For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him. And He said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Matthew, Chapter 12, verses 8-12.
This was of special interest to me. I had read in several different sections in the Bible that we aren’t to do work on the Sabbath. This isn’t something my particular church promotes, but it’s written in the Bible in so many places that I figured God wants people to pay attention to it. I don’t really think it matters to God whether people choose Saturday or Sunday to worship Him, as long as we choose one of the days to abstain from work while focusing on Him and relaxing. My impression is that God realized some people are workaholics and need some down time. If people worked on the Sabbath and didn’t have a family day to relax and worship together, each family member might be likely to go off in a different direction.
I had a dilemma a few years ago that relates to this passage. When I went to visit my elderly grandparents after church, I wanted to do household jobs that they couldn’t do but didn’t want to go against the Bible by working on the Sabbath. This passage solved that dilemma, because Jesus said that it was alright to help someone on the Sabbath. After realizing this, I was able to help my grandparents and not feel like I was compromising my beliefs.
Sometimes the related passages that I list below the main entry refer to the same general topic. Other times the related passages that are below the main entry sound almost identical. I feel it’s important for the reader to see these even though they may sound redundant. Many of the disciples were with Jesus and got an opportunity to see and experience some of the same things. They shared these observations from their perspective as God led them to write portions of the Bible. Although these accounts may differ somewhat in wording, they are especially significant because they show that Jesus really did exist and is not a figment of someone’s imagination.
Here are some related passages:
*And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that He entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them. I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, He said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called Him His disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles. Luke, Chapter 6, verses 6-13.
*And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. Luke, Chapter 13, verses 14-17.
*And behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? And they held their peace. And He took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer Him again to these things. Luke, Chapter 14, verses 2-6.
*If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the Mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah, Chapter 58, verses 13-14.
Because this an example of how I’ve applied these Bible passages to my life, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passages.
