The Sabbath and the Ecclesia in Christ

Why Our Rest Is No Longer Bound to a Day To our Christian believers of the House Church

“Therefore, let no one judge you in regard to Sabbaths … these are a shadow of things to come, but the reality belongs to Christ.”

— Colossians 2:16–17

1. The Sabbath in the Old Covenant

Deuteronomy 5:12 commanded Israel:

“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.”

In Hebrew, the verb שָׁמַר (shamar) means “to keep, guard.”

The Greek Septuagint renders it φυλάσσω (phylassō), the same idea of guarding something sacred.

The Sabbath was given as a sign of covenant identity—a weekly rhythm of rest that pointed toward God’s holiness and mercy.

Yet from the beginning, it was meant as a gift for humanity, not a burden of ritual.

2. Jesus and the Sabbath — Lord of Rest

Mark 2:27-28

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Τὸ σάββατον διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐγένετο,

καὶ οὐχ ὁ ἄνθρωπος διὰ τὸ σάββατον· ὥστε κύριός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ τοῦ σαββάτου.

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Therefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Here, Jesus re-centers the Sabbath around Himself.

The key verbs show His intent:

ἐγένετο (egeneto) — “was made” → the Sabbath exists for humanity’s good.

κύριος (kyrios) — “Lord” → Christ now governs its meaning.

The Sabbath is no longer a test of righteousness; it becomes a sign of the rest found in the presence of Jesus.

3. The Early Church and the Day of Gathering

Acts 20:7

Ἐν δὲ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων συνειγμένων ἡμῶν κλάσαι ἄρτον...

“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…”

The phrase μία τῶν σαββάτων (mia tōn sabbatōn) literally means

“the first [day] after the Sabbaths.”

Already in the apostolic age, believers gathered on the day of Resurrection—Sunday—to break bread and worship.

The new Ecclesia no longer depended on the old calendar; it celebrated the new creation inaugurated by Christ’s rising.

4. The Fulfillment of Rest in Christ

Hebrews 4:9-10

ἄρα ἀπολείπεται σαββατισμὸς τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ·

ὁ γὰρ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων ὁ Θεός.

“So then, there remains a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His.”

The rare Greek noun σαββατισμός (sabbatismos)—found only here in the New Testament—describes not a day but a spiritual state.

The writer to the Hebrews teaches that true Sabbath rest is entering God’s peace through faith in Christ.

Every believer who trusts in Jesus has already stepped into that rest.

5. Paul’s Teaching — Freedom from Ritual Obligation

Colossians 2:16-17

Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω … ἢ σαββάτων·

ἅ ἐστιν σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων, τὸ δὲ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

“Therefore let no one judge you in matters of food or drink, or regarding festivals or Sabbaths.

These are a shadow of things to come, but the reality belongs to Christ.”

The words σκιὰ (skia) = shadow and σῶμα (sōma) = substance, body show the contrast:

The Sabbath, like other ceremonial laws, was a shadow pointing to the substance—Christ Himself.

6. The New Covenant Reality

When Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28),

He invited us into the true Sabbath of the heart.

Our “observance” is not tied to sunset or sunrise, but to the continuous presence of Christ who dwells in us.

The Ecclesia—the gathering of believers—is therefore not limited to the seventh day.

Every time believers assemble in His name, whether on Sunday or any other day, they enter the living rest of God.

Summary Table

Theme Greek Text       Key Insight

Jesus’ Authority           Mark 2:27–28 The Sabbath serves humanity; Jesus is its Lord.

Early Church Practice             Acts 20:7         The believers gathered on the first day—the day of Resurrection.

Fulfillment of Rest     Hebrews 4:9–10          True “Sabbath-rest” (sabbatismos) is faith in Christ.

Pauline Theology        Colossians 2:16–17   The Sabbath was a shadow; Christ is the reality.

Conclusion

In Christ, the Sabbath has not been abolished—it has been fulfilled.

The rest once symbolized by a day is now embodied in a Person.

The true ekklesia is not defined by its calendar but by its communion with the living Lord.

Every believer who abides in Christ has already entered God’s Sabbath rest.

Jesus Himself is our continual Sabbath.