Even though one of the Ten Commandments is: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”, (Exodus 20:8), it is the only one Jesus seemed to continually break. (At least in the eyes of the religious leaders) This fourth commandment has the most explanation added to it, as it seems to be the most difficult to obey. Over the years, amendments were added to explain what not working on the Sabbath meant. Whether it be the distance one could walk, or the preparation of food to eat, this one commandment became so entangled in tradition and rules, that only the doctors of the law could determine if someone was breaking the law or not. Jesus gave them a problem, because so many of the “good works” He did, He did on the Sabbath.
Sabbath, in the Hebrew, means “rest”. It is the most important holiday for the Jews as it celebrates, weekly, the completion of creation. The seventh day, was man’s first day, seeing that he was created on the sixth day of the week. Just as a day begins in the evening, which is when one rests, man’s first day began by entering into God’s rest. God didn’t rest because He was tired; this day was separated to be a day in which man could enjoy his relationship with the Lord, before he did anything else. Jesus explained this to the scribes and pharisees when He said: “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) The religious leaders had lost the true nature of rest and thus had fallen into hypocrisy in their zeal to be obedient. They authorized one to pull out a sheep who had fallen into a pit, but not to help a child of Abraham that needed healing. God’s rest was to enter into His finished work, to heal the sick, unloose the bonds of wickedness and set the oppressed free. In response to their accusations, Jesus said: “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (John 5:17)
The Psalmist wrote: “Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (Psalms 74:12) God has never stopped bringing about His purposes here on the earth. He has never rested from blessing mankind and drawing him close to Himself. Jesus saw His Father working and so He just did what He saw Him do. Jesus was not breaking the law but fulfilling it. The Sabbath law was to benefit man, not imprison him. Because Jesus came against their understanding of not working on the Sabbath, the religious leaders sought to kill Him. He confronted their hypocrisy and said bluntly that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:12) Man was of more value than their animals and their traditions.
As man was created on a Friday, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. On that Saturday, or Sabbath, while Jesus’ body was in the tomb, but He was working. The Scriptures say that Jesus descended into Hades and preached to the spirits that were held in prison from before the days of Noah. (1 Peter 3:19-20) He also was busy taking those in Paradise, or Abraham’s bosom, to Heaven. (Ephesians 4:8-10) And then He took the keys of death and Hades out of Satan’s control. (Revelations 1:18) Jesus was not in a dead sleep awaiting the resurrection, He was working. He presented His shed blood as payment for the sin of mankind and cancelled the argument the enemy had against us. His resurrection broke the power of Satan, sin, and death.
I love the song “Way Maker”. It ends with the lines: “Even though I can’t see it, You’re working, even though I can’t feel it, You’re working. You never stop, You never stop working…” Jesus is always working, always interceding, always building His church…always… He should do the same. Let’s stop being spectators and taking time off. Let us be about our Father’s business and never stop working.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Psalms 74:12; John 5:17; Matthew 12:12; 16:18; 1 Peter 2:5; Hebrews 7:25