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Exodus 20:8
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Ray Comfort
Art Katz
Joseph Balsan
Chuck Smith
Bob Phillips
Keith DanielIan MurraySummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy - See what has been already said on this precept, Gen 2:2, and elsewhere. See Clarke's note on Gen 2:2. As this was the most ancient institution, God calls them to remember it; as if he had said, Do not forget that when I had finished my creation I instituted the Sabbath, and remember why I did so, and for what purposes. The word שבת shabbath signifies rest or cessation from labor; and the sanctification of the seventh day is commanded, as having something representative in it; and so indeed it has, for it typifies the rest which remains for the people of God, and in this light it evidently appears to have been understood by the apostle, Hebrews 4. Because this commandment has not been particularly mentioned in the New Testament as a moral precept binding on all, therefore some have presumptuously inferred that there is no Sabbath under the Christian dispensation. The truth is, the Sabbath is considered as a type: all types are of full force till the thing signified by them takes place; but the thing signified by the Sabbath is that rest in glory which remains for the people of God, therefore the moral obligation of the Sabbath must continue till time be swallowed up in eternity.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The Fourth Word, "Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy," presupposes an acquaintance with the Sabbath, as the expression "remember" is sufficient to show, but not that the Sabbath had been kept before this. From the history of the creation that had been handed down, Israel must have known, that after God had created the world in six days He rested the seventh day, and by His resting sanctified the day (Gen 2:3). But hitherto there had been no commandment given to man to sanctify the day. This was given for the first time to Israel at Sinai, after preparation had been made for it by the fact that the manna did not fall on the seventh day of the week (Exo 16:22). Here therefore the mode of sanctifying it was established for the first time. The seventh day was to be שׁבּי (a festival-keeper, see Exo 16:23), i.e., a day of rest belonging to the Lord, and to be consecrated to Him by the fact that no work was performed upon it. The command not to do any (כּל) work applied to both man and beast without exception. Those who were to rest are divided into two classes by the omission of the cop. ו before עבדּך (Exo 20:10): viz., first, free Israelites ("thou") and their children ("thy son and thy daughter"); and secondly, their slaves (man-servant and maid-servant), and cattle (beasts of draught and burden), and their strangers, i.e., foreign labourers who had settled among the Israelites. "Within thy gates" is equivalent to in the cities, towns, and villages of thy land, not in thy houses (cf. Deu 5:14; Deu 14:21, etc.). שׁער (a gate) is only applied to the entrances to towns, or large enclosed courts and palaces, never to the entrances into ordinary houses, huts, and tents. מלאכה work (cf. Gen 2:2), as distinguished from עבדה labour, is not so much a term denoting a lighter kind of labour, as a general and comprehensive term applied to the performance of any task, whether easy or severe. עבדה is the execution of a definite task, whether in field labour (Psa 104:23) and mechanical employment (Exo 39:32) on the one hand, or priestly service and the duties connected with worship on the other (Exo 12:25-26; Num 4:47). On the Sabbath (and also on the day of atonement, Lev 23:28, Lev 23:31) every occupation was to rest; on the other feast-days only laborious occupations (עבדה מלאכת, Lev 23:7.), i.e., such occupations as came under the denomination of labour, business, or industrial employment. Consequently, not only were ploughing and reaping (Exo 34:21), pressing wine and carrying goods (Neh 13:15), bearing burdens (Jer 17:21), carrying on trade (Amo 8:5), and holding markets (Neh 13:15.) prohibited, but collecting manna (Exo 16:26.), gathering wood (Num 15:32.), and kindling fire for the purpose of boiling or baking (Exo 35:3). The intention of this resting from every occupation on the Sabbath is evident from the foundation upon which the commandment is based in Exo 20:11, viz., that at the creation of the heaven and the earth Jehovah rested on the seventh day, and therefore blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it. This does not imply, however, that "Israel was to follow the Lord by keeping the Sabbath, and, in imitation of His example, to be active where the Lord was active, and rest where the Lord rested; to copy the Lord in accordance with the lofty aim of man, who was created in His likeness, and make the pulsation of the divine life in a certain sense his own" (Schultz). For although a parallel is drawn, between the creation of the world by God in six days and His resting upon the seventh day on the one hand, and the labour of man for six days and his resting upon the seventh on the other; the reason for the keeping of the Sabbath is not to be found in this parallel, but in the fact that God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because He rested upon it. The significance of the Sabbath, therefore, is to be found in God's blessing and sanctifying the seventh day of the week at the creation, i.e., in the fact, that after the work of creation was finished on the seventh day, God blessed and hallowed the created world, filling it with the powers of peace and good belonging to His own blessed rest, and raising it to a participation in the pure light of His holy nature (see Gen 2:3). For this reason His people Israel were to keep the Sabbath now, not for the purpose of imitating what God had done, and enjoying the blessing of God by thus following God Himself, but that on this day they also might rest from their work; and that all the more, because their work was no longer the work appointed to man at the first, when he was created in the likeness of God, work which did not interrupt his blessedness in God (Gen 2:15), but that hard labour in the sweat of his brow to which he had been condemned in consequence of the fall. In order therefore that His people might rest from toil so oppressive to both body and soul, and be refreshed, God prescribed the keeping of the Sabbath, that they might thus possess a day for the repose and elevation of their spirits, and a foretaste of the blessedness into which the people of God are at last to enter, the blessedness of the eternal κατάπαυσις ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ (Heb 4:10), the ἀνάπαυσις ἐκ τῶν κόπων (Rev 14:13). See my Archaeologie, 77). But instead of this objective ground for the sabbatical festival, which furnished the true idea of the Sabbath, when Moses recapitulated the decalogue, he adduced only the subjective aspect of rest or refreshing (Deu 5:14-15), reminding the people, just as in Exo 23:12, of their bondage in Egypt and their deliverance from it by the strong arm of Jehovah, and then adding, "therefore (that thou mightest remember this deliverance from bondage) Jehovah commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day." This is not at variance with the reason given in the present verse, but simply gives prominence to a subjective aspect, which was peculiarly adapted to warm the hearts of the people towards the observance of the Sabbath, and to render the Sabbath rest dear to the people, since it served to keep the Israelites constantly in mind of the rest which Jehovah had procured for them from the slave labour of Egypt. For resting from every work is the basis of the observance of the Sabbath; but this observance is an institution peculiar to the Old Testament, and not to be met with in any other nation, though there are many among whom the division of weeks occurs. The observance of the Sabbath, by being adopted into the decalogue, was made the foundation of all the festal times and observances of the Israelites, as they all culminated in the Sabbath rest. At the same time, as an ἐντολὴ τοῦ νόμον, an ingredient in the Sinaitic law, it belonged to the "shadow of (good) things to come" (Col 2:17, cf. Heb 10:1), which was to be done away when the "body" in Christ had come. Christ is Lord of the Sabbath (Mat 12:8), and after the completion of His work, He also rested on the Sabbath. But He rose again on the Sunday; and through His resurrection, which is the pledge to the world of the fruits of His redeeming work, He has made this day the κυριακὴ ἡμέρα (Lord's day) for His Church, to be observed by it till the Captain of its salvation shall return, and having finished the judgment upon all His foes to the very last shall lead it to the rest of that eternal Sabbath, which God prepared for the whole creation through His own resting after the completion of the heaven and the earth.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Remember the sabbath day--implying it was already known, and recognized as a season of sacred rest. The first four commandments [Exo 20:3-11] comprise our duties to God--the other six [Exo 20:12-17] our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach to the government of the heart as well as the lip (Mat 5:17). "If a man do them he shall live in them" [Lev 18:5; Neh 9:29]. But, ah! what an if for frail and fallen man. Whoever rests his hope upon the law stands debtor to it all; and in this view every one would be without hope were not "the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" [Jer 23:6; Jer 33:16] (Joh 1:17).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. By abstaining from all servile work and business, and from all pleasures and recreations lawful on other days, and by spending it in religious exercises, both internal and external. This the Israelites are bid to "remember", by observing it in such a manner, because this command had been given them before at the first time the manna was rained about their tents, Exo 16:23 and because it was a command of positive institution, and not a part of the law of nature, and therefore more liable to be forgotten and neglected; for, as a Jewish writer (e) observes, all the laws of the decalogue are according to the dictates of nature, the law and light of reason, and knowledge of men, excepting this: wherefore no other has this word "remember" prefixed to it; there being somewhat in the light of every man's reason and conscience to direct and engage him in some measure to the observation of them. In what day of the week this sabbath was to be kept next follows; for all to the end of the eleventh verse belongs to this command, which is the fourth. (e) Aben Ezra.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
20:8-11 The Sabbath day is kept holy when it is dedicated to the Lord (20:10). Whatever belongs exclusively to God shares his character. This is not to say that the other six days are unholy, but simply that they are for ordinary work (20:9). On this day set apart, we are reminded that it is not our work that supplies our needs. Our needs are supplied by God as an act of his grace (20:6).
Exodus 20:8
The Ten Commandments
7You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.8Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.9Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
How to Bring Your Children to Christ
By Ray Comfort7.5K57:27Family SalvationEXO 20:8EXO 20:13PSA 19:7PRO 5:18MAT 5:21ROM 7:7In this sermon, the speaker shares personal experiences and observations about the transformative power of God's word. He emphasizes the importance of having a fear of God and recognizing His judgment. The speaker also discusses the dangers of idolizing worldly things and neglecting our love for God. He highlights the significance of teaching children about God's commandments and cultivating a love for His word through family devotions and memorizing Bible verses.
K-485 Covenant Keeping (1 of 3)
By Art Katz1.5K37:00Covenant KeepingEXO 20:8EXO 31:18MAT 6:33LUK 14:33ROM 8:1ROM 8:4HEB 4:9In this sermon, the speaker expresses his concern about the passive nature of the church and the lack of engagement from its members. He shares an example of a church that distributed study outlines for personal Bible study at every level, which helped the congregation to actively participate and apply the teachings in their lives. The speaker suggests that God's dealing with Israel is a reiteration of the same themes of sin, judgment, and resurrection that humanity needs to learn from. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and observing God's provisions, even in the face of opposition, as it brings honor to God.
Eternity to Eternity 02 Genesis 1:1
By Joseph Balsan1.5K50:07CreationEXO 20:8In this sermon, the speaker discusses the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. He emphasizes that God has the power to compress time and accomplish things in a short period. The speaker also connects the six days of creation in Genesis to six ages or dispensations of human history. He highlights the importance of creation as evidence of God's existence and power. The sermon concludes with a reference to the wine at the wedding being better than what was served before, symbolizing the abundance and blessings that come from God.
(Through the Bible) Genesis 8-9
By Chuck Smith1.4K1:02:10ExpositionalGEN 1:14GEN 8:1EXO 20:8PSA 19:1PRO 3:5MAT 24:362CO 12:4In this sermon, the speaker discusses the limitations of human language in describing the glory and beauty of God. He emphasizes that while we use anthropomorphic terms to describe God, they are inadequate in capturing His true nature. The sermon then focuses on the story of Noah and how God remembered him, highlighting that God never actually forgot Noah. The speaker also mentions the geographical changes that occurred after the flood, such as the settling of the seas and the upward thrust of mountains, and references a book by Immanuel Velikovsky that documents these changes. Additionally, he suggests that the change in the earth's orbit around the sun may have occurred around the time of Joshua, leading to the adjustment of calendars.
Blood Covenant - Part 6
By Bob Phillips1.3K39:13EXO 19:5EXO 20:8DEU 6:5MAT 5:17In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not playing with the word of God and highlights the need for believers to be obedient to the law. He encourages the congregation to seek the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer and to break free from any bondage or stronghold in their lives. The preacher also reminds the audience of how God has been good to His people throughout history, providing for their needs and guiding them through His commandments. He emphasizes that God's blessings are based on the covenant relationship with His people. The sermon concludes by referencing Matthew 5:17, where Jesus affirms that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, and that believers are set free from the law of sin and death through the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus.
Prove Me Now - Part 4
By Keith Daniel1.2K09:49EXO 20:8PRO 3:9MAL 3:10MAT 6:33LUK 16:10
This sermon emphasizes the importance of honoring God in all aspects of life, including business dealings and financial decisions. It shares a powerful testimony of a couple who chose to close their business on Sundays to honor God's day, despite the potential financial risks. The sermon highlights how God honored their obedience and faithfulness, leading to unexpected prosperity and blessings beyond measure. It encourages believers to prioritize honoring God above all else, even when faced with challenges or opposition.
Life of Robert L. Dabney
By Ian Murray1.1K1:07:19EXO 20:8MAT 9:37ACT 2:41ROM 12:10JAS 1:27The sermon transcript discusses the degradation of the savior, comparing him to various objects like a life preserver or a fire extinguisher. It emphasizes the importance of having faith in Jesus in his three offices of prophet, priest, and king. The transcript also mentions the author's foresight of the changing structure of evangelism and the defense of observing the Sabbath day. It concludes with a mention of a rich outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the army, leading to conversions and growing piety.
What Is It to Accept Jesus? - a.w. Tozer
By From the Pulpit & Classic Sermons1.1K37:46RadioEXO 20:8ISA 1:16MAT 5:10MAT 7:6JHN 3:16In this sermon, the preacher tells the story of the prodigal son from the Bible. He emphasizes the younger son's request for his inheritance and his subsequent wasteful living in a far country. The preacher highlights the son's descent into working with swine, which was considered unclean for a Jew. The sermon concludes with the preacher reflecting on the son's realization of his sinful lifestyle and his decision to return home. The preacher also criticizes those who preach a message of accepting Jesus without a change in lifestyle.
Rest & Fight - Part 1
By Stephen Kaung1.0K1:19:22GEN 1:1EXO 20:8MAT 11:28HEB 4:1HEB 4:13In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28, where He invites all who are burdened and weary to come to Him for rest. The preacher emphasizes that Jesus is the only one who can truly give us rest because He took upon Himself our sins and paid the penalty for them on the cross. The preacher shares a personal experience of finding rest in Jesus at a young age. The sermon also references Hebrews 4:1-13, highlighting the importance of entering into God's rest and the need to fear failing to receive this promise.
Lost
By William Blackburn1.0K24:34Lost SoulsEXO 20:8EXO 20:12MAT 5:27LUK 19:10HEB 9:27REV 20:12In this sermon, the preacher shares a tragic story of two brothers trying to rescue a young girl trapped in a car accident. Unfortunately, the older brother unknowingly ignites a fire when he lights a cigarette near the gasoline spill from the car. Despite their efforts, the flames become too intense, and the girl's body is consumed by the fire. The preacher uses this story to emphasize the importance of making a decision to choose life or death, heaven or hell. He urges the listeners to repent, give their hearts to Christ, and be saved, as this decision is the most crucial one they will ever make. The sermon also highlights the consequences of being lost from God and the urgency to seek salvation before facing death.
Law of Love 4
By Vernon Higham91840:30LoveEXO 20:8In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of attending church and being a witness to others. He asserts that people in the community are aware of our church attendance and observe how it impacts our lives throughout the week. The preacher then discusses the law of God, which is summed up as loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves. However, he acknowledges that sin prevents us from fully obeying this law. The preacher concludes by highlighting the transformative power of God's grace, which enables us to love God and others as we should, and emphasizes the role of the commandments in guiding our lives.
Samson #2 - First Warfare
By Andrew Foster8961:06:12SamsonEXO 20:8JDG 14:4JDG 14:19REV 1:10In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not taking sin lightly and avoiding the temptation to pursue revival and deliverance in our own terms. He refers to the story of Samson in the book of Judges as an example of someone who played games with the enemy instead of approaching the work of God with seriousness. The preacher highlights the danger of entertaining sinners in an attempt to convert them, rather than relying on the power of the Holy Spirit. He also warns that even when we have good intentions, we can easily fall into sin, emphasizing the need to be cautious and obedient when serving the Lord.
Preaching About the Lord's Day (Clip)
By Rolfe Barnard88102:16EXO 20:8DEU 6:6PSA 119:97JAS 1:221JN 5:3
This sermon emphasizes the importance of dedicating the Lord's Day solely to God, without mixing it with worldly pleasures or distractions. It warns against the danger of treating God's holiness lightly and the consequences of not honoring His commandments. The message calls for a deep examination of one's heart and actions to ensure that God is truly at the center of one's life.
Day of Atonement - Tabernacles
By Stephen Grant79843:42TabernaclesEXO 20:8EXO 23:14LEV 16:17LEV 17:5MAT 6:33HEB 9:22HEB 9:28In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of seeing the face of Christ in the eternal day. They emphasize that when we see his face, it signifies serving him and a continual unfolding of his character. The sermon also mentions the structure and order in heaven, with worship and service being a part of it. The speaker references Deuteronomy 16:13, which mentions observing the feast of tabernacles after gathering in corn and wine, indicating that there will be a time for harvest before the eternal day. Additionally, the sermon touches on the future salvation of Israel and the removal of their sin, as prophesied in Isaiah. The speaker concludes by discussing the three appearances of Jesus, past (Calvary), present (in heaven), and future (his second coming).
The Message of Evangelism
By Ernest C. Reisinger2471:25:45EvangelismEXO 20:8MAT 8:20MAT 28:19JHN 14:271TH 2:41TH 2:131PE 3:15In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of preparing oneself for witnessing and sharing the gospel. They emphasize the need for sincerity and avoiding deceit in evangelism. The speaker also mentions the trust that believers have been given by God to share the gospel. They highlight the significance of understanding what the gospel truly is. The sermon encourages believers to be diligent in their witness and to have proper motives for evangelism.
The Morning Watch in the Life of Obedience
By Andrew Murray0ObedienceMorning DevotionEXO 20:8Andrew Murray emphasizes the significance of the first day of the week as a holy day, not merely for rest but as a means to sanctify the entire week. He highlights the importance of dedicating the morning hours to God, which can bless our daily work and help us resist temptation. Murray explains that this morning watch strengthens our bond with God, allowing us to maintain purity and obedience throughout our busy lives. He asserts that the desire for a life of obedience enhances the value of the morning watch, while the morning watch provides the strength needed for obedience. This intimate connection between obedience and the morning watch is vital for spiritual growth.
A Short Examination of Some of the Scripture-Proofs, Alledged by the Divines at Westminster
By Robert Barclay0EXO 20:8PRO 22:19ISA 8:19MAT 4:4LUK 1:3ACT 20:7ROM 15:41CO 16:1HEB 1:12PE 1:19REV 1:10Robert Barclay addresses the assertions made by others regarding God's will being wholly committed to writing and the ceasing of former ways of revelation. He refutes these claims by examining various Scriptures, highlighting that the conclusions drawn are not logically sound. Additionally, he challenges the notion that the Sabbath was changed to the first day of the week and that there are only two sacraments under the Gospel, providing counterarguments based on Scripture and reasoning. Barclay emphasizes the importance of aligning beliefs with the true teachings of the Bible rather than relying on human interpretations.
Top Priorities -- Imperative Firsts
By Russell DeLong0EXO 20:81KI 20:38PRO 3:9MAL 3:10MAT 6:33MAT 22:37MRK 1:35COL 1:18Russell DeLong emphasizes the importance of setting priorities and top priorities in life, drawing parallels to the critical decisions made during wartime. He highlights the dangers of substituting secondary matters for primary ones and the consequences of neglecting imperative firsts. Using biblical examples from the Old and New Testaments, he illustrates the significance of recognizing and honoring top priorities to avoid tragic outcomes. DeLong provides five top priorities for successful living, including prioritizing God's will, seeking the kingdom of Heaven, dedicating time for prayer and Bible reading, observing the Sabbath, and giving the first portion of income to God's work.
Prayer - We Begin This Sunday With You, Our Father
By J.R. Miller0Spiritual RenewalSabbath RestEXO 20:8J.R. Miller emphasizes the significance of Sunday as a day dedicated to God, a time for rest and spiritual renewal. He expresses gratitude for this day, recognizing it as a blessing that helps keep God at the forefront of our lives. Miller prays for peace and the expulsion of worldly distractions, asking for God's presence to sanctify the day's privileges. He seeks guidance, comfort, and wisdom through prayer and scripture, aiming to strengthen love for God and foster a spirit of service to others. The sermon concludes with a heartfelt plea for the mind of Christ to be instilled in us.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy - See what has been already said on this precept, Gen 2:2, and elsewhere. See Clarke's note on Gen 2:2. As this was the most ancient institution, God calls them to remember it; as if he had said, Do not forget that when I had finished my creation I instituted the Sabbath, and remember why I did so, and for what purposes. The word שבת shabbath signifies rest or cessation from labor; and the sanctification of the seventh day is commanded, as having something representative in it; and so indeed it has, for it typifies the rest which remains for the people of God, and in this light it evidently appears to have been understood by the apostle, Hebrews 4. Because this commandment has not been particularly mentioned in the New Testament as a moral precept binding on all, therefore some have presumptuously inferred that there is no Sabbath under the Christian dispensation. The truth is, the Sabbath is considered as a type: all types are of full force till the thing signified by them takes place; but the thing signified by the Sabbath is that rest in glory which remains for the people of God, therefore the moral obligation of the Sabbath must continue till time be swallowed up in eternity.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The Fourth Word, "Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy," presupposes an acquaintance with the Sabbath, as the expression "remember" is sufficient to show, but not that the Sabbath had been kept before this. From the history of the creation that had been handed down, Israel must have known, that after God had created the world in six days He rested the seventh day, and by His resting sanctified the day (Gen 2:3). But hitherto there had been no commandment given to man to sanctify the day. This was given for the first time to Israel at Sinai, after preparation had been made for it by the fact that the manna did not fall on the seventh day of the week (Exo 16:22). Here therefore the mode of sanctifying it was established for the first time. The seventh day was to be שׁבּי (a festival-keeper, see Exo 16:23), i.e., a day of rest belonging to the Lord, and to be consecrated to Him by the fact that no work was performed upon it. The command not to do any (כּל) work applied to both man and beast without exception. Those who were to rest are divided into two classes by the omission of the cop. ו before עבדּך (Exo 20:10): viz., first, free Israelites ("thou") and their children ("thy son and thy daughter"); and secondly, their slaves (man-servant and maid-servant), and cattle (beasts of draught and burden), and their strangers, i.e., foreign labourers who had settled among the Israelites. "Within thy gates" is equivalent to in the cities, towns, and villages of thy land, not in thy houses (cf. Deu 5:14; Deu 14:21, etc.). שׁער (a gate) is only applied to the entrances to towns, or large enclosed courts and palaces, never to the entrances into ordinary houses, huts, and tents. מלאכה work (cf. Gen 2:2), as distinguished from עבדה labour, is not so much a term denoting a lighter kind of labour, as a general and comprehensive term applied to the performance of any task, whether easy or severe. עבדה is the execution of a definite task, whether in field labour (Psa 104:23) and mechanical employment (Exo 39:32) on the one hand, or priestly service and the duties connected with worship on the other (Exo 12:25-26; Num 4:47). On the Sabbath (and also on the day of atonement, Lev 23:28, Lev 23:31) every occupation was to rest; on the other feast-days only laborious occupations (עבדה מלאכת, Lev 23:7.), i.e., such occupations as came under the denomination of labour, business, or industrial employment. Consequently, not only were ploughing and reaping (Exo 34:21), pressing wine and carrying goods (Neh 13:15), bearing burdens (Jer 17:21), carrying on trade (Amo 8:5), and holding markets (Neh 13:15.) prohibited, but collecting manna (Exo 16:26.), gathering wood (Num 15:32.), and kindling fire for the purpose of boiling or baking (Exo 35:3). The intention of this resting from every occupation on the Sabbath is evident from the foundation upon which the commandment is based in Exo 20:11, viz., that at the creation of the heaven and the earth Jehovah rested on the seventh day, and therefore blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it. This does not imply, however, that "Israel was to follow the Lord by keeping the Sabbath, and, in imitation of His example, to be active where the Lord was active, and rest where the Lord rested; to copy the Lord in accordance with the lofty aim of man, who was created in His likeness, and make the pulsation of the divine life in a certain sense his own" (Schultz). For although a parallel is drawn, between the creation of the world by God in six days and His resting upon the seventh day on the one hand, and the labour of man for six days and his resting upon the seventh on the other; the reason for the keeping of the Sabbath is not to be found in this parallel, but in the fact that God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because He rested upon it. The significance of the Sabbath, therefore, is to be found in God's blessing and sanctifying the seventh day of the week at the creation, i.e., in the fact, that after the work of creation was finished on the seventh day, God blessed and hallowed the created world, filling it with the powers of peace and good belonging to His own blessed rest, and raising it to a participation in the pure light of His holy nature (see Gen 2:3). For this reason His people Israel were to keep the Sabbath now, not for the purpose of imitating what God had done, and enjoying the blessing of God by thus following God Himself, but that on this day they also might rest from their work; and that all the more, because their work was no longer the work appointed to man at the first, when he was created in the likeness of God, work which did not interrupt his blessedness in God (Gen 2:15), but that hard labour in the sweat of his brow to which he had been condemned in consequence of the fall. In order therefore that His people might rest from toil so oppressive to both body and soul, and be refreshed, God prescribed the keeping of the Sabbath, that they might thus possess a day for the repose and elevation of their spirits, and a foretaste of the blessedness into which the people of God are at last to enter, the blessedness of the eternal κατάπαυσις ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ (Heb 4:10), the ἀνάπαυσις ἐκ τῶν κόπων (Rev 14:13). See my Archaeologie, 77). But instead of this objective ground for the sabbatical festival, which furnished the true idea of the Sabbath, when Moses recapitulated the decalogue, he adduced only the subjective aspect of rest or refreshing (Deu 5:14-15), reminding the people, just as in Exo 23:12, of their bondage in Egypt and their deliverance from it by the strong arm of Jehovah, and then adding, "therefore (that thou mightest remember this deliverance from bondage) Jehovah commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day." This is not at variance with the reason given in the present verse, but simply gives prominence to a subjective aspect, which was peculiarly adapted to warm the hearts of the people towards the observance of the Sabbath, and to render the Sabbath rest dear to the people, since it served to keep the Israelites constantly in mind of the rest which Jehovah had procured for them from the slave labour of Egypt. For resting from every work is the basis of the observance of the Sabbath; but this observance is an institution peculiar to the Old Testament, and not to be met with in any other nation, though there are many among whom the division of weeks occurs. The observance of the Sabbath, by being adopted into the decalogue, was made the foundation of all the festal times and observances of the Israelites, as they all culminated in the Sabbath rest. At the same time, as an ἐντολὴ τοῦ νόμον, an ingredient in the Sinaitic law, it belonged to the "shadow of (good) things to come" (Col 2:17, cf. Heb 10:1), which was to be done away when the "body" in Christ had come. Christ is Lord of the Sabbath (Mat 12:8), and after the completion of His work, He also rested on the Sabbath. But He rose again on the Sunday; and through His resurrection, which is the pledge to the world of the fruits of His redeeming work, He has made this day the κυριακὴ ἡμέρα (Lord's day) for His Church, to be observed by it till the Captain of its salvation shall return, and having finished the judgment upon all His foes to the very last shall lead it to the rest of that eternal Sabbath, which God prepared for the whole creation through His own resting after the completion of the heaven and the earth.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Remember the sabbath day--implying it was already known, and recognized as a season of sacred rest. The first four commandments [Exo 20:3-11] comprise our duties to God--the other six [Exo 20:12-17] our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach to the government of the heart as well as the lip (Mat 5:17). "If a man do them he shall live in them" [Lev 18:5; Neh 9:29]. But, ah! what an if for frail and fallen man. Whoever rests his hope upon the law stands debtor to it all; and in this view every one would be without hope were not "the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" [Jer 23:6; Jer 33:16] (Joh 1:17).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. By abstaining from all servile work and business, and from all pleasures and recreations lawful on other days, and by spending it in religious exercises, both internal and external. This the Israelites are bid to "remember", by observing it in such a manner, because this command had been given them before at the first time the manna was rained about their tents, Exo 16:23 and because it was a command of positive institution, and not a part of the law of nature, and therefore more liable to be forgotten and neglected; for, as a Jewish writer (e) observes, all the laws of the decalogue are according to the dictates of nature, the law and light of reason, and knowledge of men, excepting this: wherefore no other has this word "remember" prefixed to it; there being somewhat in the light of every man's reason and conscience to direct and engage him in some measure to the observation of them. In what day of the week this sabbath was to be kept next follows; for all to the end of the eleventh verse belongs to this command, which is the fourth. (e) Aben Ezra.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
20:8-11 The Sabbath day is kept holy when it is dedicated to the Lord (20:10). Whatever belongs exclusively to God shares his character. This is not to say that the other six days are unholy, but simply that they are for ordinary work (20:9). On this day set apart, we are reminded that it is not our work that supplies our needs. Our needs are supplied by God as an act of his grace (20:6).