The Lord of the Sabbath: Matthew 12:1-21

Matthew now deals with the question of the Sabbath’s purpose:

Genesis 2:2-3 (NIV) By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Psalm 118:24 (CSB) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it

Exodus 20:8-11 (CSB) 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.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Jesus is establishing that he is God’s chosen consecrated rest for God’s people:

Hebrews 4:9-11 (CSB) Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Sabbath that brings true and everlasting rest to the human soul. Where the Sabbath gave rest to the body, Jesus gives rest to the person. He calls everyone to come to him, showing that rest for the soul is not found in our circumstances but in the presence of Christ and our connection with him.

This invitation to “rest” in Christ is the context that generates the first portion of our text today.

From this context Matthew provides yet another answer to the central question of his gospel – “what kind of man is Jesus?” – Jesus is “the Lord of the Sabbath”.

Jesus is the Lord of our sacred rest!
• Jesus gives this rest to those who believe in him
• Jesus gives this rest to those who trust him with their souls
• Jesus gives this rest to those who surrender their burdens to him