Sabbath in Christianity

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This article is about the Sabbath as practiced in Christianity. For other uses, see Sabbath.

Sabbath in Christianity is a weekly day of rest or religious observance, derived from the Biblical Sabbath. In the 2nd century AD, the observance of a corporate day of worship on the first day (Sunday) had become commonplace, as attested in the patristic writings.[1] For such worshipers the term "Lord's Day" came to mean the first day. Sunday worship also took on the observance of sabbatarian rest in some Christian traditions, such as the Puritans of the 16th and 17th centuries. Among these "first-day Sabbatarians", Sunday eventually became synonymous with a first-day Christian Sabbath.

Non-Sabbatarianism, the principle of Christian liberty from being bound to physical Sabbath observance, has significant historical support. Non-Sabbatarians focus on Sabbath's typological meaning, i.e., its representation of present or future spiritual rest in Christ.

Seventh-day Sabbath observance, i.e., resting from sunset to sunset on the seventh day (from Friday to Saturday), similarly to Shabbat in Judaism, is practiced by seventh-day Sabbatarians.

Biblical tradition[edit]

Main article: Biblical Sabbath

As shabath (rest), Sabbath was first described in the Biblical account of the seventh day of Creation (Gen. 2:2-3). Observation and remembrance of Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments (the fourth in the Eastern Orthodox and most Protestant traditions, the third in Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions). Most people who observe first-day or seventh-day Sabbath regard it as having been instituted as a "perpetual covenant [for] the people of Israel" and proselytes (Ex. 31:13-17, Ex. 23:12, Deut. 5:13-14), a sign in respect for the day during which God rested after having completed Creation in six days (Gen. 2:2-3, Ex. 20:8-11).[2]

In the New Testament, Jesus debates the Jews about the topic of Sabbath observance and declares that the Son of Man is Lord of Sabbath (e.g., Mk. 2:21-28). Early Jewish Christians such as Paul the Apostle visit the synagogue on Sabbath (Acts 13:13-14). The New Testament epistles contain Sabbath teachings interpreted variously by Christians as affirming seventh-day rest, first-day worship, and/or freedom from legalistic requirements to observe days.

The following textual evidence for first-day assembly is usually combined with the notion that the rest day should follow the assembly day to support first-day Sabbatarianism. On the first day of the week (usually considered the day of Firstfruits), after Jesus has been raised from the dead (Mk. 16:9), he appears to Mary Magdalene, Peter, Cleopas, and others. "On the evening of that first day of the week" (Roman time), or the evening beginning the second day (Hebrew time), the resurrected Jesus appears at a meeting of ten apostles and other disciples (Jn. 20:19). The same time of the week "a week later" (NIV) or, more literally, "after eight days again" inclusive (KJV), Jesus appears to the eleven apostles and others (Jn. 20:26). After Jesus ascends (Ac. 1:9), on the feast of Pentecost or Shavuot (the 50th day from Firstfruits and thus usually calculated as the first day of the week), the Spirit of God is given to the disciples, who baptize 3,000 people into the apostolic fellowship. Later, on one occasion in Troas, the early Christians meet on the first day (Hebrew) to break bread and to listen to Christian preaching (Ac. 20:7). Paul also states that the churches of Corinth and Galatia should set aside donations on the first day for collection (1 Cor. 16:2). Didache 14:1 (AD 70-120?) contains an ambiguous text, translated by Roberts as, "But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving";[3] the first clause in Greek, "κατά κυριακήν δέ κυρίου", literally means "On the Lord's of the Lord",[4] and translators supply the elided noun (e.g., "day", "commandment" (from 13:7), or "doctrine").[5] Gleason Archer regards this as clearly referring to Sunday.[6] Breaking bread may refer to Christian fellowship, agape feasts, or Eucharist (cf. Ac. 2:42, 20:7). Other interpreters believe these references do not support the concept of transfer of the seventh-day rest, and some add that they do not sufficiently prove that Sunday observance was an established practice in the primitive New Testament church.

Origin of Sunday rest[edit]

Main article: Early Christianity

Though the majority observance of Christian Sabbath is as Sunday rest, this development was gradual, because Sunday was still a workday for many . Adventist theologian Samuele Bacchiocchi contended in his book, From Sabbath to Sunday, that there was a transition from the Saturday Sabbath to Sunday in the early Christian church due to pagan and political factors, and also the decline of standards for the Sabbath day.[7] In the 2nd century, the observance of a corporate day of worship on the first day (Sunday and Saturday night) had become commonplace as attested in the patristic writings. For such worshipers the term "Lord's Day" came to mean the first day or Sunday. From the 4th century onwards, Sunday worship has also taken on the observance of Sunday rest in some Christian traditions, such as the Puritans of the 16th and 17th centuries. Among these "first-day Sabbatarians", Sunday worship and/or rest eventually became synonymous with a first-day Christian Sabbath.

Seventh-day rest[edit]

In the early centuries, the first day, being made a festival in honor of Christ's resurrection, received attention as a day of religious services and recreation, but seventh-day Sabbath rest was also observed.[8] According to classical sources, Sunday and seventh-day Sabbath rest were observed at Constantinople and in Egypt (but not Alexandria) in the 3rd and 4th centuries.[8][9]


Some early Christians, former Jews, apparently had also continued to observe Sabbath, as evidenced in Ignatius' letter to the Magnesians.[10]


—Ignatius, To the Magnesians, chapter 9[11]

There is ambiguity in this passage due to textual variants. The only extant Greek parent manuscript of the letter, the Codex Mediceus Laurentius,[12] says, "Those who had walked in ancient practices attained unto newness of hope, no longer observing Sabbath, but living according to the Lord's life ..." (kata kyriaken zoen zontes).[13] The expanded Pseudo-Ignatian version of Magnesians, possibly from the middle of the 3rd century, rewrites this passage to make "Lord's" refer to the first day (the variant textual reading of kata kyriaken zontes, "living according to the Lord's", is supported by the medieval Latin manuscript Codex Caiensis 395, "secundum Dominicam viventes").[13][14]

Pseudo-Ignatius amplified this point by combining weekly observance of a sort of spiritual seventh-day Sabbath with the Lord's assembly the next day: "Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath after the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness .... But let every one of you keep the Sabbath after a spiritual manner, rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in relaxation of the body, admiring the workmanship of God, and not eating things prepared the day before, nor using lukewarm drinks, and walking within a prescribed space, nor finding delight in dancing and plaudits which have no sense in them. And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's [Day, Dominicam] as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days."[15] If Pseudo-Ignatius dates as early as 140, its admonition must be considered important evidence on 2nd-century Sabbath and Lord's Day observance.[13]

The 1st-[16] or 2nd-century Epistle of Barnabas or Pseudo-Barnabas on Is. 1:13 regards "Sabbaths of the present age" as unacceptable in favor of one spiritual seventh-day Sabbath that ushers in "the eighth day" and commencement of a new world.[17] By the mid-2nd century, Justin Martyr, who attended worship on the first day,[18] wrote about the cessation of Sabbath observance and stated that Sabbath was enjoined as a temporary sign to Israel because of Israel's sinfulness,[19] no longer needed after Christ came without sin.[20] Tertullian (early 3rd century) also said "to [us] Sabbaths are strange" and unobserved.[21]

Sunday rest[edit]

The origin of Sunday worship in the 1st or 2nd century remains a debated point. Often first-day worship (Sunday morning or Saturday night) was practiced alongside observance of seventh-day Sabbath rest[10] and was a widespread Christian tradition by the 2nd century;[1][22] over time, Sunday thus came to be known as Lord's Day and, later, a rest day.

On March 7, 321, the Roman Emperor Constantine issued a decree making Sunday a day of rest from labor, stating:[23]


Some church authorities opposed seventh-day Sabbath observance in some parts of the Empire as a Judaizing tendency.[10] For example, the Council of Laodicea (canon 29) required Christians to separate from Jewish laws and traditions, stating that Christians must not Judaize by resting on Sabbath, but must work that day and then, if possible, rest on the Lord's Day, and that any found to be Judaizers were declared anathema from Christ.[24] This was consistent with Constantine's personal position towards Jewry,[25][26] which has been described by the primitive Christianity movement as being anti-Semitic and antinomian.[citation needed] Simultaneously Rabbinical Judaism was distinguishing itself from primitive Christianity.

Middle Ages[edit]

Augustine of Hippo followed the early patristic writers in spiritualizing the meaning of the Sabbath commandment, referring it to eschatological rest rather than observance of a literal day. However, the practice of Sunday rest increased in prominence throughout the early Middle Ages.[27] Thomas Aquinas taught that the Decalogue is an expression of natural law which binds all men, and therefore the Sabbath commandment is a moral requirement along with the other nine. Thus Sunday rest and Sabbath became increasingly associated.[27]









Modern first-day churches[edit]

See also: Lord's Day

Roman Catholicism[edit]



Cardinal Gibbons affirmed Sunday Sabbath as one of the examples of the Roman Catholic Church's sufficiency as guide:




Lutheran founder Martin Luther stated "I wonder exceedingly how it came to be imputed to me that I should reject the law of Ten Commandments...Whosoever abrogates the law must of necessity abrogate sin also."[40] The Lutheran Augsburg Confession, speaking of changes made by Roman Catholic pontiffs, states: "They refer to the Sabbath-day as having been changed into the Lord's Day, contrary to the Decalog, as it seems. Neither is there any example whereof they make more than concerning the changing of the Sabbath-day. Great, say they, is the power of the Church, since it has dispensed with one of the Ten Commandments!"[41] Lutheran church historian Augustus Neander[42] states "The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance".[43]

Lutheran writer Marva Dawn keeps a whole day as Sabbath, advocating for rest during any weekly complete 24-hour period[44] and favoring rest from Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset,[45] but regarding corporate worship as "an essential part of God's Sabbath reclamation."[46]


The Baptist Church Manual states "We believe that the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government."[47] As a result of this belief, a small group of Seventh Day Baptists also arose in the early 17th century.[citation needed]

Other Protestants[edit]


Organizations that promote Sunday Sabbatarianism include Day One Christian Ministries.

Latter Day Saints[edit]





Seventh-day Sabbath[edit]


Early church[edit]

The Bible records that the followers of Christ being Jews kept the seventh-day Sabbath that immediately followed the crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:52-56).

In the 4th century, Socrates Scholasticus (Church History, Book V) stated:[8]


In the 5th century, Sozomen (Ecclesiastical History, Book VII), referencing Socrates Scholasticus, added to this description:[9]






Seventh-day Sabbatarianism was advocated in England by John Traske (1586–1636) and Thomas Brabourne, whose ideas gave rise to the Seventh Day Baptists.

Seventh-Day Sabbatarian churches[edit]

The Seventh Day Baptists began is the early 17th century in England. Samuel and Tacy Hubbard began the first American congregation on Rhode Island in 1671.




—Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Beliefs[53]




Some Seventh-day Sabbatarian groups believe that people who do not observe the Sabbath in the same fashion as them will not be saved.[citation needed]

Latter Day Saints[edit]


Eastern Christianity[edit]





Main article: Non-Sabbatarianism

Justin Martyr, writing in the 2nd century, rejected the need to keep literal seventh-day Sabbath, arguing instead that "the new law requires you to keep the sabbath constantly."[54] Similarly, Irenaeus wrote that the Christian "will not be commanded to leave idle one day of rest, who is constantly keeping sabbath",[55] and Tertullian argued "that we still more ought to observe a sabbath from all servile work always, and not only every seventh-day, but through all time".[56] This early metaphorical interpretation of Sabbath applied it to the entire Christian life.[10] Augustine, Luther and Calvin taught that the Sabbath commandment of the Decalogue is not binding on Christians as a legal requirement. Other historical non-Sabbatarians from more recent times include the Anglicans Peter Heylin, William Paley and John Milton; the nonconformist Philip Doddridge; the Quaker Robert Barclay; and Congregationalist James Baldwin Brown.[28]

Other definitions[edit]

Main article: Seven-day week

By synecdoche the term "Sabbath" in the New Testament may also mean simply a "se'nnight"[57] or seven-day week, namely, the interval between two Sabbaths. Jesus's parable of the Pharisee and the Publican describes the Pharisee as fasting "twice a week" (Greek dis tou sabbatou, literally, "twice of the Sabbath").

Main article: High Sabbaths


Main article: Shmita


Main article: Shabbat


Main article: New moon


Main article: Day of the Vow


Main article: Millennialism


Main article: Blue law









  5. ^ Strand, Kenneth A. (1982). The Sabbath in Scripture and History. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association. pp. 347–8.  In Morgan, Kevin (2002). Sabbath Rest. TEACH Services, Inc. pp. 37–8. 
  6. ^ Archer, Gleason L. An Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (PDF). p. 114. 
  7. ^
  8. ^ a b c Socrates Scholasticus. "Church History, Book V". 
  9. ^ a b Sozomen. "Ecclesiastical History, Book VII". 
  11. ^ "The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, chapter 9". Early Christian Writings. 
  12. ^ Ehrman, Bart. "The Apostolic Fathers" 1 (Loeb ed.). pp. 214–5. 
  13. ^ a b c Guy, Fritz. "The Lord's Day" in the Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians. La Sierra College. 
  14. ^ LaVerdiere, Eugene (1996). The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church. Liturgical Press. pp. 144, 154, 201. 
  16. ^ Robertson, A.T. Redating the New Testament. 
  17. ^ "Epistle of Barnabas" 15. Staniforth, Maxwell, trans. 
  18. ^ Justin Martyr. "First Apology" 67. 
  19. ^ Justin Martyr. "Dialogue with Trypho" 21. 
  20. ^ Justin Martyr. "Dialogue with Trypho" 23. 
  21. ^ Tertullian. "On Idolatry" 14. 
  24. ^ "The Seven Ecumenical Councils". Christian Classics Ethereal Library. 
  25. ^ Eusebius. "17-8". Life of Constantine 3. Constantine's letter to the churches respecting the Council at Nicæa. 'Constantinus Augustus, to the churches: .... Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way.' 
  26. ^ CHURCH FATHERS: Church History, Book V Chapter 22 (Socrates Scholasticus).
  32. ^ Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 103.
  34. ^
  37. ^ "Ten Commandments". The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1913. 
  40. ^ Martin Luther, Spiritual Antichrist. pp. 71–2. 
  42. ^ Biography of Augustus Neander
  44. ^ Dawn 2006, pp. 55–6.
  46. ^ Dawn 2006, pp. 69–71.
  47. ^ Baptist Church Manual, Article 12
  48. ^ D.L. MOODY, "Weighed and Wanting," page 47
  49. ^ - Study by Topic - Sabbath
  50. ^ Neander, fourth period, 6, 428.
  51. ^ Kirchengeschichte, I, 527
  52. ^ See quotation of Strong’s Cyclopedia, New York, 1874, I, 660
  53. ^ Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Beliefs
  54. ^ Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 12:3 
  55. ^ Irenaeus (late 2d cen.). "Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching" 96.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  56. ^ Tertullian, Adv. Jud. 4:2 
  57. ^ Strong's Concordance.