“Pray that your flight not be…on the Sabbath day”?
Jan 11, 2010 · Posted in Discernment, Emails, End Times, SabbathA reader of my book asked me this very good question that many Christians wonder about when reading Matthew’s version of the Olivet Discourse:
IF the sabbath is no long in effect (Acts 15) how do we file away this:Matthew 24:20 – But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Is this a Hint for Christians To Keep Sabbath?
Some Christians find Jesus’ mention of the Sabbath in this passage disturbing. It almost seems to be advising us to be careful to avoid trampling the Sabbath. Yet the Sabbath is a command most Christians associate with the lost legalistic Pharisees of Jesus’ day. Therefore the statement is problematic to many.
To be sure, Sabbath-keeping Christians often cite this verse as proof that even Gentile believers must rest on Sabbath today. “Why would Jesus tell us to pray to not have to leave on the Sabbath unless it was still a day of rest for all believers?”, they say.
Well that’s an excellent question. They probably are not going to like hearing what the statement meant to Jesus’ audience. However, most Christians will be glad to see how this verse is most readily understood in harmony with the rest of the Bible. The exercise will illustrate how many of these verses are best resolved through attention to grammatical, historical and whole Bible context.
A More Probable and Congruent Meaning
Here’s the problem with the first interpretation. Under the Torah, there is no prohibition against fleeing or fighting for your life on Sabbath. It is only a day of rest from your normal work. Defense of your country or travel was not a problem under the (original, pure) Torah. Therefore the mention of the Sabbath day causing hardship has nothing to do with any obligation for those of us fleeing to keep Sabbath.
However, culturally the nation in his day (as the Jewish nation today) did keep Sabbath. They did this not because it is required of them by God as evidenced by a prophet warning them to from Moses on. Those prophets and their warnings stopped with the exile of Israel and Judah (similar to how the shekinah glory left the temple then). Instead, they kept it as part of their tradition. Their religion of Judaism elevated these traditions to the status of the original Torah commands.
These embellishments that Judaism introduced included several commands that Jesus ignored. The washing of hands that they took issue with him over. And the rule of a “Sabbath’s day journey” limit on travel. Therefore, when Jesus mentioned avoiding Sabbath in the context of the prescribed speedy flight, Jesus’ audience knew immediately what he was talking about. Travel on Sabbath was problematic back then with the cultural restrictions.
Today, because of these same traditions, buses don’t run in Israel on Sabbath. Mostly only Arab-run taxis are available. It’s plain harder to travel there from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset today just as it was back in Jesus’ day. At least in the religious area of Jerusalem, or Judea this was true when I visited. Which is the specific area Jesus said we would be gathered to and needing to flee from in the end times.
This is why the Sabbath day is mentioned along with winter. Winter and sabbath days both present obstacles to fast, unencumbered travel on short notice. This was the whole point of the context of the Abomination of Desolation warning. If you do not accept his warning ahead of time and wait until you see the event happen before your eyes (“I’ll believe it when I see it”), you will then need to move so fast that you cannot even stop for supplies. If time is of the essence, then Sabbath day travel friction is a worry.
Other reputable commentaries agree this is likely the meaning:
What Christian Commentaries Say
New American Commentary on Matthew:
This reference to the Sabbath is found only in Matthew’s account. It would be natural for Matthew to include it for his more Jewish audience, but he does not thereby imply, as is often alleged, that he envisions Christians still keeping the Jewish laws. G. N. Stanton (“ ‘Pray That Your Flight May Not Be in Winter or on a Sabbath’ [Matthew 24.20],” JSNT 37 [1989]: 17–30) surveys the various options for interpreting this verse and concludes that the best approach understands that fleeing on the Sabbath would have antagonized the Jews further and increased persecution of believers.
MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Matthew:
Although Palestinian winters are mild compared to those in many parts of the world, even slightly inclement weather could be a hindrance when the Antichrist begins his final aggression against God’s people. Therefore Jesus said, Pray that your fight may not be in the winter.
Those seeking to escape should also pray that they will not have to flee on the Sabbath, when legalistic Jews who are not fleeing might try to stone or otherwise impede those whom they believe to be profaning the Sabbath—just as their forefathers had sought to stone Jesus for breaking their Sabbath traditions.
Jesus’ point was that no possession would be worth the risk of retrieving and no hindrance could be considered small. Because of the imminent unmatched terror, single-minded, undeterred flight will be the only order of the day.
Conclusion
Whenever we read a cryptic passage like this, we have to resist the temptation to jump to the conclusion that fits in with our doctrinal view. We have to put our bias aside and put on our detective’s hat. The Bible requires clear thinking and careful research. If we start with what the passage would have meant to the person saying it and also to his audience, we will be on our way to the correct answer.
Note: If you think that by writing this article it means I do not keep sabbath or am against keeping sabbath, then that conclusion would be just as shaky as the one this article argued against. =) This article is not making a statement for or against keeping sabbath. The point is only to correct a common case of taking a verses out of its context, masking its true intended meaning. For the record, according to Isaiah 58, the sabbath is a delight and blessing to keep whether it is required or not. Committing to resting one day a week recharges your batteries, relieves stress, gives space to reflect on the important things in life, and reconnect with your family.
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