It [shall be] a sabbath of rest unto you
From all servile work, as before observed; typical of a cessation
from the performance of sinful works, at least from a sinful
course of life, and from a dependence on works of righteousness,
when a man is brought to believe in Christ, and in the atonement
which he has made, see ( Hebrews 4:3 Hebrews 4:10
) : and ye shall afflict your souls by a statute for
ever:
as long as the ceremonial law, and its statutes and ordinances
lasted, which were to be until the time of reformation; and till
that time came, once a year, on the day of atonement, they were
to keep a severe fast, here called an afflicting of their souls;
and in this respect this day differed from the seventh day
sabbath, which was rather a festival than a fast, and is what led
some of the Heathen writers F26 into that this take, that
the Jews fasted on the sabbath day. The time of Christ's
sufferings, and of his being a sacrifice for the sins of his
people, was a time of great affliction to his disciples; then it
was the children of the bridegroom fasted, he being taken from
them; and true humiliation for sin, and repentance of it, are
occasioned and influenced by a view of a suffering Saviour, and
atonement by him; and this may denote also, that such that
believe in Christ, and in his atonement, must expect afflictions
and troubles in this world.