Mocking the Sabbath

Viderunt eam hostes et deriserunt Sabbata ejus... Hostes deridere Sabbata est etiam a vitiis ipsa vacationis opera et otia, ad illicitas cogitationes pertrahere. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber III, Tit LII, Sabbata quae derideantur Source: Migne PL 177.670b

Enemies saw her and mocked her Sabbaths... 1 For enemies to mock the Sabbath is for them to draw one from the deeds and the rest of leisure from the vices to wicked thoughts. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 3, Chap 52, The mocking of the Sabbath 1 Lament 1.7

Healing The Hand

Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πάλιν εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπος ἐξηραμμένην ἔχων τὴν χεῖρα: καὶ παρετήρουν αὐτὸν εἰ τοῖς σάββασιν θεραπεύσει αὐτόν, ἵνα κατηγορήσωσιν αὐτοῦ. Kαὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τὴν ξηρὰν χεῖρα ἔχοντι: ἔγειρε εἰς τὸ μέσον. Kαὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς: ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀποκτεῖναι; οἱ δὲ ἐσιώπων. Kαὶ περιβλεψάμενος αὐτοὺς μετ' ὀργῆς, συλλυπούμενος ἐπὶ τῇ πωρώσει τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ: ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρα. καὶ ἐξέτεινεν, καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ὑγιὴς, ὡς ἡ ἄλλη. Των μαθητῶν κατηγορηθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, διότι τῷ Σαββάτῳ τοὺς στάχυας ἔτιλλον, ὁ Κύριος ἐπεστόμισε μὲν τοὺς κατηγόρους, καὶ διὰ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Δαβὶδ ὑποδείγματος. Ἐπιπλέον δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ νῦν ἐντρέπων, θαυματουργεῖ, δεικνύων ὅτι, Τοσοῦτον οὐχ ἁμαρτάνουσιν οἱ μαθηταί μου, ὥστε καὶ αὐτὸς ἑγὼ ἐργάζομαι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Σαββάτου, θαῦμα ἐπιδεικνύμενος· ὥστε εἰ κακόν ἐστι τὸ θαυματουργεῖν, ἔστι κακὸν ἁπλῶς καὶ τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ἐν τῷ Σαββάτῳ· ἀλλὰ μὴν τὸ θαυματουργεῖν, ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ ἀνθρώπου, θεῖόν ἐστιν, οὐκ ἄρα παρανομεῖ ὁ ἐν τῷ Σαββάτῳ μὴ κακόν τι ἐργὰζόμενος. Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν καὶ ἐρωτᾷ αὐτοὺς εἰ ἔξεστιν ἀγαθοποιῆσαι, ἐντρέπων αὐτοὺς ὡς κωλύοντας αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγαθποιεῖν· ξηρὰν δὲ ἔχει τὴν χεῖρα τὴν δεξιὰν πᾶς ὁ μὴ πράττων τὰ τῆς δεξιᾶς μερίδος ἔργα. Πρὸς ὄν λέηει ὁ Χριστός· Ἐγηειρα, τουτέστιν, Ἀνάστα ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον, τουτέστιν, εἰς τὴν μεσότητα τῶν ἀρετῶν. Πᾶσα γὰρ ἀρετὴ, μεσότης ἐστὶν, οὔτε εἰς τὴν ἔλλειψιν, οὔτε εἰς τὴν ὑπερβολὴν ἐπινεύουσα· τότε τοίνυν ὅταν σταθῇ εἰς τὴν μεσότητα, ἀποκατασταθήσεται ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ὑγιής. Ὅρα δὲ κὰι τὸ Ἀποκατεστάθη. Καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὅτε εἴχομεν ὑγιεῖς τὰς χεῖρας, τουτέστι, τὴν πρακτικὴν ἑνέργειαν, ὅτε οὔπω παράβασις· ἀφ' οὗ δὲ ἐξετάθη ἡ χεὶρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀπηγορευμένον καρπὸν, ἔκτοτε ἐξηράνθη πρὸς τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ ἐργασίαν. Πάλιν οὖν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ σταθῶμεν τῶν ἀρετῶν. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατά Μάρκον Εὐαγγέλιον, Κεφαλ. Γ’ Source: Migne PG 123.520d-521b

And He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there with a withered hand. And they watched Him whether He would heal on the Sabbath days, so that they might accuse him. And He said to the man with the withered hand: 'Stand up in the midst.' And He said to them, 'Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or to do evil? To save life or to destroy it?' But they were silent. And looking on them in anger,  and being grieved because of the blindness of their hearts, He said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.' And he held it out, and his hand was restored to him, as healthy as the other. 1 When the disciples were accused by the Jews because they plucked ears from the corn, the Lord refuted their accusers, and that with the example of David, but now He confuted them much more with the making of a miracle, showing by this turning to the work of the making of a miracle on the Sabbath that His disciples did not sin, because if it is wicked to perform a miracle on the Sabbath, certainly it is wicked to perform a needful deed. But to work a miracle for the saving of a man is Divine, therefore he does not sin who works what is not evil on the Sabbath. Thus He questions them, if it is permitted to do good, reproving them because they would prohibit goodness. And everyone has a withered right hand who does not perform the works which belong to the right side. To which Christ says, 'Stand up,' that is, 'Rise from sin', and stand 'in the midst,' that is, in the middle of virtue. For every virtue is middling when it is tending neither to defectiveness nor perfection. Thus when the man had stood in the middle, He restored His right hand to health. And note that it is said, 'It was restored.' For once we had healthy hands that were useful for the works of virtue, when we had not fallen. But when our right hand was extended to the forbidden fruit, then it began to dry up for good works. So let us stand again in the midst of virtue.  Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Mark, Chapter 3 1 Mk 3.1-5

Sabbath Permissions

In illo tempore abiit Jesus per sata sabbato: discipuli autem ejus esurientes coeperunt vellere spicas, et manducare. Pharisaei autem videntes dixerunt ei: Ecce discipuli tui faciunt, quod non licet eis facere Sabbatis.. Ecce reprehensiva interrogatio: et dicit tria; superstitionem, suspicionem, et interrogationem, Superstitio notatur in nomine Pharisaeorum: quia gloriabatur de religione superstitiosa, unde infra, assiimilantur sepulchris, quae a foris apparent speciosa, et intus, sunt plena spurcitiis. Videntes' suspicionis oculo. An oculus tuus nequam est: quia ego bonus sum. Quid autem vides festucam in oculo fratris tui: et trabem in oculo tuo non confideras? Et patet hoc: quia isti non sequebantur Christum, nisi ut invenirent accusationem contra eum. Dixerunt ei. Contra dicitur: Quod dixerunt discipulis; non Christo. Ad hoc dicendum, quod primo dixerunt discipulis: et cum desistere nollent, dixerunt Christo: et sic utrumque factum est. Sed iste narrat hic quod directe facit ad solutionis legis occasionem. Ecce discipuli tui. Reprehensiva est interrogatio: ut aut prohiberet, aut legem accusaretur soluere, quasi dicant: Malus magister in discipulorum illegali ostenditur conversatione. Qualis rector civitatis, talis et qui habitant in ea. Est autem istud derogatio et detractio discipulorum, et apparens Christi reprehensio. Detractores Deo odibiles. Adetractione parcite linguae: quia sermo obscurus in vacuum non ibit. Faciunt quod non licet facere Sabbatis. Non enim accusare poterant factum: quia dicitur, Si intraveris segetem amici tui, granges spicas, et manu conteres; sed falce non metes. Constricationem autem volebant esse praeparationem: quia cibos non licebat praeparare die Sabbati, quamvis liceret panem incidere et mensam ponere et amovere, et huiusmodi. Et videtur Dominus supponere verum esse dictum eorum: quia respondet, acti discipuli voluant Sabbatum; eo quod licet discipuli in facto per necessitatem famis sint excusati; tamen quia intendit soluere, potius respondet ad intentionem Pharisaeorum, quam se convertat ad facti excusationem. Facit tamen utrumque in litera, sicut patebit, licet finaliter non intendat nisi solutionis ostensionem. Et sic hic quod dicit Reprobatio quidem fit praecedentis mandati propter infirmitatem eius et inutilitatem: nihil enim ad perfectum adduxit lex: introductio vero fit melioris speci, per quam proximamus Deum. Sanctus Albertus Magnus Commentarium In Evangelium Mattheum, Caput XII Source: Here p108

At that time Jesus went through the corn on the Sabbath and His disciples who were hungry began to pluck the ears and eat. Seeing this the Pharisees said to Him, 'Behold, your disciples do what is not permitted on the Sabbath.' 1 Oberve the interrogation of censure, and it declares three things, supersition, suspicion and questioning. Superstition is noted in the name of the Pharisees, because theirs was to glory in a superstitious religion, whence below it is said, 'They are like tombs which are fair without and within they are full of foulness.' 2 'Seeing...' the suspicion of the eye. 'Is your eye wicked because I am good?' 'For you see the speck in your brother's eye and you do not grasp the plank in your own.' 3 And it reveals this, that they did not follow Christ, unless to find some accusation against him. 'They said to Him...' Now against this it is said in Luke that they spoke to His disciples and not to Christ. To this it must be said that first they spoke to the disciples and when they were unwilling to desist, they spoke to Christ, and so both things were done. But here he tells what He did to settle this matter of the Law. 'Behold your disciples...' An interrogation of censure, that He should either prohibet it or be accused of flouting the Law, as if they had said. 'A wicked teacher is shown by the conduct of his pupils.' 'As the governor of a city, so those who dwell there.' This is the derogation and detraction of the disciples, and the open reprehension of Christ. 'Detractors are hateful to God' 'From detraction withhold your tongue, because a word does not go out into nothingness.' 4 'They do what is not permitted on the Sabbath...' They were not able to accuse the act, because it is said: 'If you enter into the crop field of your friend, you may break off the ears and crush them in your hands, but your may not reap with the sickle.' 5 But they would have the crushing as preparation, since it is not permitted to prepare bread on the Sabbath, although it is permitted to take to bread and set the table and clear it, and similar things. And it seems the Lord supported the truth of what they said, because He answered that the acts of the disciples did flout the Sabbath, yet it was permitted to the disciples because of the necessity of the hunger they suffered. However because He intended to set it aside He rather addressed the intent of the Pharisees than turn to excuse for the deed. However He did both in the text, as it was to be revealed, and it is possible He did not intend anything but a revelation of abolishment. And so it is said: 'The reproof of a former command is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness, for the Law made nothing perfect, but a better hope is introduced, by which we may draw closer to God.' 6 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 12 1 Mt 12.1-2 2 Mt 12.23 3 Mt 20.15 , Mt 7.3 4 Eccl 10.2, Rom 1.30 Wisd 1.11 5 Deut 23.25 6 Heb 7.18-19

Sabbath Works

Secundum autem modum videndi, legem implevit duobus modis. Primum exteriores quidem legis figuras solvens, interiores autem veritates ejus adimplens. Utputa, in lege praecepit omne opus servile in sabbato quemquam facere non debere, praeterquam quod fit omni animae, scilicet quod est necessarium vitae humanae: hoc figurale est, quia sic Deus in sabbato cessat ab opere. Spiritualiter secuncum Evangelii veritatem, opus servile peccatum est: Quoniam omnis qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati. Omne autem opus bonum non est servile, sed liberale, et pro animae fit libertate, licet videatur ipsum opus in prima facie corporale. Vides ergo quia Christus sabbatis operans adimplevit legem, non solvit: manifestavit, non occultavit? Item in lege fuerat scriptum, lepram tangere non oportere. Hoc figuratum est. Lepra enim intelligitur peccatum. Christus ergo tangens lepram, non solvit legem, sed adimplevit. Mundans enim leprosum, justitiam operatus est, non peccatum. Et per hoc justitiam tetigit, non peccatum, quod est vere lepra Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia X Source: Migne PG 56.687-688

According to the way of seeing, the Law can be fufilled in two ways. First with the exterior figures, which being set aside, then its interior truth is achieved. So in the Law it is commanded that one should do no servile work on the Sabbath, apart from that which is fit for every soul, that is, necessary for human life. 1 This is a figure, because God rested from his work on the Sabbath. 2 Spiritually, according to the truth of the Gospel, the servile work is sin, because everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin, 3 but no good work is slavish, but liberating, and so suitable for the free soul, which same work at first glance may seem corporeal. Do you see, then, that Christ's work on the Sabbath fulfilled the Law and did not flout it, that He revealed and did not obscure? In the Law it was written that one should not touch a leper. This is the figure. But understand leprosy as sin. Christ, therefore, in touching the leper did not flout the law but fulfilled it. For the cleansing of the leper was a righteous work, not a sinful one. And by this He touched on righteousness not sin, which is the true leper. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 10 1 Exod 12.16, Levit 23.7 2 Gen 2.2 3 Jn 8.54

The Sabbath And Freedom

Τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ εἰρημένον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἁπλοῦν, ἀλλ' ἔχει τινὰ διπλόην τοῖς· παχέσι κεκαλυμμένην, τοῖς δὲ λεπτοῖς γεγυμνωμένην. Ἡ ἡμέρα, φησὶν, ἡ ἐβδόμη, κλητὴ ἁγία ἔσται ὑμῖν. Πᾶν ἔργον λατρευτὸν οὐ ποιήσετε ἐν αὐτῇ, πλὴν ὅσα ποιηθήσεται πάσῃ ψυχῇ. Λατρείαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν δουλείαν καλεῖ. Οὐδὲν οὖν, φησὶ τῶν δουλοπρεπῶν, καὶ οἰονεὶ ἀνδραποδιζόντων ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν σχολῆς, ἐργάσεσθε ἐν Σαββάτῳ, ὃ καταφορτίζει ὑμᾶς βάρει ἁμαρτημάτων· ἀνέσεως γὰρ καὶ ἀφέσεώς ἐστιν ἡ ἡμέρα· κὰι οὐ χρὴ συνδέσμοις κακῶν τὸ ἀξίωμα αὐτῆς ἐνυβρίζεσθαι· τὸ δὲ, ὅσα ποιηθήσεται πάσῃ ψυχῇ, χρῆναι ἐργάζεσθαι, ὅσα τῇ ψυχῇ φέρει τὸ κέρδος, ταῦτα πληροῦν ἐνομοθέτησεν, εὐχὴν, προσευχὴν, ἡσυχίαν, νουθεσίαν, εὐποιίαν, σωφροσύνην, ἐγκράρειαν, ἀλήθειαν, ἀγνείαν, καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ὑπὸ πόδας εἴρηται, ἅπερ εἰς τὸν ἔσθω διαβαίνοντα ἄνθρωπον, τῶν ἔξω ἐλευθεροῖ σκανδάλων καὶ περιστάσεων, ἐκνικῶντος τοῦ κρείττονος Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΟΑ´ Ἡλιωνι Μοναχῳ Source: Migne PG 78.232a-b

That which is spoken of in the Law does not have a single meaning but a twofold one, and the more weighty part is hidden and the lighter is obvious. It says, 'You shall call the seventh day holy and you shall do no servile work on it.' 1 that is, as much as it shall touch any part of the soul. The servile here is what is slavish. Let there be nothing, then, befitting slavishness. And judge this to be whatever enslaves you apart from leisure for God, putting you to work on the Sabbath, burdening you with the weight of sin. For it is a day of leisure and of freedom, and one must not insult the dignity of it by being bound up in evils, but it commands that one should attend to whatever benefits the whole soul completely, that is, preaching, contemplation, exhortation, good deeds, modesty, continence, truth, chastity, and whatever is said below, which things passing into the inner man delivers him from scandals and trials, since what is better prevails. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 71, to Helion the Monk 1 Levit 23.3

The Sabbath

Τοῦτο τὸ ῥημα ὄ ἐλάλησε Κύριος· Σάββατα, ἀνάπαυσις ἁγία τῷ Κυρίῷ αὕριον. Ἀπογράφομαι τὰ περὶ τοῦ σαββάτου εἰρημένα· πρῶτον κατὰ το ῥητὸν, ἵν' ἴδωσι τί σημαίνει τὸ γράμμα· δεύτερον δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν, καθ' ἤν εἴποιμι ἂν ἡμέραν σαββάτου ἑνεστηκέναι τῷ δικαίῳ καταλύσαντι τὰ τοῦ κόσμου ἔργα, καὶ δοξάζοντι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ σχολάζοντι, μήτε τοῦ τόπου ἐν ᾦ ἔστηκε τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀφισταμένῳ· μήτε πῦρ καίοντι, κατὰ τὸ μηδὲν ἁμαρτάνειν· μήτε βαστάγματα αἴροντι. Βάσταγμα ὄρους βαρύτερον πᾶσα ἁμαρτία· διὸ ἔλεγεν ὁ Ὑμνῳδὸς· Ὠσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμέ. Ἑτέρα δὲ ἀπογραφὴ ἂν εἴη σαββάτου, καθ' ἤν ἀπολείπεται σαββατισμὸς τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀνάπαυσις ἱερὰ καὶ ἁγία. Ὁ δὲ ποιήσας πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ἄξιος κρίνεται ἐκείνου τοῦ Σαββάτου· σχολάζων οὐδενὶ ἢ τῇ θεωρίᾳ της αληθείας, καὶ τῆς σοφίας. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Την Ἐξοδον Source: Migne PG 12.289a-b

This is the word the Lord spoke, 'Tomorrow is the Sabbath, the rest holy to the Lord.' 1 I shall expound what is said concerning the Sabbath first according to the plain word, so that what the letter means shall be apparent, and then according to the spiritual understanding, according to which I may say that the Sabbath day is fitting for the righteous man to make an end of the works of the world, and to glorify God, and to be at peace, and not to withdraw from the place in which he stands, which is obviously Christ, nor does he kindle the fire of sin, nor does he carry burdens. Heavier than the weight of a mountain is every sin, as the Psalmist said: 'As a burden weighing greatly upon me.' 2 Another exposition of the Sabbath is that 'there remains a Sabbath for the people of God,' 3 which is sacred and holy rest. And he who has performed all his work is judged worthy of this Sabbath, having leisure for nothing else but the contemplation of truth and wisdom. Origen, On Exodus, Fragment 1 Exod 16.23 2 Ps 37.5 3 Heb 4.9