(Hebrew shabbath, cessation, rest; Greek Sabbaton; Latin, Sabbatum).
The seventh day of the week among the Hebrews; counted from sunset to sunset, that is, from Friday nightfall to Saturday nightfall.
Contents
- 1 Prescriptions Concerning the Sabbath
- 2 Meaning of the Sabbath
- 3 Origin of the Sabbath
- 4 Sabbath observance
- 5 The Sabbath in the New Testament
Prescriptions Concerning the Sabbath
Saturday was a day of rest “consecrated to Yahveh” (Ex. 16,23; 31, 15; Dt. 5,14). All types of work were prohibited, including foreigners as well as Israelites, animals as well as men (Ex. 20,8-10; 31,13-17; Dt. 5,12-14). The following particular actions are mentioned as prohibited: cooking (Ex. 16,23); collect mana (16.26 ff.); sow and reap (34.21); light a fire (for cooking, 35.3); look for firewood (Nm. 15,32 ss.); carry loads (Jer. 17, 21-22); tread grapes, carry bundles of wheat, and load animals (Neh. 13,15); to trade (Neh. 13,15 ss.). Travel, at least for religious reasons, was not prohibited; the prohibition of Ex. 16,29 refers only to going out to the field to gather food; it is implicit in the institution of sacred meetings (Lev. 23,2-3, Hebrew text), and it was customary in the time of the kings (2 Kings 4,23). However, in a later period, all movement was limited to a distance of 2,000 cubits (between five and six stadia), or a “sabbatical path” (Acts 1:12). A total abstention from work was prescribed only for the Sabbath and for the Day of Atonement; on the other holidays only servile work was prohibited (Ex 12,16; Lev. 23,7 ss.). The intentional violation of the Sabbath was punishable by death (Ex. 31,14-15; Num. 15,32-36). The prohibition of work made it necessary to prepare food, and everything that could be needed, the day before Saturday, known as Preparation Day or Parasceve (paraskeue; Mt. 27,62; Mk. 25,42; etc. .). In addition to abstaining from work, special religious observances were prescribed. (a) Daily sacrifices were doubled; that is, in the morning two yearling lambs without blemish were offered, and another two in the afternoon, with twice the normal amount of flour mixed with oil and libation wine (Numbers 28:3-10). (b) Fresh Shewbreads were placed before the Lord (Lev. 24.5; 1 Chron. 9.32). (c) A holy assembly would be summoned in the sanctuary for solemn worship (Lev. 23,2-3, Hebrew text; Ez. 46,3). We do not have any details of what those who lived far from the sanctuary did. The worship in the synagogues is from the post-exilic period; it is probably the development of an ancient custom. In the earliest days, people went to hear the instructions of the prophets (2 Kings 4:23), and it is likely that gatherings for edification and prayer were normal from earliest times.
Meaning of the Sabbath
The Sabbath was the consecration to God of a day of the weekly period as the author of the universe and time. This being the day of the Lord, it was mandatory that the person refrain from working for his own ends or interests, since working would take the day for himself instead of dedicating his activity to God with the special acts of positive worship . After the Sinaitic covenant, God maintained his relationship with Israel as Lord of the Covenant. In this way the Sabbath also became a sign and its observance an acknowledgment of the covenant: “Say to the Israelites: Do not fail to keep my Sabbaths, for the Sabbath is a sign between me and you from generation to generation. , so that you may know that I am Yahweh, the one who sanctifies you” (Ex. 31,13). But while the Sabbath was primarily a religious day, it also had its social and philanthropic side. It was also meant to be a day of rest and relaxation, particularly for the slaves (Dt. 5,14). On the occasion of the dual character, religious and philanthropic, of the day, two different reasons are given for its observance. The first is taken from God’s rest on the seventh day of creation: “For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth…and on the seventh he rested; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Ex. 20.11; 31.17). This does not mean that the Sabbath was instituted at the time of Creation, as some commentators think, but rather that the Israelites wanted to imitate God’s example and rest on the day that He had sanctified by resting on it. The Sabbath as a sign of the Sinaitic alliance recalled the liberation from slavery in Egypt. That is why, secondly, the Israelites are commanded to remember that they were once slaves in Egypt, and therefore, in gratitude and memory of their departure, they should rest and also allow their servants to rest (Dt. 5,14-15 ). As a reminder of God’s benefits to Israel, Saturday would be a day of joy (Is. 57,13) and so it was in practice (cf. Hosea 2,11; Lam. 2,6). Fasting was not done on Saturday (Jdt. 8, 6) on the contrary, the most select foods were served and friends were invited.
Origin of the Sabbath
The first mention of the Sabbath is in connection with the fall of the manna (Ex 16,22 ss.), but there it is presented as an institution already known to the Israelites. Therefore the Sinaitic legislation only gave force of law to an existing custom, the origin of which is shrouded in obscurity. It was not borrowed from the Egyptians, since the seven-day week ending with a day of rest was unknown to them.
At the end of the 19th century, a theory was defended that ascribed Babylonian origin to it. A cuneiform tablet presents the shabbattu as the equivalent um nuh libbi, “day of appeasement of the heart” (of the gods). In addition, a religious calendar with the intercalary month Elul and the month Marchesvan mentions days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 19; this one because it was probably the forty-ninth day (7×7), since the beginning of the preceding month, as days on which the king, the magician and the doctor had to refrain from certain acts. The king, for example, was not to eat food prepared over a fire, wear colorful clothes, ride a chariot, or exercise authority. These days were then days of propitiation, therefore shabbattu days. We thus have periods of seven days, the last of which was marked by abstention from certain actions and called shabbattu, in other words, the equivalent of Saturday. A Babylonian origin is not in itself unlikely, since Chaldea was originally the homeland of the Hebrews, but there is no evidence that this is actually the case. The shabattu variant is uncertain, neither is shapattu likely. Also, there is no evidence that these days were called shabbattu; the signs thus read are found attached only to the 15th day of the month, where, however, sha patti, “division” of the month, is the most likely translation. Furthermore, these days differ completely from the Sabbath. They were not days of general rest, since business was conducted as on other days. The refrain from certain acts was intended to calm the wrath of the gods; So these days were days of penance, not days of jubilation like the Sabbath. Finally, those followed the phases of the moon, while Saturday was independent of them. Since the Sabbath always appears as a weekly festival with no connection to the moon, it cannot be said to derive from the Babylonian festival of the full moon as some writers claim, nor even from the fifteenth day of the month whose designation shabbattu has a dubious character. .
Sabbath observance
Sabbath violations seem to have been quite common before and during the exile (Jer. 17,19 ss., Ez. 20,13.16.21.24; 22,8; 22,38); therefore the prophets placed great emphasis on its correct observance (Amos 8,5; Is. 1,13; 58,13-14; Jer. refer. cit; Ez. 20,12 ss.). After the Restoration, the day was openly profaned, and Nehemiah had some difficulty stopping the abuse (Neh. 13:15-22). However, a movement soon appeared that leaned towards meticulous observance that went beyond what the law contemplated. In the time of the Maccabees the faithful Jews allowed themselves to be massacred before fighting on the Sabbath (1 Macc. 2,35-38); Mattathias and his followers realized that this attitude was wrong and decided to defend themselves if they were attacked on the Sabbath, although they did not take the offensive (1 Mac. 2,40-41; 2 Mac. 8,26). Under the influence of Pharisaical rigorism a system of petty and burdensome rules was worked out, while the higher purpose of the Sabbath was lost sight of. The Shabbath tractate of the Mishna lists thirty-nine main headings of prohibited actions, each with subdivisions. Among the main titles are such insignificant actions as knitting with two threads, sewing two stitches, writing two letters, etc. Pulling out two ears of wheat was considered as reaping, while rubbing them together was a kind of threshing (cf. Mt 12,1-2; Mk 2,23-24; Lk 6,1-2). Carrying an object the weight of a fig was regarded as carrying a load; for that reason, carrying a stretcher (Jn. 5,10) was a great violation of the Sabbath. It was illegal to cure on the Sabbath, or to give the sick person medicine unless his life was in danger. (cf. Mt. 12,10 ss.; Mk. 3,2 ss.; Lc. 6,7 ss.). This explains why the sick were presented to Christ after sunset (Mk 1,32). It was even forbidden to use a medicine the day before if it produced its effects on the Sabbath. In Christ’s time it was allowed to take an animal out of a hole (Mt. 12,11; Lc. 14,5), but this was later modified so that it was not allowed to grab it and pull it out, although it could be helped to get out with mattresses or cushions. These examples, which are not the worst, show the narrowness of the system. However, some regulations were really burdensome, and a treatise of the Mishna (Erubin) moderates their rigor with subtle artifices.
The Sabbath in the New Testament
While observing the Sabbath, Christ protests and acts against this absurd rigorism that makes man a slave of the day. He rebuked the scribes and[[Pharisees}}forputtingintolerableburdensontheshouldersofthepeople.(Mt.234)andproclaimedtheprinciplethatsays:“theSabbathwasmadeformanandnotmanfortheSabbath”(Mk227).HehealedontheSabbathanddefendedthedisciplesagainsthimforpluckingheadsonthatday.InhisdiscussionswiththePhariseesonthissubjectheshowedthattheSabbathisnotviolatedincaseofnecessityorforactsofcharity.(Mt.123ss;Mk.225ss;Lc.63ss;145).SaintPaulmentionstheSabbathamongtheJewishobservancesthatarenotobligatoryforChristians(Col.216;Gal.49-10;Rom.145).TheconvertedgentilescelebratedtheirreligiousmeetingsonSunday(Acts207;1Cor.162)andwiththedisappearanceoftheJewishChristianchurchesthisdaywasobservedexclusivelyastheLord’sDay.(SeeSunday).
Bibliography: EDERSHEIM, “Life and Times of Jesus II” (New York, 1897), 52-62, 777 sqq.; SCHURER, “Hist. of the Jewish People” (New York, 1891), see index; PINCHES, “Sapattu, the Babylonian Sabbath” in…