Demonstration 13: On the Sabbath

Demonstration on the Sabbath The Lord commanded Moses, his servant, concerning the Sabbath day, that the children of Israel should observe it. For thus he said to them: "Six days you shall do your work, and the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord your God." Because in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and the seas and everything that is in them, and he ceased and rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it he rested from all the works that he had made. And thus he warned you, that you should rest, you and your servant and your maidservant, and your oxen and your donkey. And further he added and warned you, that the hired hand and the sojourner and all your cattle should rest from toil and labor in servitude. For concerning this Sabbath day, my beloved, the Jewish people boast and pride themselves in it, and say that in this they are alive, that they observe the Sabbath and its customs. How much can I persuade you with few words, as I persuaded you concerning circumcision and Passover? For the Sabbath was not placed as a means of death for the living, nor as a means of righteousness for sin, but it was given for rest, like other commandments that, if the children of men observe them, they live, and if they do not observe them, they die. For at the time when the Sabbath was commanded, it was given as a rest for the people, and not only for the children of men to rest, but also for the cattle. For it says: "Your ox and your donkey and all your cattle shall rest." For if the Sabbath were placed as a means of death for the living and as a means of righteousness for sins, what concern would the cattle have with observing the Sabbath? Or what distress would come to it if it did not observe it? For behold, you see that on other days the cattle are subjected to servitude and the labor of toil, more than is fitting, more than on the Sabbath day. For on workdays the cattle labor and toil in carrying and bearing loads.

...and the oxen of the field, and because there is no place where they can commit sins except on the Sabbath day, the asses and the oxen and all the cattle are idle, so that they may rest with their mothers and their sisters, and with all their close kin by blood; they are not prevented from copulating, and there is no sin. The beasts are permitted to commit these sins on the Sabbath day, because that is the law of all cattle. And know that just as there is no sin for the cattle in what they do, so also there is no righteousness, because the reward of righteousness is in the new world, at the resurrection of the dead, for those who perform works of righteousness; and for the cattle there is no resurrection that will come to them, so that the reward of keeping the Sabbath might be given to them. Nor does the law of the Sabbath apply to them. And just as other commandments of the law were not established for the cattle to observe, so also the Sabbath does not command them anything. For the Holy One commanded in his law that you shall not commit incest; and the cattle commit incest openly and publicly. And the law commanded and warned, "Cursed is everyone who takes his sister with the rest of all his close kin by blood," and all these things the cattle do. And it is also written, "You shall not kill," and the cattle, because of their nature, kill their own kind and eat their flesh. Again it is written, "Eat and drink everything, but do not eat blood," and the cattle lick the blood of their own kind, and tainted flesh is more pleasing to them to eat. For if the cattle had any benefit from keeping the Sabbath, first of all the law would have forbidden them these impurities, and then it would have permitted them to keep the Sabbath. And behold, this proof that I have written, that the Sabbath was given for the sake of the weary, for all creation that is weary. For if it had not been given for the sake of the weary, for every weary body, then the first creations would not have been weary, and they would not have needed to observe the Sabbath as is fitting. But see, the sun runs.

The moon travels, and the stars run, and the winds blow, and the birds fly, and the fledglings are driven, and the springs gush forth with their waters, and the waves are raised up, and the lightnings run and terrify the creatures, and the thunders in their times resound mightily, and the trees put forth their fruits, and the whole of nature is busied, and nothing is seen to be at rest on the Sabbath day except for the sons of men and the cattle, which are under the yoke of servitude of labour. For if the Sabbath had been given for righteousness, it would have been given to Adam before Israel, so that he might keep it and be justified by it; and God would not have given him a commandment that he should not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, lest he die. But because Adam was not given to labour until he transgressed the commandment, he was not given the Sabbath; but after he transgressed the commandment, then he received the decree of the judgement of the labour of toil, that he should work the earth as a guilty and foolish person, and the decree of death was passed upon him. For if righteousness had been on the Sabbath, Noah would have been pleasing in it, and all the generations after him; and even Noah did not keep the Sabbath by which he would be called perfect and lacking in sins. But rather thus God said to Noah: 'I have seen that you are righteous and perfect in this generation.' And it was not by keeping the Sabbath that he was justified, but by keeping perfection in a corrupt generation, as the context of the word makes known; for it is not written that he participated in the world. Was it not Noah, the son of Lamech, who was five hundred years old, when God spoke with him and said to him: 'I have seen that you are righteous and perfect before me in this generation'? And his perfection was as this matter appears to you: that when he saw that the generation of Seth had mingled with the cursed sons of Cain, he set in his mind that he would not take a wife and would not beget children.

that they not be mixed and cursed with the cursed seed of the house of Cain. And when God saw that his heart was pure and perfect, he desired that through him there would be a replacement for the world, because he considered that they had erred on account of their wickedness. Then he spoke with him when he was five hundred years old, and said, "I have seen that you are perfect before me in this generation." When he was still childless, because as it seemed to him, this matter—as you have written above—that Noah took a wife, he did not take a wife during that entire time until God spoke with him and said to him, "I have seen that you are perfect before me in this generation. Now make for yourself an ark of wood in which to hide." When Noah heard what God commanded him to make the ark, he said that this counsel was a counsel for the righteous from the face of the earth, because they had corrupted their ways. Then at the age of five hundred, Noah took a wife from the daughters of Seth, the blessed seed of the righteous, and she bore Shem, Ham, and Japheth—these three. Noah warned his sons not to take wives from the daughters of Cain, but he gave them wives from the seed of the righteous, as it was decreed that from them seed would be sown on the face of the earth, that the world might be established from them, and that it might be known that these are thus. This I show you from the calculation of the years. For Shem, the firstborn of Noah, was two years old after the flood when his son Arpachshad was born to him. And Shem was one hundred years old when he begot Arpachshad, two years after the flood. From these the intention is known to you, that Noah was five hundred and two years old when he begot Shem. And from this calculation it is understood that Noah did not take a wife before God spoke with him, nor did his sons take wives until the time when he entered the ark. For if he had taken a wife in his youth, he would also have begotten children.

Like Adam, who at one hundred and thirty years begot Seth; and Seth at one hundred and five years begot Enosh; and Enosh at ninety years begot Kenan; and Kenan at seventy years begot Mahalalel; and Mahalalel at sixty-five years begot Jared; and Jared at one hundred and sixty-two years begot Enoch; and Enoch at sixty-five years begot Methuselah; and Methuselah at one hundred and eighty-seven years begot Lamech; and Lamech, the father of Noah, at one hundred and eighty-two years begot him. Also he, if he had taken a wife before God spoke with him, would have begotten like his fathers, because barrenness was not decreed for him, for at that time the sons of Adam were blessed to multiply and increase in their generations, as the world was filled from them. But Noah, who preserved integrity, was not with his own kind, lest he be mixed with the cursed seed of the house of Cain. Rather, when he took a wife and begot sons, and through his sons the law was transgressed and they took wives from that seed. But when he saw that God spoke with him and said to him, "The sons of men whom I created from the face of the earth, and you alone are saved," then he took a wife, so that he might have seed from whom the world would be established, and he would be the father of the righteous and the just. And finally, the Spirit of Holiness rested upon him, that also the Messiah, the life-giver of the world, would nullify the curses of Adam from his seed when he was born from it. Then eagerly he took a wife from the blessed seed, and begot Shem, the father of the righteous, at the age of five hundred and two years, and at the time of two hundred when God spoke with him. And when he had begotten three sons, he began to make the ark, and he warned his sons not to take wives until the time they entered the ark.

...lest they be in sins and corrupt their way, and because of their sins they were not saved, because of the wrath that was to come. And he waited for his sons nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he took wives for them from the blessed seed of his fathers. Then, at the time of six hundred years of his life, God spoke with him and said to him: "Enter the ark, you and your wife, and your sons, and the wives of your sons with you." And Noah entered the ark at six hundred years, and he placed his son, who was nine hundred and sixty-seven years old when he entered the ark. And then the flood came, and the generation of the destroyers perished. And Noah and his sons were in the ark until twelve months and ten days had passed. And from Noah came the second world, because he preserved integrity in the generation of the destroyers. And he did not keep the Sabbath, nor was he justified by circumcision, but by that which I have described to you. And from Noah was born a faithful man, the head of the righteous, Abraham, who kept the law, though no law was given to him. And he begot Isaac, a son of the kingdom, and Jacob, the head of the people. And these righteous fathers did not keep the Sabbath, but were justified by faith, as it is written that Abraham believed in God, and righteousness was reckoned to him. And Isaac and Jacob, his sons, walked in the commandment and in the law of their father, and were justified by faith, and not by the Sabbath. And Joseph, in the land of Egypt, was not justified by keeping the Sabbath, but by his chastity. And when his master's wife cast her eyes upon him, as if to commit uncleanness with him, he spoke and said to his mistress: "How can I commit this great evil and sin against God?" By this Joseph was justified, and not by the Sabbath. For if the house of death were for life, and the house of iniquity for righteousness, to these righteous ones whom I have mentioned above, the Sabbath would have been given for them to keep and to live.

But it was for this reason that the Sabbath was given for rest, just as servants, maidservants, hired workers, and residents, and the dumb beast of burden rest. For these who have no toil rest, because God is concerned for his entire creation, even for animals and beasts, even for birds and wild animals. For Moses said, when he gave the law to the people, "Six hours you shall sow your land and gather its produce, and in the seventh hour you shall let it lie fallow and leave it, so that the poor of your people may eat, and the rest the wild animals shall eat." And also concerning birds, the Holy One commanded through Moses his servant, that if you do not find a bird's nest before you in any tree or on the ground, and if the mother has young or eggs, and if the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with her young, but let the mother fly away and take the young for yourself, so that because of these things your Lord God may not curse you. And David said, "The young of the flock that are called to him are increased." And again David said, "The young of the goats and the beasts you have saved, O Lord." And Job also said, "Who let the wild ass go free, and brought out the beast from him, which made a hole in his house and placed a salt-lick there?" And again Job said, "The young of the flock have prepared food prepared." And again he said, when he considered the birds and the beasts, "All of them are in need of you, that you may give them food in their time. You give to them and they are nourished, and you open your hand and they are satisfied. And if you turn away your face, they are troubled." And Isaiah also said, "There the wild beasts met one another, and he did not command with his mouth, and his spirit troubled them, and his hand divided the inheritances for them." See, then, from these things that God is concerned for his entire creation, and nothing escapes him. Concerning this he was careful and commanded that there be rest on the Sabbath day. And hear again what he says.

In six days God made the heavens and the earth, and he rested and was refreshed from all his works. For this reason God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. When it says concerning this, that God rested on the seventh day, hear also the proof concerning this, that God was not weary in the work of these six days, and because he was not weary, he rested on the seventh day. It is not that he was weary, as one might say that God was weary, but the force of the word is this: that God completed all his works in six days, and rested on the seventh day from all the works that he had done. And hear the proof that God does not weary. For David said, "He who watches over Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers." And since he neither sleeps nor slumbers, he also does not weary. And to the children of Israel Isaiah said, thus says the Lord: "Because thoughts have arisen in your heart that you might find that God cannot deliver you," he said to them through Isaiah, "Have I not reaped the harvest with my hand and redeemed? Or is there no power in me to deliver you? Behold, with my might I dry up the sea, and I make rivers like a desert, and I cause their waves to cease with dry water and they die, and I clothe the heavens with darkness, and I make sackcloth their covering, as the Red Sea dried up in the days of your fathers, and the Jordan was divided and I made you cross over. And even now it was sufficient in my hands to deliver you, but you were sold because of your sins, and your mother was abandoned because of your iniquity. And when I was not weary, I wearied you," as the prophet Malachi said, "You have wearied the Lord with your words." Hear then and be convinced that God does not weary nor toil in creating all his works. For it is said in the word of the Lord that the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts. Adam alone he made with his hands, and it is not written that he was weary when he made him.

All creation, when God made it, was by the word of his mouth: he spoke and it was, without toil and without weariness. But this is understood thus: that God rested from all his works and God refreshed himself on the seventh day. For if God, who does not weary, rested and refreshed himself from his works, how much more so for one who is under toil and servitude and is not able to refresh himself? And Isaiah also speaks thus concerning God: "He does not weary, nor does he sleep, and there is no limit to his understanding." And in another place, because of the sins of the people, he says: "I have enslaved you and afflicted you because of your iniquity and your sins." See how it is written that he does not weary nor sleep, and because of their iniquity he said to Israel: "I have enslaved you and afflicted you." All these words are well written and are understood by the wise in a fitting manner, as the Apostle said: "The law is good, if a man interprets it fittingly." And the prophet also says: "The ways of the Lord are straight; the wicked stumble on them, and the righteous walk on them easily and proceed." But this matter, that God refreshed himself from his works, is understood by the foolish as if he were like a man who wearies. For this reason, when he wished to rebuke the sons of men because of their many sins, he said: "I have repented that I made you." But if you do not listen to the Apostle who says otherwise, how can you know God for the world? Listen, then, my beloved, concerning the Sabbath and be convinced, as I convinced you concerning circumcision, in which the people of Israel boast. And also concerning the Sabbath, be convinced, in which they take pride, for they observe it. For Joshua son of Nun did not rest his hands on the Sabbath when he was waging war at Jericho, as the victorious Apostle says: "If Joshua son of Nun had rested his hands, it would not again be spoken concerning the day of the Sabbath." But now, the Sabbath of God is established.

The Maccabees also, when their enemies came against them to do battle with them on the Sabbath day, as the law commanded they were zealous to keep the Sabbath. And when they kept it, their enemies came against them on the Sabbath, and many of them perished by the sword. And when they saw that they were being destroyed because they were keeping the Sabbath, they again fought with them. They profaned the Sabbath and made war on it, and they overcame their enemies, and they were not prevented from profaning the Sabbath. And not only did they profane the Sabbath, but also the priests in the Temple profaned the Sabbath, and they were not sinners. For on the Sabbath day the priests used to offer sacrifices; they would slaughter, flay, and roast, and they would kindle fire and burn wood, and they were not prevented from profaning the Sabbath, because they were commanded to do so. For if the priests who were warning the people from sins were profaning the Sabbath, how much more then in a lesser place? But the place of all sins is covered there, and they did not consider it foolishness, and sins were not for them. They were very zealous for those who kept the Sabbath that was given for a sign, as I have written. But now hear concerning the Sabbath which God desired: which one it is. For Isaiah said to them that this is my rest: rest, you weary ones. And again he said: From those who keep the Sabbath and do not profane it, those who are strengthened in my covenant and choose what I desire. To those who do not profane the Sabbath, which is the rest of God, he said and gave a parable to them. For he said: I gave them a good name in my house and in my wall, from among the children and the daughters. For the Sabbath does not benefit the wicked, nor murderers nor thieves, but only those who are chosen for what God desires and who keep their hands from evil. In them God dwells, and in them he abides, as he said: I will dwell in them and walk in them.

In the days of Isaiah, they were observing the Sabbath, and they were walking in the deeds of the unclean peoples. And like the deeds of Sodom and Gomorrah they were doing, and they were saying to the peoples, "Separate for yourselves that which is consecrated." Concerning these, Isaiah said, "These are the abominations in my wrath, and a fire that burns all day." And he took and cast their idols from their land, and he scattered their idols among all the peoples, because they did not keep the rest of God, and they kept the Sabbath in a fleshly manner. But he who keeps the Sabbath of God, whatever the Messiah wills, that he may enter into the Sabbath of the Rest, in which the heavens and the earth rest, and all the orders and the Rests of all creatures are at rest. And there is no fleeing there, as the Savior said, "Let there be no fleeing for you in winter and on the Sabbath." And the Apostle said, "For the Sabbath of God is still standing." This is a brief explanation that I have written to you concerning the Sabbath, against those who boast in it. Completed is the Demonstration on the Sabbath.