Opus 2018-261: Because, Gorges, Part 1 of 2

Recently Gorges of Gorges Grouse got a bit upset with me and my inconsistency.  He stopped short of the word “hypocrisy” but you could see it wanting to jump out between the lines.  In case you don’t bother with reading comments, here is what he had to say,

“So why do you deny the TRUE Sabbath, but then stick the commandments for it on the FIRST day of the week? And please don't use the silly argument that man can choose any day he wants for “‘the Sabbath.’”

He has a point.  This is what the Bible has to say.

(Exodus 20:8-11 KJV)  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  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:  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

That seems pretty straight forward. 

Of course we also need to point out some conflicts that Jesus had about the Sabbath.  One is found in Mark 2:23-28. 

(Mark 2:23-4 KJV)  And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.  And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

The law allowed people to take enough grain from a field to deal with their hunger so we are not looking at theft or trespass.  What the Pharisees got upset about was that plucking grain was work and that meant that they were working on the Sabbath.  If you understand the passage in Exodus rigidly, then Jesus was breaking the Law.  Yet He answers them to point out an understanding that I am not sure we get yet.

(Mark 2:27 KJV)  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

The Sabbath rest was not a burden that God put on His people.  It was a protection that He demanded for their lives.  They were not to work themselves into the ground.  Notice that it applied even to the cattle.  If it were written today it might apply to our automobiles.  God knew about type A people who never rest.  He knew that such behavior was bad for us.  To He called a Sabbath rest.

Like all Biblical laws, there is a good reason for them.

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2012-162, Sabbath Observations: Roots of the Weekend, Part 3, Jesus Reminds Us of the Purpose of the Sabbath

As in many areas of life, Jesus ran head-on into the Control Freaks of the Elites of His day.  At one point they tried to nail him for healing on the Sabbath.  At another place they were upset that the disciples had picked a few pieces of wheat to munch on as a little snack.  Nag, nag, nag.

Jesus points out their mistake by clarifying the target of the Sabbath. 

(Mark 2:27 KJV)  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

God made us.  He knew that we needed rest so He built it into creation and took time off Himself.  I am sure that almighty God could have kept working but He had a point to make.  He had to get it across with power.  So He took a break.

The point is, we are not designed to go 24/7.  Sure, we can do it for a time.  Some do it for years but the stress levels begin to build.  There is a reason why we sleep.  There is also a reason why we need to take a break from labor.

The Jews observe the Sabbath on Saturday.  It is the seventh day.  They are right in that.  The Seventh Day Adventist have a point in worshiping on Sunday.  The reason that most Christians don’t worship on Saturday is that Sunday is considered the Lord’s Day, not the Sabbath.  It is the day that Jesus rose from the grave so it was more important than any other day of the week. 

Originally the church met every day. 

(Acts 2:46 KJV)  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

They were mainly slaves and working class people so they did not have much control over their schedule.  They met when they could but the celebration of the resurrection became the central moment of the week.  Many Protestants are not aware that the Catholic church has worship every day, not just on Sunday.  That is a continuation of the original pattern of the church.

We go to church.  It is supposed to be a time of renewal and refreshing.  Often it is not, but that is not the problem with the model as much as the people who get distracted.

To be continued...

homo unius libri