Acts 1:12

Acts 1:12

Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

1. “…a sabbath day’s journey.”

a. A “sabbath day’s journey” is a length of distance the Jews were allowed to go on the Sabbath. It appears to have been arrived at by combining a number of passages.

1). Exodus 16:29 “See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.”

a). His place is not referring to his house as we shall see.

2). Numbers 35:5 “And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.”

a). Other sources give Joshua 3:3-5 also.

b). Joshua 3:3-5 “And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

b. The Jewish people went to the temple and to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, so this was not a violation of the 4th Commandment. Jesus himself went to the synagogue on the Sabbath.

1). Luke 4: “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.”

c. It appears that a sabbath day’s journey was limited to approximately two thousand cubits with in the city limits.