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But what about some of the sabbatwn verses that do not seem to refer to a “special sabbath”?

Matthew - 12:2 24:20 Luke - 6:1 6:6 6:7 13:15 14:1 14:3 John - 5:16 7:22 7:23 Acts - 13:44

Well....these verses are actually rendered in the Greek as SABBATW.....not SABBATWN. But let's look at them anyway.

[Matthew 12:1-2] 1 At that time did Jesus go on the sabbaths through the corn, and his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck ears, and to eat, 2 and the Pharisees having seen, said to him, 'Lo, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do on a sabbath.

The word in verse 1 is SABBASIN. The word in verse 2 is SABBATW. This passage lines up with [Luke 6:1-2] that says: 1 And it came to pass, on the second-first sabbath, as he is going through the corn fields, that his disciples were plucking the ears, and were eating, rubbing with the hands, 2 and certain of the Pharisees said to them, 'Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbaths?

Why does Luke call it "the second first Sabbath"? For your perusal

Luke makes the distinction of this Sabbath being somehow special.....just by the simple fact he calls it the "Second first Sabbath." Luke also tells us in verse 6-7 that another event occurred on another SABBATW, thereby bringing these two events together as happening on the same kind of Sabbath....a special Sabbath as it were. That event, of course .......being the healing of a withered hand in full view of the Pharisees.

Julian Morgenstern, past President of Hebrew University: Quote.........Seven Sabbaths were to be counted from the Feast of First fruits or Passover. Consequently, these became known as "First Sabbath", "Second Sabbath" etc. down to the seventh. This practice continued in Galilee til the time of Christ or the common era. It is still observed by some groups in Palestine today. Thus, there was an annual date known as "First Sabbath" just after Passover. (page 230, "The Life of Christ in Stereo")

So, we have tied in [Matthew 12:2][Luke 6:1; 6:6; 6:7; 13:14; & 13:15] as all happening on the same type of SABBATW (probably one of the Sabbaths between Passover and Pentecost) and how does the scripture identify a SABBATW? [John 19:31] oi oun ioudaioi ina mh meinh epi tou staurou ta swmata en tw sabbatw epei paraskeuh hn hn gar megalh h hmera ekeinou tou sabbatou hrwthsan ton pilaton ina kateagwsin autwn ta skelh kai arqwsin And the translation: The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath(SABBATW), since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day(SABBATOU) was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away.

That SABBATW was to be the first Sabbath of Unleavened Bread [Leviticus 23:6]....a special Sabbath.....like the ones counted between Passover and Pentecost [Leviticus 23:15].

[Luke 14:1-3] 1 And it came to pass, on his going into the house of a certain one of the chiefs of the Pharisees, on a sabbath(SABBATW), to eat bread, that they were watching him, 2 and lo, there was a certain dropsical man before him; 3 and Jesus answering spake to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful on the sabbath(SABBATW) day to heal?' 4 and they were silent, and having taken hold of him, he healed him, and let him go; 5 and answering them he said, 'Of which of you shall an ass or ox fall into a pit, and he will not immediately draw it up on the sabbath(SABBATOU) day?' 6 and they were not able to answer him again unto these things. These two verses again show The Lord healing on a special Sabbath day in full view of the Pharisees. It's almost as if He is daring them to object.

[Mark 3:2] also gives an example of The Lord healing on a Sabbath: kai parethroun auton ei toiV sabbasin qerapeusei auton ina kathgorhswsin autou In this case it is the same word as we found in [Matthew 12:1] which was the same day as [Matthew 12:2].....a SABBATW, and is obviously the same event as we find in [Luke 6:6-7]....also identified as a SABBATW. And, as indicated by the story thread.....the actual event was on the "Second First Sabbath" [Luke 6:1].....evidently a special Sabbath.

On to John..........[John 5:16] and because of this were the Jews persecuting Jesus, and seeking to kill him, because these things he was doing on a sabbath(SABBATW). Let's backtrack a bit in this chapter to see the time line: Verses 1-15 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 2 and there is in Jerusalem by the sheep -gate a pool that is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches, 3 in these were lying a great multitude of the ailing, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water, 4 for a messenger at a set time was going down in the pool, and was troubling the water, the first then having gone in after the troubling of the water, became whole of whatever sickness he was held. 5 and there was a certain man there being in ailment thirty and eight years, 6 him Jesus having seen lying, and having known that he is already a long time, he saith to him, 'Dost thou wish to become whole?' 7 The ailing man answered him, 'Sir, I have no man, that, when the water may be troubled, he may put me into the pool, and while I am coming, another doth go down before me.' 8 Jesus saith to him, 'Rise, take up thy couch, and be walking;' 9 and immediately the man became whole, and he took up his couch, and was walking, and it was a sabbath on that day, 10 the Jews then said to him that hath been healed, 'It is a sabbath; it is not lawful to thee to take up the couch.' 11 He answered them, 'He who made me whole -- that one said to me, Take up thy couch, and be walking;' 12 they questioned him, then, 'Who is the man who is saying to thee, Take up thy couch and be walking?' 13 But he that was healed had not known who he is, for Jesus did move away, a multitude being in the place. 14 After these things, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said to him, 'Lo, thou hast become whole; sin no more, lest something worse may happen to thee.' 15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it is Jesus who made him whole,

He was in Jerusalem for a Feast which means this SABBATW was either the Feast day itself......or perhaps one of the seven SABBATW between Passover and Pentecost. Nevertheless, the timing gives credence to the definitive Greek SABBATW.

[John 7:22-23] Again.....let's backtrack: 14 And it being now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up to the temple, and he was teaching, 15 and the Jews were wondering, saying, 'How hath this one known letters -- not having learned?' 16 Jesus answered them and said, 'My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me; 17 if any one may will to do His will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is of God, or -- I do speak from myself. 18 'He who is speaking from himself his own glory doth seek, but he who is seeking the glory of him who sent him, this one is true, and unrighteousness is not in him; 19 hath not Moses given you the law? and none of you doth the law; why me do ye seek to kill?' 20 The multitude answered and said, 'Thou hast a demon, who doth seek to kill thee?' 21 Jesus answered and said to them, 'One work I did, and ye all wonder, 22 because of this, Moses hath given you the circumcision -- not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers -- and on a sabbath(SABBATW) ye circumcise a man; 23 if a man doth receive circumcision on a sabbath(SABBATW) that the law of Moses may not be broken, are ye wroth with me that I made a man all whole on a sabbath(SABBATW)? 24 judge not according to appearance, but the righteous judgment judge.

[Acts 13:44] And on the coming sabbath(SABBATW), almost all the city was gathered together to hear the word of God. We should also backtrack here: [Acts 13:13-14] anacqenteV de apo thV pafou oi peri ton paulon hlqon eiV perghn thV pamfuliaV iwannhV de apocwrhsaV ap autwn upestreyen eiV ierosoluma autoi de dielqonteV apo thV perghV paregenonto eiV antioceian ths pisidias kai eiselqontes eiV thn sunagwghn th hmera twn sabbatwn ekaqisan And the English: 13 And those about Paul having set sail from Paphos, came to Perga of Pamphylia, and John having departed from them, did turn back to Jerusalem, 14 and they having gone through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia, and having gone into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, they sat down,

The Greek shows this word SABBATWN as the same word used in all the resurrection passages as well as [Acts 20:7] and [I Corinthians 16:2], both of which have been shown to be Sabbaths between Passover and Pentecost. Paul is in Antioch during a Feast and as verse 44 shows.....the next Sabbath was indicated to be a SABBATW so it was most likely one of the Sabbaths between Passover and Pentecost......a special Sabbath.

Now.....the last one of your inquiry [Matthew 24:20] and pray ye that your flight may not be in winter, nor on a sabbath(SABBATW); This one.....I cannot explain. I can only assume that it means the same as the others.