The Sabbath Breaker: Jesus of Nazareth and the Gospels’ Sabbath Conflicts

＂For the son of man is lord of the Sabbath.＂ (Matthew 12:8)

Was Jesus of Nazareth guilty of breaking the Sabbath? His opponents seemed to think so, and today most of his followers seem to agree. Christian theology is comfortable with that allegation on the basis that Jesus canceled the ceremonial laws, but when Jesus is seen as an observant Jew who ＂did not come to abolish the Law＂ (Matthew 5:17), how can his Sabbath conflicts be reconciled?

D. Thomas Lancaster examines the Sabbath conflict in the Gospels in light of insight offered by Messianic Judaism and draws some unexpected conclusions about Jesus, the Sabbath, and Jewish practice. Lancaster clarifies Jesus’ relationship to the Sabbath and Jewish law and reveals a foundational ethical principle informing all of Jesus’ priorities regarding religious ceremonial concerns-a must-read for every serious disciple.