"then he said to them, "This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning."" (Exodus 16:23 NNAS)

"Moses said, "Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field." (Exodus 16:25 NNAS)

""Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be none."" (Exodus 16:26 NNAS)

""See, the LORD has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day."" (Exodus 16:29 NNAS)

""Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8 NNAS)

"but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you." (Exodus 20:10 NNAS)

""For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:11 NNAS)

Exodus 20:11: Without doubt the Law is based firmly in the created order. God's law is never arbitrary. His laws are for man's good. The Sabbath, as the seventh day in the week, was devoted to God (cf. Gen. 1:1-2:3). In the age of N.T. grace, Paul specifically rejected the legal necessity of keeping the Sabbath, but he and other Christians soon began meeting to worship on the first day of the week, as the Lord's Day. Keeping the Sabbath day is clearly identified in 31:13-17 as a covenant sign between God and the sons of Israel. The Hebrew word shabbat basically means "rest," in the sense of cessation of one's work in order to pursue the things of God. In regard to holy days, cf. Col. 2:16, 17. God created the world, and the seventh day, i.e., Saturday, commemorated that. Jesus redeemed the world, and the first day, i.e., Sunday, commemorates that.

"'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people." (Exodus 31:14 NNAS)

"'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death." (Exodus 31:15 NNAS)

"'So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.'" (Exodus 31:16 NNAS)

""For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death." (Exodus 35:2 NNAS)

""You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day."" (Exodus 35:3 NNAS)

""It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute." (Leviticus 16:31 NNAS)

"'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings." (Leviticus 23:3 NNAS)

"'He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it." (Leviticus 23:11 NNAS)

"'You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths." (Leviticus 23:15 NNAS)

Leviticus 23:15: (vv. 15-22) The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) fell on the day after the seventh Sabbath after the Feast of Firstfruits; it served to dedicate the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. It foreshadowed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church, which occurred on the very Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1). During N.T. times, Sunday (the "Lord's Day") became the day of worship for Christians (cf. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10), undoubtedly because two great events occurred on the first day of the week: (1) Christ was resurrected from the grave bodily on the Feast of Firstfruits, a Sunday, and (2) the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church on the Day of Pentecost, a Sunday. See chart, "The Feasts of the Lord," Ex. 23:14.

"'You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD." (Leviticus 23:16 NNAS)

""It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath."" (Leviticus 23:32 NNAS)

""Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel." (Leviticus 24:8 NNAS)

""Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the LORD." (Leviticus 25:2 NNAS)

Leviticus 25:2: (vv. 2-7) Every seventh year was to be a sabbath for the land, a stipulation designed to guard the Israelites against covetousness, as well as a sound agricultural principle. 2 Chr. 36:21 attests that the Babylonian captivity was a judgment of God against the Israelites for their disobedience in failing to observe the sabbath years (cf. Lev. 26:34, 35).

"but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard." (Leviticus 25:4 NNAS)

"'All of you shall have the sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you." (Leviticus 25:6 NNAS)

"Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day." (Numbers 15:32 NNAS)

"'Then on the sabbath day two male lambs one year old without defect, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering:" (Numbers 28:9 NNAS)

"'This is the burnt offering of every sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering." (Numbers 28:10 NNAS)

"'Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you." (Deuteronomy 5:12 NNAS)

"but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you." (Deuteronomy 5:14 NNAS)

"'You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day." (Deuteronomy 5:15 NNAS)

"He said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath." And she said, "It will be well."" (2 Kings 4:23 NNAS)

"He commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, who come in on the sabbath and keep watch over the king's house" (2 Kings 11:5 NNAS)

""Two parts of you, even all who go out on the sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king." (2 Kings 11:7 NNAS)

"So the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest." (2 Kings 11:9 NNAS)

"The covered way for the sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the LORD because of the king of Assyria." (2 Kings 16:18 NNAS)

2 Kings 16:18: Ahaz closed the doors of the temple, thus forcing the people to worship at pagan shrines.

 "Some of their relatives of the sons of the Kohathites were over the showbread to prepare it every sabbath." (1 Chronicles 9:32 NNAS)

""This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers," (2 Chronicles 23:4 NNAS)

"So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions." (2 Chronicles 23:8 NNAS)

"to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete." (2 Chronicles 36:21 NNAS)

""So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses." (Nehemiah 9:14 NNAS)

"As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt." (Nehemiah 10:31 NNAS)

"In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food." (Nehemiah 13:15 NNAS)

"Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem." (Nehemiah 13:16 NNAS)

"Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?" (Nehemiah 13:17 NNAS)

""Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath."" (Nehemiah 13:18 NNAS)

"It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day." (Nehemiah 13:19 NNAS)

"Then I warned them and said to them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you." From that time on they did not come on the sabbath." (Nehemiah 13:21 NNAS)

"And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness." (Nehemiah 13:22 NNAS)

""Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly." (Isaiah 1:13 NNAS)

""How blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it; Who keeps from profaning the sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil."" (Isaiah 56:2 NNAS)

Isaiah 56:2: (vv. 2,3) Obedience is tested by the opportunity for the observance of the Sabbath, which was to be a sign of the faithfulness of the people to God's covenant (cf. Mark 2:27, note). The reference to the "son of the foreigner" and "eunuch" indicates that no personal disabilities or ethnic heritage will exclude one from God's kingdom, which is open to every man who will turn to the Lord in faith.

""Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant;" (Isaiah 56:6 NNAS)

""If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, And honor it, desisting from your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure And speaking your own word," (Isaiah 58:13 NNAS)

Isaiah 58:13: Truly observing the Sabbath was more than not working. It was dedicating the whole day to God to such an extent that one denied his own pleasure.

""And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me," says the LORD." (Isaiah 66:23 NNAS)

Isaiah 66:23: This verse is one of the highlights of prophetic vision that one day the Lord alone will be universally worshipped. The prophet teaches that there will be regular, faithful, and meaningful worship by all in the millennial age.

"'Thus says the LORD, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem." (Jeremiah 17:21 NNAS)

""You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers." (Jeremiah 17:22 NNAS)

""But it will come about, if you listen attentively to Me," declares the LORD, "to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work on it," (Jeremiah 17:24 NNAS)

""But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched."' "" (Jeremiah 17:27 NNAS)

"And He has violently treated His tabernacle like a garden booth; He has destroyed His appointed meeting place. The LORD has caused to be forgotten The appointed feast and sabbath in Zion, And He has despised king and priest In the indignation of His anger." (Lamentations 2:6 NNAS)

"'Thus says the Lord GOD, "The gate of the inner court facing east shall be shut the six working days; but it shall be opened on the sabbath day and opened on the day of the new moon." (Ezekiel 46:1 NNAS)

""The burnt offering which the prince shall offer to the LORD on the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish;" (Ezekiel 46:4 NNAS)

""When the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the LORD, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he does on the sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and the gate shall be shut after he goes out." (Ezekiel 46:12 NNAS)

"saying, "When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales," (Amos 8:5 NNAS)

"At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat." (Matthew 12:1 NNAS)

"But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."" (Matthew 12:2 NNAS)

""Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?" (Matthew 12:5 NNAS)

""For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."" (Matthew 12:8 NNAS)

"And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--so that they might accuse Him." (Matthew 12:10 NNAS)

"And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?" (Matthew 12:11 NNAS)

""How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."" (Matthew 12:12 NNAS)

""But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath." (Matthew 24:20 NNAS)

"Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave." (Matthew 28:1 NNAS)

Matthew 28:1: Ten distinct resurrection appearances of Christ prior to His ascension can be documented in Scripture (cf. also Mark 15:24; 1 Cor. 15:4). The order of those appearances follows: (1) to Mary Magdalene near the tomb (John 20:11-18); (2) to the women returning from the tomb (28:9, 10); (3) to Peter (Luke 24:34); (4) to the disciples approaching Emmaus in the evening (Luke 24:13-32); (5) to all the disciples except Thomas, who was absent (Luke 24:36-43); (6) to the disciples, including Thomas, on Sunday night one week later (John 20:26-31); (7) to seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25); (8) to more than 500 people possibly on an appointed mountain in Galilee (28:16-20; possibly parallels 1 Cor. 15:6); (9) to James the half brother of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7); and (10) to the apostles at the ascension (Acts 1:3-11).

"They went^ into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach." (Mark 1:21 NNAS)

Mark 1:21: The "synagogue" was a place of religious instruction which came into being during the Babylonian Exile (c. 585 B.C.). By the time of Christ synagogues were located throughout Palestine and the Roman Empire (cf. Matt. 6:2, note).

(vv. 21-31) As the Messiah, Jesus demonstrates His "authority" in several ways as His ministry begins: (1) He "taught them as one having authority" (v. 22); (2) He commanded demons "with authority," and they obeyed Him (v. 27); and (3) in healing people who were sick, Jesus proved His authority over disease (v. 31).

"And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain." (Mark 2:23 NNAS)

Mark 2:23: (vv. 2:23-3:6) These verses contain two controversies about the same subject: the Sabbath and its proper use. The Pharisees, because of their additions to the law and ritualistic human traditions, had turned the Sabbath into something God never intended. Jesus confronts their misuse and restores the Sabbath to its proper state. Jesus also confronts the Pharisees concerning their insistence on the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. God made the Sabbath so that man could cease from his labor and find refreshment. The Pharisees had turned the idea of refreshment into something very restrictive, so restrictive that even sustaining life and doing good were questioned. The concept of Sabbath comes from the early chapters of Genesis when God ceased His creative activity, not because He was exhausted but because His work was complete (cf. Gen. 2:1-3). Sabbath rest, then, is the ceasing of normal pursuits to find refreshment in the worship and service of God. The Pharisees insisted on total inactivity and made the Sabbath a burden rather than a time of refreshment. The Sabbath was a "sign" between God and the nation of Israel (cf. Ex. 31:17) and is therefore a Jewish observance. Indeed it is the only commandment of the Decalogue not reaffirmed in the New Testament. Because of the resurrection, the Christian day of worship is the Lord's Day (Sunday, the first day of the week), rather than the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday, the seventh day of the week).

"The Pharisees were saying to Him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"" (Mark 2:24 NNAS)

"Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27 NNAS)

""So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."" (Mark 2:28 NNAS)

"They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him." (Mark 3:2 NNAS)

"And He said^ to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent." (Mark 3:4 NNAS)

"When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?" (Mark 6:2 NNAS)

Mark 6:2: (vv. 2-6) The people of Nazareth were "impressed" with Jesus and His wisdom and mighty power, yet their familiarity with Him and His family caused them to remain in unbelief. The statement in v. 5 does not refer to Jesus' inability to perform miracles. Jesus performed His miracles most often in the presence of and in response to faith (cf. 5:34, 36 in the previous context where Jesus' miracles were preceded by faith). This rejection of Jesus served as an object lesson for His disciples, who would also experience rejection of their mission (cf. 6:10, 11). Believers today can expect to face the world's rejection as they deliver the message of salvation in Christ. We can be encouraged in that even our Master was rejected. We are not responsible for how people respond to the message. We are only responsible for delivering the message.

"When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath," (Mark 15:42 NNAS)

"When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him." (Mark 16:1 NNAS)

"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read." (Luke 4:16 NNAS)

Luke 4:16: Luke gives this sermon prominence as an introduction to the ministry of Jesus in his Gospel, though the actual inauguration of His ministry probably occurred almost a year earlier. Mark records this rejection of Jesus by the people of Nazareth about the end of the first year of His ministry (Mark 6:1-6). There could have been two such rejections, one at the beginning of His ministry and one later, but as v. 23 indicates, there has been a ministry at Capernaum already.

"And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath;" (Luke 4:31 NNAS)

"Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain." (Luke 6:1 NNAS)

Luke 6:1: The disciples' action is not illegal in itself (Deut. 23:25), but on the Sabbath it constitutes work, perhaps harvesting, in the judgment of Jesus' critics.

"But some of the Pharisees said, "Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"" (Luke 6:2 NNAS)

Luke 6:2: Several influential Judaic religious parties operated in the first century. Either religious or political in their primary emphasis, the more influential of these were the Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Herodians and Zealots. The Sadducees were generally Hellenized more than the other parties, influenced more by philosophy and drawn largely from the aristocracy. The Sadducees rejected the oral law in favor of the Pentateuch alone, rejected the fatalism of the Essenes, stressed the freedom and responsibility of man, and denied the possibility of resurrection from the dead. The Pharisees were separatists, as the Hebrew word suggests. They accepted the oral law, which eventually became codified in the Mishnah. Consequently they became legalistic and severe in their insistence on ceremonial and ethical conformity. Their belief in an elaborate hierarchy of angels and their confidence in the hope of resurrection were especially repulsive to the learned Sadducees. The third prominent party consisted of Essenes, semi-ascetic isolationists who demanded strict adherence to the laws of the Torah. Communal ownership of property was a general rule. Marriage was allowed by some and prohibited by others. Because of their isolationism and lack of political involvement, the Essenes are not prominent in the N.T.; indeed, they are never mentioned. The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the Qumran caves, owe their existence and preservation to the Essenes and their concealed libraries. The Herodian and Zealot parties were principally political in nature. Though little is known of the Herodians, they apparently were Jews who profited by the rule of the Herods, possibly thinking that political and economic interests were best served thereby. The Zealots, on the other hand, were militant revolutionaries, intent in their determination to break the Roman yoke.

"And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."" (Luke 6:5 NNAS)

"On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered." (Luke 6:6 NNAS)

"The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him." (Luke 6:7 NNAS)

"And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?"" (Luke 6:9 NNAS)

"And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath." (Luke 13:10 NNAS)

"But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, "There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day."" (Luke 13:14 NNAS)

"But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him?" (Luke 13:15 NNAS)

""And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?"" (Luke 13:16 NNAS)

Luke 13:16: All sickness, disease, and evil in the world, the Jews would attribute to Satan. Jesus does identify this woman's affliction as a bond of Satan.

"It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely." (Luke 14:1 NNAS)

"And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?"" (Luke 14:3 NNAS)

"And He said to them, "Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?"" (Luke 14:5 NNAS)

Luke 14:5: According to the Damascus Document (a treatise related to the Qumran community, but discovered earlier in Cairo in 1896), it is specifically forbidden to raise an animal out of a pit or ditch on the Sabbath. The rabbis seem to have a more humane view of such a situation. Some manuscript evidence favors the reading "son" instead of "donkey" (NU, M son).

"It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin." (Luke 23:54 NNAS)

Luke 23:54: The Preparation Day is a term that describes the day that is used to get ready for the Sabbath.

"Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." (Luke 23:56 NNAS)

"Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day." (John 5:9 NNAS)

John 5:9: This is the third sign-miracle of Jesus recorded by John. Jewish tradition identifies such activity on the Sabbath as law-breaking.

"So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet."" (John 5:10 NNAS)

"For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath." (John 5:16 NNAS)

"For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." (John 5:18 NNAS)

John 5:18: Not only because He disregarded rabbinic interpretation of the Sabbath is Jesus hated by the Jews, but also because He claimed to be Deity. His use of the title "Son of God" clearly indicates that Christ makes Himself equal with God. Thus, they plot to kill Him. In regard to Christ's divinity here and throughout the Gospel of John, one ought to remember again John's testimony in 20:30, 31, a text which, as we have seen, serves as the thesis statement of the book.

""For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man." (John 7:22 NNAS)

""If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?" (John 7:23 NNAS)

"Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes." (John 9:14 NNAS)

"Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others were saying, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And there was a division among them." (John 9:16 NNAS)

"Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." (John 19:31 NNAS)

"Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away." (Acts 1:12 NNAS)

"But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down." (Acts 13:14 NNAS)

""For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him." (Acts 13:27 NNAS)

"As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath." (Acts 13:42 NNAS)

"The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord." (Acts 13:44 NNAS)

""For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."" (Acts 15:21 NNAS)

"And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled." (Acts 16:13 NNAS)

"And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks." (Acts 18:4 NNAS)

"Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--" (Colossians 2:16 NNAS)

"So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God." (Hebrews 4:9 NNAS)