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$347. ON THE DESIGN OF THE SABBATH.

$347. ON THE Design of the Sabbath.

The design of the Sabbath, as mentioned in Exod. 20: 8-11 and in 31: 12-17, where there is a repetition of the statement, made in Gen. 2: 1-3, was to exhibit a symbolic acknowledgment, that God was the Creator of the universe, and that He alone is worthy to be and ought to be, worshipped. Hence the same punishment was attached to a violation of this Institution, that there was to an open defection from the true God, viz. death, Exod. 35: 2. Num. 15: 32–36.

In addition to this general object, there was another of a subordinate kind, viz. that men, especially slaves, might rest, and be refreshed, and might be led to rejoice in the goodness of God, who gave them this season of suspension from their toils, Exod. 23: 12.

That the Sabbath, as some maintain, was consecrated in commemoration of the deliverance from Egyptian servitude, is no where asserted; and the most, that can be contended for on this point, is, that the Jews are exhorted to remember the sufferings, they endured in that land, in order that, prompted by reminiscences of this kind, they might the more willingly allow the rest of the Sabbath to their servants and to their cattle, Deut. 5: 14, 15.

The statement, which is made in Exod. 31: 13-17, and Ezek. 20: 20, 21, viz. that the Sabbath is the sign of a COVENANT between God and the Israelites, means merely this, that God, as creator, had a claim on the worship of the Jews, that He was disposed to exact such worship, and that they had promised to render it.

NOTE. The more recent Jews distinguished certain Sabbaths by particular names. The Sabbath, for instance, immediately preceding the Passover, was denominated the great Sabbath, (John 19: 31. comp. Orach. chajjim p. 430, and Shulchan Aruch p. 33, 2;) because the Israelites, while in Egypt, had witnessed on that day a great miracle. Indeed any Sabbath, which was immediately followed by one of the principal festivals, was denominated great.

Another kind of Sabbath is called the second first, oußßarov Sevrεgóпgarov. It is worthy of remark, that the Sabbath, which is thus named in Luke 6: 1, the second first, is called in Matthew

348. THINGS TO BE OMITTED on the Sabbath DAY. 441

12: 1. and in Mark 2: 23. simply the Sabbath. What this secondfirst Sabbath is, is somewhat difficult to be explained.

The majority of critics suppose, it was that, which immediately succeeded the second day of the Passover. For, since the Jews numbered their days from the Passover to the Pentecost, (Deut. 16:9.) the first Sabbath after the second day from the Passover, seems to have been properly enough termed SECUNDO-PRIMUM, the second-first. The word oußarov, in the phrase uɛraži cáßßatov, (Acts 13: 42.) is nothing else than the week itself, which, as has been elsewhere observed, is sometimes designated by the customary Greek word for Sabbath.

348. CONCERNING THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE TO BE OMITTED ON THE SABBATH.

The name of the Sabbath itself, n, which signifies rest, is an intimation, that the labours, in which men ordinarily engaged, should be intermitted on that day; and we very frequently meet with express commands to that effect, Exod. 20: 10. 31: 14—17. 35. 1-3. Deut. 5: 12-14. A particular specification, however, or enumeration of what might, and what might not be done, is no where found, and we can only say, that, before the promulgation of the law on mount Sinai, the gathering of Manna was one of those things, upon which, we are assured, labour could not be expended, and that, subsequently to its promulgation, the making of a fire, was another, Exod. 16: 22-30. 35: 3. Num. 15: 32, 36. What other things there were, which were expressly prohibited, we have no means of ascertaining.

We are at liberty to say, nevertheless, on the other hand,

I. That the use of arms was not interdicted, as the more recent Jews supposed, 1 Macc. 2: 31, et. seq.

II. The healing of the sick also was not forbidden, nor the taking of medicines, as was dreamt by some of the Jewish teachers in the time of Christ, and by some of the writers in the Talmud, nor, in truth, a journey or walk of more than a thousand geometrical paces, nor the plucking of a few ears of corn to appease one's hunger, nor the performance of any acts of necessity, as feeding cattle, or plucking them from the ditch, if they had fallen into one,

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$348. THINGS TO BE OMITTED ON THE SABBATH DAY. Matt. 12: 1-15. Luke 6: 1–5. 13: 10-17. Mark 3: 2. John 5: 2-18. 9: 1–34.

The Talmudists, (Shabbath VII. 2.) reckoned up thirty six dif ferent instances of labour, which were interdicted on the Sabbath, and among others, that of making or kneading dough. This accounts for the circumstance of the Jews considering it a crime in the Saviour, that he mingled his spittle with the dust, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, John 9: 1-34.

III. Furthermore, certain duties of a religious nature were not prohibited, such as circumcision on the eighth day, the slaughtering and burning of victims, and the labours in general, which were connected with the observances, practised in the tabernacle and temple, Lev. 6: 8, et seq. Num. 28: 3, et seq. Matt. 12: 2. John 7: 23.

In consequence of the circumstance, that the kindling of a fire was interdicted on the Sabbath, whatever cooking was necessary in making preparation for the supper of Friday evening, was to be attended to before sunset. Hence the afternoon of that day (Friday) was denominated nagaoxevn, the preparation, and, in the Aramean, (xar' εžov, by way of distinction or emphasis,)

.the evening עַרְוּבְתָא

On the noon of the Sabbath, the Jews took a slight dinner, as at other times, but they deferred, till after sunset, the preparations for supper.

IV. There was no law in respect to the Sabbath, which commanded the observance of what may be termed an Ante-Sabbath ; which the Jews after the Captivity were in the habit of commencing a number of hours before the setting of the sun. As, however, the provisions for the Sabbath were to be prepared at this time, the PRO-SABBATHUM or Ante-Sabbath may be considered, as a necessary result of the law, which rendered it necessary to make such preparation, but it was too scrupulously defined and insisted on by the more recent Jews, Mark 15: 42.

$349. THINGS permitted on the Sabbath. 443

349. CONCERNING THOSE THINGS, WHICH WERE PERMITTED TO BE DONE ON THE SABBATH.

The duties, that were appropriate to the Sabbath, appear to have been learnt from custom. Hence there were no precepts on the subject, with the exception, that the priests, beside the daily victims, were to offer up on that day two other lambs of a year old, together with two tenth deals of flour mingled with oil, and a drinkoffering, and were also to change the shew-bread, Lev. 24: 8. Num. 28: 9, 10.

From the general design of the Sabbath, and from Gen. 2: 3, where God is represented as blessing the seventh day, i. e. pronouncing it joyful and propitious, it is evident, that the day was to be considered a cheerful one, that the people were to con. template, with emotions of a glad and grateful kind, on God, as THE CREATOR and Governour of the unIVERSE, which is intimat-ed also in Is. 58: 13. Accordingly sorrow on the Sabbath day was an indication of some great calamity, Hos. 2: 11. Lam. 2: 6. 1 Macc. 1: 41.

The Hebrews, therefore, spent the Sabbath in rest and in a decent cheerfulness, and did not deem it inconsistent with its sacredness, to dance, sing songs, and play on instruments of music, Exod. 15: 20, 21. 32: 6, 7. 2 Sam. 6: 14. Ps. 68: 25-27. 149: 3. 150: 4. [By consulting these passages, it will appear, that the songs, music, and dances here mentioned, were of a religious nature, or were expressive of religious emotions.] In a word, they spent the Sabbath, as far as the external acts were concerned, nearly in the same way, that other nations spend their festival days.

It was peculiar, however, to the Hebrews, to gather on this day around their prophets, and to receive instructions from them, 2 K. 4:23. Religious parents were in the habit of instructing their children, on this day in particular, in the doctrine of God, as the creator and governour of all things; and in the wonderful providences both of mercy and punishment, which he had shown; and those, who were not far distant, visited the Tabernacle or Tem ple.

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351. OF THE YEAR OF Jubilee.

$350. CONCERNING THE SABBATIC YEAR.

As a period of seven days was completed by the Sabbath, so was a period of seven years by the Sabbatic year, inay nay, nag . It seems to have been the design of the Sabbatic year to afford a longer opportunity, than would otherwise be enjoyed, for impressing on the memory the great truth, that GOD, THE CREA

TOR, IS ALONE TO BE WORSHIPPED.

The commencement of this year was on the first day of the seventh month or TISHRI (October.) It is proper to remind the reader, that we have already, in a former section, (79,) remarked on the subject of the ground being left fallow during this year. See Exod. 23: 10, 11. Lev. 25: 1-7. 26: 33—35.

During the continuance of the Feast of Tabernacles this year, the Law was to be publicly read for eight days together, either in the Tabernacle or Temple, Deut. 31: 10-13. Debts, on account of their being no income from the soil, were not collected, Deut. 15: 1, 2. They were not, however, cancelled, as was imagined by the Talmudists; for we find in Deut. 15: 9, that the Hebrews are admonished not to deny money to the poor on account of the approach of the Sabbatical year, during which it could not be exacted, but nothing further than this can be educed from that passage. Nor were servants manumitted on this year, but on the seventh year of their service, Exod. 21: 2. Deut. 15: 12. Jer. 34: 14.

351. OF THE YEAR OF JUBIlee.

The Jubilee, i, followed seven Sabbatic years, i. e. was on the 50th year, Lev. 25: 8-11, Josephus, Antiquities III. 12, 3. Philo DE CARITATE p. 404. de SEPTENARIO p. 1178; 1188.

To this statement the Jews generally, their Rabbins, and the Caraites agree, and say further, that the argument of those, who maintain, that it was on the 49th, for the reason, that the omission to till the ground for two years in succession, viz. the 49th and 50th, would produce a famine, is not to be attended to. It is not to be attended to, simply because these years of rest, being known long beforehand, the people would of course lay up pro

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