In his 1998 lecture on Exodus 30, Dennis Prager says: The Greeks thought the Jews were lazy because of their Sabbath observance.
The Sabbath was the most appealing part of Judaism in the Roman Empire.
The Jews weren’t the first people to say be nice. What distinguished the Jews was the Sabbath.
When a Jew keeps the Sabbath, it is an announcement that God created the world.
When I have raised the question why is there so little Sabbath observance in Christian life, one response I’ve got is that this commandment is the only one of the Ten not reiterated in the New Testament.
What do Christians do about this Sabbath commandment? It’s no longer relevant. It’s relevant but I just have to feel it. How does a Christian announce God created the world? This is the Jewish way. What’s the public Christian way?
Sunday is not Sabbath. It’s the Lord’s day. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, not the creation of the world.
A Christian might say, Mr. Prager, Christians are very polite, that’s why I said Mr. Prager, they might say, Mr. Prager, the Sabbath is a distinguishing sign of the covenant between God and the Jews.
That is why I do periodically make it known when I am interviewed or something that I don’t broadcast on the Sabbath. The rest of my religious behavior is of no consequence to the general reader. The extent of my keeping kosher is of no interest to a reader.
