5) The Sabbath in the New Testament
The apostles, the early church, and controversial texts about the Sabbath
Many Christians believe the Sabbath was abolished in the New Testament. Is this true? In this lesson, we will examine how the apostles and the early church related to the Sabbath, and analyze the texts frequently used to defend its abolition.
The Practice of the Apostles
Paul had the same “custom” as Jesus — to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. And it was not just to reach Jews; in Acts 13:42-44, the Gentiles ask to hear the preaching “on the next Sabbath.”
If Paul wanted to change the day of worship to Sunday, why did he not tell the Gentiles: “Come back tomorrow, on Sunday”? Instead, the whole city gathered “on the next Sabbath.”
In Acts 18:4, Paul reasoned in the synagogue “every Sabbath.” Verse 11 says he stayed there a year and six months — approximately 78 Sabbaths! And this is only in Corinth.
“The fact that Paul reasoned in the synagogues ‘every Sabbath’ shows that he did not consider the Sabbath abolished. If Sunday had been the new day of worship, Paul would have preached on Sunday.” — Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
What About References to Sunday?
The meeting in Acts 20:7 was at night (v.8), at a farewell gathering (v.7), where Paul preached until midnight because he would leave the next day. It was not a regular Sunday service, but a special farewell meeting.
The text says “each of you set something aside” (at home), there is no meeting mentioned! Paul wanted the collection ready when he arrived, without having to gather offerings in a rush. It was an administrative instruction, not a liturgical one.
Frequently Misinterpreted Texts
The context of Romans 14 is about food (v.2-3) and fasting days (v.5-6). The chapter deals with matters of conscience about ceremonial practices, not the Ten Commandments. Paul would never put the Sabbath of the fourth commandment in debate!
The context speaks of ordinances “that were against us” (v.14). The Sabbath of creation was never against us. It was given as a blessing! The “Sabbaths” mentioned are the ceremonial Sabbaths linked to Jewish feasts (see Leviticus 23).
The context of Galatians is about salvation by works of the law vs. grace. The Galatians were returning to previous practices (v.9) — either Gentile paganism or Jewish legalism. Paul is not abolishing the Sabbath, but condemning the misuse of the law as a means of salvation.
“The Sabbath was included in the law given at Sinai, but was not then presented for the first time. The people of Israel had knowledge of it before arriving at Sinai.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 296
The Sabbath in New Testament Prophecy
Jesus expected His disciples to still keep the Sabbath 40 years after the cross! If the Sabbath would be abolished at the cross, why would Jesus be concerned about fleeing on the Sabbath in 70 A.D.?
And Now?
The evidence from the New Testament is clear:
- The apostles kept the Sabbath: There is no record of change
- Texts about Sunday prove nothing: References are rare and not liturgical
- Texts “against” the Sabbath have another context: Ceremonial feasts, legalism, not the Sabbath of creation
- Jesus expected the keeping of the Sabbath after the cross: Matthew 24:20
The silence of the New Testament about any change is deafening. If something as fundamental as the day of worship were changed, there would be clear instructions!
After examining the evidence of the New Testament, I recognize that the apostles continued keeping the Sabbath and that there is no command for change. The texts frequently used against the Sabbath, when analyzed in context, do not abolish it. I desire to base my faith on Scripture, not on traditional interpretations.