Man and His Justifications! :)

Take a look at this phrase.

Acts 1:12-13(NKJV)

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 

13And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 

Ever wonder what the heck a Sabbath Day's journey is?  I did so I looked it up.

What I found is a great example of how man likes to take what is in the Bible and then rationalize changes to it.  We all seem to do it to one extent or another.  Things that to us seem outdated, inconvenient,  or things that simply just get in the way of life. 

Let's start here.

Exodus 16:29(NKJV)

29See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 

Seems pretty clear doesn't it?  But how many of us would want to have to abide by that?  First off how do you even go to church?  The Scripture says stay home.

So you start by making an exception that God meant to say "except to go to church".  Well you know we pass that nice little deli on the way home.  Since it is on the way is it OK to stop in for a late breakfast?  :)
 

"Over the centuries the authorities within the rabbinical circles of Judaism found ways, from examining the miniscule details of the law, to increase the distance that an Israelite may travel on the Sabbath day. In ancient times they determined that one may travel on the Sabbath from within the city boundaries and this distance was fixed at 2,000 cubits. They based this on Joshua 3:4-5:"

Pasted from <http://www.bible-history.com/backd2/sabbath.html>

So man found a way to stretch it from don't leave home, to well just to church and back, to well you can go up to 2,000 cubits from within the cities boundaries.  Then that changed to 2,000 cubits from the cities edge.  And eventually that got rationalized out to 8,000 cubits. 

So what is my point?  To be honest I'm not sure.  On the one hand it seems quite hypocritical to me that we pick and chose to a certain extent.  On the other hand there are things in there that I am glad that we ignore or rationalize away today.

Hopefully I'll understand it all better someday.  If not then just one more thing to ask God about someday.