When discussing the Sabbath, the tendency, in a group discussion, often seems to end in confusion as to practical application. This discussion has focused on NT teachings in regards to Sabbath which I would like to conclude in this post from a redemptive, Christocentric point of view.
I am in full agreement with the community that Christ did not come to abolish the Sabbath; however, I would state that Christ came to fulfill the Sabbath, make it complete and whole, which has present ramifications. In other words, the focus in many communities is on keeping the Sabbath, how should we keep it, what we should or should not do on the Sabbath, etc…, which invariably ends up in legalism, missing the reality that the Sabbath the Jews were commanded to keep in Exodus 20
was prophetic, it looked to a future fulfillment and pointed to a future reality and hope that had yet to be realized.
Matthew 5:17-19 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. 19 So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Notice that the law and prophets had a prophetic function that was to be fulfilled, until “everything takes place.” Then, Christ explains the importance of obedience and teaching obedience to others (cf. Matthew 28:18-20), followed by the need for a greater, inward righteousness (which we find in Christ) that manifests itself through good deeds that others see, glorifying God. He explains what this looks like in detail to his followers, his disciples.
The Sabbath was (in the eyes of the Jews):
1. Memorial - A past event to be remembered (God’s creative activity which ceased)
2. Participatory - A present reality (a partial fulfillment) based on the past (We cease work because God ceased work)
3. Prophetic - The present reality looking towards a future fulfillment (in Christ)
Christ taught this in Matthew 11:25-30; however, this is further elaborated upon in Hebrews 3-4.
Hebrews 3:6-19 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. We are of his house, if in fact we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope we take pride in. 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! 8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness. 9 “There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years. 10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wandering and they have not known my ways.’ 11 “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes the living God. 13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception. 14 For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold (in the present) our initial confidence (from the past) firm until the end (in the future). 15 As it says, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership? 17 And against whom was God provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.
“Today” stresses the urgency of immediate action. This writer used it eight times in Hebrews. The context of the words quoted (Psalm 95:7b-11) is very significant. The verses immediately preceding those quoted (Ps. 95:6-7a) are a call to bow down and worship the Lord. That was the writer to the Hebrews’ desire for his readers. The words he quoted urge avoidance of Israel’s sin. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ initiated a new Exodus.”Rest’ (katapausis), as used here, points to a place of blessing where there is no more striving but only relaxation in the presence of God and in the certainty that there is no cause for fear.” (Morris, pg. 35)
For Israel, “rest” meant the enjoyment of all that God had promised the nation, not just entrance into the Promised Land. The next generation of Israelites did enter the Promised Land and experienced rest there because they chose to trust and obey God (cf. Josh. 1:13, 15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1). However, the writer’s definition of “rest” will shift in chapter 4 to include Sabbath rest.
Those who heard, whose hearts were hardened/evil and rebelled, sinning against God, were disobedient and could not enter God’s rest (God’s realm of blessing) because of unbelief; however, we (believers) are not to forsake the living God. We have become partners with Christ, if we hold firm in our initial confidence and the hope in which we take pride (notice parallel between verse 6 and 13, an inclusio of sorts).
Hebrews 4:1-4 Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith. 3 For we who have believed (note the past tense) enter that rest (note the present tense), as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”
Heb 4:1-4 are hinge verses that look both forward and backward. The author of Hebrews shifts his usage of the word “rest” to include Sabbath Rest and then interplays the two definitions which work together in this passage.
Heb 4:5-10 5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest!” 6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 7 So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” [see previous note on "Today"] speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day. [note the prophetic function of rest] 9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God [note the present with future overtones]. 10 For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works. 11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
“A Sabbath rest remains for the people of God.” Not only can those who believe enter into Sabbath rest in Christ, the body of Christ, the people of God, will one day enter into an eschatological rest when Jesus returns. In this fashion, all of time is seen as 6 days of work until the return of Christ to judge and reign; after the judgment of unbelievers and believers, the heavens and earth will be remade and believers will experience the Sabbath rest with Christ, the seventh day rest that remains for the people of God.
Principle 9: We enter God’s rest (The realm of God’s blessing [ie. Promised Land] - a ceasing from works [ie. Sabbath Rest]) through having believed in Christ (who is greater than Moses, etc…) through faith. This rest, which we experience in the present, is based upon having believed in the past (4:3), is to be held onto firmly in the present (3:6,13), as we steadfastly await the return of our hope and Savior Jesus Christ to whom we must render an account. We must make every effort, in the present, to enter this rest and not fall by hardening our hearts, sinning, and disobeying in unbelief, while firmly holding on to our hope of the future rest that remains for us who believe when Christ returns.
Other notable passages:
Colossians 2:16-17 “Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days– 17 these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!”
Principle 10: We are not to judge one another in regards to Sabbath days (whether we keep a literal Sabbath) because the Sabbath is a shadow of the future which we experience (in the present) in Christ as his body (the Greek word translated “reality” is soma “body”).
Romans 14:5-8 One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
Romans 14:12-13 each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
Romans 14:19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.
Romans 14:22 - 15:1 The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. 23 But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Principle 11: There is freedom in the church (body of Christ) to set aside the Sabbath as a holy day or to regard all days as alike (Romans 14:5). Each person must follow his conscience in such matters and be convinced in his own mind (Romans 14:5). Each of us will give an account of himself to God; therefore, we must not pass judgment on one another nor should we cause a brother to stumble or ensnare a brother in a trap, violating the conviction and conscience of a particular brother in regards to Sabbath. We should pursue peace and building up one another rather than dividing over such an issue. Whatever our conviction, we must possess such a conviction in faith and keep it to ourselves.
in Christ,
Scott
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