Exodus 20:10

The seventh day. No unnecessary secular labor is to be performed on that day. It is to be spent in religious reflection, worship, and service for God. It provides, as well, an opportunity for physical rest. This feature of the Sabbath is peculiarly important to man in his sinful state, when he must earn his bread by the sweat of his face (Gen. 3:17-19).

The Sabbath of the Lord. Literally, “the Lord’s Sabbath.” In Hebrew, “Sabbath” has no definite article, “the,” but this does not take from the Sabbath command its definiteness. The point of controversy between Sundaykeepers and Sabbathkeepers is not over whether a Christian should rest — “not do any work” — one day in the week, but which day of the week that should be, the first or the seventh. The commandment answers explicitly, “the seventh day.” The command divides the week into two parts: (1) “six days shalt thou ... do all thy work,” (2) “the seventh day ... thou shalt not do any work.” And why this prohibition of work on “the seventh day”? Because it is a “sabbath of the Lord.” The word Sabbath is from the Heb. shabbath, which means “rest.” Thus the command prohibits work on “the seventh day” because it is a rest day of the Lord. This takes us back to the origin of the Sabbath, when God “rested on the seventh day” (Gen. 2:2). It is therefore plain that the contrast is not between “the” and “a,” but between “work” and “rest.” “Six days,” says the command, are work days, but “the seventh day” is a rest day. That “the seventh day” is uniquely God’s rest day is made evident in the opening words of the command: “Remember the sabbath [rest] day, to keep it holy.”

The angels announced to the shepherds: “For unto you is born ... a Saviour” (Luke 2:11). We do not therefore conclude that Christ was simply one of many saviors. We capture the meaning of the angel’s words when we put the emphasis on the word “Saviour.” Christ came, not as a military conqueror or an earthly king, but as a Saviour. Numerous other passages deal with the uniqueness of His salvation, and that we can be saved by none other. Thus with the matter of “the” and “a” in the fourth command.

Not do any work. This does not forbid acts of mercy or work essential to the preservation of life and health that cannot be performed on other days. It is always “lawful to do well on the sabbath days” (Matt. 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-28). The rest here spoken of is not to be considered merely in terms of cessation from ordinary labor, though this is, of course, included. It must be a holy rest, in which there is communion with God.

Nor thy cattle. God’s care for dumb animals is repeatedly stressed by OT writers (Ex. 23:5, 12; Deut. 25:4). He remembered them in the ark (Gen. 8:1). They were included in His covenant following the Flood (Gen. 9:9-11). He claims the cattle as His own (Ps. 50:10). The presence of “much cattle” provided one reason why Nineveh was spared (Jonah 4:11).

Thy stranger. That is, a foreigner who of his own free will joined himself to the Israelites. A “mixed multitude” left Egypt with Israel (Ex. 12:38) and accompanied them in their wilderness wanderings. So long as they chose to remain with the Israelites they were to conform to the requirements God set for His own people. In a sense this restricted their liberty, but they were free to depart if they did not wish to obey. In compensation, as it were, they enjoyed a measure of the blessings God bestowed upon Israel (Num. 10:29; Zech. 8:22, 23).