Many Christians speak of the Sabbath as an opportunity to rest from work. However, if we enter deeper into the Bible and the mystery, it becomes clear that the Sabbath was when God rested BEFORE FINISHING creation, from on the cross.
INTRODUCTION
Last week I had the pleasure of attending Dubuque’s ecumenical dialogue: The Children of Abraham.
The topic was: the Sabbath, the day of rest.
I believe we are all familiar with the concept from the Old Testament; after all, it’s a part of the 10 Commandments!
However, one thing that was missing in the Christian response – which was given from a Protestant perspective – was the relationship of the Sabbath to Christ. This was a bit disturbing for me.
I believe that to properly understand the Sabbath, one has to delve into the big picture and enter into the mystery of creation and Christ: creation doesn’t end in Genesis, but rather with Christ’s death on the cross.
WHAT SCRIPTURE HAS TO SAY
There were two specific passages that were used last week.
“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; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, 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 the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:8-11 RSV)
And,
“‘Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you.” (Deuteronomy 5:12-14 RSV)
The key, from the Jewish perspective, was zeroing in on the difference between these two commandments – specifically: remembering vs. observing – and learning how to put those concepts into action.
But for us, as Orthodox Christians, we have to enter deeper into the mystery of Christ to understand the Sabbath.
THE SABBATH IN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY IS SATURDAY
One misconception about Christianity is that many people believe Christians have moved the Sabbath, which was originally on Saturday in the Old Testament, to Sunday.
Even though many of the Protestants at the dialogue repeatedly commented on “resting” on Sunday, Sunday isn’t the Sabbath!
The Sabbath is still Saturday in historic, orthodox, and apostolic Christianity.
In fact, the word for “Saturday,” in modern Greek is, “Σάββατο,” which means, Sabbath.
And, like Old Testament times, the Orthodox Church still starts a new day at sunset (this is why the Orthodox Church celebrates vespers for Sunday on Saturday night; Sunday starts when the sun goes down on Saturday).
The Orthodox Church has special commemorations for each day of the week, and Saturday’s commemoration is the remembrance of Christ in the tomb, and by extension, all the dead – people who are at “rest.”
In this way, we observe the commandment to “remember the Sabbath.”
However, this is just scratching the surface!
THE SABBATH IS RELATED TO CREATION
As a good biblical student, you’ll recall that the Sabbath is first mentioned in the creation account.
“And on the seventh day God finished his work, which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:2-3 RSV)
Most of us understand the 7th day rest of creation to be an indication that God is finished creating.
This isn’t what the passage says!
It says that God rests from that which he had already created.
It doesn’t say he’s finished!
In fact, the formula for completion, found with the other six days, is missing.
Days 1 through 6 end with this formula: “And there was evening and there was morning, the X day.”
The 7th day doesn’t end this way, indicating that it’s not yet complete!
So, the question becomes, when does God finish?
CHRIST IS THE STORY OF ISRAEL WORKING TOWARDS THE COMPLETION OF CREATION
After creation, the Bible takes us on a journey:
- The story of the Patriarchs
- The story of the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt
- The story of the giving of the Law
- The story of the formation and fall of Israel
- The stories of the prophets during the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian captivities
Still no end to creation, though.
Then, we get the story of Jesus, who is the anointed messiah.
Jesus summarizes – or recapitulates – the entire Old Testament story for us:
- Like Israel, Jesus goes down into Egypt
- Like Israel passing through the Red Sea, Jesus “crosses” the sea in baptism
- Like Israel wondering is the desert for 40 years, Jesus wonders the desert for 40 days being tempted by the devil
- Like Moses giving the Law, Jesus gives the law during the Sermon on the Mount (a new Sinai) by means of the Beatitudes
- Like Israel being formed in the Canaan with 12 tribes, Jesus forms a new Israel around himself, symbolized by the 12 disciples
But at this point, the story of Jesus goes in a slightly different direction: the account of the Last Supper and the crucifixion.
Perhaps creation is drawing to a close…
JESUS IS DECLARED TO BE THE TRUE HUMAN BY PILATE
After Jesus is arrested, he stands trial. During this trial, Pilate says the key words!
“So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the man!’ [ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνθρωπος]” (John 19:5 RSV)
This is probably better translated as: Behold, THE human!
In other words, finally, here’s a human who is fully in the image and likeness of God.
A person – a king! – who reflects God’s divine rule into creation, as we were commanded to do (Genesis 1:28).
A person who accomplishes what humanity was meant to accomplish.
JESUS IS CRUCIFIED AND CREATION IS FINISHED
After this proclamation, Jesus is led away and crucified.
By giving himself up, and allowing himself to be crucified, Jesus fulfills his mission – he shows himself to be the King of Glory.
He shows himself to be the perfect human!
And, right before he dies, he utters these words:
“When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’ [τελέω]; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30 RSV)
This doesn’t mean Christ’s life is over.
It means creation is finished. Another way of translating the Greek is: It is COMPLETED!
God’s vision of humanity is completed, and thus creation is finished.
THE SABBATH REST HAS COME TO AN END WITH CHRIST
Genesis tells us that God rested on the 7th day, but it doesn’t say the day ends, as it had with the other six days.
St. John’s account of the crucifixion makes it clear that Pilate’s declaration of Christ as THE human was on a Friday, the 6th day, the same day on which God created humanity (Genesis 1:26-31).
St. John also makes it clear that Jesus’s crucifixion is to be understood in relationship to the Sabbath.
Saturday is the day Christ rested. He finished his work on the cross, and descended into Hades; so it becomes a remembrance of his rest among the dead, and the remembrance of all saints who now rest in peace.
But then, with Jesus’s resurrection, God’s rest ends!
What is ushered in is the Day of the Resurrection (Sunday), which is both the 1st and the 8th day!
The 7th day rest (Sabbath) is completed.
The number “8” indicates that we’ve reached perfection.
By being both the 1st and 8th day, this means that New Creation has begun.
Everything, and everyone, is in the process of being recreated. This is our salvation, which in Greek means, “to be made whole.”
As humans, our death is no longer the end. It becomes a new birth – a resurrection to new life.
P.S. THE SABBATH POINTS TO CHRIST
The Old Testament tells us to remember the Sabbath, which is when God rested from what he had created on the first six days.
But Genesis does not say that the 7th day is finished, or that God is done creating. It’s simply a rest, until Christ comes.
Creation is finally finished when Christ is declared the true human, and when Christ, the Son of God, the Word through whom God creates, says creation is “finished” while on the cross.
Christ, having finished his work, spends the Sabbath at rest in the realm of the dead. As Orthodox Christians, we observe God’s commandment to “remember” the Sabbath by remembering Christ’s “rest” at our Saturday services – especially the “Memorial Saturdays” during Lent.
However, Christ rises from the dead, turning the 1st day into the 8th day.
This is the beginning of new creation and the beginning of our salvation.
I invite you to enter deeper into the mystery of the Sabbath, and Christ, with the Orthodox Church!
St. Elias Services
Saturdays, 5 pm (at St. John’s Parish House, 1458 Locust St, Dubuque, IA)
Sundays, 9:30 am (at Hillcrest Chapel, 2001 Asbury Rd, Dubuque, IA)
Or find your nearest Orthodox Church by clicking here.
Some at the dialogue, including many Christians, boiled the Sabbath down to this meaning: it’s a time of reflection, and/or rest from work so we can remember God.
To me this sounds like a secular argument, because it reduces the Sabbath down to some sort of meditative device (setting time aside to “remember,” which typically goes undefined), or it forces the Sabbath to be submissive to human needs (i.e, humans *need* a day off, so God gave them one – this was actually mentioned during the conversation).
One person argued from Scripture quoting, “And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath’…” (Mark 2:27 RSV) But, the second half of the idea, which is key, wasn’t mentioned: “…so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:28 RSV)
I believe a Christian understanding can never separate the Sabbath from creation, a creation which is finished by Christ on the cross. The Old Testament Sabbath is fulfilled when Christ dies on the cross and “Rests in Peace” – his three days in the tomb.
Why does this have to be central?
Because it recognizes that the eternal Word of God (Jesus) becomes incarnate, and it recognizes that he dies and fills all things (including Hades) with himself. It recognizes that Christ’s death is what makes our death the threshold we all have to pass in order to find true life. Our tombs become a womb to a new birth, a resurrection from the dead.
While it’s true that modern American may be overworked, and a weekly rest may be a good idea, it’s also true that for a Christian reduce the Sabbath to a “day off” is to not fully understand the revolutionary message of the gospel!
I’d like to hear your thoughts!
Yes, it would be too little if we reduced the Sabbath to a day off.
Still, the question of what one must do with the biblical command to keep the Sabbath must be addressed.
It’s meaning goes to creation, and Christ, and redemption. But keeping it begins with rest.
Hi Gary,
Thank you for your comment and the opportunity for conversation!
As I understand it, the command is to “remember” and “observe.” I think you’re absolutely correct that it *starts* with rest, but that’s just the beginning.
I would suggest that the next step, or to put the command into action, is to give thanks! For Christians, this is celebrating the Eucharist!
Both the prayers of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil follow a similar formula: first thanksgiving (“Offering Your own from Your own”) and then remembrance (Remembering our most holy, most pure, most blessed, and glorious Lady the Theotokos…and ALL the saints, who then get listed). So we first give thanks for creation and redemption, and then we remember.
What I find, as I speak with various people, is that many people don’t go to church, yet consider themselves “spiritual.” They often say they can “commune with God through nature,” or “feel God everywhere.” I believe this is a good start, but to truly commune with God we have to be “one with Christ” (John 17:11) by eating of his flesh and blood (John 6:51). Or, as I’m arguing, observe the Sabbath through Eucharistic thanksgiving and remembrance.
The Sabbath command, both in Exodus and Deuteronomy, starts with “remember” and “observe” but that is not the end. The text explains that the required obedience is cessation of work on the Sabbath day.
The interesting difference between the two versions is the reason, or meaning, attributed to this command and obedience to it: In Exodus it is imitation of God, who rested after creating heaven, earth, and their occupants. In Deuteronomy it is recollection and implication of redemption, giving rest to servants (and taking rest) in honor of the fact that God rescued the people from perpetual labor in Egyptian slavery.
The coming of Christ sheds light backward on still richer theological meaning, and that is what your text points to.
I don’t think the popular attempt to be spiritual without being religious, seeking God’s presence everywhere except worship, is on target, since it neither keeps the rhythm of genuine sabbath rest, nor orients the soul to any of the layers of meaning in the biblical Sabbath. The Sabbath is a distinctly religious command: God’s people live on God’s seven day rhythm, and the glory of that rhythm, whether the festive day is Sabbath (7th day) or Lord’s Day (“8th” day of the new creation, but maintaining the 7 day interval) is that one can focus completely on God, and not on our own work with its demands and distractions.
In this regard Abraham Joshua Heschel’s little book “The Sabbath” is a glorious gift.
I believe others have recommended Heschel’s book. I’ll have to check it out. Thank you!
Interesting and encouraging to realize creation was not finished until Christ God said so. We, living in the 8th day is reassuring for our salvation. Thanks Father D.
You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it!