Is the Sabbath for Christians?
Rest was given before religion existed. Two thousand years before Abraham, before any nation or tribe, God established the Sabbath for humanity. Jesus confirmed this when He said, "The sabbath was made for man" (Mark 2:27), using the Greek word anthropos, meaning all people, not one ethnic group.
The Sabbath predates the Jewish nation by millennia. It was given to Adam and Eve, the parents of every person who has ever lived. The question is not whether it applies to Christians. The question is why anyone would think it doesn't.
The Sabbath Predates the Jews
God established the Sabbath at Creation, not at Sinai:
"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it."
Genesis 2:2-3This was approximately 2,000 years before Abraham, the first Hebrew, was born. The Sabbath was given to Adam and Eve, the parents of all humanity. It was not a Jewish institution from the beginning. It was a human institution.
Made for Man, Not Just Jews
Jesus explicitly stated who the Sabbath was made for:
"The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."
Mark 2:27The Greek word here is anthropos, meaning "human being" or "humanity." It is the same word used in:
- "God created man [anthropos]" (Genesis 1:27 LXX)
- "The Son of man [anthropos]" (throughout the Gospels)
- "All men [anthropos]" (John 1:9)
If Jesus meant the Sabbath was only for Jews, He would have used a different word. Instead, He used the universal term for humanity. The Sabbath was made for people, all people.
New Testament Evidence
The apostles continued keeping the Sabbath after Christ's resurrection:
Apostolic Sabbath-Keeping
- Paul's manner: "As his manner was, [he] went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures" (Acts 17:2)
- Gentiles invited: "The Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath" (Acts 13:42)
- Whole city gathered: "The next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God" (Acts 13:44)
- Regular practice: "He reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks" (Acts 18:4)
The book of Hebrews confirms a Sabbath rest remains for Christians:
"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."
Hebrews 4:9The Greek word here is sabbatismos, a word specifically meaning "Sabbath-keeping" or "Sabbath rest." It appears only here in the New Testament. The people of God still have a Sabbath-keeping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Sabbath for Christians or just Jews?
The Sabbath is for all humanity. Jesus said "The sabbath was made for man," using the Greek word meaning humanity, not Jews specifically. The Sabbath was established at Creation, 2,000 years before any Jew existed.
Did the early church keep the Sabbath?
Yes. The apostles kept the Sabbath after Christ's resurrection. Paul's "manner" was Sabbath worship (Acts 17:2). He met with Gentile believers on the Sabbath (Acts 13:42-44).
Does the New Testament abolish the Sabbath?
No. Jesus said He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it, and that not one jot or tittle would pass until heaven and earth pass (Matthew 5:17-18). Heaven and earth remain. No New Testament passage commands Sunday worship.
Go Deeper
Interactive Studies
- Sabbath Basics — How to keep the Sabbath
- Sabbath vs Sunday — Complete comparison