The Decalogue or Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-22) is a key foundational expression of the moral laws established by God.
The fourth commandment says to remember the sabbath and keep it holy. Here holy means to be set apart or dedicated or consecrated; that is, it is to be a day different from the other six days of the week. The sabbath like all of the ten commandments is a moral law. The sabbath is implemented as ceremonial and civil laws; the implementation therefore may differ across cultures, nations, locations, and generations.
In Matthew 24 Jesus speaks of a period of great abomination and tribulation at least approximating the end times (Matthew 24:29). Yet he speaks of the Sabbath suggesting the Sabbath shall endure until then at least in spirit if not in letter regarding the Law of Moses. For he says: (Mat 24:20) But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Now let us consider Colossians 2 where it says:
(Col 2:16-17) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.
Perhaps Gal 3:1-2 and Gal 4:8-11 shine some light on Col 2:16 with respect to days for they say:
(Gal 3:1) O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
(Gal 3:2) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(Gal 4:8) Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
(Gal 4:9) But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
(Gal 4:10) Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
(Gal 4:11) I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
The Galatians were most likely predominantly Gentiles with some resident Jews and visiting Jews. In Galatians Paul clearly is rebuking the Galatians for listening to those who say they must attend to the works of the law to include celebrations of certain times which it is reasonable to conclude he speaks of Mosaic sabbath days and feast days that some were saying they must observe to be righteous for certainly that which they observed before conversion were not counted as part of “works of the law”.
Now here Paul speaks as the apostles did in Acts 15 concerning circumcision; they say such works of the law are not necessary for salvation and are not a requirement for those in the family of God. Yet, neither say it is ungodly to be circumcised or participate in such days only that they are not a requirement under Christ.
Col 2:17 speaks of the sabbath as being a shadow of things to come. Some say that means the sabbath is done away with entirely when we came under Christ. But notice that verse 17 says they are a shadow not they were a shadow. Also the phrase to come is future tense when combined with the word are. Now if it said were then one could perhaps conclude that the phrase to come is present tense relative to the past rather than future tense relative to now.
Christ is not our physical rest which is what Exodus 20:8-11 and the rest portion of Lev 23:3 are about. It is not about spiritual rest at all.
Christ is our spiritual rest which is what Matthew 11:28-30 and Hebrews 4 except verse 9 are about.
Christ brought in spiritual rest from the condemnation of sin. Christ did not bring an end to physical rest.
Yet I am not prepared to say the Bible still commands us to “keep the Sabbath” in terms of worship and rest on a regularly set aside day of the week.
Hebrews 10:25 exhorts us to not forsake the assembly of ourselves but it does not say that assembly has to be on the Sabbath.
Unlike physical circumcision there is no where in the Bible where it explicitly does away with the Sabbatg commandment. Yet, Col 2:16 and Rom 14:5 indicate it is a personal choice at least at some level.
I do know the biblical example is the apostles kept it (worship and rest) at least one day of the week on a regular basis.
I do know worship and rest are good for the individual and society at large.
I do know we are are still commanded to comply with the other 9 of the 10 commandments.
We have more liberty concerning the Sabbath but the scripture exhorts us not to use our liberty wrongly.
So I believe it is still best to comply with the spirit not the letter of the Sabbath provisions whether or not keeping the Sabbath is still commanded by God.
References:
Hebrews 4 Sabbath Rest and Sabbath Day.
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