What is the Sabbath? Is the Sabbath day for rest or for worship?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Sabbath began at creation when God rested on the seventh day and blessed it as holy (Genesis 2:2–3). Later, the fourth commandment required Israel to rest from work and dedicate the day to God (Exodus 20:8–11). It reminded them of creation and of God’s redemption from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Breaking the Sabbath was treated as a grave sin, emphasizing how central it was to Israel’s relationship with God. The day was a sign of belonging to Him and a gift of rest and worship (Ezekiel 20:12; Isaiah 58:13–14).

The New Testament presents Jesus as “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27–28). He healed and taught on that day (Luke 6:6–10), correcting legalism and emphasizing mercy (Matthew 12:11–12). After His resurrection on a Sunday, Christians began gathering on that day (Acts 20:7), calling it the “Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10).

Paul taught that believers are not bound by the old covenant Sabbath laws (Colossians 2:16–17).t Instead, they are free to honor God in how they set aside time for rest and worship (Romans 14:5–6). Ultimately, the Sabbath points to the eternal rest believers find in Christ (Hebrews 4:9–10).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Sabbath begins in creation. After God completed His work in six days, Genesis 2:2–3 says that “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.” God was not tired but was establishing a pattern for human life. From the very beginning, He built a rhythm of work and rest directly into creation. The seventh day was set apart as different, a holy day that reflected God’s order and blessing.
• When God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, He commanded them to keep the Sabbath. Exodus 20:8–11 says, “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.” The Sabbath was to be a reminder of creation, and Israel was to follow God’s example by resting every Sabbath.
• the day was not just about taking a break, but about remembering God’s saving work.
• The day was not just about taking a break, but about remembering God’s saving work: “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” (Deuteronomy 5:15). Exodus 31:14-15 warned that anyone who profaned the Sabbath would be put to death. In Numbers 15:32-36, a man was judged with death because he gathered sticks on the Sabbath.
• The Sabbath was also a sign of the covenant between God and Israel. In Ezekiel 20:12, God said, “I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.” Keeping the Sabbath was a way for Israel to show that they belonged to God and remembered what that relationship meant for how they lived.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The New Testament presents Jesus as the key to understanding the Sabbath. In the Gospels, He often came into conflict with the religious leaders over how the day should be observed. When His disciples picked grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused them of breaking the law. Jesus replied that “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). In other words, the Sabbath was meant as a gift for human good, not as a burden of endless regulation. By claiming to be “Lord of the Sabbath,” Jesus placed Himself above the institution itself, showing that He had authority to reveal its true purpose.
• The Gospels also record Jesus healing on the Sabbath. For example, in Luke 6:6–10, He restored a man’s withered hand, and in Matthew 12:11–12 He argued that doing good on the Sabbath was lawful, just as rescuing an animal in trouble would be. These accounts make clear that the Sabbath was not meant to prohibit acts of mercy. Instead, it pointed to God’s desire for restoration, which Jesus Himself fulfilled.
• After the resurrection, the church began to gather on the first day of the week in honor of Jesus’ rising. Acts 20:7 describes believers assembling to break bread on Sunday. Likewise, Paul instructed the Corinthians to set aside offerings on the first day (1 Corinthians 16:2). By the end of the first century, John referred to this day as “the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10). This practice did not simply move the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday; it reflected a new reality. Jesus’ resurrection had inaugurated the new creation, with Sunday worship celebrating that event.
• Paul emphasized that Old Testament Sabbath regulations do not bind Christians. He told the Colossians not to let anyone judge them “with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath” because these things were “a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16–17). Similarly, in Romans 14:5 he said, “One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.” The principle is that believers have freedom: while the Sabbath law is not binding, the need to honor God with our time remains.
• The letter to the Hebrews connected the Old Testament Sabbath with the New Testament rest found in Jesus. Its author said, “there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.” Therefore, rest is fulfilled in Christ Himself. Believers enter that permanent rest by ceasing from their own works and trusting in what He has accomplished. This, the ultimate Sabbath is not found on Saturday or Sunday. Instead, it is found in Jesus, who gives rest to the souls of those who come to Him (Matthew 11:28).
• In short, the New Testament shows that the Sabbath command finds its fulfillment in Christ. Jesus redefined its purpose, the early church gathered on the Lord’s Day in celebration of His resurrection, and the apostles taught that the true rest is found in Him.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The Sabbath reminds Christians to rest and worship God. Under the new covenant, believers are not required to keep the seventh day as Israel did. Instead, from the earliest centuries, the church gathered on Sunday—the day of Christ’s resurrection—known as the “Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10). While the Sabbath commemorated creation, Sunday symbolizes the new creation.

Although most Christians rest and worship on Sundays, Scripture emphasizes that believers should not judge one another regarding which day they gather (Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16-17). What matters most is setting aside regular time to honor and worship the Lord with others and to rest from ordinary work.

The heart of the Sabbath command remains relevant today: God calls His people to find rest in Him. In a world that values busyness, we need to pause to rest in God and remember that He is our Provider. Our true Sabbath is found in Christ, who invites the weary to come to Him and find rest (Matthew 11:28).

UNDERSTAND

• The Sabbath was given for rest and worship, reflecting creation and God’s redemption.
• The Sabbath day rest was given to the Jewish people, and while Christians are not bound to a specific day, they should still set aside time for rest and worship.
• True Sabbath rest is found in Jesus, who offers spiritual refreshment for those who trust in Him.

REFLECT

• How are you intentionally setting aside time to rest and worship God each week?
• How do you rely on Jesus to give you true spiritual rest amid your life’s busyness?
• How might your understanding of the Sabbath influence how you honor God with your time and priorities?

ENGAGE

• How can we balance rest and worship in a way that honors God without being legalistic about a specific day?
• What practices can help us experience Sabbath rest in a meaningful way?
• How does viewing Jesus as our ultimate Sabbath reshape the way we approach work, rest, and worship?