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Mark 3:4
"Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" The Sabbath is the most repeated ordinance in the Scriptures. Like the wearing a wedding ring informs people that we belong to someone, Sabbath observance informs our entourage that we belong to El-Shaddai. From a simple mental cognition to a strict and severe application, people have a wide array of ideas on how the Sabbath should be observed. All the aspects of the spectrum of Sabbath application are covered, sometimes even at the cost of division between family and friends. The question we need to ask ourselves is: how did Yeshua observe the Sabbath? We are told that the evening the Master’s death was a Sabbath so his disciples went to rest according to the commandments (Luke 23:56). What Yeshua taught his disciples was a healthy respect of the Sabbath and there is nothing in the Scriptures to tell us that He broke it. Remember, Yeshua was without sin, and sin is the breaking of the Torah (Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:4). What Yeshua did was argue with what was a harsh and burdensome application of not only the Sabbath but of the whole Torah, He Himself said ‘ My yoke is easy’ (Matthew 11:30). In Torah talk, the 'yoke' the Master referred to was the yoke of Torah application in our lives. What Yeshua was in fact saying is that His type of Torah application was easy and light not hard and oppressive, which included His application of the Sabbath. For example: for farmers, a donkey was a precious commodity in Israel so it was agreed by the religious leaders of the day that if on the Sabbath a donkey fell in a well, its masters could rescue it even though it broke some Sabbath prohibitions. Yeshua then went on to argue that the life of a man was much more precious than that of a donkey, so if it is permissible to rescue a donkey on the Sabbath, it should certainly be permissible to heal a whole man on the Sabbath day. Yeshua was not creating a new law and application but He certainly was arguing from within the contents of the Jewish law of His day. Yeshua tried in fact to teach us that not only the saving of a life was acceptable on the Sabbath, but also the alleviating of human suffering, which is what eventually became a doctrinal point of disagreement between Him and some of the more rigid religious folks of His day. The examples of Yeshua’s handling of the Sabbath should give us a good idea of what is biblically permissible on the Sabbath. When He asked them the rhetorical question, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill? (Mark 3:4)", Yeshua in fact reminded His audience that by their own teachings it was alright to do good on the Sabbath Day. May we remember this principle and learn to make our Sabbath observances a blessing to us, and to those around us.
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Matthew 12:8 “For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." In His encounters with the religious body of Israel, the Master often discussed the details of Torah observances and most especially those concerning the Sabbath. It is the common understanding of Christians to assume that Yeshua broke the Sabbath because as they say 'He annulled the Instructions God gave at Sinai'. The problem with that is that not only it flies in the face of His own teaching which says that, “whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments (The Torah) and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19), but it also contradict God’s injunction that anyone who breaks the Torah not only cannot be the Messiah but is also a false prophet (Deuteronomy 18). Christian Sabbaterians also argue that Yeshua did not break the Sabbath, only the traditions of the scribes and the Pharisees, but that doesn't make sense either since the Master’s justification for His actions came from the same set of mishnaic oral tradition teachings the scribes and the Pharisees used. The verse, For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:8) sheds some light on the situation. Yeshua often referred to Himself using the expression ‘Son of Man’ (Daniel 7:13). A problem with that is that ‘son of man’, in Hebrew, ‘ben-adam’ also means ‘human being’ in general. In our text Yeshua seems to use the expression in a very general way. As a recognized Rabbi with disciples, it was perfectly legal for Yeshua to establish rulings on Sabbath observance. Even today in Judaism religious leaders differ in their opinions of details of commandment applications and people are free to follow their favorite rabbi. The problem was that a few certain Rabbis (not all, as many honored Yeshua as in the case of Nicodemus) simply did not agree with Yeshua. The situation was very irritating for Yeshua’s doctrinal opponents, but they could not do anything against Him because even His justifications came from the teachings of the Talmud. What the Master taught was simple. Even though it was already understood that any issues regarding life and death superseded Torah commandments, even the Talmud agrees that it is right to do good on the Sabbath, ‘good’ in the Yeshua's teaching also meant to alleviate human suffering such as hunger and pain provoked by disease. What we have here is typical religious legal debate. The Apostolic texts tell us that Yeshua is ‘the brightness of His (Hashem’s) glory, and the express image of His (God’s) person (Hebrews 1:3).). What Yeshua teaches us through these encounters is that the Father in Heaven is full of mercy and compassion for His children (Exodus 34:6-7) and that the form of obedience He requires from us is not hard, rigid, and cold, but leaves room for what the Scriptures call the ‘weightier matters’ (more important) and elements of the Torah which are, ‘justice and mercy’ (Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 23:23). As Yeshua perfectly emulated the Father so we could know His love, compassion, and mercy, may we also perfectly emulate Yeshua that the world around us may know the Father‘s love, compassion, and mercy. <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thelumb-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1609574273&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> Romans 11:12, 18
Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!? Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. “You find that as long as Sarah lived, a cloud hung over her tent … her doors were wide open … there was a blessing on her dough, and the lamp used to burn from the evening of the Sabbath until the evening of the following Sabbath …" In this scrap of tradition, Sarah’s tent is homiletically compared to Jerusalem typified by the Temple. The cloud is symbolic of the Shekinah of God’s presence, the doors of the temple being wide opened is an invitation to the world to the house of prayer (as Yeshua called it); the blessed dough is the showbread which miraculously never spoiled, and the lamp is the seven-branches candelabrum which burned continuously in the Holy Place. In the Book of Galatians Paul builds on this illustration. Using the concept that Judaism views Sarah as the great matriarch he says, But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Then, using Isaiah’s allegory and adding the fact that that Sarah was barren (not Hagar) He quotes, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! Though Paul doesn’t quote it, the rest of the oracle says, Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:1-2; Galatians 4:26).This is an illustration that Jerusalem, (the center of Jewish religion) is one day to open its doors to all nations. The next chapter of Isaiah goes on to call all nations to drink and be fed from the fountain of Jerusalem (Isaiah 55; Zechariah 14:16). Referring to modern history, I now will build on this concept. In their impatience while waiting on God to fulfill the messianic promise of the birth of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah brought Hagar into the picture. As Hagar bore fruit she despised and boasted against Sarah who was still barren and dry. In His own time, Hashem miraculously caused Sarah to bear the fruit of the messianic promise. In the end, though blessed by God because of beloved Abraham, Hagar paid for her attitude having to leave Sarah’s presence. For 2,000 years while waiting for the 19th century when Jerusalem would miraculously birth the present-day world-wide Messianic movement, the nations of the world, who did bear fruit unto Yeshua have done so while ‘boasting’ against the ‘natural branches’ in a doctrine called ‘Replacement Theology’, and even subjecting these ‘natural branches’ to horrible persecutions (or were silent in the face of it). Will the nations suffer the same fate as Hagar? The Text tells us that not, but that in the end Jerusalem will return to its rightful original owners, and that the nations will come and serve and worship God in Jerusalem, bringing in their glory (Isaiah 66; Haggai 2:7). For what it’s worth, there is an ancient Jewish teaching which suggests that Keturah, Abraham’s second wife after Sarah died, is actually Hagar returned (Genesis 25:1-6). Hebrews 11:13-16
These … having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. … seeking a homeland. … desire a better country ... Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. The generation in the desert refused to enter the Promised Land. The writer of Hebrews compares entrance to the Promised Land to the time of Shabbat Rest of the World to Come, but the generation who lived under the bounty of God's welfare system for some time now it may have felt different about it. They were going to have to fight to inherit the Land, fight and protect their borders. The manna would cease falling, and they would now have to start landscaping, seeding, planting, irrigating, all to sustain themselves. They were also going to have to build houses, establish a government, continue train their army …Doesn't sound like much rest to me. The Rest spoken of in Hebrews is not from activity, but the rest of being home. When you are home you may still have to 'work', but you are home. You have the right to lock your door and enjoy privacy, to eat and live the way you want to. In essence, home is where you have the freedom to serve your God the way He desires it. In that respect we are, as the writer of Hebrews also said, strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13). As the Children of Israel did in the desert, we in this age receive a foretaste of the bounties of the World to Come through the daily provisions He allows us to partake of. We also learn to live by the legislative Constitution of the future Kingdom which is the Torah. The Day comes when we will 'cross the Jordan' into that Promised Land of the Kingdom of God established 'on earth as it is in heaven'. We will then finally be 'home' eating the grapes of our own vine seating under our own fig tree in a place when none shall make us afraid anymore (Micah 4:4). "So, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness Hebrews 3:7-8 quoting psalms 95: 7-8 which read at the welcoming of the Shabbat). Jewish sages use the word 'Today' to refer to the Shabbat. In a sense the Shabbat is a glimpse of the 'World to Come'. Why one would refuse to enter the Shabbat of the World to Come? At the welcoming of the Shabbat we have to consciously stop our feverish personal activities in order to focus our attention on the awesome moment. We have to change gears; what is not done is not done; game over, it's 'half-time', and some find it difficult. Maybe also like in the case of The Children of Israel there is a sense of loss and fear, the loss of the comfort of the familiar lifestyle mixed with fear and apprehension of entering unto the new. May we learn today to live under the rules and principles of the World to Come so that it will not feel so strange to us when its righteousness covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. May it be soon Abba, even in our days! Hebrews 11: 23-27
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Messiah greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people … (Exodus 2:11). '. We are not born 'there'. We get 'there' by starting where we are. In essence, we all have to 'grow up' in order to get to the divinely ordained place we are meant to occupy, to that perfect place the Father created for us to gravitate to. To get 'there' is the compounding result of many of life's decisions, and sad to say, the reason why many don't get 'there' is wrong decisions. It is in old age or on the death bed that that realization suddenly strike. Moses followed the exact pattern the Father imposed on the patriarchs. Abraham went through it, Isaac also, and I like to compare Jacob's 'School of Laban' to the proverbial 'School of hard knocks'. They, and we, all had to experience a time of spiritual, if not physical Diaspora spending time in a place away from the perfect will of God in our lives. Diaspora probably helps us appreciate the "Promised Land' of His perfect will when it comes! It takes us a long time before we find that perfect place. We spend it in diverse groups and fellowships. Most of the time, we don't grow into it until our 50's (Proverbs 4:18). In this age, in this world, we are all in Diaspora from the Kingdom of God. We have been away from our spiritual home since Adam and Eve. We get glimpses of it when we study Torah, fellowship with brethren, pray, and praise the Father of us all. One day as the Children of Israel did, we will have 'grown up'. We will then enter the Promised Land of the Kingdom of God. Come to think of it, it is Friday today. Tonight we welcome the Sabbath which is a little bit of the Kingdom of God on earth, a foreshadow of the World to Come. We all spend the week in Sabbath Diaspora, but oh wonder of wonders, it always comes back, and when it does, what a joy! |
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