As part of His messianic mission, Jesus came to see that the principles established by the Old Testament Scriptures (the laws governing Old Covenant Judaism) are faithfully obeyed (Isa 2:1-3; Mic 4:1-3; Mat 5:17-20) according to their transformation by His ministry (i.e., their application in New Covenant Judaism) For example (1Co 5:1-5 [Lev 18:8 w/20:10] w/Heb 9:13-14) = Unlike the former sin offerings, Christ’s death can cleanse our souls (“conscience” = Sense of guilt/corruption in relation to one’s own soul or the soul of others; 2Co 4:2; Heb 9:9-10, 10:1-2 ; See also 1Jo 1:9) of “dead works” or mortal sins (i.e., capital crimes): sins which mortally wound the moral state of the soul (e.g., 1Jo 5:16 “sin that leads to death”; See also Jub 21:22 “sin a sin unto death”) making the guilty person’s physical death no longer necessary as a means of preserving their soul for salvation (1Co 5:5 “so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”) = God’s goal in justice from the beginning (2Co 13:11 = Goal of justice is mercy/salvation). Excommunication is now the way to accomplishing those ends – (versus Jos 7:19).[1]

Faithfully obeying those principles established by OT Scriptures according to their transformation in Christ (NC application) therefore includes the various Sabbath commands (days, harvest season festivals and years): 1) Hardship relief (Exo 20:8-11 and Lev 25:1-55 w/Heb 4:9-11 and Mat 12:12). 2) Holy convocation w/feasting and rejoicing (Psa 42:4; Lev 23:1, 7-8, 21, 24, 27, 35-37 w/Heb 10:25; Psa 92 w/Col 3:16). 3) Reciprocation (Exo 23:14-19 w/Heb 7:1-10; 1Co 16:1-2). 4) Covenant renewal (Lev 23:1-44 w/Luk 22:19-20).

That being said, what changes have been made to the Sabbath under New Covenant Judaism? And why the change?

1. What? Our observance of the Sabbath principles are no longer tied to the day of Saturday, the festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Yom Kippur or the 7th and 50th year of Jubilee. 

Though the Sabbath commands remain intact (Mat 5:17-18), Paul not only views them as no longer tied to Saturday, the Festivals or Jubilee, but strongly warns against finding any soteriological value in their former application (Gal 4:9-11; Col 2:16-17 w/23).

2. Why? Because the locus of our Savior God’s identity is no longer the old Creation– but the new.

What was being communicated through OC Israel’s observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as a holiday (i.e., a day off from work to rest, convocate, reciprocate and renew the covenant) was that her Savior from slavery to false gods (the creator gods of Egypt – Jos 24:15; Exo 12:16; Num 33:1-4) was Yhwh, the (true and only) God of Creation. For NC Israel however it is different. Though Yhwh is still our Savior from slavery to false gods (Jesus is the Yhwh Who led OC Israel out of Egypt – Jud 1:5), His locus of identity is no longer the original (or old) Creation – but the New Creation as evidenced by His gospel message of regeneration and His personal resurrection from the dead on the first day (Gen 1:5). Important also to note, celebrating the Sabbath on the first day has precedent in the OT. Each of the Feast Sabbaths (“holy convocations”) had a 1st day Sabbath associated w/it (Lev 23:7 [P/UL], 15 w/21 [W], 35 [B]).

Evidence of Sunday Sabbath observance in the NT: Considering the Pentecost of Acts 2 was celebrated on a Sunday, the statement, (46) “throughout the day (a better translation of [Grk.] kath’ hemera [“day by day]; e.g., Act 11:1)…in the temple and from house to house [house churches]” suggests a Sunday Sabbath observance since that this is when all but one of the four Sabbath principles (hardship relief) were also observed (46-47).

3. What? The prohibition against cooking on the Sabbath no longer remains in force.

3.1. (Rom 14:1-21):

1) The focus of Paul’s instruction is the weaker brother whose opinion is that he can only eat vegetables on certain days (1-2).

2) That food (specifically eating vegetables only) is Paul’s focus is confirmed by both the number of verses devoted to the subject (all but verse 5) and his immediate return to the subject of food after mentioning the issue of days in verse 5 and part of 6.

3) One must therefore conclude that the only reason Paul briefly mentions days is because of their direct connection to the food issue (5) “one person regards one day above another (w/regard to what he can/cannot eat) another regards every day alike (w/regard to what he can/cannot eat).”

4) Whatever the food issue is, it is related to OT clean laws (14, 20).

5) There is only one food issue that fits the aforementioned criteria: the prohibition against foods prepared on the Sabbath (e.g., v21, “[broiled] meat… [mixed] wine” – Pro 9:2). Such food would be considered “unclean” (i.e., profaned or defiled by the fact that it was prepared on the Sabbath). Besides those foods prepared on the prior day, the only other acceptable foods for consumption would be raw fruits and vegetables – which would/could be the only option for the weaker Jewish brother (i.e., ethnic Jew who still feels weird about consuming things prepared on the Sabbath) when feasting with his church family (whose meals were prepared on the Sabbath).

3.2. PNTM: Paul no longer sees the prohibition of preparing food on the Sabbath applying under its NC application (i.e., the Sunday Sabbath).

4. Why? Because the prohibition against preparing food did not apply to first day Sabbaths.

4.1. Though still holidays and therefore prohibiting regular work, all Feast Sabbaths (or “first day” Sabbaths) allowed for the preparing of food. Hence the reason they are called “feasts” [Heb., chag] and “holy convocations” [Heb., miqra qodesh]  (Lev 23:7 [P/UL], 15 w/21 [W], 35 [B]; Deu 14:26 w/Deu 16:1-16 [Exo 12:16 “no work shall be done except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you.”]).[2]

4.2. Different words are used in Leviticus 23 to distinguish between those Sabbaths which prohibit “any/no work” and those which prohibit “no laborious work.” For example: Yom Kippur (Lev 23:28, 31 [Heb., melacha] = All labor including preparing food) versus the Feast of Booths (Lev 23:35-36 [Heb., melechet avodah] = All labor except for preparing food).

4.3. PNTM: Christ has established a first day Sabbath (Sunday) that – based on the principles being observed by the early church (e.g., hardship relief as well as holy convocations and covenant renewal – Act 2:42-47), were viewed as not only the replacement for the seventh day (regular) Sabbath but also the Feast Sabbaths which allowed (encouraged! Deu 14:26) the preparation of food. 

CLOSING TAKEAWAYS:

1. The two types of Sabbath days (regular, feast) have been combined into one day – The Lord’s Day or Sunday which means it is on this day that God expects us to faithfully practice the principles established by all the Sabbath commands: 1) rest/recreation/relief/release (Saturday evening until Sunday evening), 2) convocation w/feasting (cooking and alcohol allowed) and fellowship (Saturday evenings or Sunday afternoons), 3) reciprocation and return on God’s blessings (Sunday worship), 4) convocation w/singing/rejoicing, remembrance and covenant renewal (Sunday worship).

2. The Sabbath begins and ends at sunset (Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset). Check your phones to determine the exact time.

3. Work prohibited on the Sabbath (barring the discussed exceptions) includes: 1) any job for which you are compensated. 2) any work related to your job or career. 3) all things related to going to school or training. 4) all things related to housekeeping, yard work or cleaning that could reasonably be done on another day (contra: cleaning up after cooking and feasting on the Sabbath). 5) requiring humans or animals to work for you (versus voluntary choice). 6) travel which requires humans or animals to work (e.g., riding a horse). Helpful questions: Is it leisure or labor? If labor, is it an emergency, mercy (doctors, police officers, etc.,) or ministry?

4. Anyone deliberately/intentionally forsaking (“profaning”) the Sunday Sabbath (Saturday evening to Sunday evening), by not observing its established principles are guilty of a capital crime (Exo 31:14-15, 35:2) which includes: 1) refusing to sing on Sundays. 2) refusing to renew the covenant through confession and repentance. 3) choosing to do work or make others do work that is prohibited. 4) choosing to fail in your tithe. 5) refusing to feast and fellowship w/your covenant family on Saturday evenings or Sunday afternoons. 6) refusing to treat God’s Sabbath and house (worship service) as holy and a delight in attitude or action (Isa 58:13-14; e.g., the use of drugs or alcohol not authorized by the church - including prescription drugs during service; [participating, watching or listening to other things during service; sleeping during service; not paying attention during service; leaving early from service or feasting and fellowship times] w/o a valid excuse). 

[1] Consider (Heb 6:1 “repentance from dead works”) = Such language would not be used if by “dead works” was meant “works of the law” (the opinion of many Christians) since this would imply God’s law to be sinful. “The vast majority of commentaries now rightly suggest that [“dead works”] in Hebrews [6:1 w/6, 9:14] [refer] to acts that lead to death.” – Kenneth Schenck (A New Perspective On Hebrews).

[2] “Shauvot (Pentecost) is a full-fledged Yom Tov

(festive day), and as such carries most of the same restrictions as Shabbat.

The exception is that food preparation (e.g., cooking) is permitted.” – Rabbi

Shraga Simmons (Aish.org)