Wait, What Does 'Sabbath' Actually Mean?
The concept of the Sabbath began at the beginning of time. God gave his people an example to follow: "On the sixth day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation" (Genesis 2:2-3).
So what is Sabbath's meaning, exactly? It's both a concept and a period of time, which has been understood in different ways among various religions. Regardless of how one observes the Sabbath, its benefits are many. Let's dive into its greater meaning, and what it looks like in practice.
What Is the True Meaning of Sabbath?
A properly balanced life will include both labor and rest. This concept is timeless. It's in Exodus where Moses introduces us to the term "Sabbath." God was hard at work again, providing a complaining people with food as they wandered in the wilderness. In the evening, quail covered the camp, and in the morning manna appeared, like frost on the ground. The Israelites learned a lesson the hard way, they should collect only enough food for the day, but on the sixth day, they were instructed to gather twice as much.
"This is what the Lord has commanded: Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord" (Exodus 16:23). The Sabbath should look different than other days, and would require some preparation.
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What Does 'Sabbath' Mean?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "sabbath" means "[1] the seventh day of the week observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians, [2] Sunday observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship, and [3] a time of rest."
"Sabbath" (also translated as "Shabbat"), is mentioned more than 100 times in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, it's mentioned more than 50 additional times.
What Did Jesus Mean by the Sabbath?
In the days of Jesus, a weekly Sabbath ritual had already been established—it was centuries old. An article from myjewishlearning.com, reprinted from Harper's Bible Dictionary, references early observances in a historical document "Contemporary documents from a Jewish colony in Elephantine, Egypt, likewise mention the Sabbath, attesting to its recognition by Diaspora (i.e., non-Palestinian) Jews in the fifth century BCE."
Here are some examples of Bible verses explaining what could (and could not) be done on the Sabbath:
"You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings on the Sabbath day" (Exodus 35:3).
"Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a Sabbath to the Lord throughout your settlements" (Leviticus 23:3).
"You shall put pure frankincense with each row, to be a token offering for the bread, as an offering by fire to the Lord. Every Sabbath day Aaron shall set them in order before the Lord regularly as a commitment of the Israelites, as a covenant forever" (Leviticus 24:7-8).
"And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath and do not profane it and hold fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples" (Isaiah 56:2-7).
When Jesus walked the dusty streets of Galilee and Judea, we have evidence in scripture that he observed a Jewish calendar, which would have included the Sabbath. Often, his actions on the Sabbath, and the parables he told, went to the heart of the concept of "sabbath," as put forth by God in the beginning. A number of times, he healed people on the Sabbath, and his disciples were caught plucking grain to eat on the Sabbath (see Matthew 12).
Jesus seemed more concerned with the spirit of the law, and why God had commanded us to observe the Sabbath in the first place. Certainly, he wasn't the only one focused on the heart of the matter, but we're fortunate to have the recorded gospels that give us the examples of Jesus. He would have been familiar with Isaiah's prophetic vision of the Sabbath: joyful, acceptable to God, a time of prayer and for foreigners too.
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What Is the Sabbath in Judaism?
Considering Jewish Sabbath customs is a fascinating walk through history and around the world. It takes some prep work, but just before sundown on Friday night, all starts to go still. The Jewish faithful greet one another with the words "Shabbat Shalom" ("Sabbath [of] peace"). Candles are lit by the women, and participants cover their eyes and recite one or more of several formal blessings, starting with the kiddush. Then, everyone sits down to a festive meal, including such things as challah bread, fish and soup with matzah balls. Going into Saturday, people continue to rest, and at least two other meals are served. Often, the Sabbath includes time at the local synagogue as well.
The Torah gives two reasons for observing Shabbat. In Exodus, the fourth of the Ten Commandments says: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8), and in another book offering the Ten Commandments: "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm" (Deuteronomy 5:15).
What Can't You Do on Sabbath Day?
To this day for religiously observant Jews, there are thirty-nine recognized actions that are forbidden during the Sabbath, with several similar actions included as derivatives of the thirty-nine activities. They come from the Talmud (the central text of Rabbinic Judaism) and are known as the 39 Melachot (categories of work).
These actions are typically divided into six categories; field work, making material curtains, making leather curtains, making the beams of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the putting up and the taking down of the Mishkan, and the Mishkan's final touches. In simpler terms, things like putting out a fire, turning off or on electric appliances, driving a vehicle, and tying a knot in such things as a garbage bag or one's shoes, are forbidden. In life-threatening situations, any and all Shabbat restrictions are lifted.
What Is the Sabbath in Christianity?
Because many of the earliest Christians were converts from Judaism, they continued to observe a Sabbath. Gradually, their weekly observance moved to Sunday. According to a Christianity Today article, by the second century, it was recognized as the Lord's Day, and included such activities as "readings from Scripture (particularly the Gospels), a sermon, communal prayer, and Communion."
While there's still an emphasis on Christians having a day of rest, it points more to the idea of God establishing that respite from the earliest days of creation. A Christian Lord's Day looks different from a traditional Shabbat service as one would find in Judaism. There are a number of Christians who observe various Jewish customs and festivals, including a weekly Sabbath, but this is tied to a desire to live according to the ways of Jesus.
