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The Bible contains many references and instructions regarding the Sabbath, particularly in the Old Testament, but also in the New Testament. Here are key passages related to Sabbath instructions:
Old Testament (ASV)
1. The Ten Commandments
- Exodus 20:8-11: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
- Deuteronomy 5:12-15: Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
2. Sabbath as a Covenant
- Exodus 31:13-17: Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
3. Sabbath for Rest
- Leviticus 23:3: Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work: it is a sabbath unto Jehovah in all your dwellings.
- Leviticus 25:4: But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto Jehovah: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
4. Sabbath Violations and Punishments
- Numbers 15:32-36: And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
New Testament (NRSV)
1. Jesus and the Sabbath
- Matthew 12:1-8: At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
- Mark 2:27-28: Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
2. Healing on the Sabbath
- Luke 13:10-17: Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
The Old Testament passages concerning the Sabbath are associated with different sources within the Documentary Hypothesis, which proposes that the Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy) was composed of four main sources: J (Yahwist), E (Elohist), D (Deuteronomist), and P (Priestly). These sources reflect different theological and historical perspectives. Below is a breakdown of the Sabbath-related passages and their likely sources:
1. Exodus 20:8-11 (The Ten Commandments)
- Source: Likely P (Priestly).
- The Priestly source emphasizes creation theology and ritual observance. The reference to God resting on the seventh day of creation aligns with Priestly concerns about sacred time and order.
2. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (The Ten Commandments)
- Source: D (Deuteronomist).
- The Deuteronomist focuses on covenantal theology and historical memory, tying the Sabbath to Israel’s liberation from Egypt. This version highlights social justice and equality.
3. Exodus 31:13-17 (Sabbath as a Perpetual Covenant)
- Source: P (Priestly).
- The emphasis on the Sabbath as a “sign” of the covenant and the detailed penalties for breaking it reflect the Priestly focus on ritual sanctity and covenant theology.
4. Leviticus 23:3 (Sabbath for Rest)
- Source: P (Priestly).
- The structured description of the Sabbath as a “holy convocation” aligns with the Priestly concern for liturgical practices.
5. Leviticus 25:4 (Sabbath for the Land)
- Source: P (Priestly).
- The concept of a sabbatical year for the land reflects the Priestly focus on cycles of holiness and ecological harmony.
6. Numbers 15:32-36 (Sabbath Violations and Punishments)
- Source: P (Priestly).
- The specific legal case concerning Sabbath-breaking and the detailed punishment reflect the Priestly concern for maintaining ritual purity and the seriousness of covenant obligations.
Key Distinctions Between Sources:
- J and E: Rarely discuss the Sabbath explicitly. These sources are more narrative-driven and less focused on legal or ritual details.
- D: Frames the Sabbath within the historical and covenantal context of Israel’s relationship with God (e.g., Deuteronomy).
- P: Highlights the cosmic, ritual, and liturgical significance of the Sabbath, often tying it to creation (e.g., Genesis 1:1–2:3).
Would you like further clarification on the sources or additional passages analyzed?
