The Sabbath was a day of rest, we have that much down pat, but the other part of it – is that it is also a day of worship for all of God’s people!
For our Jewish brothers and sisters, the Sabbath officially begins at sundown on Friday evening, when there are 3 stars -visible in the night’s sky.
The very next morning, a trumpet could be heard summoning all within hearing distance– to synagogue worship.
Now the Synagogue is not the Temple. The Temple is a completely different place altogether.
During the 400 or so “silent years” between the Book of Malachi and the Early Christian Letters…we have what is called the “Inter-Testimental Period.”
That is when the whole concept of Rabbis and Synagogues first arose. The Hebrew people during those years had a renewed interest in the Holy Scriptures, and in studying the “Word.”
They needed a place where the scriptures could be studied, taught and read. Synagogues were “Teaching centers.” Rabbis were the teachers. And the Synagogue was born.
It was a good idea. But as it grew conceptually, formalized prayers were introduced, a service became regulated and men started dictating practice as well as procedure. Then a Jewish Creed was written and six benedictions became mandatory. The original concept of a teaching center had been changed.
The Talmudic rabbis taught that the people should hurry to the synagogue, taking brisk steps and return home slowly- taking leisurely steps.
The number of steps possible on the Sabbath Day – also became regulated.
Then, regulation started about conducting the Sabbath worship and attendance at the Synagogue. Then, “a ruler” of the Synagogue was added.
In larger cities there would be a number of different synagogues – catering for different classes of Jews. A synagogue was supposed to be located in each city, town or village, if there were 10 Jewish men present. No less than 7 men were called upon to read portions of the Law and the Prophets…so your presence was required.
People looked forward to hearing from distinguished visiting teachers to speak – And Jesus, took advantage of this practice, in order to preach his “good news!”
So let me tell you about last Saturday. It was cra-cra. Sabbath started out routinely enough. We all showed up with the usual expectation. Do not get me wrong, our Rabbi is a faithful interpreter of the Torah. He is wise beyond his years. He instructs us weekly, but teachings, do get routine. You know what to expect.
Everything was as usual – until this guy shows up. We did the prayers, the Psalms, read from the Torah and immediately, this guy enters… And he starts teaching and instructing us with a new interpretation, I tell you, it was pretty exciting. He had this “authority” about him. It was different. Odd. There was something about it.
Then, let me tell you, shock set in. Shock, I tell you. Immediately this “deranged individually” busts in…and he starts “screaming out.” His “outburst” was totally uncalled for…it appeared to all of us, gathered there, that he was “possessed” something was off, something was terribly wrong. But no one knew what to do…
And all of a sudden he cries out to this “itinerant preacher” and says something like, “What have you to do with us?” US, he said, US, everybody heard it. Then he mumbled something about being “destroyed” and I know “WHO YOU ARE!” It was totally crazy, I mean cra-cra.
No one knew what to do, you sort of freeze where you are. It was a demonic like scream! It was weird. Unworldly. And it gets better.
Then, screams of blasphemy were heard…in the Synagogue! I tell you, a hushed silence came over all the men.
This itinerant guy from Nazareth in Galilee addressed him, silenced him and in one word, sent the demon out of him and there he was writhing on the floor, rolling and cussing. There was screaming, shaking, yelling and hollering and lots of guttural sounds.
Next thing we knew, the guy stood up, quiet and as solid as the rest of us. No problem. The whole thing was pretty much over. And then, he finished the liturgy with us. No one knew what to say!
Never, trust me, never in my life, have I ever witnessed the likes of that, and do you think the gossip spread?
What do you think?
Who is this guy from Nazareth in Galilee, anyways? They called him, “Jesus.”