problem because in Deuteronomy 5:15, the command to "keep the Sabbath day" uses the word "abad" as an active requisite. The word translated "keep" is the word "abad". Sabbath, then, by its most basic definition in Hebrew is a work or an active state of obedience.
Consistently, throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the prohibition of "work" on the Sabbath is a prohibition against "mal-akah." This is the Hebrew word for employment, or that stuff one does to sustain his own life, his vocation. This understanding is consistent with how Adonai defines the Sabbath: "Six days shall you labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any mah-lakah…" (Exodus 20:9).
This idea is pronounced in Adonai’s appeal to Israel,
"If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of ADONAI, honorable; and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words: then shall you delight yourself in ADONAI; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken it." (Isiaiah 58:13-14)
It is quite fascinating, and often frustrating, how so many people have defined for themselves what is okay and what is not okay for me to do on the Sabbath day. There are some clear biblical guidelines that I try to follow: to not buy or sell, to not do routine household chores, to not conduct myself in normal business. Yet, there are many things that are required of me, as being biblically obedient, regardless of what day it happens: to help someone in need, to minister goodness or grace, to do the works that are definitive of the character of God.
Paul confronted this issue head on in Romans 14.
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.
(Romans 14:4-6)
While this text is often used to suggest that Sabbath observance is no longer necessary; such an interpretation ignores so many other of Paul’s exhortations to live obediently to the commands in Scripture. When we understand the distinction between what is our work versus the things of God, we may more clearly understand what Paul is saying.
We have been given six days to get all of our stuff done. There are a few very special people who have denied themselves completely and committed everything as a work unto Adonai. Two specific examples of this that we have in Scripture are Yeshua our Messiah,
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(John 5:30)
and Paul,
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…
(Philippians 3:7-8)
With this understanding, we can surmise that Paul admits some exalt every day as a Sabbath unto Adonai, having given up all stuff of their own so that they can be totally focused on doing the work of Adonai; but the rest of us are not condemned by doing our own things on the six days before.
Understanding what is Scripturally the command of Sabbath allows us to see that there is a great variety in how one may rightly observe the Sabbath, compared to another.
I suppose it would be easier if I concerned myself with what it was right and appropriate for me in my own understanding of obedience and worship without trying to define what is or isn’t appropriate for everyone else. But, that’s exactly what Paul is saying and directly the implication of Messiah’s teaching as well.
There is much discussion and debate within the various ideas of Judaism about what is acceptable to do and what is wrong on ther Sabbath day. The common standard is of 39 prohibitions for Sabbath established around the 12th Century AD/CE. These prohibitions generally apply to an agrarian society; but generally fall under one basic rule that one must neither create nor destroy on the Sabbath day. Depending upon how one might interpret this principle, the applications can be endless and also open to an infinte spectrum of further debate.
The manner in which our Messiah addresses this issue places the rabbinical application of Sabbath prohibitions in conundrum. To allow the destruction of something, even passively, when one has the opportunity and devises to make it right is to destroy. This is a prohibition of Sabbath, by their definition; yet, to actively take steps to improve a thing is to create, also a prohibition. The question Messiah Yeshua poses, then, makes every application an impossible scenario. One is breaking the prohibition whether one acts or not, because by active involvement he creating and by not acting he is destroying.
In the Greek Scriptures, there is little help for our understanding. We are commanded not to "work" on the Sabbath day. The Greek word for work is "ergon" and refers to any physical act. By the simple definition, in Greek, Sabbath is to be a holy day of do nothing.
In Hebrew, the equivelant word to "ergon" is the word "abad" which simply means to make or do. This is a big problem because in Deuteronomy 5:15, the command to "keep the Sabbath day" uses the word "abad" as an active requisite. The word translated "keep" is the word "abad". Sabbath, then, by its most basic definition in Hebrew is a work or an active state of obedience.
Consistently, throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the prohibition of "work" on the Sabbath is a prohibition against "mal-akah." This is the Hebrew word for employment, or that stuff one does to sustain his own life, his vocation. This understanding is consistent with how Adonai defines the Sabbath: "Six days shall you labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any mah-lakah…" (Exodus 20:9).
This idea is pronounced in Adonai’s appeal to Israel,
"If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of ADONAI, honorable; and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words: then shall you delight yourself in ADONAI; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken it." (Isiaiah 58:13-14)
It is quite fascinating, and often frustrating, how so many people have defined for themselves what is okay and what is not okay for me to do on the Sabbath day. There are some clear biblical guidelines that I try to follow: to not buy or sell, to not do routine household chores, to not conduct myself in normal business. Yet, there are many things that are required of me, as being biblically obedient, regardless of what day it happens: to help someone in need, to minister goodness or grace, to do the works that are definitive of the character of God.
Paul confronted this issue head on in Romans 14.
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.
(Romans 14:4-6)
While this text is often used to suggest that Sabbath observance is no longer necessary; such an interpretation ignores so many other of Paul’s exhortations to live obediently to the commands in Scripture. When we understand the distinction between what is our work versus the things of God, we may more clearly understand what Paul is saying.
We have been given six days to get all of our stuff done. There are a few very special people who have denied themselves completely and committed everything as a work unto Adonai. Two specific examples of this that we have in Scripture are Yeshua our Messiah,
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(John 5:30)
and Paul,
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…
(Philippians 3:7-8)
With this understanding, we can surmise that Paul admits some exalt every day as a Sabbath unto Adonai, having given up all stuff of their own so that they can be totally focused on doing the work of Adonai; but the rest of us are not condemned by doing our own things on the six days before.
Understanding what is Scripturally the command of Sabbath allows us to see that there is a great variety in how one may rightly observe the Sabbath, compared to another.
I suppose it would be easier if I concerned myself with what it was right and appropriate for me in my own understanding of obedience and worship without trying to define what is or isn’t appropriate for everyone else. But, that’s exactly what Paul is saying and directly the implication of Messiah’s teaching as well.
