It is argued by the sabbatarians that the principle of
the Fourth Commandment is carried over into the New Testament. Since the Sabbath
Day was never changed in the New Testament from the seventh day to the first
day, the burden of proof has always been on first day sabbatarians to give
scripture support for the Sunday sabbath. They do this by using the argument
that the Sabbath principle is what is carried over, thereby giving justification
for the change of the day- from the seventh to the first, the duty- from
cessation of work to worship and the punishment- for breaking the sabbath from
death by stoning to church discipline.
Is there any Biblical support for the carry over of the Sabbath principle
into the New Testament instead of the Commandment itself? Yes, it is the
principle of the Sabbath that when carried over which supports the idea that the
Sabbath itself has no support in the New Testement. This can easily be supported
by looking at the essence of the Sabbath Commandment to see what exactly what it
entailed. Many sabbattarians would say that the principle of one day in seven
for worship is what the Sabbath principle was. But will Scripture support that
idea?
We contend that the Sabbath principle was that of holy rest unto the Lord,
not worship, and we aim to demonstate that and show the New Testament principle
behind the holy rest.
Our first piece of evidence is the first use of the word Sabbath as it
appears in the Old Testament. The first appearance of the word Sabbath is in
Exodus 16:23 where the Lord instructs the Israelites regarding the gathering of
manna in the wilderness. There we read:
We see here that the Sabbath was a rest unto the Lord, where the Israelites
were to gather twice as much on the sixth day so that no one would have gather
on the seventh day. So the first appearance of the word Sabbath is clearly a
command regarding rest, not worship, for the people of God.
If that is not enough we have verse 29 where we read this: Here the command is given to each individual not only to cease from gathering
manna but remain in their dwelling place. This is extremely significant because
when Moses was told on Mount Sinai to "remember the sabbath," it was the rest
that was to be observed.
"But doesn't God point Moses to creation as the basis of the 4th
commandment?". That brings us to the second evidence in the Old Testament and is
the nature of the commandment itself. In Exodus 20 we do read where God says:
But what does this point to? Does it point to a gathering for worship or a
holy rest? Note verses 8-10: The main emphasis in the 4th commandment is rest from labor not worship. A
look at some other passages where the 4th commandment is quoted will buttress
this argument of holy rest.
In these four passages we see clearly that the sabbath was a holy rest not a
command for worship. So whether one wants to argue that God was pointing to
creation or the manna in the wilderness the substance is the same- rest NOT
worship.
The next thing we need to examine is the meaning of the word sabbath to show
that its meaning is rooted in the word rest. Lets look a Strong's definition for
both rest and sabbath in Hebrew.
What we have seen so far is that the sabbath commandment was not only a
command to abstain from all labor but the root meaning of the word sabbath does
as well mean rest.
So what does this say regarding a New Testament sabbath? The burden of proof
is on New Testament sabbattarians to show show a change of the day from the
seventh to the first something the New Testement is silent on. To account for
that the sabbattarian says that the one day in seven principle is what is
carried over. But as we have shown the only command in that one day in seven
commandment was a rest from labor. So what then is the principle that is carried
over into the New Testament?
It is significent that the punishment for sabbath breaking was death. We read
in Exodus 35:3 that to kindle a fire on the sabbath would bring about death. We
also read in Numbers 15:32 that one was stone to death for picking up sticks on
the sabbath. What is thee significance of such a severe punishment?
The sabbath was the sign of the covenant with Israel as we read in Exodus 31:
Paul tells us in Colossians 2:16-17 that the sabbath was a shadow of that
which was to come and "the body is Christ". The very substance of the sabbath
was Christ himself. That is why for one to kindle a fire on the sabbath was akin
to someone seeking light and comfort of the gospel from something other than
Christ. To pick up sticks was to add work to what God has completed. God had
rest from His work in redemption just as he did in His work of creation. To add
anything to God's work is fatal.
In Hebrews 4 the writer speaks on this:
So reader have you entered that rest? or are you still seeking to find
acceptance with God through a New Testament sabbath? If you have seen by the
Holy Spirit the finished work of Christ why do you seek the living among the
dead?
23 And he said unto them, This [is that] which the LORD hath said,
To morrow [is] the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake [that] which
ye will bake [to day], and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which
remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he
giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his
place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and
all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed
the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the
LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy
stranger that [is] within thy gates:
Exodus 31:15 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is]
the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the
sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Exodus 35:2 2 Six days shall
work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a
sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to
death. Leviticus 23:3 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is]
the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work [therein]: it
[is] the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. Deuteronomy 5:14 14 But
the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy
maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy
stranger that [is] within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant
may rest as well as thou.
07676 shabbath {shab-bawth'} intensive from 07673; TWOT - 2323b; n
f/m AV - sabbath 107, another 1; 108 1) Sabbath 1a) sabbath 1b) day of
atonement 1c) sabbath year 1d) week 1e) produce (in sabbath year) 07677
shabbathown {shab-baw-thone'} from 07676; TWOT - 2323d; n m AV - rest 8,
sabbath 3, 11 1) Sabbath observance, sabbatism 1a) of weekly sabbath 1b) day
of atonement 1c) sabbatical year 1d) of Feast of Trumpets 1e) of the 1st and
last days of the Feast of Tabernacles
It can be seen from these two
definitions that the word rest has its root in the word sabbath.
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the sabbath
of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath day, he
shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep
the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a
perpetual covenant. 17 It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel
for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh
day he rested, and was refreshed.
Here we see that the sabbath was
the actual sign of the covenant with Israel so to break the sabbath was the
break the covenant. But why? What was it pointing to?
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward
have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people
of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his
own works, as God [did] from his. 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into
that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Verse 9 is commonly used by sabbattarians to show that there is
still a sabbath for the people of God. The word translated "rest" is
"sabbatismos" and means a keeping of the sabbath. Is this referring to a weekly
sabbath? Notice the 10th verse. "For he that is entered into his rest, he also
hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his." The words "is entered"
are literally "having entered". This verse is speaking of rest having taken
place when one one rests where God rests which is in the finished work of
Christ. Notice the next verse "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest,
lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Does this verse mean that
the Christian is to labor dilgently to keep a sabbath? How does one labor to
keep a New Testament sabbath? We are told that the primary duty of the New
Testament sabbath is worship but some how we are to labor to enter into this
rest. The whole matter can be cleared up by the last word of verse 11
-"unbelief". To enter the rest of Christ is to believe. The whole topic in this
chapter is unbelief and the failure by unbelief to rest and the point that God
rests- in Christ.
Please direct your comments to Mike Krall.
