The Biblical and Historical Origins of the Sabbath
The Old Testament
In this blog, we dive deep into the Bible to explore the origins, commands, and ongoing significance of the Sabbath. From the creation story in Genesis to the teachings of Jesus and the early church, we’ll uncover how this day of rest is woven throughout Scripture. Whether you’re new to the Bible or a seasoned student, join us for a thoughtful journey into God’s gift of Sabbath.
We’re tackling a topic that’s as ancient as creation itself: the Sabbath. What is it? Why does it matter? And how does the Bible—from the Old Testament to the New—lay out its foundation?
We’ll start with the roots in Genesis, move through the Mosaic Law and the prophets, then shift to Jesus’ teachings and the early church. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of the Sabbath’s biblical basis. Grab your Bible, a cup of coffee, and let’s rest in God’s Word.
Let’s begin at the very beginning—literally. The Sabbath isn’t just a rule tacked onto the end of the week; it’s embedded in the fabric of creation. Turn to Genesis chapter 2, verses 2 and 3. After six days of creating the heavens, the earth, and everything in them, God does something profound:
“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”
Here, the Sabbath is introduced not as a command for humans yet, but as a divine pattern. God rests—not because He’s tired, but to model completion, blessing, and holiness. This seventh day, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday in the Jewish calendar, is set apart. It’s a rhythm baked into the universe, a weekly pause to reflect on God’s sovereignty.
Scholars note that this “blessing” and “holiness” language echoes temple dedication rituals later in the Bible, suggesting the whole world is like God’s temple, with the Sabbath as its sacred time. No work mentioned yet—just divine rest as an invitation to harmony with the Creator.
Moving forward in the Old Testament, we see this pattern formalized after the Exodus. In Exodus 16, before the Ten Commandments are even given, God provides manna in the wilderness. For six days, the Israelites gather it, but on the seventh? No manna falls, and they’re commanded to rest. This is the first explicit human observance of Sabbath, tied to trust in God’s provision.
In the heart of the Old Testament Law: the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20:8-11, God commands:
“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.”
This is the “remember” version, linking back to creation. It’s a positive command: remember and keep it holy, meaning set apart for God. No work—not even for animals or visitors—emphasizes equality and rest for all.
But in Deuteronomy 5:12-15, where the commandments are reiterated, and the emphasis shifts slightly:
“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you… You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”
Here, it’s “observe,” tied to redemption from slavery. Sabbath becomes a weekly reminder of freedom, a break from oppression. It’s not just about ceasing work; it’s about liberation and gratitude.
Throughout the Torah, Sabbath laws expand. Leviticus 23:3 calls it a “holy convocation,” a time for community worship. Numbers 28:9-10 adds special offerings. Exodus 31:12-17 elevates it as a perpetual covenant sign between God and Israel: “It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” Violating it? Serious—Exodus 31:14 says it’s punishable by death, underscoring its sanctity.
The prophets reinforce this. In Isaiah 58:13-14, God promises blessings for honoring the Sabbath: “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight… then you shall take delight in the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:19-27 warns against profaning it through commerce, linking national well-being to Sabbath observance. Ezekiel 20:12-13 portrays it as a gift for sanctification.
In the Old Testament, Sabbath is multifaceted: creation rest, covenant sign, social justice (rest for the marginalized), and worship rhythm. It’s not burdensome—it’s a delight, a foretaste of eternal peace.
As we cross into the New Testament, does the Sabbath fade away? Not at all—it’s reframed through Jesus and the apostles. Jesus, as a faithful Jew, observed the Sabbath regularly. Luke 4:16 tells us: “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.”
But Jesus often clashed with religious leaders over how to keep it. In Mark 2:23-28, His disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath, prompting criticism. Jesus responds: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” This is revolutionary—Sabbath is a gift for human flourishing, not a rigid rule. Jesus affirms its goodness while claiming authority over it.
Matthew 12 echoes this: Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, saying, “So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” He prioritizes mercy over legalism, quoting Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” In John 5, healing at Bethesda pool sparks debate, and Jesus declares, “My Father is working until now, and I am working”—showing that divine work of restoration doesn’t violate Sabbath.
Jesus’ resurrection? It happens on the first day of the week (Sunday, Matthew 28:1), which some see as shifting emphasis, but the New Testament doesn’t explicitly command a “Christian Sabbath” on Sunday. Instead, it upholds the principle of rest.
The Early Church
Turning to the apostles and early church, Acts shows continuity. In Acts 13:42-44, Paul preaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and Gentiles beg to hear more the next Sabbath. Acts 17:2 says, “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.” Even as the gospel spreads to non-Jews, Sabbath remains a key gathering time.
The council in Acts 15 doesn’t mandate Sabbath for Gentiles, focusing on essentials, but it doesn’t abolish it either. Colossians 2:16-17 warns against judging over “a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath,” calling them “a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” This suggests fulfillment in Jesus, not cancellation.
Hebrews 4:9-11 is pivotal: “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest.” Here, Sabbath points to an ultimate, eternal rest in Christ—salvation by grace, not works. It’s both a weekly practice and a spiritual reality, inviting believers into ongoing communion with God.
Revelation 1:10 mentions “the Lord’s day,” often interpreted as Sunday, but it doesn’t replace Sabbath; early Christians likely observed both, with Sunday for resurrection celebration (as in Acts 20:7, breaking bread on the first day).
Overall, the New Testament doesn’t ditch the Sabbath—it deepens it. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, fulfilling its purpose: rest, worship, mercy, and pointing to eternal shalom.
The biblical basis for the Sabbath is clear and consistent. In the Old Testament, it’s rooted in creation, commanded in the Law as a covenant sign, and celebrated by prophets as a delight. In the New, Jesus embodies and expands it, emphasizing mercy and lordship, while the apostles model its practice amid gospel expansion. Ultimately, it foreshadows rest in Christ.
How might this apply today? Whether you observe Saturday, Sunday, or weave rest into your rhythm, the invitation is the same: cease striving, trust God, and delight in His presence and remember the seventh day Sabbath, where the Creator, rested, blessed it and hallowed it.
If this resonated, share it with a friend, and tune in next time as we explore prayer in the Psalms. Until then, rest well in Him.
Now, we continue to explore the biblical basis for the Sabbath from the Old and New Testaments and delve into the historical origins of Sunday observance in Christianity. We will address the role of Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, examining whether he truly “moved” Sabbath worship to the first day of the week.
Let’s unpack the timeless truths of Scripture and history. Today we’re building on our exploration of the Sabbath. We’ll cover its biblical roots in the Old and New Testaments, then turn to the fascinating history of Sunday observance—its early Christian origins and the pivotal role of Emperor Constantine in the fourth century. Did he really shift the Sabbath to Sunday? We’ll dive into the details with historical context. Let’s journey through God’s Word and the annals of time.
The Sabbath emerges in Genesis 2:2-3, where God rests on the seventh day after creation, blessing and sanctifying it. This sets a divine pattern of rest, not from fatigue, but as a model of completion and holiness. In Exodus 16, before Sinai, manna provision teaches reliance on God through Sabbath rest.
The Ten Commandments solidify it. Exodus 20:8-11 commands remembering the Sabbath, linking to creation. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 emphasizes observance for recalling deliverance from Egypt. It’s a covenant sign (Exodus 31:12-17), a day of holy assembly (Leviticus 23:3), and prophets like Isaiah (58:13-14) and Jeremiah (17:19-27) call it a delight, warning against profanation. Ezekiel 20:12-13 sees it as sanctifying. In the Old Testament, Sabbath is rest, worship, justice, and covenant.
In the New Testament, Jesus observes Sabbath (Luke 4:16) but reinterprets it mercifully. In Mark 2:23-28, He declares Sabbath made for man, Himself its Lord. Healings on Sabbath (Matthew 12, John 5) prioritize doing good and worshipping God in spirit and truth, over legalism. His resurrection on the first day (Matthew 28:1) was after He rested in the tomb on Sabbath, adding meaning to the seventh day Sabbath, a day of rest, a day of blessing and a day of holiness. Created by God and given to man.
Acts shows early meetings on the first day (Acts 20:7), collections (1 Corinthians 16:2), and Revelation 1:10 mentions “the Lord’s Day,” often linked to Sunday. These are not the Sabbath day that Jesus rested.
Hebrews 4:9-11 speaks of remaining Sabbath rest in Christ. Colossians 2:16-17 views Sabbaths as special blessings of presence in Him. The New Testament deepens Sabbath as spiritual rest, blessing and sanctification, in Jesus.
Now, let’s address the origins of Sunday observance and the claim that Constantine moved Sabbath worship to the first day in the fourth century. This shift wasn’t abrupt but evolved gradually, rooted in early Christian practice rather than imperial fiat alone.
First, the biblical and early church foundations: As noted, Jesus rose on Sunday, the first day. Early Christians, many Jewish, initially kept the seventh-day Sabbath but added gatherings on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection. Acts 20:7 describes breaking bread on the first day, and 1 Corinthians 16:2 suggests weekly Sunday collections. By the late first century, Revelation’s “Lord’s Day” refers to Sunday. Important distinction, the “Lord’s Day” the first day of the week, is not the Seventh day Sabbath, that God ordained.
Historical records from church fathers confirm this. Around 110 AD, Ignatius of Antioch wrote in his Epistle to the Magnesians: “No longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him.” This shows early distinction, with Sunday as a day of pseudo-Christian life and worship. This was man-made. Justin Martyr, around 150 AD, in his First Apology, describes Christians assembling on “the day called Sunday” for reading Scriptures, prayer, and social interaction, explicitly tying it to the resurrection and creation’s first day. The Didache, an early Christian manual from the late first or early second century, instructs gathering on the Lord’s Day, for meals and social interaction. The first day assembling was not the God ordained seventh day Sabbath worship of the Creator, that gave man rest, blessings and sanctification.
This practice spread as a secularized version of Christianity grew among Gentiles, distancing from Jewish customs amid rising anti-Judaism, especially after the Bar Kokhba revolt (132-135 AD). Sunday became the primary man-made worship day, not replacing Sabbath rest but adapting it the emerging customs. Some scholars argue it began as an extension of Sabbath—Jewish Christians attended synagogue Saturday, then met Sunday evenings for Christian rites. The early Christian church, which included Gentile converts, most often met together on Sabbath in house churches, not all had access
Enter Constantine. Born around 272 AD, he rose as Roman emperor, converting to Christianity after a vision in 312 AD before the Battle of Milvian Bridge, where he saw a cross and “In this sign, conquer.” In 313 AD, the Edict of Milan granted religious tolerance, ending Christian persecution.
On March 7, 321 AD, Constantine issued a decree: “On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in the work of cultivation may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits.” This made Sunday a civil rest day empire-wide, but note the language—”Day of the Sun” (dies Solis), reflecting Constantine’s prior devotion to Sol Invictus, the unconquered sun god. Mithraism, a popular Roman cult, venerated Sunday, and Constantine blended pagan and Christian elements to unify his diverse empire.
Did this “move” the Sabbath? Not exactly. Christians were already gathering together to meet socially on Sunday for centuries; real Christians who followed in the footsteps of Christ, still worshipped God on the seventh day Sabbath. Constantine’s law enforced rest on that day, accommodating both Christians and sun-worshipers. It didn’t abolish Saturday observance outright—some groups, like in Ethiopia or among Jewish Christians, continued seventh-day practices. Anti-Jewish sentiment and pagan influx accelerated the shift, but it predated Constantine.
The 325 AD Council of Nicaea, convened by Constantine, focused on the Arian heresy and Easter dating, not Sabbath change. Later, the Council of Laodicea (c. 364 AD) discouraged “Judaizing” by resting on Saturday, further entrenching Sunday.
Sunday observance can be considered Constantine’s invention. His decree legalized “the day of the Sun” and promoted it, blending faiths for political unity, but the Sabbath theological roots are apostolic.
