THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
EXODUS XX, 8-11: _Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days
shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou,
nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six
days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them
is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day, and hallowed it._
This is the last commandment of the first table of the law. As we have
seen in the preceding pages, the first commandment relates chiefly to
the _inward veneration, love, and esteem which we are to cherish
toward God_. The second relates to the external expressions of this
veneration and love in appropriate outward actions, as the prostration
of the body, etc. And the third requires us to glorify his name in our
speech by _never using his name except with due reverence and
solemnity_. So this fourth commandment prescribes the time which God
has been pleased to set apart for the more especial performance of
acts of religious devotion and piety.
"REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY." God enforces this command
with great particularity, and gives us three to press its observance
upon us. The first is taken from his own example: "_The Lord rested
the seventh day_;" rest ye also. The second is taken from the liberal
portion of time allotted for secular uses: "_Six days shalt thou
labor, and do all thy work_." Is it not reasonable that a seventh
portion should be given sacredly to the Lord when he has so freely and
so liberally given us the rest? The third is the fact that God has
especially dedicated it to his own immediate service and worship.
"_The Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it._"
_Sabbath_ implies _rest_ and cessation from labor--a temporal Sabbath.
It signifies, also, a spiritual rest--a rest from the toil and
drudgery of sin, the grievous exactions of Satan, and the burden of a
guilty conscience. It is also used to signify the eternal rest of the
blessed in heaven. "_There remaineth a rest_ [_or the celebration of a
Sabbath_] _unto the people of God._"
1. THE SABBATH MUST BE KEPT AS A DAY OF REST FROM SECULAR WORK.
EX. XX, 9. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
10. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou
shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy
man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates:
11. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
EX. XXIII, 12. Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day
thou shalt rest; that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of
thy handmaid and the stranger may be refreshed.
JER. XVII, 21. Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear
no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of
Jerusalem;
22. Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath
day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath day, as I
commanded your fathers.
EX. XVI, 23. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath
said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake
that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and
that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
24. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did
not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
25. And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the
Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the field.
26. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the
Sabbath, in it there shall be none.
27. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the
seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
28. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my
commandments and my laws?
29. See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he
giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days: abide ye every man
in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
30. So the people rested on the seventh day.
EX. XXXI, 13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying,
Verily, my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you
throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that
doth sanctify you.
14. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you.
Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever
doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his
people.
15. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of
rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day,
he shall surely be put to death.
16. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to
observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual
covenant.
17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in
six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he
rested, and was refreshed.
LUKE XXIII, 56. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments;
and rested the seventh day according to the commandment.
LEV. XXIII, 3. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it
is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
LEV. XXVI, 2. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I
am the Lord.
DEUT. V, 12. Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God
hath commanded thee.
13. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:
14. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou
shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy
man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor
any of thine cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that
thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou.
15. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and
that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand
and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee
to keep the Sabbath day.
MATT. XXIV, 20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter,
neither on the Sabbath day.
ISAIAH LVIII, 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from
doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the
holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own
ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14. Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee
to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the
heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken
it.
JER. XVII, 24. And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken
unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of
this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no
work therein;
25. Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and
princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on
horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain forever.
JER. XVII, 27. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the
Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates
of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the
gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it
shall not be quenched.
ISAIAH LVI, 2. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man
that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it,
and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
ISAIAH LVI, 4. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my
Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my
covenant;
5. Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a
place and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give
them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to
serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every
one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my
covenant;
7. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in
my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall
be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of
prayer for all people.
NEH. X, 31. And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals
on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the
Sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year,
and the exaction of every debt.
NEH. XIII, 15. In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses
on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also
wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought
into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the
day wherein they sold victuals.
16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all
manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah,
and in Jerusalem.
17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them,
What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day?
18. Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil
upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by
profaning the Sabbath.
19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be
dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut,
and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and
some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be
brought in on the Sabbath day.
20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without
Jerusalem once or twice.
21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye
about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that
time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.
2. THE SABBATH A DAY FOR RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.
EZEK. XLVI, 3. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the
door of this gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the new
moons.
LEV. XIX, 30. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I
am the Lord.
MARK VI, 2. And when the Sabbath day was come, he began to teach in
the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From
whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is
given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
LUKE IV, 16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up:
and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day,
and stood up for to read.
LUKE IV, 31. And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught
them on the Sabbath days.
LUKE XIII, 10. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the
Sabbath.
ACTS XIII, 14. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch
in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat
down.
15. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of
the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have
any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
ACTS XIII, 27. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers,
because they know him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which
are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning
him.
ACTS XIII, 42. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the
Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next
Sabbath.
ACTS XIII, 44. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city
together to hear the Word of God.
ACTS XV, 21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach
him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.
ACTS XVII, 2. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and
three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
3. Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and
risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto
you, is Christ.
ACTS XVIII, 4. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and
persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
NUMB. XXVIII, 9. And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year,
without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering,
mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
10. This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual
burnt offering, and his drink offering.
3. WORKS OF MERCY AND HUMANITY MAY BE DONE ON THE SABBATH DAY.
MATT. XII, 1. At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the
corn; and his disciples were a hungered, and began to pluck the ears
of corn, and to eat.
2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy
disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.
3. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was
a hungered, and they that were with him;
4. How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread,
which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with
him, but only for the priests?
5. 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?
6. But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the
temple.
7. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.
9. And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10. And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they
asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they
might accuse him.
11. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that
shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day,
will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12. How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful
to do well on the Sabbath days.
13. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he
stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
MARK II, 23. And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields
on the Sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck
the ears of corn.
24. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the
Sabbath day that which is not lawful?
25. And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he
had need, and was a hungered, he, and they that were with him?
26. How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high
priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for
the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
27. And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath.
28. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.
MARK III, 1. And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a
man there which had a withered hand.
2. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day;
that they might accuse him.
3. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath
days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their
peace.
5. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being
grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man,
Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was
restored whole as the other.
LUKE VI, 1. And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first,
that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the
ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
2. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which
is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days?
3. And Jesus answering them, said, Have ye not read so much as this,
what David did, when himself was a hungered, and they which were with
him;
4. How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the
shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not
lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5. And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the
Sabbath.
6. And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that he entered into
the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was
withered.
7. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on
the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
8. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the
withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and
stood forth.
9. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful
on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to
destroy it?
10. And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man,
Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole
as the other.
LUKE XIII, 10. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the
Sabbath.
11. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity
eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up
herself.
12. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her,
Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made
straight, and glorified God.
14. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because
that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people,
There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come
and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.
15. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not
each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall,
and lead him away to watering?
16. And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan
hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the
Sabbath day?
17. And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were
ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that
were done by him.
JOHN V, 8. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and
walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.
JOHN IX, 13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was
blind.
14. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened
his eyes.
4. THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH.
LUKE XXIV, 1. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the
morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they
had prepared, and certain others with them.
2. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.
3. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth,
they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6. He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when
he was yet in Galilee.
JOHN XX, 19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the
week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for
fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto
them, Peace be unto you.
ACTS XX, 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples
came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart
on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
REV. I, 9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in
tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in
the isle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great
voice, as of a trumpet,
11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What
thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which
are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and
unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto
Laodicea.
1 COR. XVI, 2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay
by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come.
MARK XVI, 9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven
devils.
MATT. XXVIII, 1. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward
the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to
see the sepulcher.
2. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the
Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from
the door, and sat upon it.
3. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow;
4. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I
know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.
7. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the
dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye
see him: lo, I have told you.
8. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great
joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them,
saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and
worshiped him.