Jesus broke the Sabbath… and is blameless

 In these last days we see God provoking the Jews to emulation (Rom.11:14) in a number of ways by the Gentiles (Isa.63:17-9). God pouring out his Spirit upon the Gentiles speaking mysteries (1 Cor.14:2,21) to the Jews. Another way is by choosing to use the delusion (Isa.66:4) of those following the ceremonial prophetic Mosaic laws and thinking they are Jewish (Rev.3:9). From the 7^th Day Adventists to your Hebrew roots heresies (Gal.4:9-11, 1 Tim.4:1-5) the desire to embellish their spirituality in Mosaic garb is stronger now perhaps than any point since the church began in Acts and wrestled these matters (Act.15). The Jews were first provoked in the beginning and it appears they will be at the close of the mystery period (Eph.3:1-6, Rom.11:25).

 It seems the best way to expose this error and bring to light the proper approach to rightly dividing the law which they desire to teach while understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm, (1 Tim.1:7) is to point out that Jesus broke the Sabbath and was blameless.

John 5:15-19 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

 Jesus said "I work" on the Sabbath and not 'I rest'; he healed the man lame for 38 years on the Sabbath day by telling him to take up his bed and walk; an action that would have invoked the death penalty (Num.15:32-36, Ex.35:2). As expected the Jews sought to kill him for this (Jn.5:10, 16). He then said God was his Father which inflamed them all the more (v17). Notice that the Holy Ghost is inspiring John as he writes this and he explicitly states “he… had broken the sabbath” (v18 Not 'they thought he had'.). Just as surely as he said God was his Father making himself equal with God, he had broken the Sabbath- and the Jews sought THE MORE to kill him (v19). The problem is that Jesus never sinned or broke the law (Jn.7:18,8:46, 1 Pt.2:22, Heb.4:15). Now usually these modern Mosaics will contend that Jesus did not break the Sabbath, only ‘they thought he had’. But when you read what the Holy Ghost saith we find it very plain and clear. As a matter of fact the disciples themselves had gathered corn with Jesus on the Sabbath to satisfy their hunger (Matt.12:1-8), something the Jews were forbidden to do with gathering manna (Ex.16:22-6) the corn of heaven (Psa.78:24). Jesus helps us here understand something about the law as a schoolmaster to bring the Jews to himself (Gal.3:23-5, Rom.10:4)- namely that these Mosaic laws are shadows that pass away when the body arrives who is Christ (Col.2:17, Heb.8:5, 10:1). Notice Christ’s reply- “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?” (Mt.12:5).

 This brings up a division in the Old Covenant that relates to Jewish ordinances that are encoded prophecies and teachings about Christ that are not binding to the conscience once Christ has finished redemption after the cross when the New Testament is of force (Jn.19:30, Heb.9:16-7, Mt.26:28). Then next the laws of God flowing from his divine nature which changeth not and are not made void through faith but rather are established by it (Rom.3:31). This division is not understood by these pretenders who raise a banner over themselves of being a ‘Hebrew of the Hebrews’. Notice in Marks account Jesus says “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:” (Mk.2:27). If the Sabbath was “made for man” it was made after man and doesn’t flow from the divine nature of God as would commandments to not steal or kill or commit adultery or simply love which fulfills all the law (Rom.13:8-10). Notice the first mention of man observing the weekly sabbath was in Exodus 16 in reference to gathering manna. The Sabbath was revealed by Moses and not before him (Neh.9:14). Circumcision which is not required (Gal.2:3, Ac.15:1-2) was more important than the Sabbath (Jn.7:22-3). Jesus placed the Sabbath observance on equal footing as the shewbread and therefore the priesthood and temple. Observe again:

Matt.12:2-7 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. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 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? 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? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

 Very plain to him that understandeth. The Sabbaths, priesthood (Heb.7:12), circumcision (1 Cor.7:19), shewbread, meats (1 Tim.4:3-5, Ac.10:10-16, 28), temple (Jn.2:19-22), feast days (1 Cor.5:7-8), sacrifices (Heb.8:13), all pointed prophetically to Christ (Heb.10:1-21) and are not binding to the conscience of believers today (Ac.15:10-11). But since some people will still be bewitched (Gal.3:1) by these things and “vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” Paul stated explicitly in Colossians 2:13-17 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (v20-23) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

And again

Eph.2:13- But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

 The Sabbath in particular was a sign to the children of Israel. Notice here:

Exod.31:15-17 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.

Deut.5:15 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.

Ezek.20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. (v20) And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

 But all that aside, consider that you could not have replaced the phrase “profane the sabbath, and are blameless” with any of the other 10 commandments. Try. ‘Committed murder and are blameless’? ‘Committed adultery and are blameless?’ ‘Had other gods before the LORD and are blameless’? And yet Jesus said that the priests profane the Sabbath and are blameless.