Jesus & The Sabbath

What is the Sabbath?

Jesus is continuing the ministry that he has just outlined to the disciples in the previous few chapters, Declaration of the kingdom of God, the Healing of people from sickness and disease, and the removal of spiritual oppression from Demons. This is a ministry ongoing and so Matthew moves to another question of things Jesus redefines. They are linked to the previous chapter, where Matthew

Matthew 11:25–30 HCSB

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure. All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal Him. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew Concludes the chapter with Jesus offering to be rest for those who would come to him.

Rest is defined here, it involves what is encompassed in being IN HIM. Rest, Learning to live in that rest and the work that comes out of being rested in Him. Work that flows out of it is implied by the use of a yoke as the word picture here. With this allusion comes the next story Matthew tells which is what happens when we challenge the status quo with Truth.

Sabbath Concerns

There are two challenges that come up “at that time”. Explain Matthews usage of “At that time”

There is specific law regarding the sabbath. What it is and what we are to do and not to do on it.

To Work to sustain self on the sabbath?

To Work to sustain self on the sabbath?

To Work to minister to others on the sabbath?

mt 12

The Spirit of the Sabbath.

Rest, Jesus...

Learning to live in that....

Work that flows out of that.

Mark 2:27–28 HCSB

Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus is the Substance of the sabbath

Colossians 2:16–17 HCSB

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah.

Mark 2:23–28 HCSB

On the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples began to make their way picking some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry — how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the sacred bread —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests —and also gave some to his companions?” Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:26–27 HCSB

how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the sacred bread —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests —and also gave some to his companions?” Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.

Jesus is the substance. He is the rest we are looking for. All the disciplines and all the sacrifices and all the actions that we take now on earth are given to us in order to ready us to encounter him. To create internal environments that will allow us to be able to “handle” his presence.