The priority of the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28)

THE PRIORITY OF THE SABBATH (Mark 2:23-28)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2018

Sometimes different people have different ideas about addressing a problem, like losing weight.

A nurse asked a fairly hefty patient: "Are you on any special diet?" "Yes" he replied. "I drink Slim-Fast twice a day, but it's not working. In fact, I've gained several pounds." "Really?" the nurse asked. "Do you think skipping meals to drink a shake makes you so hungry that you overeat later?" The patient replied, "What do you mean... 'skipping meals'?"

Sometimes different people have different ideas about addressing a problem, like when the disciples were walking through a grain field and were hungry. Jesus proposed one solution—"Pluck and eat the grain. Some Pharisees preferred a different solution—"It's the Sabbath, so you'll have to go hungry." Their disagreement was about The Priority of the Sabbath.

 

When God redeems the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from Egypt, among the blessings He gives these former slaves is something they did not previously enjoy—a regular day off. They may have received an occasional period to renew themselves but nothing consistent.

 

Although God established the Sabbath for Himself at the beginning of creation, there is no indication then that He intended it for anyone else and no evidence that anyone else in Genesis observed it. God made the Sabbath a requirement only for Israel and only after the exodus: "The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant" (Exod 31:16). In fact, God's stated purpose for the Sabbath is to make Israel separate, not to make everyone else the same. The only gentiles who observe it are those attracted to Israel's God (i.e., resident aliens).

 

In the late Second Temple period the Sabbath is a point of contention between Jesus and other Pharisees, and their dispute raises the question of relative priority: In the larger scope of God's precepts, how important is the Sabbath command? Please turn to Mark 2 where some question if hunger is a permissible reason to suspend the command to rest.

 

I. Jesus feeds his disciples on the Sabbath, despite the prohibition against harvesting on that day (vv. 23-24).

Mark 2:23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

The command to rest is both clear and consistent.

"The seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work" (Exod 20:10a).

"For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord" (Exod 31:14a).

"There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest" (Lev 23:3).

To explain what God meant by work, He gives several examples:

• No gathering manna
• No lighting fire
• No collecting wood
• No transporting goods
• No doing business

Moreover, the penalty for disobedience is both clear and costly:'

"Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people" (Exod 31:14b).

"Whoever does any work on it must be put to death" (Exod 35:2).

Adopting the Sabbath -2016

ADOPTING THE SABBATH:
A Brief Reflection on My Spiritual Journey

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2016

Dr. Manuel's response when asked how he and Linda, his wife, came to observe the seventh day Sabbath.

In the early 1970s, I met a messianic Jew who challenged me to consider adopting the Sabbath. I did so but realized that it was only one of several interconnected issues from God's law—such as circumcision, diet, and festivals—all of which required that I now settle another question: Having taken this step, did God expect me to go further, even convert to Judaism? Some gentiles in the messianic movement had done so. If that is also what He expected from me, then adopting those other issues would soon follow. If that is not what He expected from me, then deciding which issues to accept would require careful consideration.

Two passages in particular helped clarify the matter and shape my decision. The first clarifying passage was the Jerusalem council's pronouncement when it faced a similar question: Do gentiles need to become Jews in order to be saved?¹

Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.... 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7a After Much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: ... 11 We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." 13a [Then] James spoke up.... 19 "It is my judgment ... that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

The council ruled that salvation was not dependent on circumcision (i.e., conversion). That is, gentiles do not need to become Jews in order to be saved.

How should I keep the Sabbath?

HOW SHOULD I KEEP THE SABBATH?

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Dr. Paul Manuel—Youth SS Class—2000

Although you have not lived very long, your responsibility as well as the freedom you have to choose the direction of your life has changed over the years.

• When you were little, your parents decided most of what you would do and where you would go.
• As you get older, you decide more of what you will do and where you will go.

Right now, you may think your folks should let you decide a lot more than they do but, I assure you, that will change. In fact, you are going to be making some important decisions over the next few years.

• Will you date and, if so, whom?
• Will you have sex before you get married?
• Will you get married and, if so, to whom?
• Will you use drugs or alcohol?
• Will you go to college and, if so, where will you go and how will you pay for it?
• What job will you take?
• Where will you live—someplace near or far away?

Your friends will be glad to help you make some of those decisions, but their advice may not always be the best, depending on the kind of friends you have. Your parents also may help you with some of those decisions, and their advice usually has your best interest at heart. Still, the choices will ultimately be yours, because that is part of growing up. One of the decisions you will face is whether or not you will serve God.

• You may say, "I've already made that decision. I've been baptized. I come to church every week."
• That is true. You have all been baptized, and you all come to church regularly.
• Would you continue to come, though, if your parents did not bring you? Is worshiping God and being with other Christians on Saturday more important to you than staying in bed or watching TV or hanging out with your friends?
• In other words, if someone did not make you come or drive you here, would you come? One day, you will have to make that decision.

It is important for you to know what God has said about this matter, especially as you encounter conflicts with other activities on the Sabbath. School activities, for example, things you enjoy doing, often happen on Friday night. Right now, your parents may be "discouraging" you from participating in those activities. Suppose they left the decision up to you? How would you decide the right thing to do? Is that even be a question you would ask?

How should we think about the Sabbath?

SABBATH OBSERVANCE: HOW DID WE GET IT AND HOW SHOULD WE KEEP IT?
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Dr. Paul Manuel—2014

Because of the length of this study (35 pages) most of it is available only in this pdf.   Blessed is the man...who keeps the Sabbath. (Isa 56:2)

Contents

	Introduction	3
I.	The Motivation of Sabbath Observance: Understanding the People and Purpose of the Sabbath—or—Why Should One Keep the Sabbath?	5
	A. At the dawn of creation (Gen 2:1-3)
	Query: What does Jesus mean, "the Sabbath was made for man"?
	B. After the exodus from Egypt (Exod 16:1-5, 21-30)
	Query: Does keeping 'one day in seven' meet God's expectation?
	C. On the mountain of Sinai (Exod 19:3-6; 20:1-11)
	Query: Are the Ten Commandments universal?
	D. In the wilderness of Sinai (Exod 31:12-17)
	Query: What is God's purpose for the Sabbath?
	E. At the border of Canaan (Deut 5:1-3, 12-15)
	Query: What does the Sabbath commemorate?
	F. During the exile in Babylon (Isa 56:3,6-8)
	Query: What was the status of the "foreigner"?
	G. In the first century (Acts 15:5, 19-21)
	Query: To what extent do gentiles participate in the covenant?
II.	The Method of Sabbath Observance: Understanding the Practice of the Sabbath—or—How Should One Keep the Sabbath?	16
	A. Collecting manna (Exod 16:23-30)
	B. Promoting rest (Exod 20:1-2, 8-11)
	C. Eschewing work (Exod 31:12-17; 34:21; 35:1-3)
	D. Gathering together (Lev 23:1-3; Num 28:1-2,9-10)
	E. Collecting wood (Num 15:32-36)
	F. Conducting business (Amos 8:4-5)
	G. Transporting property (Jer 17:21-27)
	H. Finding joy (Isa 58:13-14)
	I. Picking grain (Matt 12:1-8)
	J. Healing disease (Matt 12:9-14; Luke 13:10, 14-17)
	K. Healing disease and transporting property (John 5:1-10, 16-18; 7:21-23)
III.	The Measure of Sabbath Observance: Understanding the Principles of Setting Apart—or—How Should One Sanctify the Sabbath?	32
	A. Setting apart from what constitutes work
	1. Preparing food
	2. Conducting business
	B. Setting apart for what constitutes rest
	Worshiping together
	Bibliography	36
	Endnotes	39

Is the Sabbath a universal requirement?

SABBATH: IS THE SABBATH A UNIVERSAL REQUIREMENT?

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2011

Linda and I came from a Baptist church that worshipped on Sunday, and we did not decide to keep the seventh day until we went away to college a few years after we were married. A Jewish friend had suggested that we consider the Sabbath, so we examined what the Bible taught about this and other aspects of God's law. For us, it was an exciting time of discovery. I was enthusiastic about what we learned and wanted to share this new information with other Christians but soon realized that they were not nearly as excited. Some people were unable to consider such a radical notion as the Sabbath; others were struggling with more fundamental issues; still others thought I was an extremist. Being in school during this period of change helped, as we could apply the tools of study we were acquiring to our research. Eventually, we discovered Seventh Day Baptists, and we were able to observe the Sabbath more easily.ⁱ Time and reflection also tempered my enthusiasm and allowed me to take a more nuanced approach, one that answered three questions that arise when examining the common Seventh Day Baptist claim that the Sabbath is a universal requirement, questions Seventh Day Baptists seem often unwilling or unable adequately to address.ⁱⁱ

Examining the Claim that the Sabbath is a Universal Requirement

• The historical question:

• How is the Sabbath, which God gave specifically to Israel, mandatory for all Christians?

• The common Seventh Day Baptist position, that God gave the Sabbath to everyone, simply does not stand under close scrutiny, certainly not for the reasons Seventh Day Baptists usually give.

• The theological question:

• Why single out the Sabbath when it belongs to a much larger corpus of God's law?

• The traditional Seventh Day Baptist view, that the Sabbath is part of the Decalogue, which God meant for all people and which has greater authority than His other commands, is a distinction that has no justification.ⁱⁱⁱ

• The practical (often personal) question:

• Are Christians who do not regard the Sabbath as mandatory— the vast majority of the Church—doomed for their disobedience?

• Here is where the issue comes closest to home, for unlike Seventh-day Adventists, who view Sunday worship as the mark of the beast and a sign of reprobation, Seventh Day Baptists recognize the gravity of disobeying God but are not ready to condemn to perdition those they actually know—their friends and family—who hold a different opinion on this matter.

The common Seventh Day Baptist position on the Sabbath does not address these problems, not in any consistent or rigorous way. It fails to consider all relevant passages, and it ignores important constraints of context. If this is what you believe, then you should be aware of the difficulties with the position and be able to support it, both carefully and comprehensively. While the result of my analysis brings me to the same point in the end, which is to keep the Sabbath, I arrive there on a different road and for different reasons.

Why do Seventh Day Baptists Keep the Sabbath?

SABBATH: WHY DO SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS KEEP THE SABBATH?

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2005
(An earlier version appeared on this blog here)

How blessed is the man...who keeps from profaning the Sabbath.

(Isa 56:2)

Seventh-Day Baptists observe a day different from that of most other Christians. Instead of gathering on the first day of the week, Seventh Day Baptists meet together on the seventh day of the week, the biblical Sabbath. Why would they choose to separate themselves in this way? What scriptural reasons are there for worshipping and resting on the seventh day rather than on the first day? Seventh DayBaptists keep the Sabbath because...¹

1. They note God's example, for He observed it at creation.²

By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. (Gen 2:2)

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth...and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. (Exod 20:11)

2. They recall God's redemption, for He established it after Egypt.³

See, the Lord has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. (Exod 16:29)

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. (Deut 5:15)

3. They obey God's precept, for He commanded it on Sinai.⁴

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Exod 20:8)

Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. (Deut 5:12)

The Law and the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-21)

SABBATH: THE LAW AND THE SABBATH (Matt 12:1-21) 

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Dr. Paul Manuel—Sabbath Emphasis Day—2009

When people are committed to something, they will usually put forth their best effort, even when the task is difficult or dangerous.

One night a fire broke out in a chemical plant outside a small town. Before long, the whole building erupted into flames, and an alarm went out to neighboring communities, with several fire departments responding. After fighting the blaze for over an hour, the president of the chemical company approached the fire chief and said, "Our formulas are in the vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved! I will give $50,000 to the engine company that brings them out undamaged!" As soon as the chief heard this, he ordered his men to strengthen their efforts. After two more hours of fighting the fire, which continued to rage out of control, the president of the company doubled his offer: $100,000 to the crew that could bring out the company's files.

From the distance came the sound of a lone siren as another fire truck came into view. It was a volunteer company composed entirely of men over 65. To everyone's amazement, the engine raced through the chemical plant gates into the middle of the inferno. The other firemen watched as the old timers hopped off their rig and began to battle the fire with an effort they had never seen before. After some time of intense fighting, the company of senior firefighters had extinguished the blaze and saved the formulas. Ecstatic, the plant president announced that he would double the reward again to $200,000. After expressing his gratitude to each of the elderly volunteers, the president asked the captain of the group what they would do with the reward money. "The first thing we're going to do," the captain answered..."is fix the brakes on that truck!"

When people are committed to something, as these elderly fire fighters were committed to battling the blaze, it may not be for a reason you would expect or, as some Pharisees were committed to the Sabbath, it may not be for a reason you would commend. That is the case in Matt 12, where Jesus challenges them to reconsider their interpretation of The Law and the Sabbath.

During the Late Second Temple Period, the two great rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai debated a number of topics, some of which appear in the gospels. Pharisees of both schools would come to Jesus, wanting to know where he stood on such issues, especially when the schools differed. Although there is some speculation that Jesus was a student of Hillel (e.g., Falk 1985:115), he took an independent position.¹ On some matters, he sided with the liberal view of Hillel (e.g., dedicated gifts); on other matters, he sided with conservative view of Shammai (e.g., vows, divorce). One of these debated issues was the manner in which a person should observe the Sabbath.

Time to reboot (Exod 23:12

SABBATH: TIME to REBOOT (Exod 23:12) 

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Dr. Paul Manuel—Sabbath Emphasis Day—2005

Ministers look for ways to encourage their congregants to be more involved in the things of God and His church. Sometimes that effort is more successful than other times.

A minister was preoccupied with how he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for repairs to the church building. He very much wanted things to go smoothly and was a bit dismayed to learn that the regular organist was sick and that the deacons had to hunt for a substitute at the last minute. The minister barely had time before the service to let the substitute know what hymns the congregation would be singing, hurriedly adding, "You'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances." During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected, and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up." At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star Spangled Banner." ...And that is how the substitute organist became the regular organist!

Some people just need the right incentive. That may be what God is doing as He exhorts His people to heed His commands, especially His command to keep the Sabbath.

Although Genesis records God's observing the Sabbath at creation, that first biblical book says no more about the seventh day.¹ There is no indication that Adam and Eve, or Noah, or Abraham even knew about the Sabbath, let alone kept it themselves. It is not until the next book and Israel's exodus from Egypt that the Sabbath appears again, this time, with a prominence in God's plan for His people that it did not have before.² What is the significance of the Sabbath, and how does it change life for those God has recently delivered?

Of the various passages we might consider, there is a single verse that offers some insight for us into the precept and purpose of the Sabbath. Please turn to...

Exod 23:12 "Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.

Earlier in Exodus, God established...

A time of consecration (Isa 56:2-8; 58:13-14)

SABBATH: A TIME OF CONSECRATION (Isa 56:2-8; 58:13-14) 

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Dr. Paul Manuel—Sabbath Emphasis Day—2003

As we move along life's path, we depend upon God for such things as guidance and protection. When things do not turn out as we expect, we may have to revise our understanding of His involvement.

One Sabbath morning a little girl in her best dress was running so she wouldn't be late for church. As she ran she kept praying, "Dear God, please don't let me be late to church. Please don't let me be late to church...." As she was running, she tripped and fell. When she got back up, she began praying again, "God, please don't let me be late to church...but don't shove me either!"

Does God ever shove us? Does He help us along just so far and then push us out of the way or just leave us to fend for ourselves? That is a question some gentile believers in Babylon seem to be asking, as they hear Isaiah's prophetic message.

When the Southern Kingdom of Judah fell to invading Babylonian forces (587 B.C.), the people left the Promised Land for exile in a foreign land. How could they keep from suffering the same fate as their brethren in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, whom the Assyrians had deported earlier (722 B.C.) and who had apparently assimilated into the gentile milieu? How could the former residents of Judah maintain their identity as God's people? The answer lay in their covenant with God, a commitment they demonstrated by their obedience to His commands. That is what made them different from other people, and that is what marked them as God's people. Some instructions the Lord gave at Sinai had parallels in other Ancient Near East law codes (e.g., prohibitions against murder and theft). Other instructions were unique to His people (e.g., dietary regulations). One such command was particularly distinctive because it had a very apparent and recurrent display—observing the Sabbath.

The seventh day (Lev 23:3)

SABBATH: THE SEVENTH DAY (Lev 23:3) 

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Dr. Paul Manuel—Sabbath Emphasis Day—2002

What defines you as a Christian? How do other people know who you are? You can tell them, of course, but the most obvious indicator is how you act, especially under pressure.

A minister was on a plane, flying from Chicago to California, when it ran into severe turbulence. As it got worse, the passengers became more and more alarmed, and even the flight attendants began to look concerned. Finally, an attendant noticed that one of the names on the passenger list had "REV." in front of it. She approached him and said, "Sir, this is really frightening. Do you suppose you could...I don't know...do something religious?" "Of course," the minister replied.... So he took up a collection.

There are many ways you can identify yourself as religious. One way, better than taking an offering, is your treatment of God's precepts, including The Seventh Day.

After the six days of creation, Genesis records that God rested from His labor on the seventh day, establishing a precedent for something He would recall many years later. That initial account gives few details, simply that...

Gen 2:3 ...God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

What implications God's decision might have had for others is unclear—perhaps none. There is no command here; neither is there evidence that anyone in Genesis followed His example. In fact, the issue of the Sabbath does not come up again until the book of Exodus when God commands Israel to observe it. From that point, the Sabbath receives extensive treatment, along with the rest of the Pentateuch as it offers instruction for God's people.¹ Some passages about the seventh day are fairly long, yet even the shortest can offer important information.

Lev 23:3 There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.

The Ten Commandments: The Fourth Commandment

THE DECALOGUE:
A SUMMARY OF GOD'S PRECEPTS FOR GOD'S PEOPLE

The Fourth Commandment:
On Tranquility (Exod 20:8-11)
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Dr. Paul Manuel—2005

(There are different divisions of the Commandments in different traditions: In Protestantism (for the most part), v. 2 is the introduction and v. 3 is the first command. In Judaism, vv. 2-3 together are the first command. In Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism, vv. 2-6 are the first command, and v. 17 contains two commands. This study follows the primary Protestant division, recognizing that v. 2 is declarative and v. 3 contains the first imperative.)

You have an advantage in life of which others are often unaware, a stabilizing factor that enables you to keep things in perspective. It is not a secret, but other people miss it simply because they focus on what seems to be a problem.

Two bowling teams, one made up of blondes and the other of brunettes, chartered a double-decker bus for a weekend tournament. The blonde team was riding on the top level and the brunette team was on the bottom. The brunette team was hooting and hollering and having a great time when one of them suddenly realized she didn't hear anything from the blondes upstairs. She decided to go up and investigate. Reaching the top of the stairs, she found the blondes frozen in fear. All of them were clutching the seats in front of them and staring straight ahead at the road. "What's going on up here?" the brunette asked. "We're having such a great time downstairs." "Yeah," exclaimed one of the blondes... "but you have a driver!"

You have an advantage in life of which others are often unaware, a stabilizing factor that enables you to keep things in perspective. That advantage is ultimately God, but for Seventh Day Baptists, it includes something else as well.

Most of the commandments in the Decalogue parallel what God expects from all people not just Israelites, what theologians call general revelation. Consequently, these commands also appear elsewhere in scripture (Manuel 2011). Many of them appear in extra-biblical law, as well, like the Code of Hammurabi, demonstrating that non-Israelites recognized and accepted them. One of these ten precepts, however, does not appear in any biblical or extra-biblical address to gentile nations (so also Craigie 1976:157)¹ God reserves it for Israel and for other individuals who may choose to adopt it. That command is the fourth in this list, the one On Tranquility.²

Exod 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

Deut 5:12 Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.

Most of the other commands in this list begin on a negative note: "Thou shalt not...." This command begins on a positive note: Thou shalt....³ They are to "Remember the Sabbath day" (see n. 27).⁴ What precisely are they to remember? ...Because many of these commands were accepted universal norms of moral behavior, the Israelites were probably familiar with them even before the exodus. Their newly-won freedom, though, made it possible for them to experience what was not available to them as slaves in Egypt, a day of rest from their labor. Moses tells the people in...

The Sabbath

Why Do Seventh Day Baptists Observe the Sabbath?

[a pdf of this entry is linked here]

Seventh Day Baptists keep a day for worship different from that of most other Christians. Instead of gathering on the first day of the week, Seventh Day Baptists meet on the seventh day of the week, the biblical Sabbath. Why would they choose to separate themselves in this way? What scriptural reasons are there for worshiping and resting on the seventh day rather than on the first day? Seventh Day Baptists keep the Sabbath because…

1. They note God's example, for He observed it at creation. 

By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. [Gen 2:2]

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth…and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. [Exod 20:11]

2. They recall God's deliverance, for He instituted it after the exodus.

See, the Lord has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. [Exod 16:29]

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. [Deut 5:15]

3. They obey God's precept, for He commanded it on Sinai.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. [Exod 20:8]

Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. [Deut 5:12]