Jesus Isn’t Your Sabbath
This is another very common objection to the Sabbath. Many will often claim, “Jesus is my Sabbath!” This, of course, is just an excuse to reject the real Sabbath and to continue doing what you want. Let’s look at it from the Bible.
Many will often reference the following Scripture:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30.)
The word for rest here is, anapaúō, and it doesn't mean any kind of Sabbath. It means to repose, to refresh, to recover and collect strength. Nothing in this Scripture says that Jesus is your Sabbath, or my Sabbath. The context that Jesus spoke these words in was in describing the character of those who had rejected Him, and then pronouncing woes on a few cities of Israel. But as God often does, Jesus ends this discourse of judgment with a message of mercy, and an appeal, that those who wish may find rest and forgiveness in Him.
Many people will also claim one of the following to say Jesus is the Sabbath. But notice how each says that Jesus is Lord OF, not IS, the Sabbath.
For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. (Matthew 12:8.)
Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:28.)
The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. (Luke 6:5.)
Another commonly used Scripture to claim Jesus is the Sabbath is found here:
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works…There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:4, 9).
The context here is a continuation from Hebrews 3, where Paul is speaking of the unbelief of Israel. Jesus wanted to give them rest, but they entrenched themselves in rebellion and unbelief. Joshua himself could not give them the rest they needed, because he was a mere human.
The Bible also here makes an appeal in Hebrews 3 and 4, saying that if we hear God’s voice, we must respond, and not stubbornly persist in unbelief as Israel did. And the Bible then specifically connects the Sabbath to this idea of finding rest in Jesus, explicitly saying that the Sabbath remains.
Now you may be saying, it says rest, not Sabbath. No, actually, it says Sabbath. The word for rest here means in the Greek, a keeping Sabbath, according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon. What we fail to find here is the phrase, or even the concept of, Jesus is our Sabbath now. Paul was very specific and would’ve clearly said such a thing if that’s what it became.
Think about it. In Acts 15, there was an uproar, a controversy, among the Jewish Christians when they were told the Ceremonial Law was no longer in effect. The Sabbath, coming before sin, is not part of this Ceremonial Law. There would’ve been just a big an uproar, if not bigger, if they were told the Sabbath no longer was required.
You see, the Sabbath has always been the sign of spiritual rest in Christ. Hebrews 4 is simply repeating what we find in these Scriptures below:
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you…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 the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:13, 16-17.)
Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them…And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. (Ezekiel 20:12, 20.)
Now, there are those that will see these Old Testament Scriptures and say, “See! It says Israel! It was only for the Jews!” As if that somehow releases them from obedience. Haven’t you ever thought it strange that the only Commandment people want to forget is the only one that begins with Remember?
But for these people, please read Romans 2:28-29, and Galatians 3:28:29, and answer the following questions:
Where were the Jews in Eden?
Isaiah 66 says the Sabbath will be kept in Heaven and the New Earth, so will only Jews be there?
Furthermore, Jesus Himself kept the Sabbath as we see in many Scriptures, such as Luke 4:16. The Bible also says:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:3-6.)
Jesus Himself said in John 15:10 that He kept the Commandments, and in Matthew 24:20, He extended the Sabbath Commandment. Notice:
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day… (Matthew 24:20.)
Jesus was prophesying three things: the destruction of Jerusalem, the persecution of the dark ages when the Catholic Papacy ruled Europe with an iron fist, and the end times. And yet He reminds us to keep the Sabbath, without adding ANY caveats whatsoever.
The Bible prophesied of the ministry of Jesus, saying:
The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. (Isaiah 42:21.)
Does this Scripture sound to you like His mission was to abolish the Ten Commandments? No, quite the opposite. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount was an expansion of what the Ten Commandments have always meant.
Notice what Paul says:
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law…What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 3:31, 6:1-2.)
And what does the Bible define as sin? 1 John 3:4 says sin is the transgression of the Law. Read my blog about what Paul taught about the Ten Commandments to see that the Bible is here referring to that Great Law, and not to any man made theory about it.
There is one more point to make. Jesus cannot be what is created. Notice:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3.)
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:16-18.)
We see the Sabbath created and given to mankind before sin, in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, it cannot be the Law that Paul speaks of in Galatians 3:19 that was added because of sin. Therefore, Jesus cannot be the Sabbath.
Lastly, if you truly believe that Jesus is the Sabbath, answer these questions:
Is Jesus also, “Thou shalt not kill?”
Is He also, “Honor thy Father and Mother?”
Is Jesus, “Thou shalt not commit adultery?”
Does this then give us license to come up with our own versions of taking life, or of honoring parental figures? So why are you singling out the Fourth Commandment and spiritualizing it away to say Jesus has become that one, and not the others?
The truth is that people say Jesus is the Sabbath for the same reason they say the Sabbath was changed: tradition, and love of sin. The Sabbath is a call to complete surrender to Jesus, and victory over sin. In fact, the Bible calls us to flee sin. But most people only crawl away and hope their favorite sin catches up with them.
