Early Christian Views on Saturday Sabbath

Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Supporting witness

Whence we (Christians) understand that we still more ought to observe a sabbath from all servile work always, and not only every seventh day, but through all time.

Novatian, Connection to Exodus 20:8 Supporting witness

The Sabbath was given to Israel as a sign; but for us, the spiritual Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ, who is our rest.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Concerning the Sabbath also I have this to premise, that this question could not have arisen, if Christ did not publicly proclaim the Lord of the Sabbath.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

The new law requires you to keep perpetual sabbath, and you, because you are idle for one day, suppose you are pious, not discerning why this has been commanded you: and if you eat unleavened bread, you say the will of God has been fulfilled.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

And you were commanded to keep Sabbaths, that you might retain the memorial of God.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...come to this point, we must mention these things in passing, since the discussion has turned to the seventh and the eighth. For the eighth may possibly prove to be properly the seventh, and the seventh clearly the sixth. And the latter is properly the Sabbath, while the seventh is a day of work. For the creation of the world was finished in six days. For the movement of the sun from solstice to solstice is completed in six months. During that time, at one point leaves fall, and at another plants bud and seeds ripen. They also say that the embryo is fully formed exactly in the sixth month, that is, in one hundred and eighty days, in addition to the two and a half, as Polybus the physician reports in his book On the Eighth Month, and Aristotle the philosopher in his book On Nature. Therefore the Pythagoreans, as I think, count six as the perfect number, from the creation of the world, according to the prophet. And they call it Meseuthys and Marriage, because it is the middle of the even numbers, that is, of ten and two. For it is clearly at an equal distance from both.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

For the eighth may possibly turn out to be properly the seventh, and the seventh manifestly the sixth, and the latter properly the Sabbath, and the seventh a day of work.

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Background

..., but which the legislator forbids to be used for food. Respecting the celebrated observance of the Sabbath also, he speaks thus: “You shall sit, everyone in your dwellings; no one shall move from his place on the Sabbath day.” This command it is impossible to observe literally, for no man can sit a whole day without moving from the place where he sat down. With respect to each one of these points, those who belong to the circumcision, and all who think that no more meaning is to be found in sacred Scripture than what is indicated by the letter, consider that there should be no investigation regarding the goat-stag, the griffin, and the vulture. And they invent some empty and trifling tales about the Sabbath, drawn from some traditional sources or other, alleging that everyone’s place is computed to him within two thousand cubits. Others, again, among whom is Dositheus the Samaritan, do indeed censure explanations of this kind, but themselves lay down something more ridiculous, namely, that each one must remain until the evening in the posture, place, or position in which he was found on the Sabbath day. That is, if found sitting, he is to sit the whole day, or if reclining, he

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Long Version) Supporting witness

for “he that does not work, let him not eat.” For say the [holy] oracles, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread.” But let every one of you keep the Sabbath after a spiritual manner, rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in relaxation of the body, admiring the workmanship of God, and not eating things prepared the day before, nor using lukewarm drinks, and walking within a prescribed space, nor finding delight in dancing and plaudits which have no sense in them.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

... He was betrayed, and the second because of His passion. But He appointed us to end our fast on the seventh day at cockcrow, yet to fast on the Sabbath day. This is not because the Sabbath day is a day of fasting, since it is the rest from creation, but because we ought to fast on this one Sabbath only, while on this day the Creator was under the earth. For on their very feast day they seized the Lord, so that the oracle might be fulfilled which says, "They placed their signs in the middle of their feast, and did not know them." You ought, therefore, to mourn over them, because when the Lord came they did not believe in Him, but rejected His teaching, and judged themselves unworthy of salvation. But you are happy, who once were not a people, but now are a holy nation, delivered from the deceit of idols, from ignorance, and from impiety. You once had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy through your wholehearted obedience. For to you, the converted Gentiles, the gate of life has been opened. You who formerly were not beloved are now beloved, a people appointed for God's possession, to show His virtues. Concerning you our Savior said, "I was found by those who did not s

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

Therefore, you should fast on the days of the Passover, beginning from the second day of the week until the Preparation, and the Sabbath, for six days. During this time, use only bread, salt, herbs, and water for your drink. But on these days abstain from wine and meat, because they are days of mourning and not of feasting. Those of you who are able should fast completely on the day of the Preparation and on the Sabbath day, tasting nothing until the cock-crowing in the night. But if anyone is not able to keep both together, then at least let him observe the Sabbath day. For the Lord says somewhere, speaking about Himself: "When the bridegroom is taken away from them, in those days they will fast." Therefore, in these days He was taken from us by the Jews, falsely so called, fastened to the cross, and numbered among the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

You shall observe the Sabbath, on account of Him who ceased from His work of creation, but ceased not from His work of providence: it is a rest for meditation of the law, not for idleness of the hands.

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness

...on: In agreement with the sixty-fourth Apostolical Canon, which orders that we must not fast on the Sabbath except for the Great Sabbath, and with the sixty-ninth canon, which severely punishes those who do not fast during Holy Lent, and on every fourth day of the week and day of preparation, this present canon also gives the same ruling.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

But He appointed us to break our fast on the seventh day at the cock-crowing, but to fast on the Sabbath day.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Supporting witness

...ays, while also giving from your abundance to the poor. If anyone fasts on the Lord’s Day or on the Sabbath, except on the paschal Sabbath only, he is a murderer of Christ.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Background

They are more solicitous, however, about abstaining from work on the Sabbath day than all other Jews.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Background

But, moreover, honour the day of the Sabbath, since that day is one of those during which prevails (the power) of these stars.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Background

For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they shall reign with Christ, when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Background

and also over and above these full Sabbaths, a new beginning, in the eight, of a really new rest that remains above the Sabbaths.

Novatian, Connection to Hebrews 4:9 Supporting witness

The Sabbath was the type of our rest in Christ; the spiritual Sabbath is not one day but the entire life of the believer who rests in Christ from sin.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Long Version) Direct teaching

And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days [of the week].

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Short Version) Direct teaching

If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death—whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith, and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master—how shall we be able to live apart from Him, whose disciples the prophets themselves in the Spirit did wait for Him as their Teacher?

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

...ur Savior also rose from the dead on this day. For He was crucified on the day before Saturn's day (Saturday), and on the day after Saturn's day, which is the day of the Sun, He appeared to His apostles and disciples and taught them these things, which we have also shared with you for your consideration.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

But do not let your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth days of the week. But you should either fast all five days, or on the fourth day of the week and on the day of the Preparation. For on the fourth day the sentence against the Lord went out, when Judas promised to betray Him for money. And you must fast on the day of the Preparation, because on that day the Lord suffered death on the cross under Pontius Pilate. But keep the Sabbath and the Lord's Day as a festival, because the first is the memorial of creation, and the second is the memorial of the resurrection. But there is only one Sabbath to be observed by you in the whole year, and that is the Sabbath of our Lord's burial. On that day people ought to keep a fast, and not a festival. For since the Creator was then under the earth, sorrow for Him is stronger than joy for the creation. For the Creator is more honorable in nature and dignity than His own creatures.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

... week, and every day of the Preparation, and bestow the surplus of your fast on the needy. On every Sabbath except one, and on every Lord's Day, hold your solemn assemblies and rejoice. For he will be guilty of sin who fasts on the Lord's Day, since it is the day of the resurrection, or during the time of Pentecost, or, in general, who is sad on a festival day to the Lord. For on those days we ought to rejoice, and not to mourn.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

every Sabbath day excepting one, and every Lord's day, hold your solemn assemblies, and rejoice: for he will be guilty of sin who fasts on the Lord's day, being the day of the resurrection, or during the time of Pentecost, or, in general, who is sad on a festival day to the Lord.

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness

and thus, when the Sabbath itself was wholly past, and also the whole night succeeding it, and when another day had begun, they came, bringing spices and myrrh, and then it became apparent that He had already risen long before.

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness

...ht at once to begin their festival joy and gladness. But in what you wrote to me, you showed very clearly, and with an intelligent understanding of the Holy Scriptures, that they do not seem to give any exact statement of the hour when He rose. For the Evangelists describe differently the people who came one after another to the tomb, and all declare that they found the Lord already risen. Matthew says it was at the end of the Sabbath. John writes that it was early, while it was still dark. Luke says it was very early in the morning. Mark tells us it was very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun. So no one has shown us clearly the exact time when He rose. It is admitted, however, that those who came to the tomb at the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, found that He was no longer lying in it. And let us not suppose that the Evangelists disagree or contradict one another. Even if there seems to be some small difficulty in the matter we are asking about, they all agree that the Light of the world, our Lord, rose on that one night, though they differ about the hour. So we may rightly try, with a wise and faithful mind, to bring their

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness

And Luke says: They rested the Sabbath day, according to the commandment.

Polycarp, The Martyrdom of Polycarp Background

Now, the blessed Polycarp suffered martyrdom on the second day of the month Xanthicus just begun, the seventh day before the Kalends of May, on the great Sabbath, at the eighth hour.