Day 17 – Sabbath in the New Testament (part2)

“𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘢𝘵-𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥’𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘥’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵; 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦” 𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 4:9-11 𝘊𝘉𝘑

When we study the Sabbath in the New Testament, we see that it is something important to both Jesus and to the writers of the Gospels. Jesus spoke many teachings recorded in Scripture on the Sabbath and later reiterated by Paul and others on later Sabbath days. Because it was traditionally kept only by the Jews (and most of the Scripture writers were Jews), the implied presence of it is easy to miss. I think one of the reasons Peter, John, and Paul don’t talk about observing the Sabbath more expressly is that it may never have crossed their minds that those who follow Jesus would disregard one of the Ten Commandments. To them, the Sabbath was as natural as getting up in the morning, but to the new believers, it had to be taught.

The Sabbath and teachings thereof in the New Testament are also a foreshadowing of the eternal rest we as believers will enter. When we study scripture closely, there is always a “big picture” pointing to Jesus – whether it is the prophecies of His birth, or His return for His bride.

Prayer: Father, thank You for pointing Your Word towards Jesus and teaching us that He truly came to fulfil Your Word. Teach us, Lord, to study and learn about the Sabbath in the New Testament with a view to our eternal rest with Jesus Christ. Amen.