From Burned Out to BlessedNäide

The surprising schedule of Jesus Christ

I reached out to a seminary professor to ask about Jesus’ schedule. I had been pondering the issue of work and rest in the Bible and was curious about the calendar that God created for his people in the days of Moses.

The professor, with teaching experience in the Old Testament, replied, “An observant Jew in Jesus’ day could have had off 52 Sabbaths, 1 day for Purim, 8 days for [Passover], 2 days for Pentecost, 2 days for Rosh Hashanah, 1 day for Yom Kippur, 9 days for [Feast of Tabernacles]. Jewish men were supposed to show up in Jerusalem for Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, and it would have taken most of them some time to get there. Then, if you were a farmer, the land was supposed to lie fallow one year in seven. . . . Also, Jesus’ time off was time off—not time to cram full of activities, digital distractions, and the NFL.”

Interesting, isn’t it? While God doesn’t command us to follow the same calendar and festivals (Colossians 2:16), Jesus’ schedule does make us think about what it means to be hardworking and faithful. If Jesus “did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15), then taking time away from work is not sinful. When Jesus and his stepdad, Joseph, left their tools in Nazareth and traveled to Jerusalem, they were being obedient to God, not lazy or rebellious against him.

Consider the schedule of Jesus and compare it to your own. And please remember—God isn’t mad if you act like Jesus.