8: Remember the Sabbath – Rest, Resistance, and Renewal

The Ten Commandments and the Teachings of Jesus: A Theological, Cultural, and Political Exposition

1. Introduction

The fourth commandment introduces a rhythm of divine rest into the moral framework of God’s people. The Sabbath is not merely a day off but a sacred institution, anchored in creation, covenant, and redemption. It represents a divinely instituted boundary between labour and worship, production and identity, human striving and divine sufficiency. Jesus, rather than abolishing the Sabbath, reorients it around Himself—declaring its true purpose and messianic fulfilment. This entry explores the theological, cultural, and Christological meaning of the Sabbath commandment.

2. Text and Translation

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work… For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth… but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
— Exodus 20:8–11

Cf. Deuteronomy 5:12–15 – which adds: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt…”

Hebrew: שָׁבוּעַ (shabbāt) – “cease, rest”

The command includes both a prohibition of work and a positive call to sanctify time, grounded in:

  • Creation (Exod. 20) – pattern of divine rest
  • Redemption (Deut. 5) – memory of deliverance from slavery

3. Historical and Cultural Background

In the ancient Near East, no known society apart from Israel observed a regular weekly day of rest. The Egyptians, from whom Israel had just escaped, demanded unrelenting labour (Exod. 1:13–14). The Canaanites practised fertility cycles but not Sabbath observance. Thus, Sabbath marked a radical departure from surrounding cultures:

  • A day of non-production in a production-driven world
  • A day of equality (servants and strangers rest equally – Exod. 20:10)
  • A day of worship and memory, not leisure or idleness

The Sabbath was a sign of covenant identity (Exod. 31:13) and a declaration of trust in God’s provision.

4. Theological Significance of Sabbath

The Sabbath reflects four foundational theological truths:

  1. God is Creator – Rest mirrors divine action (Gen. 2:2–3)
  2. God is Redeemer – Rest celebrates deliverance (Deut. 5:15)
  3. God is Provider – Rest requires trust in God’s sufficiency (Exod. 16:23–30)
  4. God is Holy – Rest sanctifies time, aligning it with divine rhythm

The Sabbath is not a burden, but a gift: a weekly return to wholeness, worship, and rest from toil.

5. Jesus’ Teaching and Fulfilment of the Sabbath

Jesus does not abolish the Sabbath but reveals its true purpose and limitations in light of the Kingdom of God.

a. Lord of the Sabbath

“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
— Matthew 12:8

By healing on the Sabbath (e.g. Matt. 12:9–13; Luke 13:10–17) and defending His disciples’ grain-picking (Matt. 12:1–7), Jesus:

  • Affirms the human-centred nature of Sabbath
  • Rejects Pharisaic legalism
  • Claims authority to interpret and fulfil the Sabbath law

b. Sabbath Made for Man

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
— Mark 2:27

Jesus restores the Sabbath as a blessing, not a burden—meant to serve human flourishing, not constrain it with ritualistic restrictions.

c. Christ as Sabbath Rest

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28

“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works.”
— Hebrews 4:9–10

Jesus offers a deeper, spiritual rest—freedom from self-justification, performance, and bondage to sin. He embodies the Sabbath.

6. Cultural and Political Implications

In both Moses’ and Jesus’ contexts, Sabbath observance was politically subversive:

  • In Egypt, resting from labour was inconceivable
  • In Roman-occupied Judea, Sabbath was a marker of Jewish identity and resistance
  • For early Christians, Sabbath observance became contentious, especially between Jewish and Gentile believers (Col. 2:16–17)

Jesus challenges both Roman consumerism and Pharisaic control, redefining Sabbath around grace and liberation. True rest is not found in a day, but in a Person.

7. Contemporary Application and Practice

Today, the Sabbath commandment challenges modern society’s idols of:

  • Productivity and efficiency
  • Consumerism and burnout
  • Achievement and self-worth

For the Christian, Sabbath is not a legal requirement, but a spiritual principle of rest, worship, and trust.

  • Sabbath practices may include:
    • Intentional disengagement from work
    • Communal worship and Scripture reflection
    • Restorative activities (silence, nature, fellowship)

Sabbath becomes an act of resistance—against endless consumption, against anxiety, and against the lie that identity is earned.

8. Conclusion

The fourth commandment calls us to remember, resist, and rest. Rooted in creation and redemption, the Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus, who gives rest not only from physical labour but from spiritual striving. In a restless world, to remember the Sabbath is to remember who God is, what He has done, and who we are in Him.

Home