What is the intent of the Sabbath?  I actually asked AI that question and I think it nailed the answer.

The intent of the Sabbath is to provide a day of physical and spiritual rest, reflection, and renewal by ceasing from labor to focus on God and relationships. It is meant to strengthen faith by remembering that God is the ultimate provider, not human work, and to foster a rhythm of life that promotes wholeness and balance.

It seems that the Pharisees have forgotten.  Jesus reminds them though.  Let’s take a look.

Mark 2:23-28 CSB
[23] On the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. [24] The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” [25] He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry —  [26] how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence — which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests — and also gave some to his companions?” [27] Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. [28] So then, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

So before we go further I want to look at the actual rules for the Sabbath.

Exodus 20:8-11 CSB
[8] Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: [9] You are to labor six days and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work — you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. [11] For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

The rules for the Sabbath are to do no work on the seventh day.  There is no definition of what work is though.  Because of the lack of definition the Pharisees surrounded the Sabbath with many rules.  They defined work with 39 categories of activities such as carrying  burdens, making fires, and harvesting. Harvesting being what they are accusing the disciples of in our text.  They may have had good intentions but what the rules actually do is take away the intention of the Sabbath.  Their rules make it about not breaking the rules and not about God.  The Sabbath, our Sabbath is all about God.  The balance and wholeness that the intent promotes is brought about by our relationship with God and our spiritual rest in Him.  It’s not about a rule it’s about God, and the intent isn’t that anyone would be hungry or have loss due to a Sabbath rule.  We have to continue to do what’s right on the Sabbath because of that relationship with God.  We can’t ignore that. 

In short…

God is the intent of the Sabbath!

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him – John Piper

God is the total provider of everything.  Rest in that on the Sabbath.

Jesus makes this clear to the Pharisees by declaring once again Who and What He really is as well as what the Sabbath is in relationship to us.

Mark 2:27-28 CSB
[27] Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. [28] So then, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

The Sabbath was made so we can get closer to Jesus who is God and who made the Sabbath.

John 1:1-3 CSB
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

Colossians 1:15-16 CSB
[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him.

Jesus is challenging the Pharisees Status Quo.  It’s not about you and your rules.  It’s about Me and the connection, the intimacy, and the Love I want to share with you.

Celebrate the Sabbath that Jesus has given you in Him!

Love in Christ,

Colby