Sabbath

The strong association with devil-worship, flying to sabbaths, and malevolence was heavily promoted from the mid-15th century onward, especially after the Malleus Maleficarum (1486) and during the European witch hunts (roughly 1450–1750).

In European folklore, goats and bucks strongly tie to the Devil (Sabbath imagery, witches riding goats).

Jesus heals on the Sabbath, and is censured by the Pharisees.

1. It was the Sabbath day, and Jesus stood among the surging masses of the people in the temple courts and sacred halls.2. The blind, the deaf, the dumb, and those obsessed were there, and Jesus spoke the Word, and they were healed.3. On some he laid his hands, and they were healed; to others he just spoke the Word, and they were full restored to health; but others had to go and wash in certain pools; and others he anointed with a holy oil.4. A doctor asked him why he healed in divers ways, and he replied,5. Disease is discord in the human form, and discords are produced in many ways.6. The body is a harpsichord; sometimes the strings are too relaxed, and then inharmony results.7. Sometimes we find the strings too tense, and then another form of discord is induced.8. Disease is many-formed, and these are many ways to cure, to tune anew the mystic harpsichord.9. Now when the Pharisees were told that Jesus healed the people on the Sabbath day they were enraged, and they commanded him to quit the place.10. But Jesus said, Was man designed to fit the Sabbath, or was the Sabbath day designed to fit the man?11. If you had fallen in a pit and, lo, the Sabbath day had come, and I should pass your way, would you cry out.12. Let me alone; it is a sin to help me on the Sabbath day; I'll swelter in this filth until another day?13. You Pharisees, you hypocrites!

you know you would be glad to have my help upon the Sabbath day, or any other day.14. These people all have fallen into pits, and they are calling loud for me to help them out, and man and God would curse me should I pass along and heed them not.15. And then the Pharisees returned to say their prayers, and curse the man of God because he heeded not their words.16. Now, in the evening Jesus stood beside a pool; a playful child had fallen in, and it was drowned, and friends were bearing it away.17. But Jesus called the carriers to stop; and then he stretched himself upon the lifeless form, and breathed into its mouth the breath of life.18. And then he called aloud unto the soul that had gone out, and it returned; the child revived and lived.19. And Jesus saw a wounded dog; it could not move; it lay beside the way and groaned with pain.

It was the Sabbath day, and Jesus went up to the synagogue.2. The keeper of the books gave one to Jesus and he opened it and read:3. The Spirit of the Lord has overshadowed me; he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; to set the captives free; to open sightless eyes;4. To bring relief to those oppressed and bruised, and to proclaim, The year of jubilee has come.5. When he had read these words he closed the book and said, This scripture is fulfilled before your eyes this day.

He goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath and teaches.

1. Now, on the day before the Sabbath day, the twelve disciples who had received the call were met with one accord in Jesus' home.2. And Jesus said to them, This is the day to consecrate yourselves unto the work of God; so let us pray.3. Turn from the outer to the inner self; close all the doors of carnal self and wait.4. The Holy Breath will fill this place, and you will be baptised in Holy Breath.5. And then they prayed; alight more brilliant than the noonday sun filled all the room, and tongues of flame from every head rose high in air.6. The atmosphere of Galilee was set astir; a sound like distant thunder rolled above Capernaum, and men heard songs, as though ten thousand angels joined in full accord.7. And then the twelve disciples heard a voice, a still, small voice, and just one word was said, a word they dared not speak; it was the Sacred name of God.8. And Jesus said to them, By this omnific Word you may control the elements, and all the powers of air.9. And when within your souls you speak this Word, you have the keys of life and death; of things that are; of things that were; of things that are to be.10. Behold you are the twelve great branches of the Christine vine; the twelve foundation stones; the twelve apostles of the Christ.11. As lambs I sent you forth among wild beasts; but the omnific Word will be your buckler and your shield.12. And then again the air was filled with song, and every living creature seemed to say, Praise God!

Amen!13. The next day was the Sabbath day; and Jesus went with his disciples to the synagogue, and there he taught.14. The people said, He teaches not as do the scribes and Pharisees; but as a man who knows, and has authority to speak.15. As Jesus spoke, a man obsessed came in; the evil spirits that obsessed the man were of the baser sort; they often threw their victim to the ground, or in the fire.16. And when the spirits saw the Christine master in the synagogue they knew him, and they said,17. You son of God, why are you here?

1. The feast time came and Jesus and the twelve went to Jerusalem.2. Upon the day before the Sabbath day they reached Mount Olives and they tarried at an inn before Mount Olives on the north.3. And in the early morning of the Sabbath day they went in through the sheep gate to Jerusalem.4. The healing fountain of Bethesda, near the gate, was thronged about with people who were sick;5. For they believed that at a certain time an angel came and poured a healing virtue in the pool, and those who entered first and bathed, would be made whole.6. And Jesus and the twelve were standing near the pool.7. And Jesus saw a man near by who had been stricken eight and thirty years; without a hand to help he could not move.8. And Jesus said to him, My brother, man, would you be healed?9. The man replied, I earnestly desire to be healed; but I am helpless and when the angel comes and pours the healing virtues in the pool,10. Another who can walk, steps in the fountain first and I am left unhealed.11. And Jesus said, Who sends an angel here to potentise this pool for just a favoured few?12. I know it is not God, for he deals just the same with every one.13. One has no better chance in heaven's healing fountain than another one.14. The fount of health is in your soul; it has a door locked fast; the key is faith;15. And every one can have this key and may unlock the door and plunge into the healing fount and be made whole.16. And then the man looked up in hopeful mood and said, Give me this key of faith.17. And Jesus said, Do you believe what I have said?

A stranger at the pool just spoke a word and I was well.20. The many did not see when Jesus healed the man, and with the twelve he went his way up to the temple courts.21. And in the temple Jesus saw the man and said to him, Behold you are made whole; from henceforth guard your life aright;22. Go on your way and sin no more, or something worse may fall on you.23. And now the man knew who it was who made him whole.24. He told the story to the priests and they were much enraged; they said, The law forbids a man to heal upon the Sabbath day.25. But Jesus said, My Father works on sabbath days and may not I?26. He sends his rain, his sunshine and his dew; he makes his grass to grow, his flowers to bloom; he speeds the harvests just the same on Sabbath days as on the other days.27. If it is lawful for the grass to grow and flowers to bloom on Sabbath days it surely is not wrong to succour stricken men.28. And then the priests were angered more and more because he claimed to be a son of God.29. A leading priest, Abihu, said, This fellow is a menace to our nation and our laws; he makes himself to be a son of God; it is not meet that he should live.30. But Jesus said, Abihu, Sir, you are a learned man; you surely know the law of life.

Jesus heals a withered hand on the Sabbath, and defends his deed.

1. Another Sabbath day had come and Jesus and the twelve walked through a field of ripened wheat.2. And they were hungry and they took the heads of wheat and in their hands threshed out the grain and ate.3. Among the men who followed them were Pharisees of strictest sect, and when they saw the twelve thresh out the wheat and eat, they said to Jesus,4. Sir, why do the twelve do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?5. And Jesus said, Have you not heard what David did when he and those who followed him had need of food?6. How he went to the house of God and from the table in the Holy Place took of the presence bread and ate, and gave to those who followed him?7. I tell you, men, the needs of man are higher than the law of rites.8. And in our sacred books we read how priests profane the Sabbath day in many ways while they are serving in the Holy Place, and still are free from guilt.9. The Sabbath day was made for man; man was not made to fit the Sabbath day.10. The man is son of God and under the eternal law of right, which is the highest law, he may annul the statute laws.11. The law of sacrifice is but the law of man, and in our law we read that God desires mercy first; and mercy stands above all statute laws.12. The son of man is Lord of every law.

Did not a prophet sum the duties of the man when in the book he wrote: In mercy follow justice and walk humbly with your God?13. Then Jesus and the twelve returned to Galilee, and on the day before the Sabbath day they reached the home of Jesus in Capernaum.14. And on the Sabbath day they went up to the synagogue.

Will he attempt to heal upon the Sabbath day?17. And Jesus knew their thoughts and he called to the man who had the withered hand and said, Arise, stand forth before these men.18. And Jesus said, You scribes and Pharisees, speak out and answer me: Is it a crime to save a life upon the Sabbath day?19. If you had sheep and one of them fell in a pit upon the Sabbath day would you do wrong to take it out?20. Or would it please your God to let it suffer in the mire until another day?21. But his accusers held their peace.22. And then he said to them, Are sheep of greater value than a man?23. The law of God is written on the rock of Right; and Justice wrote the law, and Mercy was the pen.24. And then he said, Man, raise your hand and stretch it forth.

Man cannot make an image of the Infinite in force.12. And when men make a God of stone or wood or clay they make an image of a shade; and they who worship at the shrine of shades are shades.13. So God in mercy said, You shall not carve out images of wood, or clay, or stone.14. Such idols are ideals, abased ideals, and men can gain no higher plane than their ideals.15. The God is Spirit men must worship if they would attain a consciousness of God.16. But man can never make a picture or an image of the Holy Breath.17. The name of God man may not speak with carnal lips; with Holy Breath alone can man pronounce the name.18. In vanity men think they know the name of God; they speak it lightly and irreverently, and thus they are accursed.19. If men did know the sacred name and spoke it with unholy lips, they would not live to speak it once again.20. But God in mercy has not yet unveiled his name to those who cannot speak with Holy Breath.21. But they who speak the substitute in idle way are guilty in the sight of God, who said,22. You shall not take the name of God in vain.23. The number of the Holy Breath is seven, and God holds in his hands the sevens of time.24. In forming worlds he rested on the seventh day, and every seventh day is set apart as Sabbath day for men.

God said,25. The seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; remember it and keep it wholly set apart for works of holiness; that is, for works not for the selfish self, but for the universal self.26. Men may do work for self upon the six days of the week; but on the Sabbath of the Lord they must do naught for self.27. This day is consecrated unto God; but man serves God by serving man.

1. The law has said: Thou shalt not lie; but in the eyes of law a man to lie must tell in words what is not true.2. Now, in the light of spirit law, deceit in any form is nothing but a lie.3. A man may lie by look or act; yea, even by his silence may deceive, and thus be guilty in the eyes of Holy Breath.4. It has been said in olden times: Thou shalt not swear by thine own life.5. But, lo, I say, Swear not at all; not by the head, the heart, the eye, nor hand; not by the sun, the moon, nor stars;6. Not by the name of God, nor by the name of any spirit, good or bad.7. You shall not swear by anything; for in an oath there is no gain.8. A man whose word must be propped up by oath of any kind is not trustworthy in the sight of God or man.9. By oath you cannot make a leaf to fall, nor turn the colour of a hair.10. The man of worth just speaks and men know that he speaks the truth.11. The man who pours out many words to make think he speaks the truth, is simply making smoke to hide a lie.12. And there are many men with seeming double hearts; men who would serve two masters at a time--two masters quite adverse.13. Men feign to worship God upon the Sabbath day and then pay court to Beelzebul on every other day.14. No man can serve two masters at a time no more than he can ride two asses at a time that go in different ways.15. The man who feigns to worship God and Beelzebul is foe of God, a pious devil and a curse of men.16. And men cannot lay treasures up in heaven and earth at once.17. Then, lo, I say, Lift up your eyes and see the safety vaults of heaven, and there deposit every gem.18. Where moth and rust cannot corrupt; where thieves cannot break in and steal.19. There are no safety vaults on earth; no place secure from moth, and rust and thieves.20. The treasures of the earth are but illusive things that pass away.21. Be not deceived; your treasures are the anchor of the soul, and where your treasures are your heart will be.22. Fix not your heart upon the things of earth; be anxious not about the things to eat, or drink or wear.23. God cares for those who trust in him and serve the race.24. Behold the birds!

The people there had met with one accord to celebrate some great event.2. And Jesus and the foreign masters and the twelve, and Mary, mother of the Lord, and Miriam were there.3. And when the people were assembled in the great hall of the town, the graceful singer, Miriam, stood and sang a song of praise.4. But few of all the multitude knew who the singer was; but instantly she won all hearts.5. For many days she sang the songs of Israel, and then she went her way.6. The Sabbath came and Jesus went into the synagogue.

No man can know except he enters into life and does the will of God.28. Now, Moses gave the law; but none of you have kept the law; how can you judge the worthiness of any man?29. Once in these courts I healed a man upon a Sabbath day, and in a rage you sought to take my life; and now because I tell the truth you seek again to take my life.30. A scribe spoke out and said, You foolish man, you are obsessed; who wants to take your life?31. The common people said, Is this not Jesus whom the rulers long have sought to kill?

1. The Lord with Peter, James and John were in Jerusalem; it was the Sabbath day.2. And as they walked along the way they saw a man who could not see; he had been blind from birth.3. And Peter said, Lord, if disease and imperfections all are caused by sin, who was the sinner in this case?

who opened up your eyes?27. He said, A man whom men call Jesus, made a salve of clay and put it on my eyes, and bade me say a word and wash in Siloam seven times; I did as he commanded me, and now I see.28. A certain scribe was passing, and he saw the man and heard him say that Jesus, by the Word, had opened up his eyes.29. He therefore took the man up to the synagogue, and told the story to the priests, who asked the man about the miracle.30. The man replied, I never saw the light until to-day, for I was blind from birth.31. This morning as I sat beside Siloam, a man I never knew put on my eyes a salve that people say he made of clay; he bade me say a word and bathe my eyes in water seven times; I did as he commanded and I saw.32. A lawyer asked the man, Who was it opened up your eyes?33. The man replied, Some people say, His name is Jesus and that he came from Galilee; but others say, He is the son of God.34. A Pharisee came up and said, This is the Sabbath day; a man who does a work like this, regarding not the Sabbath day, is not from God.35. Some of the priests were much amazed and said, A wicked man could never do a miracle like this; he must possess the power of God.

You are protected in the way of right, and naught can harm.10. And as you went I heard a master say, Well done.11. But you may not rejoice because you have the power to heal the sick and make the devils tremble by the Word; for such rejoicing is from carnal self.12. You may rejoice because the nations of the earth have ears to hear the Word, and eyes to see the glory of the Lord, and hearts to feel the inner breathing of the Holy Breath.13. And you may well be glad because your names are written in the Book of Life.14. Then Jesus looked to heaven and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast revealed thyself to babes, and taught them how to light the path and lead the wise to thee.15. What thou hast given to me, lo, I have given to them, and through the sacred Word I have bestowed on them the understanding heart,16. That they might know and honour thee through Christ, who was, and is, and evermore shall be.17. And then he said aside, unto the seventy and twelve, Most blessed are your eyes because you see the things you see;18. And blessed they are your ears because they hear the things they hear;19. And blessed are your hearts because you understand.20. In ages that are gone the wise of earth, the prophets, seers and kings, desired to hear and see and know what you have heard and seen and known; but they had not attained and could not hear, and see and know.21. And Jesus said again, Lo, I have gone before you many moons, and I have given to you the bread of heaven and the cup of life;22. Have been your buckler and your stay; but now that you have learned the way, and have the strength to stand alone, behold, I lay my body down and go to him who is the All.23. In forty days then we will turn our faces towards Jerusalem where I will find the altar of the Lord and give my life in willing sacrifice for men.24. Let us arise and go through all the coasts of Galilee, and give a salutation of good cheer to all the sons of God by faith.25. And they arose and went; they entered every town and village on the coast, and everywhere they said, The benedictions of the Christ abide with you for evermore.26. Now, in a certain town they went up to the synagogue upon the Sabbath day, and Jesus taught.27. And as he spoke, two men brought on a cot a woman bent near double with disease; she had not risen from her bed for eighteen years without a helping hand.28. And Jesus laid his hand upon the woman, and he said, Arise, be free from your infirmity.29. And as he spoke the Word the woman found that she was straight and strong, and she arose and walked and said, Praise God.30. The ruler of the synagogue was filled with wrath because the healer healed upon the Sabbath day.31. He did not censure Jesus face to face, but turning to the multitudes he said,32. You men of Galilee, why do you break the laws of God?

There are six days in every week when you may bring the afflicted to be healed.33. This is the day that God has blessed, the Sabbath day in which men may not work.34. And Jesus said, You inconsistent scribes and Pharisees!

Upon the Sabbath day you take your beasts of burden from their stalls, and lead them forth to eat and drink; is this not work?35. This daughter of your father Abraham, who has been bound for eighteen years, has come in faith to be made free.36. Now, tell me, men, is it a crime to break her bonds and set her free upon the Sabbath day?37. The ruler said no more; the people all rejoiced and said, Behold the Christ!38. And Jesus spoke a parable; he said, The kingdom of the Christ is like a little seed that one put in the ground;39. It grew and after many years became a mighty tree, and many people rested in its shade, and birds built nests and reared their young among its leafy boughs.

And then he said unto the man who spoke,13. Go forth and say to that sly fox, Behold, I heal the sick and cast the unclean spirits out to-day, tomorrow, and the days to come, and then I will attain.14. Go say to him, I need not fear in Galilee, for I must meet the cruel wrath of men within Jerusalem.15. And while they tarried in the place a man, a Pharisee, invited Jesus and a few of those who followed him, to dine with him upon the Sabbath day, to celebrate the marriage of his son.16. Among the guests was one afflicted with a dropsical disease.17. And Jesus said to those who had been sent to get from his own lips some words by which they might accuse him of a crime,18. You lawyers and you Pharisees, what do you say about the lawlessness of healing on the Sabbath day?

Here is a man, one of your own, and he is sore distressed.19. Shall I, in God's own strength, say out the healing Word and heal this man?20. The lawyers and the Pharisees were dumb; they answered not.21. Then Jesus spoke the healing Word and healed the man and he, rejoicing, went his way.22. Then Jesus said again unto the lawyers and the Pharisees, Which one of you who has a horse or cow, if it would fall into a pit upon the Sabbath day would fall would not call in his friends to help to draw it out?23. And not a man could answer, Here am I.24. As Jesus looked upon the guests who had been bidden to the feast and saw them crowding in to get the highest seats, he said to them,25. You selfish men, why do you strive to take the highest seats when you are but invited guests?

The scribe took up a roll and read:31. To the Sanhedrim of the Jews and to Caiaphas the high priest, most honoured men:32. The highest duty man can render is to his nation and his own is to protect them from their foes.33. The people of Jerusalem are conscious that a mighty foe is in their very midst.34. A man named Jesus has come forth and claims to be heir to David's throne.35. As an imposter he is foe, and in the name of every loyal Jew we here submit these charges which we are competent to prove;36. At first, he blasphemes God; he says he is son of God; that he and God are one;37. And he profanes our holy days by healing, and doing other work upon the Sabbath days;38. And he proclaims himself the king, successor of our David and our Solomon;39. And he declares that he will tear our temple down and build it up again in form more glorious in three days;40. And he declares that he will drive the people from Jerusalem, as he drove out the merchants from the temple court; and bring to occupy our sacred hills a tribe of men that know not God;41. And he aver that every doctor, scribe and Pharisee and Sadducee, shall go in exile, and shall never more return;42. And to these charges we do set our hands and seals.

The priests, the Pharisees and scribes were filled with fear.16. They sought the cover of their synagogues and homes and said, Behold, the wrath of God!17. The great day of the Jewish pasch was near, and Jews could not by law permit a criminal to hang upon the cross upon the Sabbath day.18. And so they prayed that Pilate would remove the bodies of the men that had been crucified.19. And Pilate sent his guards to Calvary to note if all the men were dead.20. And when the guards were gone, two aged Jews came to the palace door to see the governor, and they were members of the highest council of the Jews;21. Yet they believed that Jesus was a prophet sent from God.22. The one was Rabbi Joseph, the Arimathean counsellor, and he was just and loved the law of God.23. And Nicodemus was the other one who came.24. These men fell down at Pilate's feet and prayed that they might take the body of the Nazarene and lay it in a tomb.25. And Pilate gave consent.26. Now, Joseph had prepared a costly mixture to embalm the body of the Lord, about a hundred pounds of aloes and of myrrh, and this they took and hastened out to Calvary.27. And when the guards returned they said, The Nazarene is dead; the malefactors are alive.28. And Pilate told the guards to go and smite the living men so they would die, and then to give their bodies to the flames; but give the body of the Nazarene to rabbis who would call for it.29. The soldiers did as Pilate said.30. The rabbis came and took away the body of the Lord and when they had prepared it with the spices they had bought,31. They laid it in the new-made tomb that had been made for Joseph in a solid rock.32. And then they rolled a stone up to the sepulchre.33. The priests were fearful lest the friends of Jesus would go forth at night and take away the body of the Nazarene, and then report that he had risen from the dead, as he had said;34. And they requested that the governor would send his soldiers to the tomb to guard the body of the dead.35. But Pilate said, I will not send a Roman guard; but you have Jewish soldiers and may send a hundred men with a centurion to guard the tomb.36. And then they sent a hundred soldiers out to guard the tomb.

The body is the manifest of soul; but soul is soul without its manifest.16. And in the realm of souls, unmanifest, the Lord went forth and taught.17. He opened up the prison doors and set the prisoners free;18. He broke the chains of captive souls, and led the captives to the light;19. He sat in council with the patriarchs and prophets of the olden times;20. The masters of all times and climes he met, and in the great assemblies he stood forth and told the story of his life on earth, and of his death in sacrifice for man,21. And of his promises to clothe himself again in garb of flesh and walk with his disciples, just to prove the possibilities of man;22. To give to them the key of life, of death, and of the resurrection of the dead.23. In council all the masters sat and talked about the revelations of the coming age,24. When she, the Holy Breath, shall fill the earth and air with holy breath, and open up the way of man to perfectness and endless life.25. The garden of Siloam was silent on the Sabbath day; the Jewish soldiers watched and no one else approached the tomb; but on the following night the scene was changed.26. At midnight every Jewish soldier heard a voice which said, Adon Mashich Cumi, which meant, Lord Christ arise.27. And they supposed again that friends of Jesus were alert, were coming up to take the body of their Lord away.28. The soldiers were alert with swords unsheathed and drawn, and then they heard the words again.29. It seemed as though the voice was everywhere, and yet they saw no man.30. The soldiers blanched with fear, and still to flee meant death for cowardice, and so they stood and watched.31. Again, and this was just before the sun arose, the heavens blazed with light, a distant thunder seemed to herald forth a coming storm;32. and then the earth began to quake and in the rays of light they saw a form descend from heaven.

1. It was the Sabbath day and many priests and scribes and Pharisees were in the temple in Jerusalem.