Introduction to “Food Preparation: on the Sabbath?”

The article titled “Food Preparation: On the Sabbath” by www.ponderscripture.org/articles is a fairly thorough and well-written article on this difficult topic.  There is no need to reinvent the wheel.  We humbly submit it for your perusal.  However, it leaves out a few points which we will now present.

 

The weekly Sabbath is not a fast day but is also a day on which Yahweh commands us to do “no manner of work.” So if we are permitted to eat on the Sabbath yet Yahweh commands us to do “no manner of work”, this either means Yahweh does not consider food preparation to be “work” or else that we must manage to produce meals on the Sabbath which require little to no effort on the Sabbath itself.

 

On the first point, Yahweh Himself tells us that cooking does constitute “work” in Exodus 12:16 where He commands no manner of work except food preparation on the two High Sabbaths of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

 

Exodus 12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

 

The following verse is left out of the article and needs to be included for a full treatment of the topic.

 

Genesis 2:3  Then Yahweh blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested (#7673) from all His work which Yahweh had created (#1254) and made (#6213).” (NKJ)

 

#7673 Sha-bath — to repose, i.e. desist from exertion, (case to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fall, keep (Sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.

 

#1254 is to create, (qualified) to cut down (as wood), select, feed (as formative processes), choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat)

 

#6213 is to do or make, accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, etc.

 

Food preparation including cooking can most definitely be an act of “creating” or “making” when we take several ingredients and turn them into something entirely different from how they started. Yahweh rested from His “creating” and “making” and we should also.

 

An excellent parable of Yah’shua’s which may have in fact related to a weekly Sabbath is the parable of Mary and Martha found in the book of Luke.  Yahweh has given His saints parables so we can better understand His truths (Matthew 13:10-11).  It is clear in this parable that Yah’shua praises the sister who is intently listening at His feet over the one who is hustling and bustling in the kitchen, complaining that her sister is not helping her.   It is possible that this actually occurred on a weekly Sabbath.  But the weekly Sabbath is at least implied since both the parable and the Sabbath involve communing with Messiah and discussing spiritual things.  And we know that when we assemble together on the Sabbath, Messiah is with us (Matthew 18:20).

 

Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.   39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Yah’shua’s feet, and heard his word.   40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Sovereign, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.   41 And Yah’shua answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:   42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 

Remember that although the Sabbath is a day of rest created for man, believers must keep it the way Yahweh wants it because it is His Sabbath!

 

Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of Yahweh, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:   14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in Yahweh; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Yahweh hath spoken it.

 

A related issue occurs when believers gather at one brother’s house for a Holy Convocation on the Sabbath.  The Scriptures are clear that on the Sabbath day no heavy burdens are to be carried.   So this means that no large vessels of food should be transported and therefore it may be better for the host to provide the meal.   We find this in Jeremiah and Nehemiah.

 

Jeremiah 17:21 Thus saith Yahweh; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;   22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

 

Nehemiah 13:15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

 

Another point left out by the otherwise thorough article is that of the Jew’s “preparation day”.  While not a conclusive argument, we can at least see that Yahweh expects believers to spend time on the sixth day of the week preparing for the Sabbath.  And the Jew’s “preparation day” is mentioned several times in the evangels.

 

Mark 15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

 

Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

 

John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

 

Also we find a parallel Scripture in which Yahweh commands believers to prepare food in advance.  This is an especially good metaphor since Yahweh is commanding the Israelites to prepare to possess the promised land which parallels the “rest” of the weekly Sabbath.

 

Joshua 1:11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh your Elohim giveth you to possess it.  12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,   13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, Yahweh your Elohim hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.