Describe the celebration and significance of the Jewish Sabbath. (24) The Sabbath day, in the time of Jesus was seen by Jews to be a complete day of rest, which
a) Describe the celebration and significance of the Jewish Sabbath. (24)
The Sabbath day, in the time of Jesus was seen by Jews to be a complete day of rest, which had been given to them from God. This was seen as a gift to renew the special bond between God and his people. As said in the bible "And he blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made". As Jews had made the special covenant with God to abide by his ten commandments, to take a day off from work and heavy duties was a step used to follow in their creator's footsteps.
As the Sabbath commenced at dusk on Friday night, the Jewish people welcomed it with lighting candles to celebrate, and a specially prepared kosher meal to enjoy. The Jews used the ceremony of Kiddush to give a sense of occasion and a really special atmosphere for the Sabbath, this is when they read from the Passage of the Book of Genesis and wine was drunk and bread was blessed.
On the Saturday morning, the Jews held the main service of the week in the Synagogue, where they united in worshipping as a community. When the service had ended the Jewish people would make Kiddush in the hall of the Synagogue.
On the Sabbath afternoon, as the Jews are not allowed to do work including making clothing and completing work, they spend their time relaxing or going to the Synagogue for a service where the Torah would be read.
After a relaxing time at home, it is time to say goodbye to the Sabbath, with the ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
On the Saturday morning, the Jews held the main service of the week in the Synagogue, where they united in worshipping as a community. When the service had ended the Jewish people would make Kiddush in the hall of the Synagogue.
On the Sabbath afternoon, as the Jews are not allowed to do work including making clothing and completing work, they spend their time relaxing or going to the Synagogue for a service where the Torah would be read.
After a relaxing time at home, it is time to say goodbye to the Sabbath, with the Havdalah service in which the Jews would farewell the Sabbath with sweet smelling spices and lit candles.
b) Using one Gospel story you have studied, explain how Jesus challenged Jewish attitude to the Sabbath Law. (21)
Jesus, through the healing of the crippled woman, challenged the Jewish attitude to the Sabbath law as he relieved the woman from her pain on the Sabbath.
In the eyes of Jewish leaders, it was seen as a terrible disregard of the Sabbath to work or to do anything, which would have substituted as work, including carrying, and in Jesus' situation, healing.
When Jesus came across the woman who had been "bound up for eighteen years", he immediately freed the woman from her disease and said "Woman, you are free of your illness". In fulfilling this miracle on the Sabbath, Jesus was disregarding and ignoring the Sabbath law and therefore he was challenging the Jewish attitude to the Sabbath.
Jesus continued to challenge the Jewish attitude to the Sabbath, by asking for an explanation as to why a woman who had been overcome by a painful illness for eighteen years, would be unable to be lawfully freed from it on the Sabbath, when "anyone" of the Jews would untie their "donkey from the stall and take it out and give it water on the Sabbath".
Jesus expressed his challenge of the Jewish attitude to the Sabbath by opening eyes to the fact that the Jews who opposed Jesus' healing on the Sabbath were hypocrites. This was so, as they would help an animal who needed watering after one day but could not help or allow help to be given to a human being who had been suffering for eighteen years.
c) "Christians no longer keep their Sabbath day Holy." Do you agree/disagree with this statement. Give reasons for your answer. (15)
"Christians no longer keep their Sabbath Holy" is a statement, which is very stereotypical of Christians.
In today's society, there is a certain disregard for the Sabbath by some Christians, which seems to brush aside the fact that the Sabbath is for worship and rest. Some Christians today live more hectic lives with the need to work to provide security for their families. By working, Christians are unable to make the worship essential on a Sabbath day, which the Bible has advised, "Remember to keep the Sabbath Holy".
With the materialization of the Christian world, it would be natural for Christians to forget the truth behind the Sabbath, and instead of using it for worshipping God with prayer; they are worshipping shops with money.
However, although there is a decline in churchgoers on Sundays, Christian churches are still getting great numbers of worshippers attending.
Some Christians find that by leaving that special time for Church on the Sabbath, they are still keeping their Sabbath day Holy as they go to Church to have spiritual cleansing. Many Christians still receive Eucharist; cleanse their souls with confessions, and worship together as a family on a Sunday as a way of keeping their Sabbath Holy.
I do believe in many respects that this statement is true but with a glance at of how different Christians celebrate their Sabbath, this statement could be disregarded.
Word Count: 711
