The Sabbath is one of the most important biblical concepts, originating all the way back in Genesis at the time of creation. God rested on the seventh day, blessing it and making it holy (Genesis 2:2-3). This established the pattern of setting aside the seventh day for rest and worship. Here are some key Bible verses about the Sabbath:
The Fourth Commandment
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
This is the fourth of the Ten Commandments given to Moses. It establishes the command to observe the Sabbath and keep it set apart as holy. God instituted the pattern of six days of work and one day of rest.
Jesus Affirms the Sabbath
And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
Jesus affirmed the importance of the Sabbath, clarifying that it was instituted for our benefit rather than as a burden. As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus has authority over it.
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” (Luke 6:1-5)
Jesus made a point of healing people on the Sabbath to demonstrate that doing good was lawful on the Sabbath. He emphasized that meeting human needs took priority over strict Sabbath rules.
Jesus is Our Sabbath Rest
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus invites all who are weary to come to Him and find true spiritual rest. He is the fulfillment of the Sabbath, offering eternal rest from works of the flesh.
A Day of Delight
If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight
and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
then you shall take delight in the Lord,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13-14)
In this passage, God promises blessings to those who honor the Sabbath, not living for their own pleasures but delighting in the Lord.
The Sabbath Remains for God’s People
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)
There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God (Hebrews 4:9 NIV)
The principle of Sabbath continues even after Christ’s resurrection. We still need regular times of rest, worship, and trusting in God.
Paul and the Sabbath
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:5-6)
Paul indicates that the exact day of observance is not as important as our motivation to honor the Lord. Christians are free in Christ regarding ceremonial laws.
A Sign Between God and Israel
The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’” (Exodus 31:16-17)
God established the Sabbath as a permanent sign between Him and His people Israel. Keeping the Sabbath would remind them of their Creator who redeemed them.
Practicing Sabbath Principles
There are several principles Christians can draw from the Biblical teaching on Sabbath:
1. Setting aside regular times of rest and worship
2. Gathering with other believers
3. Being refreshed and taking a break from work
4. Trusting God to provide for our needs
5. Evaluating our priorities and relationship with God
6. Rejoicing in what God has done through Christ
7. Expressing thanks and gratitude to God
Even though Christians aren’t under obligation to observe a strict Sabbath, practicing Sabbath principles brings spiritual and physical refreshment.
Preparing for the Sabbath
“Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.” (Exodus 16:23)
This verse mentions some of the preparation the Israelites made for the Sabbath, like preparing meals ahead of time. Disciples of Christ can set aside time to get chores and errands done in order to focus more fully on the Lord come Sunday.
The Sabbath in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, God instituted the Sabbath as a day of complete rest on the seventh day of the week. Some key verses about the origin and regulations regarding Sabbath observance for the Israelites include:
– On the seventh day God finished his work and rested (Genesis 2:2)
– God blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Genesis 2:3)
– Don’t gather sticks on Sabbath or you’ll be put to death (Numbers 15:32-36)
– No burden may be carried on the Sabbath (Jeremiah 17:21)
– The Levites were to guard the gates on the Sabbath (2 Chronicles 23:4)
– Foreigners were permitted to sell wares on the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:16)
– God promises blessings for honoring the Sabbath (Isaiah 56:2)
– The Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel (Ezekiel 20:12)
Observance of the Jewish Sabbath included complete rest from work, gathering for worship, and offering sacrifices in the temple.
Jesus and the Sabbath Controversies
The Gospels record a number of controversies that arose regarding Jesus’ practice of healing on the Sabbath:
– Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, telling him to carry his mat (John 5:1-18)
– Jesus and His disciples pick grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8)
– Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17)
– Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6)
– Jesus heals a blind man by making mud on the Sabbath (John 9:1-41)
The religious leaders condemned Jesus for violating Sabbath regulations in doing acts of healing. Jesus responded by emphasizing the priority of human need and mercy. He demonstrated His lordship over the Sabbath.
Sabbath Controversies in the Early Church
Debates over Sabbath observance continued in the early church, as described in chapters like Romans 14 and Colossians 2:
– Some Christians felt obligated to continue strict observance of the Sabbath and Jewish festivals. Others felt free not to observe ceremonial laws.
– Paul encouraged tolerance on disputed issues like this, emphasizing freedom in Christ.
– Paul criticized those who were judging and condemning other believers regarding observance of special days, insisting on strict rules.
– The principle Paul taught was that believers should be fully convinced in their own minds and not judge each other.
Sabbath Keeping for Christians
There are a diversity of views within Christianity regarding Sabbath keeping and how it applies to believers after Christ’s resurrection. Here is a brief summary:
– Most mainstream Christian groups worship on Sunday in honor of Christ’s resurrection, but do not teach mandatory Sabbath observance.
– Seventh-Day Adventists, Seventh-Day Baptists, and some other groups insist that Christians must worship on Saturday, the seventh day.
– Some Puritan-influenced churches have emphasized strict Sunday Sabbath keeping, prohibiting recreation and entertainment.
– Many Messianic Jews seek to honor the biblical Sabbath along with their Christian faith.
– Differences on this issue caused great division during the Protestant Reformation.
Regardless of the specific day, honoring the principles behind Sabbath can help Christians stay focused on what matters most in life.
Sabbath Rest for God’s People
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)
The ultimate Sabbath rest still awaits God’s people, when they rest from earthly labors and enter God’s eternal kingdom. Striving to enter that eternal rest impacts how believers live today.
Honoring Both the Sabbath and the Lord of the Sabbath
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
Jesus teaches us that honoring the Sabbath must not become an idol that overrides human need. As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus models the purpose of Sabbath – blessing and restoring people.
Isaiah’s Description of True Sabbath Honoring
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13-14)
More important than rules about prohibited activities is the spirit in which the Sabbath is observed. Right observance overflows from delight in the Lord and leads to true joy.
Entering God’s Rest through Faith in Christ
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest… (Hebrews 4:1-3a)
While the Israelites failed to enter God’s rest due to unbelief, those who believe the gospel of Christ enter into God’s promised rest.
Conclusion
The Sabbath is an integral biblical concept with rich theological meaning. God set the pattern of rest at creation and instituted the weekly Sabbath as a sign for Israel. Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath but affirmed its divine origins and challenged legalistic approaches to Sabbath keeping. Christians are not under obligation to observe the Jewish Sabbath but are wise to learn from principles such as setting aside time for spiritual rejuvenation. Most importantly, Jesus offers eternal Sabbath rest to all who put their faith in Him.