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2016-11-122022-08-05

The Sabbath in the Traditions of the Elders

Excerpt: The detailed and strict traditions of the elders were developed as a hedge against sin, but Christ described them as “precepts of men” that invalidated the word of God. These traditions eventually served to separate the man from his God, became the basis for self-righteousness, destroyed love for God and for fellow men and represented God as a tyrant.

SUMMARY

The Jews developed many rules as a wall of protection to prevent noncompliance with the Law of Moses. These rules were therefore not merely interpretations of the law, but additions to the law, making the law more severe. For example, the Law forbids using the name of God in vain. Therefore the Jews made the rule that one should not use the name of God at all. They referred to God as “the name”.

These rules were known as the traditions of the elders (Matt 15:2; cf. Mark 7:3-5). The traditions were very important in the Jewish society; regarded as equally important to the Law of Moses. But Christ described the traditions as “precepts of men” (Matt 15:7-9; see also Mark 7:7) that invalidated the word of God (Matt 12; See also Mark 7:3-9).

One secondly needs to appreciate that these rules were very strict. With respect to the Sabbath, anything that even remotely looked like work, was classified as work, and therefore disallowed. A Jew was not even allowed to light a candle on the Sabbath.

These help us to understand the consequences of the traditions. These rules were developed as a hedge against con-compliance with the Law of Moses, but eventually served to separate the Jews from God:

The traditions replaced the Holy Spirit, Who must guide each person individually, with rules.

The traditions became the basis for self-righteousness. The traditions consisted of rules with respect to outward behavior. This serves to shift the focus away from God and to self, entrenching the belief that one is justified by one’s works, leading to self-righteousness.

By focusing on man’s works the traditions destroyed love for God and for fellow men.

This multitude of very strict rules reflected the character of selfish and dominating men and represented God as a tyrant.

By disallowing even pleasurable activities, combined with harsh policing, the traditions turned the best day of the week into the worst day.

Since the church at first consisted only of Jews, the traditions spilled over into the early church. To combat the traditions, which were understood to provide justification by the “works of the Law”, Paul shifted the focus to man’s mind by teaching that man is justified by “faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 2:16).

DISCUSSION

The Jews developed many rules as a wall of protection to prevent non-compliance with the Law of Moses. These rules were therefore not merely interpretations of the law, but additions to the law, making the law more severe. For example, the Law forbids using the name of God in vain. Therefore the Jews made the rule that one should not use the name of God at all. They referred to God as “the name”.

These rules were known as the traditions of the elders.

“…the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders … and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots. “ (Mark 7:3-4)

“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread” (Matthew 15:2; cf. Mark 7:5)

The traditions were very important in the Jewish society; regarded as equally important to the Law of Moses. Paul, for example, progressed rapidly through the ranks of the Jewish religious authorities due to his zeal for the traditions:

“I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions” (Gal 1:14).

But Christ described the traditions as “precepts of men” that invalidated the word of God:

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me, but in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” (Matt 15:7-9; see also Mark 7:7)

3 “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? … 6 … by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. … 9 … in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” (Matthew 12; See also Mark 7:3-7)

“You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9).

To understand why Jesus said this, one firstly needs to appreciate how extremely complex and detailed the traditions were. For instance, with respect to the Sabbath, the Jews added thousands of rules to define “work” at an amazing level of detail. This includes, for instance, lists of the types of knots one is allowed to tie and untie on a Sabbath; the knot of the camel-drivers, the knot of the seamen, knots that can be untied with one hand, a woman may tie the slit of her chemise, the bands of her hood, the bands of her girdle, the straps of her shoes and sandals; also the bands of leather flasks (filled) with wine or oil, and of a pot of meat. One may tie a rope in front of cattle, in order that they may not escape. One may tie a bucket (over the well) with his girdle, but not with a rope. Click here to see more of these rules.

One secondly needs to appreciate that these rules were also very strict. With respect to the Sabbath, anything that even remotely looked like work was classified as work and therefore disallowed. A Jew was not even allowed to light a candle on the Sabbath. One can also illustrate the Pharisees’ extremely strict application of the Sabbath with the incident where Christ’s disciples picked and ate grain while walking through grain fields on the Sabbath:

On a certain Sabbath day, His disciples became hungry. While walking through a grainfield, they were “picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating” (Matt 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-5). Some Pharisees saw this and immediately complained to Jesus: “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”

For us today it is difficult to understand how the Jews could consider the mere picking and eating of grains, while one is walking through a grain field, to be “work”, but this teaches us how harshly the Jews applied the Sabbath law.

The traditions replaced the Holy Spirit with rules. The requirements of the Law of Moses for the Sabbath are simple, namely no work. The Holy Spirit must guide each person individually to understand what work is and what to do when exceptional circumstances require work on the Sabbath. This spiritual connection has been replaced with “precepts of men”.

The traditions became the basis for self-righteousness. The idea that man must earn redemption always leads men to develop rules to force themselves to obey; at least outwardly. The traditions consisted of rules with respect to outward behavior. This serves to shift the focus away from God and to self, entrenching the belief that one is justified by one’s works, leading to self-righteousness. Like the Pharisee prayed, “God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers … I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things–as many as I possess”. This Pharisee went away without being “declared righteous” (Luke 18:11-14).

The traditions destroyed love. The focus on man’s works destroys love for God, and when love for God is destroyed, love for fellow men also disappears, leading men to be critical of one another.

The traditions represented God as a tyrant. This multitude of very strict rules allowed very little space for compassion. Thus the traditions eventually reflected the character of selfish and dominating man, rather than the character of the loving and caring God.

The traditions turned the best day of the week into the worst day. God prohibited work on the Sabbath to make it a joyous day; the best day of the week, providing rest from the toil of human existence. But by disallowing anything that even remotely looks like work, even pleasurable activities such as picking and eating grain, the Jews made it into a boring day of complete inactivity. This, combined with harsh policing by the proud and fearsome religious rulers, made it the worst day of the week. The life-giving power of rest was corrupted into a life-destroying burden; an intolerable burden to which the people were slaves. It was because the traditions turned people into slaves of the Sabbath that Jesus objected by saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

Since the church at first consisted only of Jews, the traditions spilled over into the early church. For instance, Paul instructed Titus not to pay attention to “Jewish myths and commandments of men” (Titus 1:14). To combat the traditions, that focused on external deeds, and the Jewish emphasis on justification by the “works of the Law”, Paul shifted the focus to man’s mind by teaching that man is justified by “faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 2:16). “Faith” knows that we are unable to meet God’s infinite standards, and throws itself at His feet, trusting in His mercy, like the tax collector in Christ’s story, who “was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” (Luke 18:13). “This man went to his house justified” (Luke 18:14).

The traditions were not developed by evil people with ill intent. But it is not human nature to go to one’s knees and ask for the Lord’s guidance. Human nature always asks for rules. Leaders responded to the demand for rules and initially developed simple definitions of work, but over the many centuries, the definitions were extended into more and more detail. This is what humans always do when they are subject to rules from higher authorities; they add more detail, but always make the laws more severe.

Many people still today keep the Sabbath; either on Saturday or on Sunday, but make the same mistake. In their eagerness to ensure that they comply with the law they disallow even pleasurable activities, such as swimming or hiking. The poor children suffer the most. The purpose of the Jewish Sabbath was to be a day of joy. There were some animal sacrifices prescribed for the Sabbath, but it was not prescribed as a day for religious activities. It was a day to cease the hard work of the other days and to rest and enjoy. If it is your view that you must keep the Sabbath, please ensure that you make keep it as the best day of the week for yourself and for your family.

ARTICLES IN THE SERIES ON THE SABBATH

The Sabbath was made for man

EXTRACT: The traditions of the elders were very strict and were applied by the Pharisees without compassion. Thus the Sabbath, which was intended to be the best day of the week, was converted into the worst day of the week.

The Sabbath was made for man. The real needs of people are therefore always more important than the Sabbath.

While the disciples were with Jesus, they were in God’s service for the redemption of sinners, and thus allowed to do work required for that purpose.

By debating with the Pharisees what is allowed on that day, and by saying that “the Sabbath was made for man”, Jesus confirmed the Sabbath as a binding obligation.

Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-5

Overview

One Sabbath Jesus and His disciples walked through a grainfield. His disciples, because they were hungry, started to pick the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating. Some Pharisees saw this and immediately complained to Jesus, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath”.

This is one of five conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees, with respect to the Sabbath, that are recorded in the Bible, and the only one not caused by a healing miracle.

It is difficult to imagine how the Jews could consider the mere picking and eating of grain, while one is walking through a grain field, to be “work,” but this indicates how strict the traditions of the elders were. The purpose of the Sabbath was to provide a reprieve from the everyday toil to enjoy a day of rest. But by disallowing anything that even remotely looks like work; even pleasurable activities such as picking and eating grain, the Sabbath became the opposite of what it was supposed to be. No longer was it the best day of the week, but it became the worst day of the week.

In defense of His disciples, Jesus firstly used the example of David and his men who, when they were hungry, ate the temple bread which only the priests were permitted to eat. By means of this analogy, Christ indicated that the real needs of people are always more important than the Sabbath.

To defend His disciples Christ secondly referred to the priests who “break the Sabbath” by working in the temple but remain without guilt because they did this work in God’s service. Christ then applied this principle to His disciples by saying, “something greater than the temple is here”. He was referring to Himself as “greater than the temple”. By comparing Himself to the temple He was, by implication, saying that the disciples were equivalent to priests serving in the temple. While they were with Him, they were in God’s service for the redemption of sinners, and people are allowed to work on the Sabbath if that work is necessitated by being in God’s service.

Christ thirdly accused the Pharisees of judging without compassion. The first two arguments are two different reasons why His disciples are “innocent” (Matt 12:7), but with this argument, He attacks the Pharisees. Because the Sabbath is intended to allow rest from the hard work, compassion is particularly applicable to the Sabbath, but the hunger which plagued His disciples did not kindle any feeling of tenderness or eagerness to help within the hearts of the Pharisees.

Christ fourthly added the principle that “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath”. He said this because the Jews, through their traditions, made man the servant of the Sabbath. They made Sabbath holiness the goal, and man the means to achieve this. But the Sabbath was created for man’s benefit. The Sabbath is the means and man’s welfare and happiness are the goals. For that reason, human needs are always more important than the Sabbath. To forbid hungry travelers to pick heads of grain is to pervert the Sabbath’s intended purpose.

Christ concluded, “so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath”. The word “so” means that the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28) because “the Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). The title “Son of Man” comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where “One like a Son of Man” receives “everlasting dominion” over “all the peoples, nations and men of every language”. Putting these thoughts together, He is Lord of the Sabbath because He is Lord over man, while the Sabbath is part of man’s existence.

Some find in Christ’s claim, to be the Lord of the Sabbath, a statement to the effect that He will change or abrogate the Sabbath. However, by debating with the Pharisees, on the basis of the Old Testament, what is allowed on the Sabbath, He confirmed that it is a binding obligation. He was here defending His disciples who were accused of breaking the Sabbath. This would have been an ideal opportunity to say that the Sabbath was or will be abrogated or changed soon. But He gave no such indication. On the contrary, His statement that “the Sabbath was made for man” implies that the Sabbath will remain for as long as man exists.

In conclusion, His arguments can be divided into two principles. The reference to David and His men, His demand for compassion and His statement that “the Sabbath was made for man” can be combined into a single observation, namely that the Sabbath exists for man’s benefit and must serve man’s needs.

This principle applies in all circumstances, but His other principle is specific to the unique circumstances of the incident, namely that the “Lord of the Sabbath”, who is “greater than the temple”, “is here”. His presence transformed His disciples into the equivalent of “priests in the temple“, who are allowed to work on the Sabbath. The principle is that work in God’s service, which is work for man’s redemption, is allowed on the Sabbath.

Somebody else’s grain

To walk through somebody else’s grain field and eat the grain was an accepted practice in Jewish society. The Law expressly laid it down that the hungry traveler was entitled to do that, on condition that he only uses his hands and not a sickle (Deut 23:24-25; cf. Lev 19:9; 23:22; Ruth 2; cf. Mishnah Peah 8, 7). But to do this on the Sabbath was interpreted by the traditions to be an act of desecration. Not only was picking the heads of grain regarded as reaping but the rubbing of it in the hands was regarded as threshing.

Christ’s Responses

Jesus responded with four or perhaps five statements. All four statements are provided by Matthew 12, but only the first and the last by Mark 2 and Luke 6. However, the fourth statement is given more fully in Mark 2 than in the other two gospels:

“Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; how he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?”

“Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.”

“But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”

“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Harsh Traditions

As stated above, the Sabbath was created to be the best day of the week, but the extremely harsh traditions, combined with the strict policing by the proud and terrifying religious rulers, made it the worst day of the week.

To Do Good

In the healing Sabbath controversies, Christ argued that “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath”. “To do good” implies doing something for somebody else. In the current instance, since the disciples were picking grains for themselves, He did not use this justification.

David and His Men

In response, Jesus firstly used the example of David and his men who, when they were hungry, ate the temple bread which only the priests were permitted to eat (Matt 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3-4). This example presents us with an order of priority: easing the hunger of David and his men, in their hour of crisis, was more important than the prescripts with respect to the showbread. By implication, Christ was saying that to ease the hunger of the disciples was more important than the Sabbath. Generally stated, the real needs of people are always more important than the Sabbath.

Priests in the Temple

Christ secondly referred to the priests who “break the Sabbath” by working in the temple but remain without guilt because they did this work in God’s service (Matt 12:5-6). For instance, the priests baked bread (Exo 16:23; 1 Sam 21:3-6) to replace the week-old bread of the presence (Lev 24:8; 1 Chron 9:32) and performed many other tasks related to the maintenance of the temple and sacrificial system. The same labor in a secular context would not be allowed on the Sabbath. The principle is that work is allowed on the Sabbath if that work is done in God’s service of redemption; to provide forgiveness and salvation to sinners.

Christ applied this principle to His disciples by saying, “something greater than the temple is here” (Matt 12:6). He was referring to Himself as “greater than the temple” (compare Matt 12:41, 42). The temple and its services were mere symbols of Christ and His mission. By comparing Himself to the temple He was, by implication, saying that the disciples were equivalent to priests serving in the temple. While they were with Him, they were in God’s service for the redemption of sinners, and people are allowed to work on the Sabbath if that work is necessitated by being in God’s service!

This principle must be distinguished from the argument which Jesus used to justify His Sabbath healing miracles in the gospel of John, where He said that, by healing on the Sabbath, He is doing the work of the Father. Healing is directly doing God’s work to redeem and restore men. The picking of grain was not directly doing God’s work, but doing other work done while in God’s service.

Compassion

Christ thirdly said:

“But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.” (Matt 12:7)

Christ here quotes from the prophet Hosea, who rebukes his people for “seeking the Lord . . . with their flocks and herds” (Hosea 5:6) as if God could be appeased by the many and costly sacrifices (cf. 1 Sam 15:22), stating that compassion is more important than sacrifices.

With this quote, Christ accused the Pharisees of judging without compassion. The first two arguments are two different reasons why His disciples are “innocent” (Matt 12:7), but with this argument, He attacked the Pharisees.

Compassion can be defined as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others; a feeling of sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

Because the Sabbath is intended to allow rest from the hard work, compassion is particularly applicable to the Sabbath, but the hunger which plagued His disciples did not kindle any feeling of tenderness or eagerness to help within the hearts of the Pharisees. Instead, they were quick to condemn the disciples. As Jesus said at another time:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Matt 23:23).

To pretend to speak for God and then to judge people harshly is a horrible sin because it misrepresents God as cruel and harsh, and what sin could be worse? It drives people away from God and away from the Truth. Let us rather mimic the One that said to the woman caught in adultery:

“I do not condemn you, either” (John 8:11).

Let us also judge people with compassion. Christ also said: “in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matt 7:2). Do you want to be judged the way that you judge other people?

The Sabbath was made for Man

Christ fourthly added this principle:

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27).

Christ here referred to the creation account, where it is stated that the Sabbath was created to be a blessing (Gen 2:3); in other words, for man’s benefit. “The Sabbath was made” by God by resting on the seventh day and then by blessing and sanctifying the day. God was not tired after six days of work. He did not have to rest. He rested to set an example to man. The Sabbath is not merely a reminder that God rested on the seventh day; God rested to create the seventh day.

The Jewish traditions made man the servant of the Sabbath. It made Sabbath holiness the goal, and man had to ensure this. But the Sabbath was created for man’s benefit; for his welfare and happiness. Therefore human needs are more important than the Sabbath. Wearisome rules with respect to how the Sabbath is to be observed, defeats it purpose.

Compassion is a fundamental principle of God’s kingdom, but the principle that “the Sabbath was made for man” provides particular support for Christ’s demand for compassion for the sufferings or misfortunes of others when judging people with respect to what they do in the Sabbath.

Lord of the Sabbath

Christ concluded:

“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28; Matt 12:8; Luke 6:5).

Why did Christ find it necessary to say that He is “Lord even of the Sabbath”?

Some propose that He said it to indicate that He will change or abrogate the Sabbath, but there is no indication of this in the text. To the contrary, His statement that “the Sabbath was made for man” implies that the Sabbath will remain for as long as man exists.

It is proposed here that He did not say that He is “Lord even of the Sabbath” to say something about the Sabbath, but to say something about Himself. In the same context He also said that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). that “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father” (Matt 11:27) and that He is “greater than the temple”, “greater than Jonah” and “greater than Solomon” (Matt 12:6, 41, 42). And frequently He identified Himself as the “Son of man”. This identifies Him as the “One like a Son of Man” who will receive “everlasting dominion” over “all the peoples, nations and men of every language” (Daniel 7:13-14).

Conclusion

In conclusion His arguments can be divided into two principles. The reference to David and His men, His demand for compassion and His statement that “the Sabbath was made for man” can be combined into a single principle, namely that the Sabbath exists for man’s benefit and must serve man’s needs.

This principle applies in all circumstances, but His other argument is specific to the unique circumstances of the incident, namely that the “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matt 12:8; Luke 6:5), who is “greater than the temple”, “is here” (Matt 12:6). His presence transformed His disciples into the equivalent of “priests in the temple“, who are allowed to work on the Sabbath (Matt 12:5). The principle is that work while in God’s service, for man’s redemption, is allowed on the Sabbath.

ARTICLES IN THE SERIES ON THE SABBATH

THE SABBATH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

– Blessed and Sanctified at Creation
– The Evolution theory makes the Bible null and void.
– The Sabbath before the time of Moses
– In the Ten Commandments
– In the Traditions of the Elders

CHRIST’S SABBATH HEALING MIRACLES

CHRIST’S TEACHINGS ON THE SABBATH

SABBATH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS

– The Sabbath is not repeated in the New Testament.
– Romans 14:5-6 – Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.

ARTICLE SERIES

Sabbath – List of articles
Jesus is not God, but He is God.
Daniel 9 – Overview of the four major interpretations
Seven Seal of Revelation – Verse by verse summary
General Table of Contents