SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:27
Tambin les dijo: El sbado por causa del hombre es hecho; no el hombre por causa del sbado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 2:27
Verse 27. The Sabbath was made for man] That he might have the seventh part of his whole time to devote to the purposes of bodily rest and spiritual exercises. And in these respects it is of infinite use to mankind. Where no Sabbath is observed, there disease, poverty, and profligacy, generally prevail. Had we no Sabbath, we should soon have no religion. This whole verse is wanting in the Codex Bezae, and in five of the Itala.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 27. And he said unto them , etc..] Continuing his answer to them, and adding, in confirmation of what he had said, and for the further vindication of his disciples, the sabbath was made for man ; for his good, and not for his hurt; both for the good of his soul, that he might have an opportunity of attending divine worship, both in public and private; and for the good of his body, that he might have rest from his labour; and this was the end of the original institution and appointment of it; and therefore works of necessity are not forbidden on this day; such as are for the necessary comfort, support, and preservation of life; or otherwise it would be apparent, that the sabbath was not appointed for the good, but for the hurt of men. By man, is not meant all mankind; for the sabbath was never appointed for all mankind, nor binding upon all; only the Jews, who are emphatically called man, or men; (see Ezekiel 34:30,31), upon which the Jewish writers remark f38 , that they are called, da , man; but the idolatrous Gentiles, and nations of the World, are not called men; but dogs, beasts, etc.. Our Lord may here be thought to speak in their language, as he does in Mt. 15:26, (see Gill on Matthew 15:26). And that the observation of the seventh day, was only designed for the children of Israel, seems manifest from ( Exodus 31:16,17), wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant; it is a sign between me and the children of Israel; and not between him and the rest of the world: and in ( Exodus 31:14), ye shall keep the sabbath, for it is holy unto you: on which the Jews make this remark, ymm [ ra l alw kl , to you, and not to the rest of the nations: nor did they ever think that the Gentiles were obliged to observe their sabbath, only such who became proselytes to their religion; even those who were proselytes of righteousness: for a proselyte of the gate, was not bound to observe it; for so says Maimonides, those who take upon them the seven commandments of Noah only, lo! they are as a proselyte of the gate, and they are free to do work on the sabbath day for themselves, openly, as an Israelite on a common day. Yea, they not only say, they were not obliged to keep the sabbath, but that it was not lawful for them to observe it; and that it was even punishable with death them to regard it; for so they say f41 , a Gentile that keeps the sabbath before he is circumcised, is guilty of death, because it is not commanded him.
They judged them unworthy of having this precept enjoined them, as being not men, but beasts, and worse than they, and had not the privilege the ass has: hence one of their commentators says, concerning the rest of an ass, thou (O Israelite!) art commanded; but concerning the rest of a Gentile, thou art not commanded. And not man for the sabbath ; who was in being long before that was appointed and enjoined.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 23-28 - The sabbath is a sacred and Divine institution; a privilege an benefit, not a task and drudgery. God never designed it to be a burde to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. The sabbath wa instituted for the good of mankind, as living in society, having man wants and troubles, preparing for a state of happiness or misery. Ma was not made for the sabbath, as if his keeping it could be of servic to God, nor was he commanded to keep it outward observances to his rea hurt. Every observance respecting it, is to be interpreted by the rul of mercy __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ελεγεν 3004 5707 V-IAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM το 3588 T-NSN σαββατον 4521 N-NSN δια 1223 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM ανθρωπον 444 N-ASM εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S ουχ 3756 PRT-N ο 3588 T-NSM ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM δια 1223 PREP το 3588 T-ASN σαββατον 4521 N-ASN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
27. For man (dia). On account of, or for the sake of. This saying is given by Mark only.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:27 {For man} (dia ton anqrwpon). Mark alone has this profound saying which subordinates the sabbath to man's real welfare (mankind, observe, generic article with anqrwpos, class from class). Man was not made for the sabbath as the rabbis seemed to think with all their petty rules about eating an egg laid on the sabbath or looking in the glass, _et cetera_. See 2Macc. 5:19 and _Mechilta_ on #Ex 31:13: "The sabbath is delivered unto you and ye are not delivered unto the sabbath." Christianity has had to fight this same battle about institutionalism. The church itself is for man, not man for the church.
