Religious authorities in Jesus' day pressed the matter of Sabbath observance to the extent of ridiculous extreme. In addition to those regulations which had long been entrenched in tradition, others were continually being produced by ambitious rabbis. The list of prohibitions was exhaustive. Ploughing and reaping were disallowed on the Sabbath (Exodus 34:21), as was pressing wines and canning goods (Nehemiah 13:15), bearing burdens (Jeremiah 27:21), carrying on trade (Amos 16:26), gathering wood (Numbers 15:32), and kindling fire for the purpose of boiling or baking (Numbers 35:3). There were even rules prescribing the kinds of knots which one might tie on the Sabbath: It was unlawful for a camel driver or sailor either to tie or untie a knot. However, a knot which could be untied with one…