This article responds to the renewed interest in the spiritual practice of Sabbath-keeping by investigating its nature and meaning in the Judeo-Christian traditions. After briefly analysing the reasons for the contemporary neglect of Sabbath-keeping and indications of its renaissance, this article will analyse biblical pronouncements about the Sabbath, mainly from Hebrew Scriptures, but with brief attention to Christian Scriptures that provide various insights of decisive importance to understand and explain its prominent place for faith communities, but that are vitally important for reinvigorating Sabbath-keeping in a contemporary context. It analyses pronouncements in the Bible in Genesis 2:1–3 that highlights the Sabbath as joyful resting; the need for Sabbath-keeping as commandment in Exodus 20:9–11 and in Deuteronomy 5:12–15, and, finally Sabbath-keeping as trust in God as the provider in Exodus 16:1–30. Various spiritual insights and implications of these passages will be discussed. The article assumes historical critical insights as developed in biblical studies but develops a theological analysis that explains the spiritual dynamics in these texts. These spiritual insights explain the prominence of Sabbath-keeping in the Bible and its practice in the Judeo-Christian religious discourse.
This article contributes to scholarship on spiritual practices, by analysing the nature and meaning of Sabbath-keeping in Genesis 2:1–3, Exodus 20:9–11; Deuteronomy 5:12–15 and Exodus 16:1–30, stressing their spiritual dynamics in terms of joyful resting, as commandment, as trust in divine provision and as a reflection of their covenantal nature.
In 1998, John Paul II noted in his papal letter,
Until quite recently, it was easier in traditionally Christian countries to keep Sunday holy because it was an almost universal practice and because, even in the organisation of civil society, Sunday rest was considered a fixed part of the work schedule. Today, however, even in those countries which give legal sanction to the festive character of Sunday, changes in socio-economic conditions have often led to profound modifications of social behaviour and hence of the character of Sunday. The custom of the ‘weekend’ has become more widespread, a weekly period of respite, spent perhaps far from home and often involving participation in cultural, political or sporting activities which are usually held on free days.
Later on, Walter Brueggemann (
This marks a shift from the important place of the Sabbath in the social and religious life of earlier times. Throughout the history of Christianity as an acknowledged form of religion, faith communities in general held Sabbath-keeping in high regard. They could count on the support of the State for legislation to uphold Sunday-observance as a general approach in society by requiring the cessation of commercial activities. Sometimes, faith communities identified themselves in terms of Sabbath-keeping, as is the case, for example, with Seventh Day Adventists. Some communities, like Puritans and Sabbatarians, observed stringent rules of Sabbath-keeping that shunned activities like swimming, doing needle work, not cooking meals, not viewing films and not participating in sport.
This has been changing with the increasing secularisation of society. As a result of the growing religious pluralism in many countries, states are no longer guardians of religious customs, such as Sabbath-keeping, and had to take up a more neutral position. The power of churches to influence societal ethos has diminished. Sundays have become thoroughly secularised and have assumed the same form and nature of any other day of the week. In addition, Sunday-observance has been relegated to the private sphere or to the gatherings of faith communities.
The consumerist society also contributes to the neglect of Sabbath-keeping.
There has been, however, also a notable change in this situation, as is evident in the reappraisal of Sabbath-keeping as a spiritual practice. Some scholars have come to regard it as a way of countering the negative effects of consumerism (Brueggemann
Also influential was the awareness of the destructive consequences of consumerism on the earth. There is a growing number of ecological publications and debates
This article responds to the renewed interest in spiritual practice of Sabbath-keeping by investigating its nature and meaning in the Judeo-Christian traditions. After analysing the reasons for the contemporary neglect of Sabbath-keeping and indications of its renaissance, this article will analyse biblical pronouncements about the Sabbath, mainly from Hebrew Scriptures, but with brief attention to Christian Scriptures that provide various insights of decisive importance to understand and explain its prominent place for faith communities, but that are vitally important for reinvigorating Sabbath-keeping in a contemporary context. It analyses pronouncements in the Bible in Genesis 2:1–3 that highlights the Sabbath as joyful resting; the need for Sabbath-keeping as commandment in Exodus 20:9–11 and in Deuteronomy 5:12–15; and, finally, Sabbath-keeping as trust in God as the provider in Exodus 16:1–30. Various spiritual insights and implications of these passages will be discussed. The article assumes historical critical insights as developed in biblical studies, but develops a theological analysis that explains the spiritual dynamics in these texts. These spiritual insights explain the prominence of Sabbath-keeping in the Bible and its practice in the Judeo-Christian religious discourse. For the purposes of this article, only the most prominent passages will be discussed.
Sabbath-keeping is one of the most ancient spiritual practices with roots in the foundational texts of Judaism and Christianity. These biblical pronouncements on Sabbath contain some key insights that could also enrich the practice of Sabbath-keeping when one seeks to keep it in contemporary settings, as will be discussed now.
It remains striking that the Sabbath has such a prominent, even vital place in the creation account in Genesis where it is a motif that brings closure to the creation narrative. This link of the Sabbath with creation is also repeated in the Decalogue as another key passage (Ex 20:9–11). Sabbath as a spiritual practice is to be understood within the framework of this account in which the Sabbath is God’s day of rest after 6 days of creation. Genesis 2:1–3 is of special importance in this regard:
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These three verses are integrated in the creation narrative to indicate that God created the earth in an intentional and purposeful way. Genesis 2:3 does not contain an explicit command to keep the Sabbath, as is the case in Exodus 20:9–11 and Deuteronomy 5:12–15. The verse simply states that God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, thereby reflecting the divine joy in the works of creation.
The divine ‘rest’ is not about being tired, about relaxing or doing nothing. The rest has to do with what was discussed earlier: the unformed space that existed at the beginning has been ordered according to the divine intention. Once that ordering was accomplished, God was free to enjoy and oversee the workings of a properly functioning world and thus enter a state of rest (Haynes
At the same time, the resting is linked with the actions of blessing and sanctifying. Several attempts have been made to describe the spiritual nature of this aspect. Rest indicates the positive attitude of the divine about the created order. In addition, creation and rest are a matter of joy.
Commentators such as Assohoto and Ngewa (
This joyful nature points to another spiritual dimension of the Sabbath by revealing its teleological character. That God stepped back in order to admire or enjoy the creation work (Gen. 2:2) by implication reveals the divine perspective on it. The Sabbath creates a space in which the value of work is recognised. The Sabbath is now seen as having intrinsic value and inherent beauty, but this is only revealed to those who approach it spiritually (Fleischacker
In summary, then, Genesis 2 reveals the cosmic relevance of the Sabbath as the divine gift of creation. This day reminds one to reflect on the meaning and character of creation that brings one to find rest in its beauty. Sabbath has a universal meaning, highlighting its place within the creation events. It reflects the divine joy in creation and the divine gift of existence and life for all people and things.
Ultimately, then, Genesis’s narrative on creation is not merely about chronological events, about taking one day in the week off for non-work activities or about the interruption of labour and toil. It also prompts its readers to see beyond those particularities and to reflect on a deeper level on what was worked in creation for and given to them and the spiritual attitude that it implies. It is a spiritual tale about God who gives time and space to humanity in which they experience the joy of the divine presence, providence and care as it is to be detected in the world.
Another equally fundamental aspect of Sabbath-keeping is developed in Exodus 20:9–11 where a commandment for Sabbath-keeping is explicitly given. The people of God are required to rest like God did after the creation events.
The special meaning of the Sabbath in Exodus 20:9–11 is illuminated by its place in the book as a whole. The book describes God’s liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt under the leadership of Moses – a key salvific event in Hebrew Scriptures. A significant event takes place during the exodus that shaped Israel’s self-understanding permanently.
A close reading of the Decalogue reveals the key place of the Sabbath commandment in it. Thus, not only the historical context, but also the form of the Decalogue underlines the importance of the Sabbath commandment.
Its key place in the Decalogue underlines the importance of Sabbath-keeping as reflecting the will of God: Sabbath-keeping is ultimately a commandment that indicates what God desires for and requires from the people of God. Keeping the Sabbath is not an interesting historical piece of information, nor just another activity in the spiritual life, but is a commandment to be obeyed. It is also not merely a legalistic matter, simply another apodictic rule or law amongst many others. It is a commandment that is integrated in and that reflects the loving relationship of God with humanity. It indicates the way in which humanity can respond to the divine initiative and outreach. This is underlined by the motivation for Sabbath-keeping in Exodus 20:11 about God who rested on the seventh day. The commandment thus reflects an orientation towards God, and an awareness of the divine intention with the cosmos. In Sabbath-keeping, the people of God react to and lovingly remember what God did in creation.
The web of relationships in which the Sabbath commandment is integrated illuminates this further: Sabbath-keeping in its link with the first part of the Decalogue reminds one to remain aware of and seek to be present
Finally, the motivation is illuminated in an indirect manner by Exodus 20:9–10 by the inclusion of children, servants, livestock and sojourners amongst those who observe the day.
The commandment to keep the Sabbath is explained in this passage in more detail in two remarks.
Remembering is not merely a cognitive activity, but also a spiritual attitude of acknowledging and keeping in mind the work of God who gives rest on the Sabbath and to live in God’s presence.
The discussion of Sabbath-keeping in Deuteronomy 5:12–15 supports what is said in other texts, but there are also differences with the version of the commandment in Exodus 20:8–11.
The motivation for the Sabbath commandment varies: whilst Exodus 20:11 relates the commandment to creation and implicitly outlines Sabbath-keeping as a paradigm for all people,
For the rest, both passages are similar in that they depict Sabbath-keeping as a response to God’s transformative and liberating acts, the one in creation (involving all people) and the other in the exodus (Israel). Both versions require sanctification of the Sabbath.
There is, however, a seminal remark in both that illuminates the special nature of the day. Both Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 contain the phrase, ‘the seventh day is a Sabbath
Both motivations speak about divine doing in the acts of creating and liberating. This illuminates the very nature of God: ‘divine action is the visible manifestation of divine being’. But these motivations also speak about human nature: humanity and God’s people are part of a covenantal relationship. People are reminded that their very existence in creation and their recreation in the exodus require a loving response. Sabbath-keeping is a call to remembering one’s status as created. It is about divine election that leads not to boasting, but to worship the One who transcends creation. This is further underlined by the fact that Sabbath-keeping is integrated in the history of Israel and creation: there is a link between people from all times and places. They find a common destiny in their status as beloved people of God who then respond to the divine generosity with gratitude and joy. What God did in creation for humanity is also evident in God’s ongoing involvement in God’s people in their stress and displacement.
A further aspect of the practice of Sabbath-keeping is illuminated in a special manner by Exodus 16:1–30.
On the deepest level, the passage is also about trust in the divine providence. God honours the law and is faithful as the Provider in times of need and scarcity by providing manna to the people during the long journey if only they keep the Sabbath (Ex 16:4). Sabbath-keeping is about trusting God to provide in line with God’s covenantal relationship. God who created is the God who sustains and remains faithful to creation.
The passage speaks firstly about trusting God for physical needs. The people are so hungry that they romanticise their previous enslaved situation and its abundance (vv. 2–3), thereby compromising their covenantal relationship. And yet, despite their resistance against God, they are again given a promise that God will provide (v. 4). They will be given food, but will also be tested as to whether they will obey the divine commandment (not to forage for food on the Sabbath). The provision will be wholly a miraculous work of God, it will not be dependent on any action of the people. It will be regular and predictable. They are to gather only enough for the day, nothing more – lest the stored provision spoil. The spiritual meaning of this remark underlines how the divine–human relationship is consistently initiated and established by God.
Here too one notes how Sabbath-keeping is about growing spiritually. The intention stated is that the people will learn, by repeated observation, that God is willing and able to provide for the people’s basic needs. Implicit is the divine intention that Israel will learn dependence on God in simple ways so that Israel will remain dependent on God when Israel enters the land and settles in it.
This instruction to remain committed to Sabbath-keeping is underlined by the need of the regular observance of the Sabbath that is interwoven into the story. ‘On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they do on other days’ (Ex 16:5). ‘Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any’ (v. 26). Even in unusual circumstances, such as a migration of the people, the Sabbath becomes part of God’s training of them and a standard practice for living. They need to nurture this relationship of trust by habit. The section, therefore, ends with the words: ‘So the people rested on the seventh day’ as an indication of their commitment and active response (v. 30).
Sabbath-keeping is about seeking to be fully and exclusively committed to God as the Provider, which means also desiring to remain in the presence of God. Sabbath made the people aware of divine providence: they will recognise that God is Lord. They experience this when they see the glory of the Lord in the cloud (v. 10). To hold onto this is required, especially when one succumbs under the pressure of daily life and its challenges and, then, not to seek security in what cannot provide security.
The passage once again shows the importance of Sabbath-keeping for God. It is not suspended in difficult circumstances of transition and it is instituted with divine sanction should it be disobeyed (cf. esp. v. 28). It is, however, not so much Sabbath-keeping as law that is at stake, but rather complete dependence on God as the Provider and an ongoing awareness of how God powerfully provided their liberation from Egypt and will continue to foresee in their needs (vv. 6–7). Sabbath-keeping calls Israel to place its needs and survival in the hands of a god who can be counted on to provide. Relieved of the need to gather food (or work) on one day of the week, they are made free to rest and to appreciate God’s provision. They find their eyes opened in a special manner to see the glory of God, the beauty that surrounds them and the evidence of the creator that is all around (Bass
The analysis of biblical texts on the Sabbath explains why later communities attached so much value to it. It played a key role in the spiritual life of faith communities because of their understanding of its role in biblical texts. The discussion also revealed various perspectives on the Sabbath, all of them determined by the times and contexts in which the texts were written. This dynamic nature of the biblical material shows how new forms of Sabbath-keeping kept on developing.
It should be noted however that a spiritual practice like Sabbath-keeping is clearly prone to neglect and distortion. The repeated calls to honour Sabbath-keeping in the Bible reveal this. As Bass (
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
G.M. wrote the original draft for his Master’s degree under the supervision of P.G.R.d.V. This was subsequently extensively reconceptualised, further researched and rewritten by P.G.R.d.V in co-operation with G.M.
This article followed all ethical standards for research without direct contact with human or animal subjects.
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the authors.
In this article, Sabbath-keeping as a spiritual practice is discussed to include and refer to Sunday-observance as well. Sunday-observance is a more focused term, characteristic of a Christian context. Although there are differences between the two, it is assumed here that Sunday-observance reflects a practice that has its roots in Hebrew Scriptures and that shares a common biblical tradition. For the history of Sabbath-keeping, see De Villiers and Marchinkowski (
See the letter at
See the remarks of Bass (
See also Smith-Bagai and Ludwig (
See the characterisation of work in contemporary settings by Bass (
See already Moltmann (
For a detailed exegesis of Genesis 2:1–3, see Haynes and Krüger (
Some scholars regard the cessation of activity by the Creator in Genesis 1–2 as requiring a similar discipline in humankind. Even translations try to promote this interpretation. The 1983 Afrikaans version over-translates Genesis 2:2 as ‘
Bass (
He adds, ‘[
Several authors claim that restfulness is the
The theologian Karl Barth (quoted in Bass
This aspect is of great importance for the practice of Sabbath-keeping, which can only be done if it has a positive, joyful character, devoid of legalism. See also Diddams, Surdyk and Daniels (
He concludes, ‘Inter alia, that means that the intrinsic value of our work, the creative activity we carry out during the six days of the workweek, depends on the Shabbat’. Resting is, therefore, not only about regaining strength for a new workweek. It is, in the words of Smith-Gabai and Ludwig (
Kaiser (
For a discussion of the place of Exodus 20 within the larger unit of Exodus 19–24, see Klingbeil (
The Jewish rabbinic tradition further expanded the Sabbath law in all kinds of ways, eager to maintain the integrity of the Sabbath in changing circumstances such as exile and occupation.
Like the reference to the Sabbath in Genesis 2, the reference in Exodus is also foregrounded by the way in which it is narrated.
Brueggemann (
Brueggemann (
Haynes and Kruger (
Also illuminating is the observation of Klingbeil (
Brueggemann (
See Haynes (
The Hebrew text, 8זָכֹ֛ור֩ אֶת־יֹ֥֨ום הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֹֽׁ֗ו׃, begins with an infinitive absolute instead of a simple imperative. It reflects strong emphasis.
Note that it is the divine acts that determine the holiness of the day. The focus is on what God is and does for human beings.
The Sabbath command is cast differently. Instead of an instruction to ‘Remember’ (Ex 20), the injunction is to ‘observe’ (Dt 5:12). The instruction to ‘keep it holy’ (Ex 20) becomes a qualification to ‘observing’ it. The last part of the verse refers the reader back to Exodus 20. It could be expressed as follows: decide to practise the discipline of Sabbath by keeping the day holy. The ‘remember’ of verse 15 substantiates this interpretation (Olson
For differences between the two passages, see Klingbeil (
Klingbeil (
See also Klingbeil (
Compare this with other ancient practices such as prayer, study of scripture, solitude and fasting that are focussed on paying attention to God. It underlines a key element of the divine–human relationship that requires concentrated attention.
Exodus 16 is a contested passage in scholarly research. Vorster (
Frankel (
There is no reference to creation in this passage as in Exodus 20. Instead, it refers to the giving of the Law at Sinai, stressing the importance of obeying the Sabbath law as test of the people’s commitment to the commandment.
This is also true of the Sunday meetings of Christians. De Jonge (