Septem ber 1943
and man under the curse with man redeemed from the curse (cf. Gal. 3:10; Jas. 2:10). Connected with both the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, and the Lord’s day, the first-day of the week, are certain abiding principles. Each is a day set apart from other days, each is distinctive and holy, and each belongs to a people whose ordinary affairs are set-aside for that day. II. ' T h e P rom ise w it h t h e S a b b a th . (Isa. 58:13, 14) • Because of the peculiar relation of Israel to the Sabbath, it was a sacred day to be maintained perpetually. To be properly “kept,” it would be a day of delight and honor to Israel. On that day, instead of their ordinary ways and pleasures they would seek the ways and pleasures of their God, while speaking His words one to an other. As they thus remembered their God and His d e a l i n g s with them, His praise would be in their midst, and His worship would be uppermost. By this proper use of the Sabbath they would be brought into a wide place of freedom and prosperity * by the blessing of God. III. . T h e U se a n d M isuse of t h e S a b b a th , (M k . 2:23 to 3:6 ) The law said no work should be done on the Sabbath (cf. vs. 23, 24). The Pharisees interpreted the rubbing of com in the hand to mean the, threshing of wheat, hence work, hence unlawful. They thus debased the Sabbath by pleading its sacredness as an excuse for not doing good, for trampling upon human need, and not performing acts of mercy. But the Lord, by His teaching, was restoring it to its rightful position, a gift to be used; to its useful purpose, His honor and man’s good; and to its original purity in remembrance of His creator- ship and ownership. The Sabbath was a means to an end, not an end in itself. The Phari sees put the Sabbath in the place of the Sabbath’s Lord, and the moral and spiritual significance was thus sub merged in the ceremonial observance. Jesus, because He is the Son of man, the Qne in whom all dominion was restored, was Lord even of the Sab bath. In the light of views held by the Pharisees, this was a tremendous statement to make. But being what He is, He could make no less (vs. 25-28). On another Sabbath day, Christ did good in the synagogue (3:1-6), heal ing a withered hand. Again He was accused of Sabbkth-breaking. But to refuse to help in time of human need would mean to work harm to the suf-
w as m ade for m an, and not m an for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of m an is Lord also of the sabbath. 3 :1 , A n d he entered again Into the s y n a gogue; and there w a s a m an there w hich had a w ithered hand.y 2 A n d they w atched him , w hether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they m ight accuse him. 3 A n d he sa ith unto the m an w hich had the w ithered hand, Stand forth. I 4 A n d he saith unto them, Is ix law ful to do good on the sabbath d a y s ,'o r to do e v il? to save life, or to k ill? B u t they held their peace. 5 A nd w hen he had looked round about on them w ith anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the m an, , Stretch forth thine hand. , A nd he stretched it out: and his hand w as restored w hole as the pther. 6 A n d the P ha risees w ent forth, and stra igh tw a y took counsel w ith the H ero- d ian s a ga in st him, how they m igh t destroy him. * G O L D E N T E X T : “ A n d he said unto them, T h e sabbath w a s m ade for man, and not m an for the sabbath” (M k. 2:27).' D E V O T IO N A L R E A D IN G : Psa. 1. Outline and Exposition I. T h e C o m m a n d of t h e S a b b a th (Ex! 20:8-11) I F WE remember t h a t the Sab bath was given to Israel as a special sign between them and God, we will not be confused by pres ent-day contradictory“ writing and teaching on the subject. The Sabbath was given as a perpétuai sign; it has never been abrogated; it still exists between Israel and God. It was given to Israel at Mt. Sinai by God Himself, after their deliverance from Egypt—a r e m i n d e r of the Creator’s finished work of creation, the Creator’s owner ship of all He created, and the Cre ator’s authority over all that creation (cf. Ex. 20:11; 31:12-17; 35:1, 2; Neh. 9:13, 14; Ezek. 20:10-12). The Sabbath was a day separated from other days, distinct in its purpose. and use. No work of any sort was to be performed thereon upon pain of death. However, the imposing of the Sabbath upon the church or upon the Gentiles denies the position o f 1the church as a heavenly people seated with Christ in the heavenlies, and the position of the Gentiles as being with- * out God and without the covenants-Of promise (cf. Eph. 2:5, 6, 11-13). Not only so, but it confuses law and grace, the old creation with the new, a dead Christ with the living Christ, fnan in the flesh with man in Christ, BLACKBOARD LESSON
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