The Sabbath in the NT -- Jesus' Teaching #1

In this part of the sermon: Transitioning from the moral law generally to the Sabbath specifically, Martin introduces the Puritan distinctions of works of piety, necessity, and mercy. He explains that Jesus'…

Martin explains the Puritan categories of 'ordinary labors' versus 'works of piety, necessity, and mercy' to frame the discussion of permissible Sabbath activities, drawing from the Westminster Larger Catechism.

And we're not without a large amount of material in the New Testament to bring us into the arena of what Jesus had to say and do on this subject. Now it is common to make certain distinctions when explaining the kinds of works that are permitted on the Sabbath day. It is very common to make certain kinds of distinctions. For example, the Puritans made a distinction between ordinary labors or ordinary works and works of piety, necessity, and mercy.

16:18 - 16:54 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And Jesus' point in citing this incident was that if the divinely ordained law concerning the showbread could be set aside when necessity demanded, how much more could a man-made Sabbath rule be set aside for the same re…

Jesus' citation of David eating the showbread while fleeing Saul is used to illustrate that necessity can override ceremonial law, thereby justifying the disciples' actions on the Sabbath.

He said to them, Have you not read what David did? When he was hungry, and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests. He directs them to the example of David. And in directing them to the example of David, he directs them to an occasion when David was fleeing from Saul.

33:51 - 34:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus further defends his disciples by pointing to the priests in the temple who 'profane the Sabbath and are guiltless' (Matthew 12:5). Martin explains that this example proves…

Jesus' reference to priests performing their duties in the temple on the Sabbath, technically 'profaning' it but being 'guiltless,' serves as an example from Scripture that works of necessity are permitted.

Their doctrine of the Sabbath had no room for that. They condemned Jesus for engaging in a work of necessity. Well, where did he get the idea that this category exists? Well, his example or the example that he cites next shows that their doctrine, not his, is defective. And the example that he uses is that of the priests who perform their ministries in the temple even on the Sabbath day. In fact, on the Sabbath day, the ministry of the priest, the work of the priest, if anything, was doubled.

38:27 - 39:02 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Poole says where two laws in respect of some circumstance seem to clash with one another, so that we cannot obey both, our obedience is due to that which is the more excellent law. Now saith our Savior, the law of mercy …

Martin quotes Matthew Poole to explain Jesus' point from Hosea 6:6, emphasizing that when two laws clash, the more excellent law (mercy) takes precedence, highlighting the Pharisees' lack of balance.

But the point is, as Matthew Poole says, that God has no pleasure in a narrow-hearted, merciless religion.

44:07 - 44:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus charges the Pharisees with a 'narrow-hearted, merciless Sabbath doctrine' by quoting Hosea 6:6, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' Martin argues that their formalistic…

Martin quotes J.C. Ryle to underscore Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees' heartless religion, which made them unkind and unmerciful in their Sabbath interpretation.

J.C. Ryle commenting on our Lord's sighting from Hosea says the fourth commandment is not to be so explained. It is not to be so explained or enforced as to make us unkind and unmerciful to our neighbor. Jesus says you've got a heartless religion.

46:18 - 46:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The plain, truth is, that our Lord did not abolish the law of the weekly Sabbath. He only freed it from incorrect interpretations, purified it from man-made additions.

Martin reads an extended quote from J.C. Ryle's 'Expository Thoughts on the Gospels' to affirm that Jesus did not abolish the Sabbath but purified it from man-made traditions, reinforcing the sermon's central argument.

I'd like to close by reading a statement out of Ryle's expository thoughts on the Gospels on this message in Matthew 12.

61:06 - 61:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The plain, truth is, that our Lord did not abolish the law of the weekly Sabbath. He only freed it from incorrect interpretations, purified it from man-made additions.

Martin uses the metaphor of 'barnacles' to describe the man-made traditions and corruptions that had encrusted God's holy day, which Jesus came to remove.

of the Sabbath, did not cancel the Sabbath. He pulled all the barnacles off of it, and man in his foolishness had encrusted the holy day of God with it.

63:08 - 63:18 Read in full sermon