How does Luke 23:54 connect to the Sabbath observance in Exodus 20:8-11? The Crucial Transition—Luke 23:54 “It was the Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was just beginning.” God’s Commanded Rhythm—Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth… but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.” Where the Two Passages Meet • Preparation versus completion – Luke pinpoints “Preparation Day,” the sixth day when work must end. – Exodus frames six work-days capped by God’s ordained rest. • The clock strikes sundown – Luke notes the Sabbath “just beginning,” showing Israel’s day starts at sunset (cf. Leviticus 23:32). – This twilight threshold directly obeys Exodus 20: no labor once the Sabbath arrives. • Christ’s finished work mirrors Creation’s – Jesus cries, “It is finished” (John 19:30) and is laid in the tomb before Sabbath begins, ceasing from redemptive labor. – God “finished” creation and rested (Genesis 2:2-3; echoed in Exodus 20:11). • Holiness guarded by obedience – Joseph of Arimathea rushes the burial out of reverence for the command (Luke 23:50-56). – The fourth commandment calls all generations to “keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Luke highlights faithful compliance even in crisis. Messiah, Sabbath, and Fulfillment • Jesus is “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8), yet He honors the day’s sanctity in death. • His rest in the grave prefigures the believer’s rest in Him (Hebrews 4:9-10). • Resurrection at dawn of “the first day of the week” (Luke 24:1) launches a new creation week, just as the original Sabbath ushered creation into fullness. Living Implications • God’s pattern—work, then worshipful rest—remains wise, gracious, and good. • Christ’s obedience displays perfect submission to the Father’s Law, inviting us into both faith and practice. • Sabbath signals trust: if the Son could rest after completing salvation, we can rest, confident God keeps working for our good (Romans 8:28). |
    |