Life Balance: Additional Notes on the Bible Passages

Life Balance: Additional notes on the Bible passages Session 1 Time to Pause

Exodus 20.8-11

Shed some light

In Exodus 20.8-11, Sabbath is:

 holy and blessed  communal  a rhythm set by God in creation.

Background

 The Sabbath commandment is the only commandment that is described as something that God does, or has already done.  It is the first (of only two) commandments expressed in positive terms as something we should do rather than avoid doing (the other one is to honour parents).  This form of the command gives the reason as following God’s Sabbath rest. In Deuteronomy 5.15 the reason given is Israel’s ‘rest’ from slavery in Egypt after the Exodus – hence, also, the emphasis on giving slaves Sabbath.

 It is the second longest (after the first) commandment, because it gives such a comprehensive list of who and what is to be counted into Sabbath law.

Mark 2.23 – 3.6

Shed some light

In Mark 2.23-5 Jesus:

 permits his disciples to prepare food and eat;

 heals a disfigured man;

 says that the Sabbath is made for us and not us for the Sabbath Background

 Jesus is not abolishing Sabbath but restoring it to its original design as a gift, pointing to David and the priests as evidences from Scripture about how it should be observed.

 Plucking ears of corn at the side of field was specifically permitted in law and was not reckoned as stealing.

 The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath’ underlines Jesus’ role as the true Teacher of the Law – fulfilled by mercy, grace and love.

 ‘The sabbath was made for humankind . . . ’ gives expression to this restoration, for Jesus is making the point that Sabbath is intended as blessing and gift, not burdensome law. Its goal is liberation not control.

 The reason for the strong conflict between Jesus and the Scribes over the Sabbath is rooted in a conflict between a religion of duty and control and one based on generosity and setting people free to live whole lives.

 The primary work on the Sabbath that Jesus commends here and elsewhere is the service of others.

 In giving the man (3.1-6) healing, Jesus gave him much more than health. He also, thereby, gave him the possibility of work and thus dignity and personal worth. What is more, he gave him relationship with God through this encounter with Christ. Jesus was keeping the day holy by bringing wholeness to another human being.

Session 2 Time to Celebrate

Genesis 1.1 – 2.3

Shed some light

Genesis 1.1 – 2.3:

 is a poetic account, not so much of how the world was made as why it was made – as the conscious act of a rational and creative God.  is full of rhythm and symmetry (in contrast to other more chaotic ‘creation myths’ that were current at the time this Scripture was written).

 includes the phrase ‘And God saw that it was good’ seven times. (The seventh time it is very good.)

 culminates with Sabbath as the climax and crowning glory of the creation process.

Background

 The real comparison to make with this passage is not contemporary scientific thinking about creation but the creation myths written at the same time as Genesis. They typically describe the gods fighting, killing each other and making the world out of the defeated one. Some of the contrasts with contemporary creation stories are as follows: o Genesis describes an ordered, not chaotic, process. o Genesis describes a rational, not irrational, mind at work. o Genesis is about the real world rather than about worlds of myth and make-believe and the occult. o Genesis describes a moral rather than an (at best) amoral purpose. o Genesis describes a conscious intention to create, not an accidental consequence of another event.

 This passage has been a major source of conflict between the Church and the scientific community and amongst people within the Church. One of the tragedies of that conflict is that the Church has tended to avoid exploring this wonderful passage not least about reverence for and enjoyment of creation – and Sabbath.

 This is essentially a piece of timeless poetry, not a scientific document. It is a celebration of the goodness of God in creation. It tells us what we cannot discover by scientific means, namely the meaning of the universe. Its focus is not on technical questions of how the world was made, but on ultimate/theological revelation about why the world was made.

 There is an inner harmony and balance with the structure of each day (‘there was evening and there was morning . . .) and the holy structure of the week with God’s Sabbath as the climax of it all.

 There is also a structure in the six days of creation: o In the first three days the outer form is created, namely light and darkness (Day 1), sea and sky (Day 2), fertile earth (Day 3). o In the second set of three days the outer forms are populated with sun and moon (Day 4), animals (Day 5), humanity (Day 6).

 What this passage is saying about the world in which we live is that: o The world/universe has been brought into being as the conscious act of a moral, rational and creative God. ‘It is no accident that God is the subject of the first verse of the bible’.[1] o The world is not an accident of a mechanical process but the creation of a Divine Being who is both artist and lover. o Balance is a central characteristic of the nature of creation, as is the bringing of order out of chaos. o Things that are worshipped by many (certainly at the time of Genesis), such as fertility and the sun, are created by God, not objects of worship.

This passage has given Jews and Christians down the ages much to celebrate about the wonder and gift of creation.

Philippians 4.4-9

Shed some light

Philippians 4.4-9 is full of ‘Sabbath attitudes’. It invites us to:

 rejoice and give thanks (vv. 4 and 6);  be free from anxiety and full of peace (vv. 6 and 7);  bless others with our gentleness (v. 5);  focus on all that is positive (v. 8).

Background

Sabbath thinking certainly runs right through this passage, whether consciously or unconsciously in the apostle’s mind.

 This can be seen in taking delight in God, the author of creation: hence the central place of worship in Jewish and Christian practice of Sabbath and in the way that the Holy Days were celebrated.

 This taking delight in God brings into focus particularly God’s presence with us, leading us to be gentle, joyful and at peace.

 This is all the more striking since Paul’s outward circumstances were of being in prison with almost certain death awaiting him.

 Sabbath is also about stopping to reflect on life, not least its struggles; hence the call to talk to God about our needs and concerns and let his presence act as the guard (note the prison metaphor) of our inner life.

 Sabbath is also about stopping to enjoy the gifts of life, relationships and all creation and expressing that enjoyment not least in thanksgiving (verse 6).

 Sabbath is also about service – giving Sabbath to others – expressed in the words of Christ about it being right to do good on the Sabbath. This finds expression in verse 5 about our gentleness being known to everyone (not just within the Church). We bless others simply by expressing the rest and refreshment that come to us through our own stopping.

 Reflection, exploration and enjoyment characterize the last part of this passage (verses 8-9) and are directed both at the nature of God and of the world that he has created.

 Interestingly, these words are not specifically Christian and some are found nowhere else in the New Testament. They point to the fact that Sabbath embraces the whole of life and the created order, relationships and human society. Sabbath is about the integration of all life, not about a narrowly religious focus.

 Discipline is a further underlying theme as the whole passage is a call to devote ourselves to things on which, left to our own devices, we would be unlikely to focus. So too, Sabbath is not only a gift but a discipline of mind and lifestyle that we are called to exercise.

Note 1 Derek Kidner, Genesis, Tyndale OT Commentaries, The Tyndale Press, 1967, p. 43.

Session 3 Time to Pause

Deuteronomy 5.12-15

Shed some light

Deuteronomy 5.12-15

 commands the whole community to rest on the Sabbath day;  links rest and remembrance;  reminds Israel that God rescued them out of slavery.

Background

 Only this commandment, and the following one to honour parents, are expressed in positive form rather than the more normal prohibition of ‘Thou shalt not . . .’. This no doubt links with the celebratory understanding of Sabbath that much of the Jewish tradition has held on to.

 Here the basis for Sabbath is the Exodus deliverance, rather than creation, as in the Exodus version of the Commandments (Exodus 20.8-11).

 For the Christian, this forms a direct parallel with the celebration of the resurrection of Christ as the focal point of the disciple’s practice of Sabbath.

 For the Jew, as for the Christian, Sabbath is the opportunity particularly to celebrate, reflect upon, and worship God for both creation and redemption.

 ‘Keep it holy’ means to set something apart for ‘sacred use’: offering it to God as our worship. It is how we are to give time (rather than just money) to God. We do so not just by going to church but by making time to celebrate, bless and enjoy all the good things in our lives.

 Where the call in Exodus is to ‘remember’ the Sabbath, here it is to ‘observe’. ‘As the Lord your God commanded you’ is added here, compared with Exodus. This underlines that Sabbath is not only a gift from a good God, but a command to be obeyed and a discipline to be adopted.

 Both receiving Sabbath as a gift and adopting it as a discipline are part of a true observance of it, as are both observing and remembering.

 There is a strong emphasis here on Sabbath being available for all within my reach, not just me, but anyone, any creature, anything over which I have some say in how this day is used. Keeping Sabbath is not just a personal choice but a way in which we care for all creation and human society.

 No doubt the fact that Sabbath celebrates Israel’s deliverance from slavery is a spur to ensure others, and creation, are not in bondage to our demands and expectations.

The Christian has four causes for celebrating Sabbath:

 God’s work of creation through which we receive the gift of life;  The Exodus deliverance in which we participate alongside the Jewish community;  The resurrection of Christ through which God is bringing about in us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5.17).  The promise of the Sabbath rest of heaven itself (Hebrews 4.9).

In the ritual that marks the start of the Sabbath in a Jewish home, two ‘Kiddush’ candles are lit – one for ‘observe’ and the other for ‘remember’ – remembrance of all God has done is an essential part of Sabbath rest.

1 Kings 19.4-8 Shed some light

1 Kings 19.4-8

 Elijah is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually exhausted after his contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18).

 Elijah wants to lie down and die.

 God tenderly meets his needs – giving him sleep, bread and water.

Background

 Elijah was exhausted at every level: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. With this went a deep feeling of isolation, abandonment and being at the end of his tether.

 Modern psychology has alerted us to the likelihood of such severe ‘anti- climax’ when we have given all in some major endeavour. Even, as in Elijah’s case, when we have been successful, such a reaction is to be expected. It reminds us of the need for recovery time after periods of great exertion, whether physical, mental, emotional, social, or spiritual.

 At such time, as the modern saying puts it ‘we cannot think straight’. Elijah certainly could not. Later on he claims ‘I only am left.’ (v. 10) but God reminds him that there are thousands who have not ‘bowed the knee’ to Baal. He complains that ‘I am no better than my ancestors’. God graciously refrains from asking him why he ever thought he was!

 Elijah’s experience is a vivid reminder that we all, even ‘spiritual giants’, need to experience Sabbath. It is a means of grace and a ‘sustaining gift of God’ through which life is renewed.

 For Elijah, Sabbath lasted 40 days and 40 nights, linking his experience thereby with Moses’ receiving the Law. It is a reminder to us that Sabbath cannot only be much shorter than a day (Sabbath moments) but also much longer. That is what Festivals are in the Old Testament and is the origin of our holidays – holy days.

Matthew 11.28

Shed some light

Matthew 11.:28

 Jesus promises rest for the weary.

Background  The previous verses (25-27) breathe the spirit of Sabbath as Jesus practises the receiving from God that flows from thanksgiving. All he has, and can pass on to others, has come from the good hand of his heavenly Father.

 Jesus speaks of his burden being light immediately after rejoicing in all that the Father had given to him. He is simply passing on to others the grace that he found to be his sustaining source of life.

 Out of such receiving, Jesus invites others also to be good receivers of the love, grace and goodness of God.

 Yokes for oxen were not mass produced but made to measure. It was an important part of a carpenter’s work. Jesus was speaking from experience.

 Jesus’ burden is light because it is not made up of a vast number of religious laws but simply in the vocation to love God and others – and that with and by the grace of God.

A man came upon a little boy carrying a still smaller boy, who was lame, upon his back. ‘That’s a heavy burden for you to carry,’ said the man. ‘That’s no’ a burden,’ came the answer. ‘That’s my wee brother.’ The burden which is given in love and carried in love is always light. Quoted by William Barclay, in Gospel of Matthew vol. 2, St Andrew Press, 1957 Session 4 Time to Play

Isaiah 11.6-9

Shed some light

In Isaiah 11.6-9:

 a future vision is given of the new world order that will be established when the Messiah comes;

 is a ‘new world’ where creation is restored to its original design;

 children – playing and leading – are central to the vision;

 there is a deep sense of harmony, peace and ‘shalom’ and a playfulness in the whole of creation.

Background

The earlier verses in this chapter speak about the coming of the Messiah, the one who embodies fully restored humanity (vv. 1-3) and brings justice and a new world order into being (vv. 4-5). Then comes a vision of the life to come (vv. 6-9). In these verses:

 the impact of this coming is described in terms of the peace, harmony and ‘community of love’ for all creation;  creation has been restored to the original design;  is Sabbath, not as a one-in-seven event, but as a permanent state;  is heaven, seen as eternal Sabbath for all creation.

Matthew 18.1-5

Shed some light In Matthew 18.1-5, Jesus says that:

 only those who become like children will enter the kingdom of God;

 those who are childlike will be greatest in the kingdom and that welcoming children is a way of welcoming him.

Background

 Jesus is not idealizing children in his comments here. He was no doubt well aware that children can be wilful, destructive and self-focused. Rather, Jesus was following his usual teaching method of drawing lessons from the lives of those who were considered ‘lesser people’. So he told the story of the widow’s mite, of the Pharisee and Publican praying, and of the Good Samaritan, in order to open people up to learning from those whom his hearers easily considered inferior.

 The context is yet another incident (see also Mark 10.35-45) of the disciples looking to gain prestige, power and position; a child is not interested in any of these things but points to a different way of seeing life.

 Humility, dependence (open to resources from beyond ourselves), trust, and the capacity to live in the present moment are characteristics of the child that Jesus commended in others.

 The contrast between the disciples addressed here and a child is between one who ambitiously seeks to achieve a position of importance and one who receives all life as a gift – the very starting point of Sabbath living. Session 5 Time to Liberate

Leviticus 25.1-12

Shed some light

In Leviticus 25 the Jews are instructed to:

 rest their land one year in seven;  let the whole community – slaves and livestock included – live off what the land produces naturally during that year;  observe a year of jubilee every 50 years.

Background

 Sabbath is not just about what we, as individuals, do – it is about making sure that others can share in the Sabbath rest.

 This extends way beyond the family to household servants, and slaves, to animals, to the land and to those who are in any way indebted to us.

 Jubilee is about extending this Sabbath to the wider community and creation on an organized basis. It is to happen every seven years and to find fullest expression every seven-times-seven years (every 50 years).

 The name ’jubilee’ comes from the word for trumpet (‘yobel’), which sounds the start of that year.

 Returning to our roots is a part of jubilee, both for families who are free, and for slaves retuning to their homes. Reconnecting with our roots, and helping others do the same today, is one way of practising jubilee today

 Knowing that such Sabbaths are coming gives hope to those hopelessly in debt or trapped in servile work.

 Jubilee and Sabbath both have this forward-pointing look to an ultimate heavenly/Messianic time of rest for all people and all creation.

Luke 13.10-17

Shed some light In Luke 13 Jesus:

 heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath;  is criticized by the synagogue officials for breaking the rules about work;  challenges them for failing to grasp that ‘untying’ is at the heart of Sabbath.

Background

 Fascinatingly, the right use of the Sabbath was the major focus of conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day; not sex but Sabbath was the issue.

 Jesus begins by using the Pharisees’ own laws that allow them to loose their animals to feed them on the Sabbath, making the point that less should not be done for humans than animals on such a day.

 The Law allowed water to be drawn and poured into a trough, but not for a bucket containing water to be held for such animals.

 There is no indication that the woman knew about, or had faith in, Christ. Interestingly, her response to healing is to praise God rather than Christ.

 He develops a stronger argument based on the ‘necessity’ of the kingdom (the ‘must’ of verse 16). Jesus is pointing to his kingdom commitment to join in with what God was doing on the Sabbath to set people free.

 Jesus asserts that the Sabbath is the best day on which to set people free.

 The passage ends with a sign of Sabbath – ‘the entire crowd was rejoicing’.

 Arguably, Jesus’ protection of and care for the woman on the Sabbath is about care for individuals above defence of systems (here ‘Sabbath systems’) and explains the connection between the spread of Christianity and the growth of democracy – setting people free to participate in the shaping of the world around them.