Sabbath
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complained of him, were, by their many useless rites and ceremonies,
themselves dishonoring the Sabbath.
There are ministers today who teach that the Son of God broke the
Sabbath and justified his disciples in doing the same. They take the
same ground as did the caviling Jews, although ostensibly for another
purpose, since they hold that Christ abolished the Sabbath.
Jesus in turning upon the Pharisees with the question whether it
was lawful to do good upon the Sabbath day or evil, to save life or
to kill, confronted them with their own wicked purposes. They were
following upon his track to find occasion for falsely accusing him;
they were hunting his life with bitter hatred and malice, while he was
saving life and bringing happiness to many hearts. Was it better to
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slay upon the Sabbath, as they were planning to do, than to heal the
afflicted as he had done? Was it more righteous to have murder in the
heart upon God’s holy day, than love to all men which finds expression
in deeds of charity and mercy?
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