Session 12: The Sabbath

Session Overview

Creedal Statement

Pray then like this:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Key Elements

• Key Passage - Matthew 11:25–12:21
• Scripture Memory - Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28–30
• Catechism - Q: What Christian practice helps us to remember God’s redemption and deliverance? A: Sabbath.

Introduction

If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the Lord’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, then you will delight yourself in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.

And only when they made a holy day for God did they find they had made a holiday for men.

The glorious gospel of Christ offers redemption, forgiveness, and deliverance to sinners. Salvation is a gift, freely given to all those who surrender and entrust their lives to Christ as Savior and Lord. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus defeated evil, vanquished Satan, overcame sin, and triumphed over death. In his first coming, Christ secured eternal life for God’s people and enriched disciples with heavenly promises. In the end, all of the glorious promises of eternal life will come to full fruition in Jesus’ second coming. Until that future and glorious day, believers live out these future promises as part of their daily reality. Importantly, one of the major blessings of eternal life is the gift of everlasting rest.

In this life and in the life to come, Christ has made it possible to live a life of enduring and unending rest. What Jesus has objectively accomplished on the cross becomes a person’s actual experience when they place their faith in Christ. Unfortunately, life often does not feel very restful, at least not in any sustained sense. Although forgiven of sin, believers still wrestle with seductive temptations. Christian relationships are often frustrated with breakdowns in communication, betrayals of trust, and burdens of past mistakes. Churches face division, disunity, and discord. Families suffer from dysfunction. Work is often characterized as burdensome and toilsome. Society at large is troubled by cultural battles, ethnic tension, and economic conflict. People often struggle to live at peace within their own person. Anxiety, depression, fear, and shame impair our well-being and put us at odds with ourselves and others. Exploring the nature of Christian rest, especially in such a restless world, is a welcome and needed topic of investigation. The Bible addresses this topic in the Gospels, as much of Jesus’ recorded teaching and ministry took place on the Sabbath day, the Jewish day of rest.

The biblical narrative found in Matthew 11:25–12:21 tells about a controversy that transpired between Jesus and the Pharisees. The issue that arose concerned the lawful practice of the Sabbath. In the Old Testament, God assigned the seventh day—the Sabbath day—as a special day on which his people would abstain from work in order to celebrate God’s work of creation and redemption. In Matthew’s Gospel account, Jesus prayed to God the Father and invited people to come to him as the source of all rest. After this invitation, Jesus’ disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath, which prompted the Jewish leaders to accuse them of wrongdoing. Jesus defended their actions and explained the true character of the Sabbath. After this, Jesus entered the synagogue. He healed a man with a withered hand after the Pharisees challenged him a second time. In the end, Jesus revealed himself as both Lord over and the fulfillment of the Sabbath. His righteous kingdom rule is one of good and perpetual rest.

Jesus’ life and ministry modeled the practice of Sabbath and rest. In this regard, he was no stranger to controversy. Nevertheless, it was precisely through Sabbath controversies that Jesus helped people understand the true nature of Christian rest and gave them an accurate understanding of himself. At the core of Sabbath living is a life yielded and surrendered to Christ. He is the promised Messiah, the source of enduring and everlasting life. To receive Jesus is to enjoy his gracious gift of rest. This rest is experienced by hope in God’s eternal redemption and trust in God’s daily provision. A life of rest in Jesus is a life of faith, worship, devotion, mercy, and justice. To merely ask what is lawful on the Sabbath (as did the misguided Pharisees) is too narrow a question. The more significant and substantive question is how Jesus’ rest liberates us to a whole new kind of life. As we study this account of Jesus, may we discern how the practice of Sabbath and the reality of rest can become a dynamic part of our own Christian formation.

Biblical Interpretation: Hearing the Word

Study the Text: The Bible is God’s inspired word to his people. Christian disciples mature in the faith when they are grounded in God’s word. In this movement, you will study the basic details of the biblical text.

Observation Questions

Read (or listen to) the whole passage of Scripture. Discuss the questions below for each section of the story. Pay attention to the details of the text to recall what the passage is saying. Use the focus verses to guide your conversation.

Storycraft

Retell the story in your own words, recounting the overall flow of the narrative, the main segments of the story, and the major developments that take place.

Narrative Elements

Story Retell

Theological Dialogue: Discussing the Plot

Explore the Text: God’s word is his trustworthy and sufficient revelation to his people. We grow as Christ’s disciples by rooting our lives in God’s unchanging truth. In this movement, you will explore vital teachings of this biblical passage.

Discussion Questions

Summarize the biblical story. As a community, discuss the following questions. Be attentive to the truths taught in this text. Use the commentary on the next pages to uncover core principles this passage teaches about the Christian faith.

Biblical Commentary

Use this commentary to help you understand the meaning of the text. Refer to the infographic on the next page to think through how narratives work.

Passage Introduction

Key Idea

God is inviting us to experience and express his gracious deliverance in the practice of Sabbath.

Passage Overview

The Sabbath is God’s gift to God’s people. It is a badge of redemption and a reminder that God is supreme and sovereign over their lives. Christian practice of rest is a declaration that we belong to God. The systems of the world often oppose the design and order God has planned for his creation. For many, hurried and disordered lives are caught up in a relentless whirlwind of frantic activity. On the other extreme are the lazy and idle: people who seek to minimize all work and effort. Those in both extremes need redemption. Sabbath practice helps God’s people develop healthy rhythms of rest and work. Christian habits that form a proper balance of work and rest are rooted in the everlasting rest Jesus has secured on the cross. In this biblical narrative, Jesus taught and modeled principles of Sabbath living. The Sabbath controversy with the Pharisees that transpired in the grainfield and in the synagogue is helpful for our encouragement and instruction. As you investigate this important biblical passage, use the commentary below to guide your thinking around the principles and practices of Sabbath living.

Passage Outline

Ministry on the Sabbath

I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

Do not tell me that there is no rest for us till we get to heaven; we who have believed in Jesus enter into rest even now … Our salvation is complete; the robe of righteousness, in which we are clad, is finished; the atonement for our sins is fully made; we are reconciled to God, we are beloved of the Father, we are preserved by his grace, and supplied by his providence with all that we need; we carry all our burdens to him, and leave them at his feet; we spend our lives in his service, and we find his ways to be ways of pleasantness, and his paths to be paths of peace. Oh, yes; we have found rest unto our souls! I recollect the first day that I ever rested in Christ, and I did rest that day, and so will all of you who trust in Jesus as I trusted in him.

Introduction

If you are a follower of Christ, you have been delivered from the clutches of sin and rescued from a deadly fate of eternal separation from God. Sin and Satan no longer hold dominion over you. Fear, shame, guilt, and death are overcome in Christ. Jesus’ perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection secure redemption and salvation for all who place their faith in Christ. In Jesus, our lives are radically transformed. A life defined by anxiety, hatred, and wickedness turns into a life of peace, love, and justice. No longer bound as slaves to an evil tyrant, believers bask in a newfound freedom purchased by Jesus’ reconciling work on the cross. In fact, Christianity is based upon the fact that Jesus achieves salvation for God’s people. Believers inherit glorious riches through the work of Christ. While the world remains restless in sin, believers possess enduring rest as a gracious gift from God.

Because Christian rest is a divine gift, it should become a life habit. Jesus’ redemptive work done on our behalf enables us to enjoy rest in a broken and sinful world. In Christ, the work of obtaining this rest has already been accomplished. It is available and accessible for all who believe in Jesus. Having placed their faith in Christ, believers are subsequently called to live according to this new objective reality. The Christian life is not meant to be frantic, hurried, or anxious. Therefore, habits and practices that encourage rest are important for our spiritual development.

In the history of God’s people, the Sabbath has been one of these spiritual practices. In the Old Testament, the practice of Sabbath designated the seventh day of the week as a holy day in which God’s people would refrain from work. One day of enjoyable rest would follow six days of earnest work. This Old Testament practice—actually, a command in the Law—would uniquely mark Israel as a peculiar people in the world. The practice of Sabbath would cause Israel to stand out among the nations, making her a unique witness to the surrounding society. For Christians, the Sabbath command has been fulfilled in Jesus. No longer bound to the various Sabbath demands in the Old Testament law, believers freely embrace Sabbath living in the way they enjoy, experience, and cultivate a life of rest. That is, Christians embrace the Sabbath principle by practicing healthy rhythms of work and rest in a way that reflects and celebrates Jesus’ saving work and gracious gift of rest to his people.

Nevertheless, the world is not hospitable to rest. Our fast-paced society is relentlessly active. There are always jobs to be done, goals to accomplish, and dreams to envision. Ambition has driven many into a vocational frenzy, placing unbearable demands upon people that threaten to dismember body from soul. For all its benefits, technology also imposes itself on humanity. The magnetic draw to be constantly connected in a digital world makes pauses in work and activity exceedingly difficult. Moral breaches also make a life of rest complicated and challenging. Even a superficial glimpse at the daily headlines is enough to remind us that we dwell in a world where sin, injustice, violence, and immorality still exist. The forces of evil oppose rest. In fact, the proclivity of our own hearts toward evil makes it difficult to envision an alternative to chaos, guilt, and disquiet. Nevertheless, we need not despair. The life and teaching of Jesus reveal the keys to obtaining a life of rest.

The brief narrative in Matthew 11:25–12:21 is important for Christian living. It records a controversy between Jesus and Jewish religious leaders around the Sabbath. The narrative is based upon Jesus as the source of divine rest. Jesus and his disciples were traveling through the grainfields on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples of breaking the Sabbath command when they picked and ate grain. Jesus promptly addressed their allegation, using three scriptural anecdotes to defend his disciples’ innocence. These principles not only served as a claim to innocence, but they also revealed much about the character and intent of the Sabbath. Eventually, Jesus entered the synagogue with his disciples. After the Pharisees challenged him again, Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. In so doing, he again revealed divine intent behind the Sabbath. The Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus after this incident, but he left the area and continued to miraculously heal people. In the end, Jesus demonstrated that he was the promised Messiah. As such, he is the Lord over the Sabbath and the fulfillment of the Sabbath.

True and enduring rest is found in Jesus alone. God’s promised Messiah, Jesus, rescues sinners from judgment, cleanses the guilty, heals the infirm, proclaims justice, liberates those in bondage, provides for daily needs, and triumphs over evil. He is the embodiment of divine mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. As possessors of eternal life, believers are inheritors of everlasting rest. This eternal rest can (and should) be enjoyed in the present life. Practicing principles of Sabbath enables us to celebrate God’s unchanging redemptive work and cultivate a life of rest in an ever-changing world. Practically, habits of rest are healthy for a person’s body and soul. Theologically, the spiritual practice of rest is a testimony to the surrounding world. The practice of Sabbath is the Christian’s protest against evil, injustice, brokenness, and sin in the world. It is a prophetic embodiment that, if the world will not stop its hurried and violent pace of wickedness, rebellion, and exploitation, then at least God’s people will. Sabbath is a forced pause to the flustered flurry of worldly gaits; it announces to all who is the true Lord and King. The practice of Sabbath reasserts and reassures God’s people that his salvation is real, his deliverance is genuine, and evil’s defeat is certain. As you read and study this Gospel narrative, consider how God would want you to embrace a life of rest through the grace-delivering, evil-denouncing, and life-restoring practice of Sabbath.

Come to Me: Accepting Jesus’ Open Invitation to Rest

Biblical Narrative (Matthew 11:25–30)

This narrative opens with Jesus praying to God the Father. He praised God for hiding certain things “from the wise and learned” and revealing them “to little children” (11:25). Jesus said it was “well-pleasing” (11:26) to God. The term “these things” (1:25) likely referred to Jesus’ miracles in certain areas where people refused to repent of their sin (cf. 11:20–24). Essentially, Jesus had powerfully revealed himself through his miraculous works and inspired word, but people rejected him. Only spiritually blind people could deny Jesus’ clear manifestations and attestations. God the Father had entrusted his Son with all things. Consequently, Jesus was the only way for people to enter into a relationship with God: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him” (11:27). Particularly, Jesus invited people who were “weary and burdened” (11:27) to come to him in order to give them “rest for [their] souls” (11:29; cf. 11:27). To come to Jesus was to yoke oneself to Jesus (11:29), a picture of devotion, commitment, and allegiance. Jesus explained that he was “gentle and humble in heart” (11:29). He was not a harsh master or a cruel leader. Instead, Jesus promised that his “yoke is easy,” and his “burden is light” (11:30). Jesus offered himself to the world as the source and sustainer of God-given rest in a difficult and despairing world.

Biblical Principles

Centrality of Jesus. The opening of this narrative reveals Jesus at the center of God’s plan for sinners. Jesus is the Son of God. He is faithful to do all things according to his Father’s will. He is also the only means by which sinners can be reconciled to God (11:27). Equal in deity and distinct in person, God the Father and God the Son have revealing power (11:25, 27). Jesus does all things to honor the Father (11:25), and God the Father has entrusted all things to Jesus (11:27). The focus of this section is to call people to Jesus, the wellspring of rest. Jesus himself offers the invitation, “Come to Me” (11:28). What defines a person’s reality most decisively is whether or not they are yoked to Jesus (11:29). The practice of Sabbath and the enjoyment of divine rest centers upon the person and work of Christ.

Promise of Rest. Jesus revealed himself as the source of rest. Just as the revelation of Jesus’ true identity was limited to “little children” (11:25)—that is, to those who are humble and teachable enough to receive God’s word—so Jesus offered rest to those who were “weary and burdened” (11:28). The imagery in this section is vivid. Jesus likened faithful devotion to attachment to himself, the kind of attachment that takes place when oxen are yoked together (11:29–30). Typically, one considers bearing a yoke as an experience of burden and difficulty. Because Jesus bears the weight of the yoke, our experience is one of ease and freedom. Jesus himself is not harsh, cruel, or hard-hearted. He is gentle and humble (11:29). Yoked to Jesus, believers find promised rest, inner peace, spiritual refreshment, freedom from burden, and a loving Lord. The spiritual practice of Sabbath must be understood as a Christ-centered means of enjoying and experiencing God-given rest. By expressing faith in and dependence upon Jesus, weakened and overburdened people become beneficiaries of this gracious promise.

Have You Not Read: Addressing Sabbath Objections

Biblical Narrative (Matthew 12:1–8)

At the beginning of the next scene, “Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath” (12:1). For the Israelites, the Sabbath day was a sacred day of rest and worship. God instituted the Sabbath as a memorial, a weekly reminder of God and his covenant dealings with humanity. In the Old Testament, God’s people were commanded to abstain from work in order to remember God’s work of creation and redemption. God made the world; he would also sustain and nourish it. God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage; he would also protect and preserve his people. So important was this weekly day of rest that God etched it into the Ten Commandments. He prescribed it as vital to the life of the community of faith. When God’s people practiced Sabbath rest, they were celebrating freedom from bondage and the bounty of God’s generous provision. Over time, the legal demand of the Sabbath became a burden to God’s people rather than a source of refreshment. Either the people of God did not observe it, or the community’s religious leaders erected strict and meticulous boundaries around the Sabbath so as to guard against the slightest possible infraction.

While Jesus and his followers walked through the grainfields, the “disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them” (12:1). On most days, such behavior would not raise concern. But this was the Sabbath day, the holy day of rest. Pharisees saw the disciples pick and eat grain and considered this an act of disobedience. The Pharisees, Jewish religious leaders who enforced and interpreted the Old Testament law, carried religious authority in the faith community of Israel. Consequently, they did not approve of the disciples’ conduct. In their minds, Jesus’ followers were working on the Sabbath day by “harvesting” grain. In response, the Pharisees issued Jesus a stern rebuke: “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath” (12:2).

Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees was direct and instructive. It not only addressed the concerns of these Jewish legal experts but also revealed important truths about Jesus, the Sabbath, and the spiritual life. Jesus began his response with a question: “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?” (12:3). In this rejoinder, Jesus alluded to an Old Testament narrative in order to validate their actions. He recalled the time when David and his allies found refuge in Nob with the help of Ahimelech the priest (cf. 1 Samuel 21:1–9). In this biblical account, David and his companions were fleeing from Saul when they came to Nob and asked the priest for some provisions. Ahimelech told them that the only bread he had was the sacred bread made in order to help God’s people remember his presence with his people. Although this bread was reserved for a holy purpose, David “entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread” (12:4). Jesus explained that it was “not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests” (12:4). In a display of divine mercy, God allowed David and his companions to eat the holy bread—bread reserved only for the priests—as a way of meeting their urgent need and pressing hunger.

Jesus provided another example to show that he and his disciples had not violated the Sabbath. He asked a rhetorical question meant to challenge the Pharisees’ spiritual lack of understanding, establish his own credibility, and underscore important characteristics of the Sabbath. Jesus quizzed the Pharisees: “Haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent” (12:5). Even though priests worked on the Sabbath in order to facilitate service at the temple, they were not guilty of disobeying the Sabbath. God had designed priestly service and Sabbath rest to coincide with one another. Although the Sabbath forbade ordinary work, it allowed faithful ministry and spiritual service. Jesus intensified his argument by revealing his identity and contrasting it with the Old Testament temple. Referring to himself, Jesus told the Pharisees that “something greater than the temple is here” (12:6). For Israel, the temple was the place of God’s presence; Jesus was the full and complete revelation of God. The temple was a gathering place to meet with God; Jesus is the fullness of deity in bodily form. If God allowed the Old Testament priests to serve in the temple on the Sabbath, expectations for work and service would change as long as one was in the presence of Christ. The disciples picking grain in the field were doing so in the presence of Christ (cf. 12:1). This made all the difference.

Jesus continued his argument by quoting Hosea 6:6. This passage expressed God’s heart toward people: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (12:7). Although God did enumerate many offerings in the Old Testament legal system, he did so to express his compassion and mercy toward humanity. As such, outward religious ritual (like Sabbath keeping or sacrifice) that betrayed inner spiritual reality (like mercy and compassion) was a contradiction. To have understood this principle would have transformed the Pharisees’ response. Had they grasped this foundational spiritual truth, they “would not have condemned the innocent” (12:7). After all, Jesus himself was the source of true Sabbath authority. As the Son of Man, Jesus himself is the master architect and the unerring interpreter of the Sabbath because he is “Lord of the Sabbath” (12:8).

Biblical Principles

Sabbath History. God instituted the Sabbath in his work of creation (cf. Genesis 2:1–4; Exodus 20:8–11). On the seventh day, God sanctified it as holy, a day set apart for rest and remembrance. God also established the Sabbath on the basis of Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian slavery (cf. Deuteronomy 5:12–15). God rescued his people from slavery—which included relentlessly backbreaking and oppressive work—and gifted them with one day each week in which they would refrain from work. God inaugurated the Sabbath practice during Israel’s wilderness wanderings (cf. Exodus 16:1–36). God cared for his people in the desert by providing manna from heaven on six days of the week. They would gather enough on the sixth day for two consecutive days so that they could rest on the seventh day. In the law, the Sabbath was a basic principle upon which other holy days were celebrated (cf. Leviticus 23:1–44). Israel’s judgment in exile was based upon their disobedience of the Sabbath law (cf. Ezekiel 20:1–32).

Throughout Israel’s life, the Sabbath was a central sign for the community of faith. It reminded them that God was Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Lord, and Judge. This ancient practice taught believers about God’s character. God is powerful to create. In his grace and mercy, he saves, redeems, and liberates. His kindness and compassion daily provide for the needs of his people. God’s holiness and majesty summon God’s people to worship, devotion, and obedience. Righteous and just, God holds all people accountable for their lives. Truly, the role of the Sabbath is a commentary on God’s covenant dealings with his people. As such, we attend to a study of the Sabbath in order to understand basic principles of Christian faith and living.

Sabbath Objections. In this narrative, Jesus addressed Sabbath objections. The Sabbath objections in this narrative came from Jewish religious and legal experts. The Pharisees questioned whether the disciples were violating the Sabbath by picking and eating grain in the field. In this instance, the Pharisees were reacting to the disciples’ behavior. Later in the synagogue, the Pharisees suggested a scenario that questioned the legitimacy and legality of healing on the Sabbath. In both cases, the Pharisees were accusatory (12:2, 10). They used their position of religious leadership and their interpretation of the Sabbath command in an attempt to discredit Jesus and incriminate his disciples. Clearly, they were not earnestly or humbly seeking to understand God’s intent for Sabbath living. Instead, they insisted upon their legal expertise over against Jesus’ example and instruction. Eventually, their objections ran out, and they were only left with a plot against Jesus’ life (12:14).

When it comes to understanding and obeying the biblical principle of Sabbath, many people are confused, hesitant, uncertain, or opposed to Sabbath. Like the Pharisees in this story, some authoritatively impose their convictions on others, conflating personal opinion with scriptural teaching. If we are not careful, endless debate over proper Sabbath conduct can result in legalism, turning an invitation to rest into a stricture of oppressive burden. In contrast to the legalistic morality are those who claim that Christianity has eradicated any Sabbath practice. While the first objectors focus on the Sabbath law, the extreme proponents of this second position renounce any idea of a Sabbath principle. Others resort to claims of irrelevance. They denounce the ancient practice of Sabbath, saying it has no bearing on modern life or contemporary faith practice. In this camp of objectors, people might claim that the times have changed, modern society has increased demands, and the pace of life in this world grates against any form of rest.

In many forms, Sabbath objections abound. When God gave the Sabbath to the Israelite people, they responded to it with complaint and concern. Throughout their history, the Israelites frequently failed to obey this most important command of weekly rest. In Jesus’ time, objections to the Sabbath continued. Religious leaders balked at Jesus’ interpretation of and conduct during the Sabbath. The controversy did not end there. During Paul’s ecclesial ministry, the early church struggled to understand a distinctively Christian approach to the law in general and the Sabbath in particular. This struggle continued throughout the history of the church until the present day. Debate and objection around the Sabbath is nothing new. The Sabbath cannot be dismissed wholesale for Christians. Even though Christ has fulfilled the Law—including the Sabbath—Jesus has enabled a new way for the Sabbath to be realized, experienced, and celebrated. The command to rest in Old Testament Sabbath laws is now a reality of rest for New Testament Christ followers. To follow Jesus and grow in the faith, we must work through these objections and arrive at a Christ-centered view of Sabbath living.

Centrality of Scripture and Theology. In response to the Pharisees’ accusation, Jesus appealed to Scripture. He not only provided scriptural support to defend his disciples’ actions, but he also questioned the Pharisees’ scriptural understanding. By asking the question, “Have you not read?” (12:3; cf. 12:5) and making the conditional statement, “If only you had known the meaning” (12:7), Jesus turned the Pharisees’ critique on themselves. The Pharisees’ accusation came from what they considered to be a close reading of the law. Jesus responded that they did not read the Scripture rightly. Certainly, these Jewish religious leaders had read the portions of Scripture Jesus mentioned. Jesus was not critiquing their acquaintance with the Scripture; he was rebuking them for lacking an accurate understanding of God’s word. Scriptural familiarity is not the same as theological understanding. A Christian understanding and practice of the Sabbath is a scriptural and theological endeavor. In this narrative, Jesus identified himself as the theological key to right scriptural understanding. By identifying himself as someone “greater than the temple” (12:6) and as the Son of Man who “is Lord of the Sabbath” (12:8), Jesus asserted that one’s understanding of Christ will impact the way that one reads the Bible, which will in turn affect faith habits such as the spiritual practice of rest.

Is It Lawful: Understanding the Nature of Sabbath Practice

Biblical Narrative (Matthew 12:9–14)

Jesus was not finished dealing with the Sabbath after his initial conversation with the Pharisees. Instead, Jesus went into the synagogue to assemble with other Jewish devotees (12:9). Since the Sabbath allocated a designated day for worship, gathering with God’s people for a time of Scripture reading and instruction was expected. In the synagogue on that day, there was “a man with a withered hand” (12:10). The Pharisees asked a question in an effort “to accuse Jesus” (12:10). They asked Jesus if it was “lawful to heal on the Sabbath” (12:10).

Jesus responded to their question with an analogy. He explained a scenario of a sheep owner who had one of his sheep fall into a pit on the Sabbath. He explained that the natural and merciful action would be to take hold of the sheep and lift it out of the pit (12:11). Then, Jesus intensified his example, contrasting the value of a sheep with the dignity of human being: “How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” (12:12). If it was appropriate to rescue a sheep on the Sabbath, certainly it would be fitting (and obligatory) to rescue a person from danger and need. Jesus concluded his example by declaring that “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (12:12).

After giving his explanation, Jesus performed a miracle. He told the disabled man to stretch out his hand (12:13). The man obeyed this command, and when he stretched out his hand, “it was restored to full use, just like the other” (12:13). This miracle authenticated Jesus’ identity and illustrated his teaching on the Sabbath. Jesus had acted mercifully to a needy man. And Jesus did this deed without breaking the Sabbath. On the other hand, the Pharisees had no sentiment of sympathy or compassion. After the miraculous healing, the Pharisees left the synagogue and “plotted how they might kill Jesus” (12:14). The great defenders of Sabbath law lacked the spiritual maturity to embody compassion on a day that God intended as a remembrance of his grace and mercy.

Biblical Principles

Jesus’ Supremacy. Christians practice Sabbath by recognizing and submitting to Jesus’ supreme authority. This narrative explicitly asserts Jesus’ supremacy. His instruction about the Sabbath demonstrates his sovereign authority. In teaching about the Sabbath, Jesus appealed to Scripture (12:2–5) and common human experience (12:11–12). He appealed to biblical history (12:3–4), biblical law (12:5–6), and biblical prophecy (12:7). Ultimately, Christ appealed to his very identity as a means to establish his authority over Sabbath (12:8). The miraculous healing vividly confirmed Jesus’ power and authority in a public way (12:13). To practice principles of Sabbath living is to fully yield oneself to Jesus. All of the Old Testament Sabbath commands are fulfilled in Jesus. He is the one who gives true and enduring rest for all who submit and provides security and protection for those who believe. Sabbath is about the acknowledgment of Jesus’ lordship. Christians live according to the intent and purpose of the Sabbath when they surrender themselves unreservedly to Jesus.

Character and Purposes of the Sabbath. Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees and miraculous healing give insight into the character and purpose of the Sabbath. To understand the nature and objectives of the Sabbath is of great help in faith formation. Understanding the underlying essence of the Sabbath is important in order to grasp Christian principles for Sabbath living. Although Christians are no longer bound to the many Sabbath laws in the Old Testament, the timeless principles still endure. In the Old Testament, the practice of Sabbath was a joyful celebration of past redemption, a practical experience of present respite, and a future expectation of everlasting rest. This threefold dimension of rest is significant for believers of all times and places. To practice Sabbath as Christians, we pause from the normal grind of weekly (and even daily) activity in order to remember gracious redemption in the past, strengthen faith in the present, and nurture hope for the future.

The Sabbath is also an opportunity to remember and reinforce belief in God’s goodness to his people. Core to the essence of Sabbath is to find enjoyment in divine provision. During this Gospel narrative, Jesus’ disciples were hungry (12:1) as were David and his companions (12:3). Additionally, God miraculously provided the Israelites enough food for the Sabbath during their wilderness wanderings, a time when God instituted the practice of six days of work followed by one day of rest. Sabbath is not a punitive and punishing restriction meant to enslave. It is a liberating gift aimed at sustaining and nourishing. The Sabbath celebrates God’s provision for his people in order to deepen one’s trust in God. To rest from work requires a person to fully entrust their well-being to God. In this way, temporary cessation from work is an act of bold faith and humble self-denial, a wholehearted consecration of ourselves in worship and devotion to God.

To embrace Sabbath principles as a Christian is to give oneself to community worship. Jesus himself highlighted the importance of priests doing the work of the temple on the Sabbath day (12:5). Jesus and his disciples attended synagogue, a place of public worship (12:9). Christians practice Sabbath living by prioritizing the corporate gathering of believers for prayer, worship, Scripture reading, teaching, and fellowship. Christian worship involves communion with God and God’s people. When Jesus identified himself as greater than the temple (12:6), he asserted that he is the full embodiment of God’s presence to the world. Since Jesus is fully God and fully human in one person, to fellowship with Christ is to abide in God’s presence. Christians who prioritize corporate worship are fulfilling a key element of Sabbath living.

The Sabbath is also a means to extend mercy and justice to others. Jesus claimed as much when he quoted Hosea 6:6 (12:7). God instituted the Sabbath as a gracious gift to humanity (cf. Mark 2:27). To receive divine rest is to extend mercy and compassion to others. Consequently, Sabbath living motivates good works of charity and benevolence. Just as Jesus said, “It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (12:12), so it is the duty of believers to care for others around them with love and good deeds. This life of benevolence, justice, and mercy is realized by submission to Christ. Consequently, Christians embrace the Sabbath principle when they are in full submission to Jesus. Jesus asserted that he was “Lord of the Sabbath” (12:8). As the Son of Man, Jesus best understood the Sabbath’s character and intent because he instituted it. To be under Jesus’ authority and to bring the injustices of the world under Jesus’ reign is to practice Sabbath as a follower of Christ. Because of Jesus’ supreme authority, righteous reign, and messianic identity, the Sabbath is not a cumbersome burden to believers; it is a life-giving outlet of the inheritance of eternal life that believers have received by placing their lives under the lordship of Christ.

This Was to Fulfill: Grasping Jesus at the Center of Sabbath Focus

Biblical Narrative (Matthew 12:15–21)

Jesus was aware that the Pharisees were plotting his death (12:15; cf. 12:14), and he did not remain in that area. Even as Jesus left, “large crowds followed Him” (12:15). In contrast to the Pharisees, who sought to undermine, discredit, and kill Jesus, the crowds flocked to Jesus. Jesus healed people in the crowd (12:15). He also instructed them not to make him widely known because he did not want to prematurely bring about his crucifixion (12:16). In his life and ministry, Jesus fulfilled the prophetic hopes of Isaiah 42:1–4. He was God’s chosen servant and God’s beloved one who pleased God and worked for justice in the power of the Spirit of God (12:18). He went about his ministry gently and was rejected by people (12:19). He came to serve in compassion, humility, victory, and hope (12:20–21). When people realized Jesus’ true identity, all the nations would put their hope in him (12:21; cf. 12:18).

Biblical Principles

Prophetic Fulfillment. In the Old Testament, the weekly rest commanded by the Sabbath law was an anticipation of the enduring Sabbath rest Jesus would bring about by his life, death, and resurrection. Sabbath was a spiritual promise as much as a spiritual practice, a hopeful expectation as much as a moral legislation. Certainly, the weekly Sabbath (and the related seasonal feasts, festivals, and community celebrations) reminded the Israelites of God’s past acts of creation and redemption. In this way, one day each week was set aside as a memorial to recall and rehearse God’s gracious dealing with his people. Nevertheless, the Sabbath also had a forward-facing, future-looking character to it. To faithfully practice the Sabbath was to stoke longings and hopes for an unending, uninterrupted, and undisturbed rest.

Consequently, it is fitting that this Sabbath narrative concludes with the assertion that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah 42:1–4, an ancient prophecy of God’s promised Messiah (12:17). Jesus had already validated his Sabbath activity using examples from biblical history (12:3–4), sacred law (12:5–6), and divine oracle (12:7–8). Jesus’ overarching argument was not simply a matter of whether his Sabbath activity was permissible. Jesus himself was making a much greater claim: he is the culmination of all Sabbath intents and hopes. In short, Jesus is not just Lord of the Sabbath (12:8) but also the fulfillment of the Sabbath. Thus, the conclusion of this passage recites an extended passage from Isaiah to assert that Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecy (12:18–21). In particular, Jesus’ healing activity on the Sabbath (12:15) is what prompted the Gospel author to mention Jesus’ fulfillment of Isaiah 42:1–4. In essence, all that God intended for his people in the Sabbath command—rest, redemption, mercy, justice, and worship— was fulfilled in Jesus.

Jesus’ Identity. Sabbath living is a celebration of Jesus Christ. As the fulfillment of the Sabbath, Jesus offers in full what the Sabbath commanded in part. Jesus is God’s promised Messiah: healer of diseases (12:15–16), fulfillment of divine promises (12:17), and agent of gracious redemption (12:18–21). His work of deliverance and salvation is highlighted in Isaiah 42:1–4, a prophecy that reveals Jesus’ character and work as God’s promised Messiah. The prophecy begins by identifying the Messiah as God’s chosen servant and highly regarded beloved (12:18). God the Father appointed Jesus as a divine servant to accomplish the divine plan of redemption. The relationship between God the Father and God the Son is described by love and delight. Additionally, Isaiah announced that the Messiah will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and will “proclaim justice to the nations” (12:18). Even though the Messiah would come in authority, power, and justice, many people would not respond rightly to Jesus: “He will not quarrel or cry out” and “no one will hear His voice in the streets” (12:19). Nevertheless, despite an unreceptive welcome from many, Jesus would display gentleness, patience, and kindness (12:20). His gentleness should not be interpreted as weakness. The Messiah would eventually bring “justice to victory” (12:20) and be the object of the world’s deepest hope (12:21).

Conclusion

This narrative records Jesus’ teaching and ministry activity on the Sabbath. In essence, it is a narrative about rest for all who place their faith in Christ. The disciples’ act of picking and eating grain on the Sabbath upset the Jewish religious teachers, who considered such actions unlawful. In response to the Pharisees’ criticism, Jesus used Scripture to validate this kind of behavior. He appealed to an example from biblical history, a priestly exception in biblical law, and an oracle of biblical prophecy. Jesus claimed himself as the supreme and sovereign authority over the Sabbath. When Jesus and his disciples eventually entered the synagogue that same day, the Pharisees immediately accused him. They asked him if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath day. Jesus not only affirmed that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath, but he also healed a man with a withered hand who was in the synagogue at that time. After this, the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus. He went to another place where he continued to heal people. In word and deed, Jesus demonstrated himself as the promised Messiah and fulfillment of the Sabbath.

Sabbath is God’s gift to his people. God’s people are a community of the Sabbath in that they experience and enjoy God-given rest in a disordered, broken, and sinful world. Believers resting from work is a testimony of a greater and deeper rest received from Jesus. While the world writhes against God and his divine order, believers express their faith in God in a spirit of rest that comes from submission and devotion to Jesus. God’s people punctuate their work activity with regular intervals of rest because of Jesus’ work of redemption. As much as work-rest balance offers a wise (and proven) way to healthily order one’s individual and family life, the practice of Sabbath is much more than a practical lifestyle commitment. It is a bold and faith-filled declaration to a restless world of Jesus’ supremacy, compassion, and all-sufficiency.

Session Synopsis

SESSION 12 SYNOPSIS
Sabbath	In this passage, Jesus commends the practice of the Sabbath. In the opening of this narrative, Jesus invited weary and burdened people to find their rest in him. Afterward, two Sabbath controversies erupted. In the first controversy, the disciples plucked grain on the Sabbath. In the second controversy, Jesus healed a man’s hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath. This sequence of scenes highlights Jesus as the source of rest, the Lord of the Sabbath, merciful Healer, and fulfillment of divine promise. In the end, this narrative teaches us about Jesus, the nature of faith, and how believers can live a life of Sabbath rest. A summary of this story’s principles is outlined below.
Promised Rest	God promises rest to his people. Jesus is the source and sustainer of rest to all who place their faith in and pledge their allegiance to him (11:28–30). People cannot experience rest outside of Jesus (11:25–27).
Sabbath History and Objections	The Sabbath was an ancient practice where God’s people could experience and enjoy his promised rest. The Sabbath is an Old Testament law that helped Israel remember and celebrate God as Creator and Redeemer (Genesis 2:1–4; Exodus 16:1–36; 20:8–11; Leviticus 23:1–44; Deuteronomy 5:12–15; Ezekiel 20:1–32). In the Old Testament, God instituted the seventh day as a holy day, a day set apart to God. Therefore, Israel was to work six days and rest on the seventh day. In the Old Testament, New Testament, and today, people naturally have objections to the Sabbath (12:2, 10, 14).
Rest in Jesus	New Testament believers enjoy rest in Jesus. We are not bound by Old Testament ceremonial law like the Israelites were, because Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. Believers experience rest when they experience salvation in Jesus (11:28–30; 12:11–12, 18–21). Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (12:8) and Messiah (12:17–21). He interprets, fulfills, and transforms the Sabbath for New Testament believers.
Purposes of the Sabbath	The practice of Sabbath living is to increase trust in God’s provision (12:1, 3), actively particulate in community worship (12:5, 9–10), enjoy communion with God and God’s people (12:5–6), extend mercy and seek justice in the world (12:7; cf. Hosea 6:6), perform good deeds to others (12:12), study God’s word (12:3, 5, 7), and reinforce our faith in and submission to Jesus as Lord and Savior (12:8, 17–21).
Revealed Truth and Responses	Jesus validated his identity, ministry, and Sabbath activity through biblical history (12:3–4), sacred law (12:5–6), divine oracle (12:7–8), common human experience (12:11–12), miraculous deeds (11:25; 12:13, 15–17), and messianic promise (12:17–21). Not all people would rightly respond to the revelation of Jesus (11:25–27; 12:18–19; cf. 12:16).
Jesus’ Identity and Vocation	Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (12:8) and the fulfillment of divine promises (12:17). This means that Jesus determines how best to practice rest, and he is the means by which we can experience rest. Jesus is God’s Son (11:25–27) and the promised Messiah (12:18–21; cf. Isaiah 42:1–4). He is the source of rest (12:28–30), the teacher of truth (12:3–8), the healer of diseases (12:9–13, 15), the bringer of justice (12:18, 20), the merciful and kind benefactor (11:29–30; 12:7, 12, 20), God’s beloved and chosen servant (12:18), and the hope of the world (12:21).

Personal Reflection: Entering the Story

Apply the Text: The word of God is binding and authoritative, the only reliable guide for faith and godliness. True disciples submit themselves to God’s word. In this movement, you will apply God’s word to your lives.

Reflection Questions

Encourage one person to share a testimony about how this story has impacted them so far. Use the reflection questions to examine your life in light of this biblical passage.

Spiritual Practice

Practice the Sabbath

In the upcoming week, take time to practice the Sabbath. Give a 24-hour period of time to break from work, refocus your life, and act in a way that offers Jesus’ life-restoring power to someone else. Afterward, reflect on how the practice of Sabbath was a means of experiencing the deliverance given to us in the gospel.

**

Ministry Practice: Rehearsing the Script

Minister the Text: God’s word is living and active. Through God’s word, the Christian community is edified. In this movement, you will utilize the biblical passage to minister to other believers and build them up in their faith.

Application Questions

Look at the infographic below. Use the questions to think about how to minister this text to other believers.

Missional Outreach: Publicizing the Truth

Witness the Text: The Bible is a message of God’s gracious salvation to the world. In word and deed, God’s people proclaim the good news of the gospel. In this movement, you will use this biblical passage to reach out to unbelievers.

Strategy Questions

Reflect on the infographic below. Consider how you can use this passage to witness to the surrounding world. Use the suggested ideas to prime your imagination. Then, put together a plan to share this passage with unbelievers, Afterward, reflect on this mission experience.