An Assignment On

Sabbath Day
Submitted to
Shahla Shahreen

Lecturer

Department of World Religions and Culture

University of Dhaka

Submitted by
Sabbir Ahmed

2nd year, 3rd semester

Roll:107
Tutorial group : H

Department of World Religions and Culture

University of Dhaka

Date of submission : 16/07/2020

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Contents of the subject

1. Definition of Sabbath
2. History and Etymology for Sabbath
3. Background

4. Jewish view

5. Christian view

6. Catholic views

7. Lutheran views

8. Reformed views

9. Methodist views

10.Latter-day Saints views

11.Seventh-day Adventists

12.Conclusion

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Definition of Sabbath
1a: 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
B: Sunday observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship
2: a time of rest
The History of Sabbatical and Sabbath: Take a Break
We tend to think of sabbatical in academic terms, as a school year free from teaching duties that can be
devoted to research, travel, and writing. Traditionally, this occurs every seventh year. Because of this
scholarly context, we may easily miss what is hiding in plain sight: that sabbatical is related to Sabbath,
which refers to the Biblical day of rest, or the seventh day. We trace the origins of both sabbatical and
Sabbath to the Greek word sabbaton. Sabbaton itself traces to the Hebrew word Sabbath, meaning
“rest.”

The Old Testament refers to God’s “day of rest” most famously in Genesis, but Sabbath referring to an
entire year of rest is mentioned in Leviticus (25:3-5):

Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit
thereof;

But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt
neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

That which growth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy
vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

Sabbatical is also used as an adjective to refer specifically to the rules governing the observance of the
Sabbath, as in “sabbatical laws.”

History and Etymology for Sabbath

Middle English sabat, from Anglo-French & Old English, from Latin sabbatum, from Greek sabbaton,
from Hebrew Sabbath, literally, a day of the week that is regularly observed as a day of rest and worship.
Jews observe the Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Hebrew: ‫ )ֹוק ְַּׁ קַבָ תַׁ בַׁ שֹו א םָי תֶ א רֹוכָז‬is one of the Ten
Commandments found in the Hebrew Bible.

The full text of the commandment reads:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, 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, you, or your son, or
your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is
within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

— Exodus 20:8-11

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Background
According to the biblical narrative, when God revealed the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at
biblical Mount Sinai, they were commanded to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy by not doing any
work and allowing the whole household to cease from work. This was in recognition of God's act of
creation and the special status that God had conferred on the seventh day during the creation week.

Ancient understanding

The Torah portrays the Sabbath concept both in terms of resting on the seventh day and allowing land
to lie fallow during each seventh year. The motivation is described as going beyond a sign and
remembrance of Yahweh's original rest during the creation week and extends to a concern that one's
servants, family, and livestock be able to rest and be refreshed from their work. In addition to the
instruction to rest on each seventh day and seventh year, periods of seven days are often relevant
aspects of Biblical instructions. For example, the quarantine period for suspected skin diseases after
initial examination by a priest was seven days, after which the priest would re-examine the skin and
pronounce the person clean or unclean. Other special days included the day after the seventh
Sabbath,[8] the first day of the seventh month, the day of ritual cleansing after being healed from an
unclean disease or other event bringing uncleanness. In addition, in the battle of Jericho, Joshua
commanded the army to march around Jericho each day for seven consecutive days and to March
around Jericho seven times on the seventh day.

The Torah describes disobedience to the command to keep the Sabbath day holy as punishable by death
and failing to observe Sabbath years would be compensated for during the captivity that would result
from breaking covenant. The Torah also describes how special bread was to be set out before Yahweh
Sabbath by Sabbath and describes Sabbath day offerings.

The Day of Atonement was regarded as a "Sabbath of Sabbaths" It was on this day alone that the Kohen
Gadol (High Priest) entered the Kodesh Hakodashim (Most Holy Place) inside the Tabernacle where the
Ark of the Covenant contained the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were engraved. The
presence of YHWH in the Kadesh Hakodashim on that yearly day, upon the mercy seat, required that the
Kohen Gadol be first purified by the sacrifice of a bull in a prescribed manner. Entering the Most Holy
Place on other days or without fulfilling the ritual requirements would subject the priest to death.

In the same way that observing the Sabbath did not prevent Joshua from marching around Jericho for
seven consecutive days, Sabbath observance did not prevent the chief priest Jehoiada from organizing a
palace coup on the Sabbath in order to remove queen Ataliah from the throne and replace her with
Joash, a rightful heir to the throne. Ataliah had murdered all the other heirs to the throne upon the
death of Ahaziah and usurped the throne of Judah for herself. Jehoiada's wife had rescued young Joash,
and Jehoiada had kept him hidden for six years while Ataliah reigned as queen over Judah. The priest
Jehoiada used the occasion of the transfer of the guard on the Sabbath to proclaim Joash as king
because at that time, he could arrange twice the normal guard on duty at the temple of Yahweh. On

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that day, a covenant was made, Joash was proclaimed king, Ataliah was put to death, the temple of Baal
was torn down, idols were smashed, and Mattan, the priest of Baal, was killed.

A number of the prophets condemn desecration of the Sabbath with various forms of work, including
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Amos. According to Nehemiah, after the captives return to Jerusalem from
Exile, they make a covenant which includes a promise to refrain from desecrating the Sabbath, yet some
give in to the ongoing temptation to buy and sell on the Sabbath. As a result, Nehemiah has to rebuke
them and station guards to prevent commerce in Jerusalem on the Sabbath.

Jewish view
Main article: Shabbat

Ibn Ezra taught that the Exodus account of the Ten Commandments contains the text exactly as written
on the stone tablets and that the different version in Deuteronomy contains Moses words which remind
Israel to obey the commandments, "as the LORD your God has commanded you." Ibn Ezra explains that
Moses did not need to re-iterate the reference to six days of creation at the beginning of the
commandment in Deuteronomy, because the command in Deuteronomy itself refers back to the
command from Exodus with the words "as YHWH your Elohim has commanded you." Instead, Moses
revealed in Deuteronomy the motive for the command that slaves rest on the Sabbath day in order that
Israel remember that they were slaves in Egypt and that God redeemed them.

Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (the Ramban) also views the Exodus version of the Sabbath day
commandment as a direct recitation by God, and the version in Deuteronomy as Moses’ personal
reconstruction and exposition. The Ramban explains that Moses wishes to emphasize that the
prohibition of work extends even to agricultural work aimed at food production. He further explains the
difference in the stated rationals (creation in Exodus, exodus in Deuteronomy). The exodus from Egypt
serves as further evidence of Yah's creation of the world. God's awesome display of power during the
exodus annuls any doubts regarding YHWH as creator, because only the creator can possess such total
control over the elements.

Thus the Sabbath is a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, and the exodus is a remembrance of the
Sabbath, for on it [the Sabbath] they remember and say that it is Elohim who ... created everything at
the beginning of creation ... Now he did not explain here [in Deuteronomy] that the reason for the rest
[on the Sabbath] is that in six days the Eternal made heaven since this has already been mentioned
many times in the Torah. Instead...he explained to them that from the Exodus from Egypt they will know
that it was He who spoke and the world came into existence, and He ceased from work thereon.’[26]

Maimonides (the Rambam) gives equal footing to both rationals for the Sabbath command:

YHWH commanded us to abstain from work on the Sabbath, and to rest, for two purposes; namely, (1)
that we might confirm the true theory, that of the Creation, which at once and clearly leads to the
theory of the existence of God. (2) That we might remember how kind God had been in freeing us from

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the burden of the Egyptians - The Sabbath is therefore a double blessing: it gives us correct notions, and
also promotes the well-being of our bodies.

Christian view
See also: Sabbath in Christianity

New Testament

See also: Biblical Sabbath

Moral imperatives mirroring nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament, but
the commandment regarding the Sabbath is notably absent. However, the background and Jewish
understanding of the Sabbath commandment underscore much of the New Testament narratives and
discussion. For example, Jesus is described as pointing out to the Jews their misunderstanding of the
Mosaic Law by making observance of the Sabbath more rigorous than God had commanded. It was not
unlawful to eat on the Sabbath, even if food must be obtained by plucking grain from the ears. It was
not unlawful to do good on the Sabbath day. Healing was a work of mercy, and Jesus, portrayed as Lord
of the Sabbath, was merciful. Consequently, criticisms of healing on the Sabbath were unjustified.

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to
pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your
disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered
the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for
them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in
the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If
you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned
the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.
Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" He said to
them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift
it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the
Sabbath."

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored,
just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

— Matthew 12:1-14 NIV [30]

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Catholic views
The Catholic Church views the commandment to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" (Exodus
20:8-10) as an essential part of observing the command to "love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul and with all your mind."(Mark 2:27-28) Catholic teaching emphasizes the holiness
of the Sabbath day (Exodus 31:15), connects the Sabbath with God's rest after the six days of creation
(Exodus 20:11), views the Sabbath as a reminder of Israel's liberation from bondage (Deuteronomy 5:15),
and views God's example of resting on the seventh day as an example for human resting and protesting
the servitude of work and the worship of money. (Exodus 31:17, 23:12) The Catechism of the Catholic
Church discusses many incidents when Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath law, and points out
that Jesus never fails to respect the holiness of this day. (Mark 1:21, John 9:16) Jesus is described as
giving the Sabbath law its authentic and authoritative interpretation: "The Sabbath was made for man,
not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27) With compassion, Christ declares the Sabbath for doing good
rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing.(Mark 3:4)

Sunday is distinguished from the Sabbath, which it follows. According to Catholic teaching, ceremonial
observance of Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week replaces that of the Sabbath.

Sunday is described as a fulfillment of the spiritual truth of the Jewish Sabbath and an announcement of
man's eternal rest in God. The Catholic Catechism describes Sunday celebration as observing the "moral
commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and
regular worship." Thus, Sunday worship fulfills the "moral command of the Old Covenant, taking up its
rhythm and spirit in the weekly celebration of the Creator and Redeemer of his people."[38] The
Catholic Church teaches that the Lord's Day should be "a day of grace and rest from work" to cultivate
their "familial, cultural, social, and religious lives." On Sundays and other holy days, faithful Christians
are to refrain from work and activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's
Day, works of mercy, and the "appropriate relaxation of mind and body."[40] Christians also sanctify
Sunday by giving time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the
week. "Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers
the growth of the Christian interior life." In addition to one's own rest, Christians should avoid making
unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord's Day.

An oration given by Jesus to Saint Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, along with Saint Matilda and Saint
Bridget, titled "A True Letter of Our Savior Jesus Christ", which is venerated by Roman Catholics,
implores the faithful: "If you want to reap an abundant harvest you must not work on Sunday, for
Sunday you must go to Church and pray to God to forgive your sins. He gave you six days in which to
work and one for rest and devotion and to tender your help to the poor and assist the Church."

Lutheran views
Martin Luther taught that with regard to external observance, the Sabbath commandment was given to
Jews alone and not strictly applicable to Christians. Luther did see wisdom in voluntary observance of a

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day to rest from labor and pay particular attention to Christian duties of reading the Scriptures,
worshiping God, and prayer. He thought that this need not occur on any particular day, but should
continue on Sunday (the Lord's Day), since this was the long established practice, and there was no
reason to create disorder by unnecessary innovation. Luther emphasized that no day is made holy by
rest alone, but rather by the individual seeking to be holy through washing himself in God's word.

For the Word of God is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries, yea, the only one which we Christians know
and have…God's Word is the treasure which sanctifies everything, and by which even all the saints
themselves were sanctified. At whatever hour then, God's Word is taught, preached, heard, read or
meditated upon, there the person, day, and work are sanctified thereby, not because of the external
work, but because of the Word which makes saints of us all. Therefore I constantly say that all our life
and work must be ordered according to God's Word, if it is to be God-pleasing or holy. Where this is
done, this commandment is in force and being fulfilled.

— Martin Luther, The Large Catechism

From Martin Luther there is also the following comments on the reason for, importance of, and
continuing need for the seventh-day Sabbath, specifically, found in Luther on the Creation: A Critical and
Devotional Commentary on Genesis 1-3:

God did not sanctify to himself the heaven nor the earth nor any other creature. But God did sanctify to
himself the seventh day. This was especially designed of God, to cause us to understand the seventh day
is to be especially devoted to divine worship. For that which is appropriated to God and exclusively
separated from all profane uses is sanctified or holy...

It follows therefore from this passage, that if Adam had stood in his innocence and had not fallen he
would yet have observed the "seventh day" as sanctified, holy and sacred; that is, he would have taught
his children and posterity on that day concerning the will and worship of God.

Further by this sanctification of the Sabbath it is also plainly shown that man was especially created for
the knowledge and worship of God. For the Sabbath was not instituted on account of sheep or oxen, but
for the sake of men, that the knowledge of God might be exercised and increased by them on that
sacred day. Although therefore man lost the knowledge of God by sin, yet God willed that his command
concerning the sanctifying of the Sabbath should remain. He willed that on the seventh day both the
Word should be preached, and also those other parts of his worship performed, which he himself
instituted; so the end that by those appointed means we should first of all think solemnly on our
condition in the world as men; that this nature of ours was created ...for the knowledge and the
glorifying of God; and also that by these same sacred means we might hold fast in our minds the same
hope of a future and eternal life.

Here one does not find Luther saying the Sabbath command of Genesis 1 is something that could be
dispensed with. It was the command of the Creator of the universe and had a specific purpose.

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Reformed views
John Calvin taught that since Jesus Christ fulfilled the Sabbath, binding observance to the Sabbath was
abrogated for Christians. However, he emphasized that because Christians are buried with Christ in
baptism and raised from the dead to the glory of God the Father (Romans 6:4), that what Christ fulfilled
in the Sabbath requires not one day each week, but rather "requires the whole course of our lives, until
being completely dead to ourselves, we are filled with the life of God." Calvin taught that spiritual
wisdom deserves to have some part of everyday devoted to it, but owing to the weakness of many daily
meetings cannot be held. Consequently, the pattern of weekly observance established by God is useful
for the church to emulate. This church practice is not to be in the manner of Jewish observance of
minute formalities, but rather one of ordering church life in a useful and predictable manner to serve
the body with opportunity to hear the word, receive the sacraments, and participate in public prayer.

The Westminster Confession of Faith describes the Sabbath day as being the seventh day of the week
from the creation until the resurrection of Christ, and as being changed to the first day of the week with
Christ's resurrection.

VI. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the Gospel, either tied unto, or
made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed: [John 4:21]
but God is to be worshipped everywhere,[Malachi 1:11, 1 Timothy 2:8] in spirit and truth;[John 4:23] as,
in private families[Jeremiah 10:25, Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 1 Peter 3:7, Acts 10:2] daily,[Matthew 6:11] and
in secret, each one by himself;[Matthew 6:6, Ephesians 6:18] so, more solemnly in the public assemblies,
which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God, by His Word or providence,
calls thereunto.[Isaiah 56:6-7, Hebrews 10:25, Acts 13:42, Luke 4:16, Acts 2:42]

VII. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of
God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, He
has particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him:[Exodus 20:8-11,
Isaiah 56:2-11] which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of
the week: and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,[Genesis 2:2,
1 Corinthians 16:1-2, Acts 20:7] which, in Scripture, is called the Lord's Day,[Revelation 1:10] and is to be
continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.[Exodus 20:8,10, Matthew 5:17-18]

VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and
ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their
own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations,[Exodus 20:8, Exodus
16:23-30, Exodus 31:15-17, Isaiah 58:13, Nehemiah 13:15-22] but also are taken up the whole time in
the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.[Isaiah
58:13][47]

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Methodist views
Further information: Sabbatarian’s § Methodist Churches

In Methodism, an "important aspect of the pursuit of sanctification is the careful following" of the Ten
Commandments. The General Rules of the Methodist Church required "attending upon all the
ordinances of God" including "the public worship of God" and prohibited "profaning the day of the Lord,
either by doing ordinary work therein or by buying or selling". As such, "Methodist observance of the
Lord's Day was grounded in their sense that the observance of Sunday as a day of rest fulfilled the
Commandment to sanctify the Sabbath." The 2014 Discipline of the Bible Methodist Connection of
Churches states, with regard to the Lord's Day:

We believe that the Lord’s Day, celebrated on Sunday, the first day of the week, throughout the
Christian church, is the Christian Sabbath, which we reverently observe as a day of rest and worship and
as the continuing memorial of our Savior’s resurrection. For this reason, we abstain from secular work
and from all merchandising on this holy day, except that required by mercy or necessity.

Theologically speaking, for Methodists, Sunday is "the special but not the only day for worship, it is
hallowed by God, recalls creation and the resurrection, requires release from earthly toil and
responsibilities, and anticipates the eschatological day of the Lord that is the hope and desire of all
believers."

Latter-day Saints views

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the Lord has commanded them to
continue to observe the Sabbath. He has promised them that if they obey this commandment, they will
receive "the fullness of the earth.".[51] Members are taught that they should keep it a holy day and it
should be reserved for holy activities. Latter-day Saints attend sacrament meeting each week, which
includes the ordinance of partaking of bread and water in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ as He
instructed his apostles to do at the Last Supper. Other Sabbath-day activities may include: praying,
meditating, studying the scriptures and the teachings of latter-day prophets, reading wholesome
material, spending time with family, visiting the sick and distressed, and attending other Church
meetings.

Seventh-day Adventists
Places where the sun does not appear or does not set for several months, such as northern
Scandinavia, the tendency is to regard an arbitrary time such as 6 p.m. as "sunset". During the
Sabbath, Adventists avoid secular work and business, although medical relief and humanitarian
work is accepted. Though there are cultural variations, most Adventists also avoid activities
such as shopping, sport, and certain forms of entertainment. Adventists typically gather for
church services on Satur
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Seventh-day Adventists observe the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. In day
morning. Some also gather on Friday evening to welcome in the Sabbath hours (sometimes
called "vespers" or "opening Sabbath"), and some similarly gather at "closing Sabbath".

Traditionally, Seventh-day Adventists hold that the Ten Commandments (including the fourth
commandment concerning the Sabbath) are part of the moral law of God, not abrogated by the
teachings of Jesus Christ, which apply equally to Christians. Adventists have traditionally
distinguished between "moral law" and "ceremonial law", arguing that moral law continues to
bind Christians, while events predicted by the ceremonial law were fulfilled by Christ's death on
the cross.

Conclusion
The Lord has given us the Sabbath for our benefit and blessing. If we will prepare for the
Sabbath and honor it as a holy day, we will reap its benefits and blessings.

Bibliography
Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.
Blue Letter Bible (Sabbath Day) Strong, James
"Sabbath". The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1913.^
"Ten Commandments". The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1913.
^ "Sabbatarian’s". The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1913.
Jewish New Testament Commentary.

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