Mark 1:21–28. Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

See Mark 2:23–3:6 below for a further discussion of Sabbath. The topic of Sabbath is also discussed in depth in the article “Rest and Work .” Recognizing that there is no single Christian perspective about the Sabbath, the Theology of Work Project explores a somewhat different point of view in the section on “Sabbath and Work” in the article “Luke and Work.”

Jesus goes to the synagogue in Capernaum (which means “city of consolation”) on the Sabbath, the day of rest. This recalls the creation story from Genesis, with days of work followed by the seventh day when God rested (Genesis 2:1–3), as well as one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8–11). The Sabbath consecrates a portion of time free from the demands of work.

For working people, the Sabbath allows time to focus on God in a different way than the working week allows and to enjoy God’s blessing in a distinctive way. Worship on the Sabbath flavors work on the other six days. Work is entwined with worship, and worship does not contradict work. True Sabbath observance is not only about the halting of work, but about finding rest in the Lord who calls out to the weary and heavy-laden to take his gentle yoke upon them (cf. Matthew 11:28–30).

Wisdom for Sabbath Rest Tim Keller gives guidelines to help us “stop to enjoy God, to enjoy his creation, to enjoy the fruits of our labor,” reminding us: “The whole point of Sabbath is joy in what God has done.” Take some time for sheer inactivity Take some time for avocational activity: contemplative, recreational, and aesthetic Consider whether you are an introvert or extrovert in planning your rest Don’t necessarily count family time as Sabbath time Honor both micro and macro rhythms in seasons of rest. —from “Wisdom and Sabbath Rest” at Redeemer City to City

For working people, the Sabbath allows time to focus on God in a different way than the working week allows and to enjoy God’s blessing in a distinctive way. Worship on the Sabbath flavors work on the other six days. Work is entwined with worship, and worship does not contradict work. True Sabbath observance is not only about the halting of work, but about finding rest in the Lord who calls out to the weary and heavy-laden to take his gentle yoke upon them (cf. Matthew 11:28–30).

While we should avoid legalism about the Sabbath, this does not mean letting go of the rhythm of work and rest. It may mean that we find a way to set aside time for rest each week despite all the demands on our time. It may mean that we discover how to rest in a particular way that refreshes us from and for our particular work, such as doing mental work for a job and physical activity for rest. Employers can assist Sabbath rest by enabling ways of working that reduce stress at work, such as scheduling time to work uninterrupted or providing tools that reduce strain and injury on the job.

Jesus observes the Sabbath, yet does not shun his work of teaching and healing if he encounters people in need on the Sabbath.[1] No one else raised any objections to him teaching on the Sabbath, either.

In the midst of teaching, Jesus casts out an unclean spirit from someone in the congregation. Healing is also a kind of work, and likewise in this incident, no one objected to it. Instead, they marveled at the authority Jesus had over the demonic, oppressive powers of the world (Mark (1:27).[2] By Jesus’ own example, the Sabbath is not kept by ignoring people’s needs one day a week, but by establishing a rhythm of rest and work throughout the week, centered on regular encounters with God.

The exact nature of unclean or demonic spirits is not explained in the Bible. Encounters similar to this still happen today, but what is their root cause? Disembodied evil personalities? Mental illness? Oppression? Social structures of destruction? A wide variety of perspectives exists among Christians, not to mention among others. But whatever unclean spirits are, we can expect to encounter them wherever we work. The unclean spirit in Mark 1:27 is the first entity to perceive who Jesus really is. Jesus’ teaching has the power to change lives, and when we bring Jesus’ power of good to work, we can expect those who benefit from evil to recognize the danger it poses to them and to respond aggressively. We need to be alert and to anticipate opposition and suffering. But we do not need to fear, for Jesus’ power is greater than every evil spirit.

A Sunday Kind of Love Olga Samples Davis defines Sabbath as “not just a Sunday kind of love” but “an everyday, every minute consciousness of the presence of God.” –from “A Sunday Kind of Love” at The High Calling

From the Field: Praying in the Call Center Ron Johnson discusses how he prays continuously for callers while serving on a customer service line: “We were trained to do a certain kind of conversation with a customer. You don’t just sit and listen to the conversation, but you take control of the call, meaning that you ask probing questions that are pertinent to exactly what you need to know to help the customer, and then you help the customer, and then you get them off the phone as quickly as you can so you can take the next call. I started experiencing a three-way . . . conversation, where they’re saying something to me and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Lord, what are they talking about?’ And then they’re saying more, and then I’m thinking, ‘Okay, Lord, are they saying such and such?’ So I’m constantly referring back to God to help me just to understand what the question is, and then I’ll say, ‘I’ll be glad to help you with that. Let me put you on hold for just two to three minutes while I look that up.’ And then I put them on hold and I say, ‘Okay, Lord, what are we gonna do here?’” —from Making it Work podcast episode “Customer Service and the Imitation of Christ”

From the Frontlines: Workplace Community In healthy workplaces, I see that staff often rise to the occasion to support and assist others who are beyond helping themselves. This a beautiful example. The workplace often has connections deeper into the community than many churches. We can become aware of special needs. In our company, we provide paid time off for our staff to volunteer to help with various needs, recognizing we are in a blessed position to help others. We obviously don’t require our staff to be Christians, but providing them opportunities to be agents of grace is transformative for all. (David Hataj)

An unclean spirit we encounter at work may be in the form of individuals in bondage to shame, greed, envy, despair, or acts of malice, abuse, self-harm, or spiritual forces beyond their ability to handle. It may be the possession of one person by another through slavery, bonded debt, fear, or extreme poverty. It may be adherence to demagogues or to ideologies of hate, exclusion, exploitation, or genocide. It may be illness and lack of care. It may be self-enslavement to sin or many other forms of bondage. By the grace of Christ, we may be able to discern and drive away some of the unclean spirits where we work. We may be able to challenge damaging work cultures and ideologies that deface God’s image in the people we work among. We may be able to offer physical, mental, or spiritual healing to those around us who need help. Our work may bring justice and relief to people in need. We may be able to tell the saving grace of Jesus and invite others to be set free by faith in him. To follow Jesus’ example, we need to accept the opportunity to serve people where we work, as Jesus did in this episode in the synagogue, when it would be easier to ignore people suffering around us and hope they would just go away. And we need to serve them in humility and compassion.

It may be no mere coincidence that Jesus encounters an unclean spirit while teaching. Teaching the truth can be a kind of spiritual warfare, for truth has many opponents. According to Mark, the authority of Jesus’ teaching is what causes the unclean spirit to come out. “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him” (Mark 1:27). None of us are the Son of God, so we need to remain humble about our knowledge and opinions. Yet teaching the truth, to the degree God gives us to understand it, can still be life-giving to people caught in webs of lies, manipulation, or self-deception.

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