Asserting His authority as Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus declared that the Sabbath must remain a day of freedom rather than oppression, rejecting man-made laws which turn the Sabbath into a burden rather than the blessing it was intended to be.
The Amplified Edition adds a few more clarifying details, If you turn back your foot from [unnecessary travel on] the Sabbath, from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a [spiritual] delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable, and honor it, not going your own way or engaging in your own pleasure or speaking your own [idle] words, then you will take pleasure in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the [promised] heritage of Jacob your father; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Consequently, this passage describes the Sabbath as a delight rather than a burden, promising joy and blessings to all those who honor it by setting aside competing personal pursuits, thereby reframing this day as a bountiful source of spiritual enrichment. When we focus on Almighty God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we are liberated from the horrible stress of personal agendas, enabling us to find true fulfillment in divine connection, providing a pleasant break from working concerns. One of my former professors back at Minnesota State University at Mankato, instead of posting office hours on his door, placed a poster with the words: It'll wait.
The promise from Almighty God of delight simplifies our life when we align our focus with God's will, ensuring that the Sabbath will bring reward rather than restriction, thereby enhancing our spiritual and emotional well-being. My third favorite verse in the Bible, in Psalm 37, highlights this principle.
