Who Is The Lord Of The Sabbath?

Who is the Lord of The Sabbath?

Answer: Jesus.

Jesus said, “The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus said and did many things that showed His divinity. In this article, we will look at just one claim Jesus made, that He was Lord of the Sabbath.

This declaration by Jesus is found in Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28 and Luke 6:5. This may not seem significant to us if we fail to understand what the claim signifies. How is this statement of Jesus a claim of His divinity?

God created, instituted and ordained the Sabbath. (See Exodus 2:3). He is the sole Author, authority and owner of the Sabbath. God alone is Sovereign over the Sabbath and rules over it.

Therefore, when Jesus said that He was the LORD OF THE SABBATH, He was telling the Pharisees he was speaking to, that He was God, in no uncertain terms! His listeners would have been outraged at his blatant blasphemy!

According to the prophet Ezekiel, the Sabbath was a SIGN to KNOW who God is!

Keep My Sabbaths holy, and they will be a SIGN between us, SO THAT you may KNOW that I am the LORD your God.’

Ezekiel 20:20

I also gave them My Sabbaths as a SIGN between us, SO THAT they would KNOW that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

Ezekiel 20:12

“God instituted and regulates the Sabbath, so for Christ to say he is lord of the Sabbath was to identify Himself with deity.”

R.C Sproul, Who Is Jesus?

What does the Quran have to say about the Sabbath?

In various verses, it is shown that Allah ordained, prescribed, decreed, upheld, and even judged and punished Sabbath-breakers. (cf Surah 2:65, 4:47, 4:154, 7:163, 16:124).

So, according to the Quran, who is the Lord of the Sabbath?
Allah, of course.

Therefore, if Jesus claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath, WHO is He claiming to be?

Notes: The Son of Man is a Messianic title of Jesus that is drawn from Daniel 7:13-14
“And I saw One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Berean Study Bible)


Read my older and longer article here: Did Jesus Ever Claim To Be God?