Is the Sabbath still relevant?

More than 3000 years ago, God gave Moses a collection of commandments to help guide the family of Israel as they moved from captivity in Egypt to the promised land comprising present-day Israel and adjacent lands.

After commanding the people to serve the one, true God and forsake all idols, God commanded that they should set apart one day per week to step away from the bustle of daily life and immerse themselves in rest, worship, and connection to the divine. God specifically said that just as He rested after six days of creation, men should establish a seventh day of rest. That day was to be one in which work is set aside. Through the millennia that followed, interpretation and observance of the Sabbath have varied significantly over time and among different religious communities.

In Judaism, the Sabbath, or Shabbat, is a cornerstone of faith and practice. Observed from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday, Shabbat is a day of rest and sanctity, as instructed in the Torah. It is not merely about refraining from labor but about creating sacred time, focused on family, prayer, and reflection. Maimonides, the great medieval Jewish philosopher described the Sabbath as both a commemoration of God’s creation of the world and a reminder of the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian slavery. For Maimonides, Shabbat is a gift that nourishes the soul and strengthens faith. His writings underscore the philosophical and practical dimensions of the Sabbath, emphasizing its role in cultivating a sense of purpose and spiritual fulfillment.

For Christians, the Fourth Commandment is likewise significant, though its interpretation has evolved over centuries. The early Church transitioned Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday, the “Lord’s Day,” in honor of Jesus’ resurrection. This shift symbolized a new covenant and marked a departure from Jewish tradition but not from the recognition that one day per week for rest, communal worship, and time with family helps to deepen one’s faith.

In Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, observing the Sabbath involves attending Mass or Divine Liturgy and refraining from unnecessary work. These traditions view Sunday as a time for worship, rest, and family togetherness, though specific prohibitions are less rigid than in Jewish practice.

Among Protestant communities, interpretations of the Fourth Commandment vary widely. In the Reformation era, leaders like John Calvin and Martin Luther emphasized the spiritual principles of the Sabbath over rigid legalism. Luther, for instance, saw the commandment as a call to worship and hear God’s Word rather than a strict prohibition against labor.

While some modern Protestant denominations appear to downplay Sabbath observance, Sunday worship remains a central aspect of Protestant practice, but adherence to rest and refraining from work is often less emphasized. This trend reflects broader cultural shifts, where the pace of modern life often leaves little room for sacred rest.

Fortunately, many contemporary church leaders and theologians are calling for a recovery of Sabbath principles. They recognize that the Fourth Commandment invites all believers to pause, reflect, and recalibrate their lives. In an age of constant connectivity and relentless busyness, perhaps the Sabbath holds more relevance than ever. It beckons us to step back, embrace stillness, and honor God’s divine order that weaves through all existence.

The Ten Commandments

And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”