Nehemiah 13 · a question people ask
Does 13:15-22 tell Christians how to keep the Sabbath today?
Nehemiah 13 tells what Nehemiah saw and did in Jerusalem "In those days" (13:15). He contended with the nobles for doing evil and profaning "the Sabbath day" (13:17), had the doors kept shut "until after the Sabbath" (13:19), and set the Levites to keep the gates "to sanctify the Sabbath day" (13:22). It tells what was done there, not what others should do, and these notes don't apply it to anyone's keeping of the Sabbath today. The question Christians ask is taken up in Exodus 20's honest question, Is the Sabbath command for Christians today?, which sets out the main views with their verses. It isn't repeated here, and these notes don't pick among its views.
The verses
“In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food.”
“Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?”
“It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.”
“I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.”