Christ and the Sabbath

The Sabbath was not observed before the Sinai Covenant was established between God and the Jewish people in the days of Moses. The Sabbath itself is a memorial and sign of the old covenant. (Exod. 21:13) All work was prohibited on the Sabbath, even lighting a fire was considered a violation of the holy day. (Exod. 34:21; 35:3) Moses records that a man who dared to gather sticks on the Sabbath was put to death for his crime. (Num. 15:32-36)

The Lord specifically commanded, “the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work.” (Deut. 5:14) But when accused of breaking the Sabbath, far from denying that he was working, Christ stated, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” (Joh. 5:17) God is always working, sustaining natural laws, and the existence of all physical things external to himself. (Rom. 11:36, et al) It could never be said that God rests absolutely. Therefore, even when Moses says that God rested on the seventh day, he means only that the Lord ceased from the particular work of creating the physical world—God was still active in other ways. Hence, Christ can properly say that God his Father has been working down the present moment. It is impossible to pretend that Christ was not actually working on the Sabbath when he himself claims to have been working on the Sabbath. The Evangelist gives his own commentary on the situation,

John 5:18: For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

This is the commentary of John himself on the situation. Christ was “breaking the Sabbath,” and claiming an equality with God. The following passages go on to explain that Christ has the authority to do whatever God does, “for whatever the Father does, the Son does in like manner.” (Joh. 5:19-30) He has been entrusted with “all things,” and “can do nothing of himself.” (Joh. 3:35; 5:19, 30) This is a functional equality. The Son is equal with the Father because he is granted authority as his agent and entrusted with stewardship of the cosmos. As such, he does not need to observe the Sabbath. Philo of Alexandria, inspired by the LXX rendering of Exod. 20:11, “and rested in the seventh day,” to signify that God had been working for at least part of this day creating corporeal creatures, and after resting from creating physical creatures he “began the forming of other and more divine beings.” (De. All. 1.2.5.)

John the Baptist was foretold in Malachi 3:1-7 which speaks of the “messenger of the covenant” who will prepare the way of the Messiah. (Matt. 11:11-13) John was the messenger of a new covenant and a new law which would replace the old covenant. For this reason Luke 16:16 says “the law and the prophets were until John.” Christ was under no obligation to keep the entirety of the old law because he was bringing a new covenant and a new law code. The law of Messiah is to be observed by Christians, not the former law of Moses, these are two distinct law codes and Christians are not bound to the older. The two different laws are directly contrasted by the apostle Paul,

“To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.” (1 Cor. 9:20, 21)

For diplomatic purposes, Paul would observe the ceremonial aspects of the law, as he says, “that I might win Jews,” but not because he was bound to keep the Torah. The apostle directly says “though not being myself under the law,” but he is not lawless, he is under a new law, “the law of Christ.” With the advent of a new covenant there is naturally also a new law. The ceremonial aspects of the old covenant have vanished, but the moral prohibitions are the same or even made more strict under the new covenant. There are higher standards for divorce and remarriage. (Matt. 19:3-10) The Mosaic law commanded vows which invoke the name of God. (Exod. 22:10-11) Christ abrogates this command and outlaws such vows. (Matt. 5.33-36 compare Jas. 5:12) Now, every “yes” and “no” was to be treated with as much seriousness as a vow before God himself. To replace the old ceremonial law, Christ himself established a new law, “the law of Messiah.” (1 Cor. 9:19-23; Gal. 6:2) Of which, he himself is the High priest, after the order of Melchizedek, not after the order of Aaron. (Heb. 3:1; 7:17) The Baptist was the last prophet of Torah according to Luke 16:16 compare Mat 11:13, et al.

From Torah to Gospel

The law covenant teaches a different system of salvation than the Gospel. The law does not teach justification by faith, nor does the law covenant make any provision for such an arrangement. Hence, Paul says, “the law is not of faith.” (Gal. 3:12) Justification by works, not by faith, was demanded in the law covenant, but since every man sinned, hence no one could attain the life promised in the Mosaic covenant.

"Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” [Hab. 2:4] The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” [Lev. 18:5] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a stake [Deut. 21:23].” (Galatians 3:11-13)

Paul himself is interpreting Leviticus 18:5 to be a different system of salvation than justification by faith, the law covenant demands a justification by works. Other passages besides Lev. 18:5 promise "life" for strict obedience to the mitzvot. (Deut. 4:1; 5:33; Exod. 20:11, et al) In other words, it is a covenant of works. But no man has kept the commands of the Torah perfectly, every man has sinned, therefore, the Sinai covenant “brings forth children to be slaves,” slaves of sin and thereby of death. (Gal. 4:24-31)

“"I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.” (Romans 7:10)

This is the paradox of the law covenant, it promises life on condition of obedience, and yet no man is able to be perfectly obedient because he has fallen. And yes, the law covenant was promising eternal life, not just temporary life in Canaan. When it mentioned “life” in Lev. 18:5 it meant the life of the age to come, we know because this is the interpretation of the prophet David,

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." (Psalm 133:1-3)

The Lord commanded at Sinai the blessing of eternal life. Need more be said? The references to the unity of the Jewish people and to Aaron himself make clear that he is describing the events of Exodus chapters 19 and 20, when the Jewish people were freed from captivity, national unity was restored, and the Aaronic priesthood was first inaugurated. The law covenant promised eternal life on condition of obedience to the mitzvot, this is entirely opposite to the gospel of the kingdom, which promises eternal life on the basis of faith, not of works. (Joh. 3:16; Rom. 4:3; Eph. 2:6-8, et al) Justification by faith was a feature of the Abrahamic covenant which finds fulfillment in the new covenant—it was not a feature of the law covenant. The law covenant had no permanent utility. 

I have collected some examples of Christ abolishing the Torah or disregarding certain specific commands it contains. My sincere thanks to Carlos Xavier, who also compiled such a list, for some of these examples and for the idea of compiling such a list.

Reviling Judges, Scribes, and Priests

a. The Mosaic law commands “You shall not revile the gods [i.e. judges], nor curse a ruler of your people." (Exod. 22:28)

b. Christ often criticized, insulted, and pronounced curses on the judges, scribes, and priests of his day—even proclaiming their damnation. (Matt. 5:20; 23:33-34; Mk. 3:22-30; Joh. 9:41) He called them a "Brood of vipers," "sons of the Devil," and likened them to filthy tombs filled with rotting corpses. (Joh. 8:44; 12:34)

Adultery Punishment

a. The Mosaic law demanded death for adulterers and fornicators. (Deut. 22:22)

b. Christ spared the life of an adulteress. (Joh. 8:1-12) She was guilty because Christ does not protest her innocence, and instead says to her “do not sin again,” implying that she had indeed sinned and ought to avoid this sin in the future. (Joh. 8:11)

Touching the Sick and Leprous

a. The Mosaic law prohibits touching the infectiously sick and leprous. (Lev. 5:3; 13:43-45, et al)

b. Jesus touches the sick and leprous thereby healing them. (Mk. 14.3; Luke 8.43-48; 13:10-17) Note that these narratives do not say they were healed before Christ touched them.

Touching the Dead

a. The law of Moses prohibits touching the dead. (Num. 5:2; 9:14, et al)

b. Jesus and the apostles touched the dead when resurrecting them. (Mk. 5:39-41; Acts 20:7-10, et al)

Food Laws

a. The Mosaic law prohibits eating certain foods. (Lev. 11:3-47, et al)

b. Jesus “declared all foods clean (καθαρίζον).” (Mk. 7.19) This term signifies that which is ceremonially clean in contrast to that which is ceremonially unclean. This distinction is made in the LXX of Lev. 10:10, τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καὶ τῶν καθαρῶν, “the unclean and the clean.” (compare Lk. 11:40) The apostles likewise taught that the food laws were abrogated. (Rom. 14:2-4, 23; Acts 10:12-15; Col. 2:16, 21, 22, et al)

Fasting on Yom Kippur

a. The Mosaic law commands fasting on Yom Kippur. (Lev 16:29; 23:27; Num. 29:7) It is to be a day of "self denial," or "affliction of the Soul," ענה נֶפֶשׁ, a phrase which denotes abstaining from food, as is evident from the Targums and ancient Jewish writers. The same language denotes abstaining from food in Psa. 35:13 and Isaiah 58:3-5.

b. Christ told his disciples they would not practice fasting until after his ascension. (Mk. 2:18-22; Matt. 9:14-17)

Working on the Sabbath

a. The Mosaic law prohibited working whatsoever on the Sabbath, which was to be a day of rest. Working is the opposite of resting. (Deut. 5.13-15; Num. 15.32-36)

b. Christ himself says that he was “working” on the Sabbath. (Joh. 5:17) The author of the Gospel, John himself, comments on the situation and says that Christ was “breaking the Sabbath and making himself equal with God.” (Joh. 5:18) The Evangelists' own commentary shows that Christ was indeed “breaking the Sabbath.” Jesus also broke the Sabbath on several other occasions where he appealed to priests who “broke the sabbath,” and King David who “did what was not lawful,” while remaining guiltless. (Matt. 12.1-14; compare Mk. 2:23-28; 3:1-6; Lk. 14:1-5; Joh. 7:23; 9:14)

Temple Tax

a. The Mosaic law demands that the Jews ought to pay the temple tax. (Exod. 30:13; 38:26)

b. The apostles are asked whether Christ demanded payment of the temple tax, and they say 

"Yes, he does." (Matt. 17:24, 25) However, Christ himself replies, that the children of Israel "are free" from paying the temple tax. (Matt. 17:26) They, however, are to pay it solely to avoid offending the Jews. (Matt. 17:27)

Divorce

a. God permitted a man to divorce his wife if “she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her.” (Deut. 24:1-4)

b. Our Lord directly prohibits this practice and says that men can only divorce their wives on the grounds of “fornication.” (Matt. 19:1-9) The apostles recognize that Jesus has established a more strict requirement for divorce than Moses, and complain that it would no longer be advisable to marry. (Matt. 19:10)

The Messianic Temple and the Torah

The sacrifices and ceremonies described have no parallel anywhere in the Torah or the festival's of dedication. It is said that Rabbi Hananiah ben Hezekiah used up three hundred barrels of oil in lamps attempting to harmonize the contradictions between Ezekiel and the Torah. (Sabbath 13b)

1. The Levitical and Aaronic priesthood are combined in Ezekiel. “The sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi.” (Ezek. 40:46; 44:15) Zadok was the Aaronic high priest during the days of Solomon. 

2.  Ezekiel makes no mention of any Aaronic high priest whatsoever, he speaks only of the Messianic Prince who leads worship and sacrifice with his under-priests. (Ezek. 34:24; 37:25; 44:3; 45:7-9; 46:2-18; 48:21, 22) The functions once carried out by the Aaronic high priest are now being done by the Prince. This is entirely contrary to the Torah which makes no provision for the King of Israel to replace the son of Aaron in his office. 

3.  “And on the day of the new moon, a young bull without blemish; and six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish.” (Ezekiel 46:6) But the Torah commands different offerings to be presented on the new moon. (Num. 28:11) Ezekiel speaks of the offering of a single bull and six lambs, but the Torah speaks of “two young bulls,” and seven lambs. 

4. Numbers 18:23 “But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.” But in Ezekiel 48:12-14 it is prophesied that the tribe of Levi will have its own land inheritance. “And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites. And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the Lord.” This is not like the holy communal cities that the Levites had in the days of David. This is a specific land inheritance which will be used for residence and farming. 

5. In the Torah, the priests who are sons of Aaron are given strict laws concerning marriage, Leviticus 21:7 says “They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.” It is further specified in Verses 13 and 14 that he can only Marry an Israelitess of his own people, not a foreign woman. But these laws of marriage are changed in Ezekiel 44:22 “Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.”

6. The festival of unleavened bread begins on the day of Preparation in Ezekiel 45:21 rather than on the fifteenth day, as in Leviticus 23:5-7.

Questions for Judaizers

 

There simply is no way to consistently read the Bible without noticing at least a twofold distinction between the moral and ceremonial laws of God. Even the Rabbinic Jews make a distinction between the intuitive moral commands (mishpatim) and the obscure ceremonial customs of the nation (hukkim). It is self-evident and intuitive that things like murder and adultery are wrong. But commands about mixed fabrics, the sabbaths, and the feasts are clearly of a different nature. The ceremonial commandments cannot be known from conscience, and could only be known through direct revelation, so Paul speaks of a law of the letter and a law of the spirit. (2 Cor. 3:1-6; Rom. 7:6) The moral laws are written upon the conscience and can be known apart from direct revelation, as St. Paul says, so that even Gentiles, who do not know the written Scriptures do things of the moral law.

“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.” (Rom. 2:14, 15)

The work of which law is written in their hearts? The entire Mosaic law? Obviously not because every nation prohibits murder in some form, but they do not all have laws prohibiting mixed fabrics, working on sabbaths, mandating passover, etc. In general, you will find that Judaizers will ignore this distinction and fantasize that the entire law of Moses, all of the mitzvot, are necessary and absolute moral injunctions which could never be abolished. To expose this inconsistency, I have found the following questions to be useful.

1. Why did God have different ceremonial requirements before the Sinai covenant? There was no tabernacle, no, Aaronic priesthood, no, Levites, Northeast, different holy days, etc.

2. Why will there be different ceremonial requirements in the Millennial Kingdom? (Ezek. 40-48; Mal. 1:11, et al)

3. Why did the patriarchs break the Torah? And why did God fail to get angry with them for doing so?

4. If all men, at all times, and places are under obligation to keep the entire Torah, why did God wait until Moses to reveal it?

5. If there is no distinction between the moral and the ceremonial law, then why are people unable to sense with their consciences that they ought to be resting on the Sabbath? Every man should have a guilty conscience for working on the weekend just like he would over stealing, murder, adulter, etc.

6. The apostles directly say that the ceremonial features of the law, such as the sabbaths, holy days, feasts, etc. were all types and shadows of Christ. Is it better to observe the shadow or the fulfillment? (Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 8:5; 10:1)

7. Compared to whatever convoluted mental gymnastics you may give to get around the implications of these questions—isn’t it simpler just to say that the law covenant was abolished just like Paul repeatedly says?

8. What utility do the sacrifices of the law covenant currently have? If they have a utility that the cross does not, then the cross is not a “better sacrifice.” (Heb. 9:23-26)