Early Christian Views on the Sabbath

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.

Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Supporting witness

and that thence it was, likewise, that Moses said to the People: Remember the day of the sabbaths, to sanctify it: every servile work you shall not do therein, except what pertains unto life.

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.

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

... as their Lord and Saviour, saying, "He will come and save us." Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath in the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness; for "he that does not work, let him not eat." For say the [holy] oracles, "In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread." But let each of you keep the Sabbath in a spiritual manner, rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in relaxation of the body, admiring the craftsmanship 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 applause which have no sense in them. 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]. Looking forward to this, the prophet declared, "To the end, for the eighth day," on which our life both sprang up again, and the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, "whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things," who are "lovers of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying

Novatian, Connection to Exodus 20:8 Direct teaching

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

Novatian, Connection to Hebrews 4:9 Direct teaching

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.

Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Supporting witness

...rks that He made. They also say that this is why Moses said to the people, “Remember the day of the Sabbaths, to keep it holy: you shall do no servile work in it, except what pertains to life.” From this, we Christians understand that we ought even more to keep a sabbath from all servile work at all times, and not only every seventh day, but throughout all time. And because of this, the question arises for us: what sabbath did God will us to keep? For the Scriptures point to an eternal sabbath and a temporal sabbath. For Isaiah the prophet says, “My soul hates your Sabbaths,” Isaiah 1:13, and in another place he says, “You have profaned My Sabbaths.” From this we see that the temporal sabbath is human, and the eternal sabbath is counted as divine. About this He predicts through Isaiah: “And it shall be,” He says, “month after month, and day after day, and sabbath after sabbath; and all flesh shall come to worship in Jerusalem,” says the Lord. We understand this to have been fulfilled in the times of Christ, when all flesh—that is, every nation—came to worship God the Father in Jerusalem through Jesus Christ His Son, just as was predicted through the prophet: “Behold, proselytes

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

For because the eighth day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, was to be that on which the Lord should rise again, and should quicken us, and give us circumcision of the spirit, the eighth day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, and the Lord's day, went before in the figure;

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.

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) Supporting witness

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?

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching

But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world;

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

And on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent Him to us, and condescended to let Him suffer, and raised Him from the dead.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...ration, 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 Direct teaching

O Lord Almighty, You created the world through Christ, and You appointed the Sabbath in memory of it. On that day You made us rest from our works so that we might meditate on Your laws. You also appointed festivals for the joy of our souls, so that we might remember that wisdom which was created by You: how He accepted being made of a woman for our sake; how He appeared in this life and showed Himself in His baptism; how He who appeared is both God and man; how He suffered for us by Your permission, and died, and rose again by Your power. For this reason, we solemnly gather on the Lord's day to celebrate the feast of the resurrection, and we rejoice because of Him who has conquered death and has brought life and immortality to light. For through Him You have brought the Gentiles home to Yourself as a people for Your own possession, the true Israel, beloved by God and seeing God. For You, O Lord, brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt and delivered them out of the iron furnace, from clay and brick-making. You redeemed them from the hands of Pharaoh and of those under him. You led them through the sea as through dry land, endured their ways in the wilderness, and gave them all

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

We have said that the Sabbath is on account of the creation, and the Lord's day of the resurrection.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

...and all their host. And on the sixth day God finished His works that He had made, and rested on the seventh day from all His works that He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His works, which God began to create.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...nd the fourth word is the one that shows that the world was created by God, and that He gave us the seventh day as a rest because of the trouble in life. For God cannot grow weary, suffer, or be in need. But we, who bear flesh, need rest. Therefore, the seventh day is proclaimed as a rest—an escape from troubles—preparing for the Primal Day, our true rest. This, in truth, is the first creation of light, in which all things are seen and possessed. From this day, the first wisdom and knowledge shine on us. For the light of truth—a true light, casting no shadow—is the Spirit of God, indivisibly divided to all who are sanctified by faith, serving as a light for the knowledge of real things that exist. Therefore, by following Him through our whole life, we become impassible; and this is what it means to rest.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

But we who bear flesh need rest. The seventh day, therefore, is proclaimed a rest — abstraction from ills — preparing for the Primal Day, our true rest;

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

God completed the world and this admirable work of nature in the space of six days, as is contained in the secrets of Holy Scripture, and consecrated the seventh day, on which He had rested from His works.

Barnabas, The Epistle of Barnabas Supporting witness

Further, also, it is written concerning the Sabbath in the Decalogue which [the Lord] spoke, face to face, to Moses on Mount Sinai, “And sanctify ye the Sabbath of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart.” And He says in another place, “If my sons keep the Sabbath, then will I cause my mercy to rest upon them.” The Sabbath is mentioned at the beginning of the creation [thus]: “And God made in six days the works of His hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it.” Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, “He finished in six days.” This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

But this is the Sabbath day, which in the language of the Hebrews received its name from the number, whence the seventh is the legitimate and complete number.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

...the woman and said to those without faith like Abraham, “You hypocrites, doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey and lead it to water? Shouldn't this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years, be freed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Clearly, He freed and revived those who believe in Him as Abraham did, without doing anything against the law when He healed on the Sabbath. The law did not forbid healing on the Sabbath; in fact, it allowed circumcision on that day and required priests to perform duties for the people. It didn’t even prohibit healing animals. Both in Siloam and on many other occasions, He healed on the Sabbath, and for this reason, many came to Him on the Sabbath. The law commanded them to refrain from all servile work, meaning from all pursuit of wealth through trading or other worldly activities, but encouraged them to engage in spiritual exercises, involving reflection and helpful communication for their neighbors' benefit. Therefore, the Lord reproved those who unjustly criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath. He did not nullify the law but fulfilled it by performing the duties of the high priest, seeking favor fr

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

While Jesus was walking on the Sabbath day among the sown fields, his disciples were hungry. They were rubbing the ears in their hands and eating. But some of the Pharisees, when they saw them, said to him, "Look, why do your disciples do on the Sabbath day what is not lawful?" But Jesus said to them, "Have you not read in olden time what David did when he had need and was hungry, he and those who were with him? How he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the table of the Lord, which it was not lawful for any to eat except the priests, and also gave to those who were with him?" And he said to them, "The Sabbath was created because of man, and man was not created because of the Sabbath." Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and yet they are blameless? I say to you now that what is greater than the temple is here. If you had known this, "I love mercy, not sacrifice," you would not have condemned those on whom is no blame. The Lord of the Sabbath is the Son of Man. And his relatives heard, and went out to take him, and said, "He has gone out of his mind."

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

Luke 13:10 While Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day, there was a woman there who had had a spirit of disease for eighteen years. Luke 13:11 She was bent over and could not straighten herself at all. Luke 13:12 When Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, be freed from your disease." Luke 13:13 And he put his hand on her, and immediately she was made straight and praised God. Luke 13:14 But the leader of the synagogue answered with anger because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and he said to the crowds, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Luke 13:15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath day untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and go and give it water?" Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, and whom the devil has bound for eighteen years, be freed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" Luke 13:17 And when he said this, all those who were standing against him were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the wonders that came from his hand.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

On the next Sabbath day, he entered the synagogue and was teaching. There was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath day, so that they might find a way to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man whose hand was withered, “Rise and come forward into the middle of the synagogue.” When he came and stood there, Jesus said to them, “I ask you, what is lawful to do on the Sabbath day: good or evil? To save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts. And he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand became sound. Then he said to them, “Which one of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will not take hold of it and lift it out? How much better is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...lso told us that Moses commanded that a man should be punished and stoned if he did any work on the Sabbath, and if he did not continue in all things written in the law, as happened in the case of the man who, though ignorant, had gathered a bundle of sticks on the Sabbath day. Yet Jesus healed a cripple on the Sabbath, and then told him to take up his bed. Further, He did not stop His disciples from plucking heads of grain and rubbing them with their hands on the Sabbath day, even though this was a thing that it was unlawful to do on the Sabbaths. And why should I mention other examples? For he presented many different arguments of the same kind with the greatest force and the hottest zeal. In the same way, by the authority of an apostle, he tried to prove that the law of Moses is the law of death, and that the law of Jesus, on the other hand, is the law of life. He based that claim on the passage that says: "In which also may God make us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...ercy is as acceptable as if one were to give up everything at once. Again, as to the claim that the Sabbath has been abolished, we deny that He plainly abolished it, for He Himself was also Lord of the Sabbath. And the law's relation to the Sabbath was like the servant who has charge of the bridegroom's chamber. He prepares it carefully and does not allow it to be disturbed or touched by any stranger, but keeps it whole until the bridegroom arrives. Then, when he has come, it may be used as he pleases, or as it is granted to those whom he has invited to enter with him. And the Lord Jesus Christ Himself testified to what we say when He said with His heavenly voice, "Can you make the children of the bride-chamber fast so long as the bridegroom is with them?" Again, He did not actually reject circumcision. Rather, we should say that He took into Himself, and in our place, the reason for circumcision. He relieved us by what He Himself endured, and did not allow us to suffer pain for no purpose. For what profit can there be for a man in circumcising himself if he still holds the worst thoughts against his neighbor? Accordingly, He desired instead to open to us the ways of the fullest

Luke 6:5 Direct teaching

And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Mark 2:27 Direct teaching

And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:8 Direct teaching

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Mark 2:28 Direct teaching

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Matthew 12:2 Supporting witness

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.