Question: Is It Unlawful To Attend The Funeral Of Your Mother On The Sabbath And To Act As A Pallbearer?
Donald Bohanon: Absolutely not. The Bible tells us it’s not evil to do good on the Sabbath. Christ also corrected some Pharisees who condemned him and the disciples for shucking corn and eating it when they were hungry.
Christ went on to emphasize that David ate of the shewbread which was unlawful to do when he was hungry. So they were hypocritical in condemning Christ and his disciples for shucking corn and eating it to satisfy their hunger on the Sabbath. Christ also had to correct the Pharisee for condemning him for healing on the Sabbath. He went on to explain to them that it is not evil to do good on the Sabbath. Luke 6:1-10.
The Bible also tells us we are not to do any servile work on the Sabbath which is to say we are not to do the work of a servant for pay on the Sabbath. Honoring your mother’s memory by being present at her funeral and acting as her pallbearer is certainly considered doing good on the Sabbath.
And is not considered servile work for pay. So there is no transgressing of God’s word in that. Biblically ignorant people will ignorantly condemn the righteous in cases like this because they don’t have any real understanding or knowledge of God’s word. Once you have honored your mother’s memory at her funeral just go back to keeping the Sabbath as it should be kept. Please also know that she will be resurrected and you will be reunited with her 1 Corinthians Chapter 15
Mark 2:23-28
King James Version
23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Luke 6:1-10
6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Leviticus 23:25
23And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. 25Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.