Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 117
Question 117
How is the sabbath or the Lord's day to be sanctified?
The sabbath or Lord's day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to betaken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God's worship: and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Exodus 20:88Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Exodus 20:1010but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.
Exodus 16:25-2825“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you will not find anything in the field.
26For six days you may gather, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, it will not be there.”
27Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find anything.
28Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and instructions?
Nehemiah 13:15-2215In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
16Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
18Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
20Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
21but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.
Jeremiah 17:21-2221This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
22You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers.
Matthew 12:1-131At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.
5Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?
6But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
7If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue,
10and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
11He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?
12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.
Isaiah 58:13-1413If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words,
14then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Isaiah 66:2323From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come to worship before Me,” says the LORD.
Luke 4:1616Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,
Acts 20:77On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.
1 Corinthians 16:1-21Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:
2On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.
Psalms 92:1-151It is good to praise the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High,
2to proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning and Your faithfulness at night
3with the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.
4For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your deeds; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
5How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!
6A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,
7that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.
8But You, O LORD, are exalted forever!
9For surely Your enemies, O LORD, surely Your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered.
10But You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; with fine oil I have been anointed.
11My eyes see the downfall of my enemies; my ears hear the wailing of my wicked foes.
12The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
15to proclaim, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and in Him there is no unrighteousness.”
Leviticus 23:33For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.
Exodus 16:2222On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much food—two omers per person —and all the leaders of the congregation came and reported this to Moses.
Exodus 16:25-2625“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you will not find anything in the field.
26For six days you may gather, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, it will not be there.”
Exodus 16:2929Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He will give you bread for two days. On the seventh day, everyone must stay where he is; no one may leave his place.”
Luke 23:5454It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.
Luke 23:5656Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.
Nehemiah 13:1919When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
Source and edition
Westminster Larger Catechism. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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