It is often reported that the Sabbath was not kept by New Testament Christians. Not only was the seventh-day Sabbath observed by Jesus’ disciples, but declared Sabbaths of the Feasts were kept as well. The most important event in the timeline of mankind, the death of Jesus, did not stop the women who wanted to care for his body from keeping the Sabbath Commandment. Read it.
However, the fear of judgment for Sabbath violations led the religious leaders to “add to the law.” Jesus corrected their theology, “But if ye had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.”
Keeping the Law (10 commandments) opened the door of communication between God and man.
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Chapter 17. JESUS REPLIES TO THE PHARISEES CONCERNING KEEPING THE SABBATH (Part 1)
ON A SABBATH day Jesus and his disciples went through a grainfield. They were hungry; so the disciples plucked grain and began to eat. When the Pharisees saw this, they said:
“Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.”
Jesus replied:
“Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him: how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the unleavened bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you that in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth: ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,’ ye would not have condemned the guiltless. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”
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Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5