NO EATING OUT OR COOKING ON THE SABBATH
Let’s carefully walk through what the Bible says about eating, cooking, and preparing food on the Sabbath. Scripture is very clear that work (including food preparation and kindling fire for cooking) was restricted.
It is the same for hiring others to cook for you. Eating out as we call it today.
Here are the key passages:
1. No cooking or food preparation on the Sabbath
📖 Exodus 16:23
"And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe (boil) that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning."
👉 God commanded Israel to do all their baking and boiling before the Sabbath. Meals were to be prepared ahead of time.
2. No kindling a fire (for cooking) on the Sabbath
📖 Exodus 35:3
"Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day."
👉 Fire was necessary for cooking. This law reinforced that no cooking (or food-preparation work) was to be done on the Sabbath.
3. No gathering food on the Sabbath
📖 Exodus 16:25–26
"And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the LORD: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none."
👉 They were not to go out gathering manna (their food) on the Sabbath. Meals had to be ready beforehand.
4. Sabbath is a rest day, no work (including others working for you)
📖 Exodus 20:10
"But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates."
👉 This principle extends beyond personal work. If you hire others to cook, serve, or clean for you (as in a restaurant), you cause them to break the Sabbath on your behalf.
📖 Nehemiah 13:15–18
Nehemiah rebuked those in Judah for buying and selling food on the Sabbath:
"In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath… bringing in sheaves… also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them… There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah… Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?"
👉 Buying food from others on the Sabbath was condemned, since it involved commerce and caused others to work.
✅ Summary of Principles from Scripture:
- Meals should be prepared ahead of time (Ex. 16:23).
- No fire/cooking is to be done on the Sabbath (Ex. 35:3).
- No gathering food on the Sabbath (Ex. 16:25–26).
- No buying or selling food on the Sabbath (Neh. 13:15–18).
- No causing others to work for you on the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10).
So while the Bible doesn’t say the phrase “do not eat out,” the combination of these scriptures shows:
- We should not cook on the Sabbath.
- We should not buy or sell food on the Sabbath.
- We should not make others work for us on the Sabbath.
👉 Put together, that rules out eating out at restaurants and cooking meals on the Sabbath. Meals should be prepared in advance.
——————
let’s look at how Christ addressed the Sabbath. He never abolished it, but He corrected the Pharisees’ man-made rules and showed the balance between keeping the command and showing mercy.
1. Jesus upheld the Sabbath commandment
📖 Matthew 5:17–19
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
👉 Christ confirmed the Ten Commandments—including the Sabbath—remain binding.
2. Eating already-prepared food was lawful
📖 Matthew 12:1–2
"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day."
👉 The Pharisees claimed this was “harvesting,” but Jesus defended it. Grabbing a handful to eat was not the same as working for food (like harvesting or cooking). The principle: eating food on the Sabbath is fine—but preparing, cooking, or harvesting is not.
3. Acts of mercy are permitted
📖 Matthew 12:11–12
"What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."
👉 Christ clarified that helping others, healing, or saving life is not breaking the Sabbath. Necessity and mercy are exceptions.
4. The Sabbath was made for man
📖 Mark 2:27–28
"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."
👉 The Sabbath is a blessing, not a burden. The Pharisees turned it into a list of extreme restrictions. Jesus restored the original intent: a day of rest, worship, and joy.
Putting it all together
- Work like cooking, buying, selling, and commerce is forbidden (Ex. 16:23; Neh. 13:15–18).
- Eating food already prepared is fine (Matt. 12:1–2).
- Acts of mercy and necessity are permitted (Matt. 12:11–12).
- The Sabbath is meant to refresh and bless us (Mark 2:27).
👉 So, Scripture shows that while we must not cook or eat out (causing others to work) on the Sabbath, Christ allowed for simple eating from what’s prepared and doing good deeds.
…………..
📖 Bible Study: Why We Should Not Cook or Eat Out on the Sabbath
1. The Sabbath Commandment
📖 Exodus 20:8–10
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work…"
➡ The Sabbath is a day of rest from all work. Cooking, food preparation, or buying/selling counts as work.
2. Meals Must Be Prepared in Advance
📖 Exodus 16:23
"Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning."
➡ God told Israel to do their cooking before the Sabbath. Sabbath meals were to be prepared ahead of time.
3. No Kindling a Fire (Cooking) on the Sabbath
📖 Exodus 35:3
"Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day."
➡ Fire was the means of cooking and food preparation. This shows no cooking or food preparation is allowed on the Sabbath.
4. No Gathering Food on the Sabbath
📖 Exodus 16:25–26
"Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the LORD: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day… there shall be none."
➡ Israel was not to go out gathering food. The principle: no food procurement on the Sabbath.
5. No Buying or Selling on the Sabbath
📖 Nehemiah 13:15–18
Nehemiah condemned those buying and selling food on the Sabbath:
"There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah… Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said… What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?"
➡ Buying food (like eating out at restaurants today) profane the Sabbath because it causes others to work.
6. No Making Others Work for You
📖 Exodus 20:10
"In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant…"
➡ The Sabbath command covers not only you, but also others under your authority. Hiring people to cook, serve, or clean for you (as in restaurants) makes them break the Sabbath on your behalf.
7. Christ Confirmed the Sabbath
📖 Matthew 5:17–19
"I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil… Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law."
➡ Jesus upheld the Ten Commandments—including the Sabbath.
8. Eating Already-Prepared Food Was Lawful
📖 Matthew 12:1–2
The disciples plucked ears of grain to eat on the Sabbath. Jesus defended them.
➡ Eating simple food already available is lawful. The issue is not eating—it is working to prepare or buy food.
9. Acts of Mercy and Necessity Permitted
📖 Matthew 12:11–12
"It is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."
➡ Exceptions apply for saving life or showing mercy. This is different from convenience (e.g., eating out).
10. The Sabbath Is for Our Blessing
📖 Mark 2:27
"The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."
➡ The Sabbath is a gift of rest and joy, not a burden—but it still requires obedience to God’s instructions.
✅ Conclusion
From both Old and New Testament:
- No cooking (Ex. 16:23; 35:3)
- No gathering or procuring food (Ex. 16:25–26)
- No buying or selling food (Neh. 13:15–18)
- No making others work (Ex. 20:10)
- Eating already-prepared food is fine (Matt. 12:1–2)
- Mercy and necessity allowed (Matt. 12:11–12)
👉 Therefore, we should prepare food before the Sabbath and not eat out or cook on it. Doing so keeps the day holy and focused on God’s purpose.
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