you are to render service and you must do all your work six days.

Ex. 20:8-11.

Some among those Jews went to fanatical extremes in their observance of this day. The Sadducees forbade intercourse on the night of the sabbath. Josephus reports that the Essene sect considered going to the stool a violation of the sabbath. And the Pharisees were incensed because Jesus Christ performed healing works on the sabbath day.​—Mark 3:1-6.

Additional instructions to those ancient Israelites served to clarify this sabbath requirement. “You must not light a fire in any of your dwelling places on the sabbath day.” (Ex. 35:3)