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Sabbath dayOn a Sabbath day, Jesus and the disciples went through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this scene, and said to Jesus.

“Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath day.”

At this, Jesus reminded them that the priests in the temple did not need to “rest” on the Sabbath.  In fact, their complaints were not without reason. It’s because that, in the Old Testament times, the people rested and did not do any work on every Sabbath day (Exodus 35:2.) But, this ordinance was only applied to the ordinary people. The priests in the temple could not “rest” on the Sabbath day as Jesus pointed out. They had to offer a holy sacrifice. Why did Jesus argue with the Pharisees by mentioning the law about how the priests kept the Sabbath day in the Old Testament times?

We must know this fact: Jesus came to make the law complete, or to establish the New Covenant (Matthew 5:17.)

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant [the Old Covenant], no place would have been sought for another [the New Covenant]. (Hebrews 8:7)

Within the New Covenant established by Jesus, the saints are all the priests like kings.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood… (1 Peter 2:9)

The priests in the Old Testament did not “rest”, but offered “sacrifices” on the Sabbath day. Therefore, it’s right that the saints, who are the priests of the New Testament age, offer sacrifice. Then, what sacrifices do they need to offer on the Sabbath day?

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth… (John 4:23)

He [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. (Luke 4:16)

Since Jesus made the law complete, the method of worship changed: those who receive God become the priests and should worship God in spirit and truth as Jesus showed an example (John 13:15.) So the Apostle Paul also kept the Sabbath day in the manner Jesus set an example (Acts 17:2, 18:3.)

For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. (Hebrews 7:12)

Think over this verse for a while. You will see the Sabbath day of the New Testament.

The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) observes the Sabbath day on Saturday according to the teaching of Jesus. Please see this page for more about the Sabbath of the New Covenant.