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The issue is very much about good works. Below is quote from OP.


keep going..

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The question, Should Christians keep the Sabbath? has been written about a lot.


as WR points out, it is never lawful to do un-good works, so the issue is 'should christians keep the sabbath'

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The issue is a matter of priorities. As Jesus also teaches and shows, the Sabbath was never intended to enslave the man but to help man, to give him a day of rest.


then jesus might want to reread the OT.
ex. 20:11
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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.


the sabbath wasn't a holiday, it was a hallowed day of devotion to god.

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In other words, the legalism was to enslave people to the Sabbath and force them to do nothing, when the spirit of the Sabbath was to rest and recover from 6 days of hard labor and not be worried about things.


you might want to reread the OT as well.
ex. 31:13-17
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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.
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.
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.
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant.
It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.


ex: 35:12
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Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.


the death penalty for not observing a holiday? whew!

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I personally believe the reason Jesus took long trips and healed people on the Sabbath was specifically challenge this notion that had been created that it was a day of do nothing but pray and read the Bible. It was to be a "restful" day. A day to get away from the "daily grind".


the text is clear that one was to spend the day in devotion to god. there's nothing saying that the jews couldn't spend the rest of the week sitting on their duffs, if they chose to do so.

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The point Jesus is making is that God was being nice giving 1 out of every 7 days off, not trying to force them to stay home and be boarded and hungry.


since they were required to get food the day before, and the sabbath consisted of three ceremonial meals, they weren't hungry. i'll have to take your word for it that devoting a day to the talmud and praying to god is boring.