25: Sabbath as a Shadow of Christ

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  • Colossians 2:16–17
  • Hebrews 4:1–11

Theme: Christ as the Fulfilment of the Sabbath and the Reality of Eternal Rest

1. Introduction

By the time of the later New Testament writings, the early Church faced questions about how the Mosaic Sabbath applied to Gentile believers. Colossians 2:16–17 and Hebrews 4:1–11 offer a mature theological reflection: the Sabbath, though rooted in creation and law, is a shadow pointing to the reality of Christ. These passages show that true Sabbath rest is not tied to a calendar day but is fulfilled in faith-union with Jesus and anticipates the eternal rest of God’s kingdom.

2. Biblical Text and Summary

📖 Colossians 2:16–17 (NKJV)

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

📖 Hebrews 4:9–11 (NKJV)

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest…”

3. Theological Themes

A. The Sabbath as a Shadow (Colossians 2)

Paul teaches that:

  • Mosaic Sabbath observance, like festivals and new moons, was a temporary shadow.
  • Christ is the substance (σῶμα, sōma)—the reality to which these shadows pointed.
  • Believers are not to be judged based on Sabbath-keeping, as the fulfilment has arrived in Christ.

This does not denigrate the Sabbath, but places it within its redemptive-historical context:

The Sabbath anticipated the rest and restoration that Christ now provides.

B. Sabbath Rest as an Ongoing Reality (Hebrews 4)

The author of Hebrews:

  • Connects God’s creation rest (Genesis 2:2) with Israel’s failure to enter the Promised Land rest (Psalm 95).
  • Declares that there remains a spiritual “Sabbath rest” (σαββατισμός, sabbatismos) for believers.
  • This rest is entered by faith in Christ, ceasing from self-reliant works and trusting in His finished work.

4. The Fulfilment of the Sabbath in Christ

Jesus fulfils the Sabbath in multiple ways:

  1. Creation – As Lord of creation (John 1:3), He brings new creation rest (2 Corinthians 5:17).
  2. Redemption – His cry on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), parallels God’s rest after creation.
  3. Eschatology – He inaugurates a rest that will be fully consummated in the new heavens and earth (Revelation 21:1–5).

Thus, the Sabbath commandment is not abolished but deepened and transformed:

It is no longer a legal obligation tied to a single day, but a life lived in Christ’s completed work.

5. Practical and Discipleship Implications

A. Freedom from Legalism

  • Believers are not bound to observe the Sabbath in the Mosaic sense (Romans 14:5–6).
  • Sabbath rest should not be a cause for judgment or division in the Church.

B. Invitation into True Rest

  • The Sabbath teaches us to cease striving and rest in God’s grace.
  • Weekly rhythms of rest and worship can be spiritually formative, even if not legislated.

C. Anticipation of Eternal Rest

  • Our earthly rest points forward to the eternal Sabbath rest in the kingdom of God (Hebrews 4:9–11; Revelation 14:13).

6. Scholarly Perspectives

  • F.F. Bruce notes that Hebrews 4 reframes the Sabbath in eschatological terms: “Every day is God’s Sabbath for the believer who rests in Christ.”
  • Douglas Moo observes that Colossians 2 emphasises freedom, while Hebrews 4 emphasises invitation into Christ’s rest.
  • Tom Schreiner explains that the Sabbath principle “is not abolished but transformed,” fulfilled in Christ and the eternal rest to come.

7. New Testament Reflection

These passages harmonise with Jesus’ own teaching:

  • “Come to Me… and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
  • He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27–28), able to define its meaning.

The first day gathering of the Church (Sunday) (Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10) celebrates the resurrection, but it is not a new legalistic Sabbath. The focus is on rest in Christ, not ritual observance.

8. Conclusion

Colossians 2 and Hebrews 4 together declare that the Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ. We rest not in a day, but in a Person—the One who completed the work of salvation and invites us into His eternal rest. Observing rhythms of rest and worship is wise and biblical, but believers are free from judgment regarding Sabbaths, because the substance has come.

9. Cross-References

  • Genesis 2:2–3 – God’s creation rest
  • Exodus 20:8–11 – Sabbath commandment
  • Matthew 11:28–30 – Jesus gives rest
  • Romans 14:5–6 – Freedom regarding sacred days
  • Revelation 14:13 – Eternal rest for God’s people
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