The Sabbath Controversy
Mark 2:23-28
Introduction
Not too long ago – the international labor organization said that over 250 million children are
employed in child sweatshops around the globe - - - Bangladesh / China / Indonesia - - - where
young children [ages 5-14] work in garment factories - - - 6 – 6 ½ days / week - - - receiving
peanuts for their labor - - - some of the garments make their way into Western brand names - thru sub-contracting - - - the children have no opportunity for education
A factory in Bangladesh that was supplying for Hanes / Walmart / J.C. Penney / Puma - - - was
employing children under the age of eleven - - - the children were reportedly slapped or beaten to
stay awake - - - work 14 hours a day / seven days a week for the equivalent of 6 ½ cents an hour
During one month of September - - - the workers had one day off
Many of the children sleep there on the floor of the factory – are awakened for their next shift
Interests of profit / productivity override and dominate over any larger concern for the children
In Western nations - - - we had our own equivalent to the sweat shop during the industrial
revolution of the 17 / 1800s in England and America
Child coal miners worked from 4 am until 5 pm. Conditions were dangerous - - - some children
were killed when they dozed off and fell into the path of carts – others died from gas explosions.
Children employed as mule scavengers by cotton mills would crawl under machinery to pick up
cotton, working 14 hours a day – 6 days a week. Some lost hands or limbs, others were crushed
under the machines. Young girls worked at match factories – where phosphorous fumes would
cause many to develop phossy jaw. Children who worked at glassworks factories were regularly
burned and blinded.
For most factory workers – it was not uncommon to work 14-16 hour days - - - six days a week
The children’s plight began to get the notice of public outrage – the factory acts were passed
[1833 / 1844] – limiting child labor.
The Factory Act 1833 – said children ages 9-13 – could only work 8 hours / day
14-18 yr. olds could work 12 hour days
Labor laws would continue to be added as government tried to rein in the competing interests of
profit / productivity versus human safety or well-being of the individual / society
*** One lesson of the period is that clearly - - - human beings can benefit from certain limits
being placed upon their schedules / activities
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It is not unusual for people in a fallen world to get out of balance - - - to push themselves to
unhealthy extremes - - - or for societal factors to create an environment - - - where such
extremes take place
It is interesting that when God brought Israel out of slavery to Egypt - - - He instituted the
Sabbath Day - - - a blessing for the people to remind them of the God who set them free from
slavery
The Sabbath day pointed back to the creation week - - - God made the world in 6 days / rested
on the 7th day [Ex. 20:8-11]
But there is another reason given for the Sabbath
*** Deut. 5:12-15
Israel’s Sabbath points to their deliverance out of Egypt - - - the picture is that they were slaves - - they had no Sabbath day - - - all their days belonged to their Egyptian master’s - - - now
under God’s loving rule - - - they are to rest / worship / honor the God who delivered them on
one day out of the week
It was God’s way of saying – ‘I have redeemed you - - - and I want to help you schedule your
lives in a way that is healthy and spiritually profitable - - - you need to take a break from your
regular labors - 1 day in 7 - - - for rest / worship / spiritual renewal
For many Jews - - - there were very few things more sacred than the Sabbath Day
By Jesus’ day - -- the rabbis had built up a whole system of extra-biblical rules and details
about how the Sabbath was to be kept - - - they had made the Sabbath more of a burden than a
blessing
Because of that - - - Jesus will come into collision with them on this issue
This gives us an opportunity to explore the Sabbath issue - - - and how it may apply to us today
I.
Breaking Traditions – vv. 23-24
We have noted – that Mark is in the midst of a controversy section
The religious leaders have taken great offense with Jesus for some of His claims and
practices
This scene goes along with that theme - - - they will object to Jesus’ Sabbath day practices
The disciples are traveling with Jesus – they are hungry – so they pick some heads of grain
from a nearby field
This was an acceptable practice – it wasn’t considered stealing
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Deut. 23:25 – ‘When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the heads
with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain.’
You can pick some heads of grain from your neighbor’s field – as long as you use your hands
– but you can’t bring your tractor over and start harvesting!
But – this is on the Sabbath Day - - - - and that is where the trouble begins with the Pharisees
The disciples are violating the Sabbath – in their minds
As one looks at the big picture of how Jesus deals with the Pharisees - - - we see a similar
theme in His corrections
He tells them that they miss the true intent of the law
They strain out a gnat and swallow a camel
They pay attention to detail but miss the big picture – they add man made rules to Scripture
They fail to realize that mercy and necessity - - - are more important than ceremonial
regulations
He will make this point on several occasions
Luke 13:10-17
The Sabbath was a gift to man to keep them from wearing out their bodies / their animals /
their servants / employees / their fields - - - not to prevent good deeds or acts of necessity /
mercy
[In the Church ] *** We recognize we benefit by respecting the Sabbath principle - - - setting
aside a day for worship / etc.
Life is more than work – making money – living for this world only – we are creatures with a
spiritual side as well
Yes - - - you could work 14 hour days to be successful at a profession – or to make a lot of
money - - - or to get ahead of the Jones’ - - - but at what cost to the soul?
What can be done is not always what should be done
Is there a Christian Sabbath?
Many Christians historically have held to a Christian Sabbath - - - spelled out in the WCF
[1643]
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“As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the
worship of God; so in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding
all men in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept
holy unto Him: which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the
last day of the week; and from the resurrection of Christ, was changed [to] the first day of the
week, which in Scripture is called the Lord’s Day, and is to be continued to the end of the
world, as the Christian Sabbath.’
And it would go on to describe the Christian Sabbath as a day of rest – worship – both public
and private - - - and for acts of necessity or mercy
From this tradition - - - you had the blue laws [civil statutes] - - - where many businesses
were not allowed to operate on Sundays - - - you could not sell alcohol on Sundays / cars
were not to be sold
There were legal penalties for breaking these laws
Many Christians not too long ago - - - would refuse to shop on Sundays / go to the mall /
watch t.v. / eat out at a restaurant / sporting events / movies / entertainment
There is a lot that I like about the Westminster position
It’s pretty simple / straight –forward
It recognizes that our bodies have limitations / that we have a spiritual need for worship /
bible teaching - - - and Sunday is the day to do that on - - - it seems to help us in honoring
God with our time
I agree with every one of those principles
However – there are a few problems with the Westminster position – [it may overreach
beyond what the Bible says to the NT Christian - - - that is why it is not embraced by all
Christians
One objection that is raised: ‘Why isn’t the Christian ever told to keep the Sabbath in the
NT?’ [a fair question – but not decisive]
Other aspects of the moral law are repeated with great clarity in the NT - - - but the Sabbath
is not
Others raise the issue of whether Scripture supports the idea of moving the Sabbath from
Saturday to Sunday
But – the most significant problem with the Christian Sabbath view - - - there are some NT
passages that seem to teach that the Sabbath was fulfilled in Christ
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Col. 2:16-17
Paul says that the Sabbath Day was a shadow of things to come – the substance of which
belongs to Christ
i.e. – Sabbath Days – are lumped together with things like the Passover / Day of Atonement /
Feast of Booths – ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic law
*** Those things have been fulfilled in Christ – all of those ceremonies began with Moses
and ended at the cross
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us – temple veil torn in two – we no longer
approach God thru shadows
Calvin: [referring to Jesus] – ‘He is, I say, the true fulfillment of the Sabbath . . . For this
reason the apostle . . . writes that the Sabbath [Col. 2:16] was a shadow of what is to come,
but the body belongs to Christ.’ [Inst. p. 397]
Calvin: ‘Although the Sabbath has been abrogated, there is still occasion for us to assemble
on stated days for the hearing of the Word, the breaking of . . . bread, and for public prayers..
. .’ and to cease from labor
Calvin – and a number of Protestants have recognized Sunday as the Lord’s Day - - - not a
Sabbath - - - but a day in which to worship God
Other aspects of Sunday observance – can be seen as matters of conscience
Rom. 14:5, 6 – ‘One man regards one day above another . . .’
The NT Christian is not commanded to keep the Sabbath - - - but he is told to not forsake the
assembling of the church together - - - - [Heb. 10:24, 25]
Sunday worship arose as the regular day to gather - - - in response to Christ’s resurrection
being on a Sunday
John the apostle – referred to the Lord’s Day – Rev. 1:10 - - - implying that it was well
known what the Lord’s Day was by then – Sunday
The Didache [dated to the early part of the 2nd century] – instructed believers – ‘On the
Lord’s Day come together, break bread, and hold eucharist.’
Lenski: ‘Led by the spirit, the apostles and the church would in perfect Christian liberty
choose a day for divine public worship; but this would not be another law and Sabbath but
only a free expression of their desire . . . . to worship the Lord.’ [Matthew, p. 467]
Led by the Spirit – we recognize certain truths:
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1)
2)
3)
4)
We need the spiritual renewal and refreshment gained from setting aside time for God
We need the regular teaching of God’s Word
The church has selected Sunday to be a day for regular worship
Regular gatherings of the church are clearly taught in Scripture – and to forsake such
assemblies is to be disobedient to Scripture
5) Our lives should reflect wisdom and due weight given to spiritual priorities – and to God
Himself
Let’s return to Jesus and the Pharisees
What the Pharisees / Rabbis did with all their additions to the Sabbath - - - was – they made
it more of a burden to bear - - - than a blessing to man – that is part of the point of this
incident
A.B. Bruce: ‘their habit, in all things, was to degrade God’s law by framing innumerable
petty rules for its better observance . . . In no case was this miserable micrology carried
greater lengths than in connection with the fourth commandment.’ [The Training of the Twelve, p. 89]
Extra biblical writings like the Talmud stipulated in more detail how to keep the Sabbath
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You shouldn’t walk more than 1,999 paces [about half mile] on the Sabbath Day
You should not stitch a torn piece of clothing - - - except maybe one stitch to get by
You should not carry a burden weighing more than a dried fig!
No insects were to be killed
MacArthur: ‘God instituted the Sabbath to benefit man by giving him a day to rest from his
labors and to be a blessing to him. The Pharisees turned it into a burden and made man a
slave to their myriad of man-made regulations.’
In their view – Jesus and the disciples were Sabbath breakers
Jesus will point to the fact that – not only does He disagree with their interpretation of the
Sabbath - - - but there is another issue relevant to the discussion – e.g. – who Jesus is
He is Lord of the Sabbath – 2:28
If they got Jesus right - - - they would know not to question him
Even so - - - he will give them a biblical defense of their practice - - - going back to the
Jewish hero of the faith – David
II.
Lord Over the Sabbath – vv. 25-28
Jesus now turns to address the objections of the Pharisees
He says they have missed:
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The intent of the Sabbath
The meaning of Scripture
The identity of the Son
He gives them a little jab: ‘Have you never read your Bibles . . .?’
They are like novice politicians challenging James Madison – ‘We don’t think you are
following the constitution.’
Madison replies – ‘I wrote the constitution! – you are greatly mistaken’
Jesus refers to an incident in the life of David – when David was on the run from Saul - - and lacked food for his men [I Samuel 21]
Ahimelech gave him food - - - and was killed by Saul - - - his son Abiathar was one of the
few priests to escape
David and his men were allowed to take the bread from the tabernacle which was usually
given to the priests - - - but out of necessity - - - it went to David on this occasion
Jesus’ argument:
If a hungry / godly king and his men were permitted to eat the holy bread from the tabernacle
[I Sam. 21:1-6] – then it was right for the Son of Man who is Lord over the Sabbath to permit
His disciples to pluck grain on the Sabbath when they are hungry
This goes back to getting Jesus right
Jesus is claiming an authority in matters concerning the Sabbath - - - and essentially claiming
to be God
Keeping the Sabbath is not a command that is an end in and of itself - - Ceremonial rules were not to be observed in such a way as to prohibit the faithful from the
necessities of life or to hinder from doing good deeds or acts of mercy on the Sabbath Day
The Pharisees were out of touch with God’s spiritual priorities – emphasizing externals neglecting internal spirituality
Also - - Before them stood God incarnate - - - they would better honor God by listening to
His Son
He who honors the Son honors the Father who sent the Son
Conclusion
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Gale Sayers once had a track coach who had a little placard sitting on his desk that had a
strange phrase on it: ‘I am third’
Sayers wondered – ‘Why would anyone want to be third?’ - - - so he asked the coach what it
meant.
The coach said that it reminded him about his priorities in life - - - that the Lord is first /
other people 2nd - - - and I am third.’
Sayers adopted that as his life motto as well
Where does God rank in your life?
Is He first?
Is He third?
Do you honor God with your time / talents / resources?
Do you honor Him on Sunday / throughout the week?
Can people look at your life and say, ‘God is first in that person’s life?’
That should be our goal
He died for Me – I want my life to honor Him
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