Topical Bible: The Sabbath: Christ is Lord of

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The concept of the Sabbath is deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition, originating from the creation narrative in Genesis, where God rested on the seventh day after creating the heavens and the earth (Genesis 2:2-3). The Sabbath was later codified in the Ten Commandments as a day of rest and worship, set apart as holy (Exodus 20:8-11). In the New Testament, the understanding and observance of the Sabbath are further illuminated through the teachings and actions of Jesus Christ, who is declared as the Lord of the Sabbath.

Christ's Authority Over the Sabbath

In the Gospels, Jesus' authority over the Sabbath is explicitly stated. In Matthew 12:8, Jesus declares, "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." This assertion is made in the context of a dispute with the Pharisees, who criticized Jesus' disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus responds by highlighting the purpose of the Sabbath and His authority over it, emphasizing mercy over ritualistic observance.

Similarly, in Mark 2:27-28, Jesus teaches, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Here, Jesus underscores the Sabbath's intent as a gift for humanity's benefit, rather than a burdensome legal requirement. His lordship over the Sabbath signifies His authority to interpret and fulfill its true purpose.

Healing on the Sabbath

Jesus' healing activities on the Sabbath further demonstrate His lordship and the intended spirit of the Sabbath. In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus heals a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years. When criticized by the synagogue leader for performing this act on the Sabbath, Jesus responds by highlighting the hypocrisy of allowing animals to be untied and led to water on the Sabbath while denying a daughter of Abraham her healing. This incident illustrates that acts of compassion and mercy align with the Sabbath's purpose.

Another significant healing occurs in John 5:1-18, where Jesus heals a man at the Pool of Bethesda. The Jewish leaders' reaction to this healing on the Sabbath leads to a confrontation, during which Jesus asserts His divine authority, stating, "My Father is working until now, and I am working" (John 5:17). This statement further affirms His divine prerogative to work on the Sabbath, aligning His actions with the ongoing work of God.

Fulfillment of the Sabbath

Christ's lordship over the Sabbath is also seen as a fulfillment of its deeper spiritual significance. In Colossians 2:16-17, the Apostle Paul writes, "Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ." This passage suggests that the Sabbath, along with other ceremonial laws, points to the reality found in Christ. As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus embodies the rest and restoration that the Sabbath symbolizes.

The Sabbath in the Early Church

The early Christian community, recognizing Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week, began to gather on Sundays for worship and fellowship, as seen in Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2. This shift from the traditional Jewish Sabbath to the Lord's Day reflects the early church's understanding of Christ's fulfillment of the Sabbath and His authority over it.

In summary, the New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath, emphasizing His authority to interpret its meaning and purpose. Through His teachings and actions, Jesus reveals the Sabbath as a day for mercy, healing, and spiritual renewal, ultimately pointing to the rest and redemption found in Him.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Mark 2:28
Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christ's Authority Over the Sabbath as Its Lord He Recalled it ...
... Chapter XII."Christ's Authority Over the Sabbath As Its Lord He Recalled It from
Pharisaic Neglect to the Original Purpose of Its Institution by the Creator ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xii christs authority over the.htm

Our Lord Jesus Christ Having Wrought in Jud??a Many and Great and ...
... Our Lord Jesus Christ having wrought in Jud??a many ... Alexander, Syrus, and many others,
speaking against Christ. ... the Scriptures, and does away with the Sabbath. ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 1 our lord jesus.htm

The Pharisees' Sabbath and Christ's
... way of making 'thine ox and thine ass' keep the Sabbath! ... The question waits for no
answer; but Christ goes on ... surely.' But the form in which our Lord put His ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the pharisees sabbath and christs.htm

The Sabbath
... instruction and comfort. Because the Sabbath was made for man, it is the
Lord's day. It belongs to Christ. For "all things were ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 29 the sabbath.htm

Sacred Times --The Lord's Day.
... Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath opposed this mechanical ceremonialism and restored
the true spirit and benevolent aim of the institution. ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 57 sacred timesthe lords.htm

When Christ Ate the Passover.
... A far more difficult question is whether the Lord's paschal feast ... feast; that day
was a legal Sabbath and it ... and aloes to embalm and bury the body of Christ. ...
/.../the new testament commentary vol iii john/when christ ate the passover.htm

Let us Live with Christ.
... [690] And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the
Lord's Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all ...
/.../the epistle of ignatius to the magnesians/chapter ix let us live with.htm

On the Creation of the World
... And let the parasceve become a rigorous fast, lest we should appear to observe any
Sabbath with the Jews, which Christ Himself, the Lord of the Sabbath, says ...
/.../victorinus/on the creation of the world/on the creation of the.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... Origen, who lived about one hundred and eighty years after Christ, shews
the reason why the Sabbath is translated to the Lord's day. ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

The Sabbath
... the phrase which asserts its universal range, and which finds it a large assertion
of the mastery of Christ that He is Lord "even of the Sabbath." But those ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 2 23-28 the sabbath.htm