Answer: the Sabbath isn’t a day, it’s a Person. Jesus is the Sabbath. In him we find eternal rest.
That said, from the beginning, the church has observed Sunday as the official day to witness to the reality that in Jesus we find eternal rest.
For centuries, the Christian Church has gathered on Sunday, the first day of the week, as its primary day of worship. Many have asked: Why did the early Church transition from the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday? Was this a later invention, or does it have biblical roots?
The answer is deeply theological and Christ-centered—Sunday is recognized as the New Covenant Sabbath because Jesus fulfilled the meaning of the Sabbath through his life, death, and resurrection. The Old Covenant Sabbath was an object lesson pointing to the true rest that would come through Jesus, and his resurrection on the first day of the week signals the beginning of the new creation and the eternal rest found in him.
This post will explore why Sunday has always been the Christian day of worship and why it is rightly understood as the New Covenant Sabbath.
The Old Covenant Sabbath: A Shadow of the Greater Rest to Come
The seventh-day Sabbath was instituted at creation and commanded in the Mosaic Law as a sign of the covenant between God and Israel:
Genesis 2:2-3 – “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”
Exodus 31:16-17 – “Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”
The Sabbath Was a Symbol, Not the Ultimate Goal
The Sabbath rest was not merely about ceasing from labor—it pointed toward a deeper, spiritual rest in God. The Sabbath, in other words, was a shadow of something greater to come. Hebrews 4:9-10 teaches that the Sabbath pointed toward a future rest in Christ:
“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.”
This means that the seventh-day Sabbath was never the final destination—it was an object lesson preparing Israel for the true rest found in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Fulfills the Sabbath: The True Rest Has Come
In Matthew 12:8, Jesus boldly proclaims: “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
This means that Jesus has authority over the Sabbath itself and its ultimate purpose finds fulfillment in him.
Jesus frequently challenged the Pharisees’ legalistic views of the Sabbath, demonstrating that the Sabbath was meant to point to him as the one who brings true rest. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28–30:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus’ invitation is not just about physical rest but spiritual rest—the kind of rest the Sabbath foreshadowed. True Sabbath rest, then, is found in Christ, not in a particular day of the week.
The Resurrection: The Dawn of the New Creation
The most decisive event in history—Jesus’ resurrection—took place on Sunday, the first day of the week: “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb” (Matt. 28:1).
From this moment forward, the first day of the week became the defining day of the New Covenant.
The Resurrection Marks the Beginning of the New Creation
Very simply put, the Sabbath commemorated the first creation (Genesis 2:2-3), and the resurrection of Jesus marks the beginning of the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Just as God rested after creating the world, Jesus rested in the tomb after His work of redemption was finished (John 19:30). Jesus’ resurrection is the first day of the New Creation—the true Sabbath rest for God’s people.
In some sense then, to observe the Sabbath on Saturday (especially as a protest against Sunday Sabbath observance) is declaring that one is still part of the old creation people of Adam (i.e., fallen), not the new creation people of Jesus, the new Adam.
The Early Church Worshiped on the First Day of the Week
The early Christians immediately shifted their day of worship to Sunday, recognizing it as the day of resurrection and the new covenant fulfillment of the Sabbath.
Acts 20:7 says, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.” The fact is clear: early Christians gathered for worship on Sunday, breaking bread and hearing the Word.
Historically, once again, Paul instructs the Corinthians church to take up offerings on the first day of the week (Sunday), showing it was the day that the church gathered: “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2).
The Testimony of Early Church Fathers
The Didache (1st Century)
The Didache (1st century!), also known as The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is an early Christian document dating to the late first or early second century. It serves as one of the earliest known church manuals, offering guidance on Christian ethics, worship, and church practices. The text covers a range of topics, including baptism, fasting, prayer, the Eucharist, and church leadership, reflecting the transition from the apostolic era to the early church.
In this very important (because of how early it was written), it states, “On the Lord’s Day [Sunday], gather together and break bread.”
Ignatius of Antioch (1st–2nd Centuries)
Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35–110 AD) was an early Christian bishop, theologian, and martyr, serving as the bishop of Antioch in the late first century. He is best known for his seven letters written to various churches while being transported to Rome for execution. These letters provide valuable insight into early Christian theology, emphasizing church unity, the authority of bishops, the divinity of Christ, and the reality of his incarnation and suffering. Ignatius strongly opposed heresies like Docetism and was among the first to describe the church as “Catholic” (universal). His writings played a crucial role in shaping early Christian doctrine and ecclesiology, and he is revered as one of the Apostolic Fathers.
Ignatius of Antioch makes this statement in his Epistle to the Magnesians, specifically in chapter 9. The full quote reads:
“If, then, those who had walked in ancient practices attained unto newness of hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life sprang up again by Him and by His death—which some deny—through which mystery we have received faith, and for this reason endure, that we may be found disciples of Jesus Christ, our only teacher.” (Epistle to the Magnesians 9:1)
This passage reflects the early Christian shift from Sabbath (Saturday) observance to Sunday worship, emphasizing the resurrection of Christ as the defining event that reshaped Christian practice. It also highlights Ignatius’s concern for distinguishing Christian worship from Jewish customs while affirming Sunday as the new day of worship in the New Covenant.
Justin Martyr (2nd Century)
Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 AD) was an early Christian apologist and philosopher who defended the faith against Roman persecution and pagan criticism. A former pagan philosopher, he converted to Christianity after seeking ultimate truth and became one of the first great Christian intellectuals.
In his “First Apology”, Justin Martyr says:
“And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits… But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead.” (First Apology 67)
This passage provides one of the earliest extra-biblical references to Christian Sunday worship, affirming that early believers gathered on the first day of the week (Sunday) for worship, Scripture reading, and the Eucharist, recognizing it as both the day of creation and the day of Christ’s resurrection.
Sunday as the New Covenant Sabbath
Colossians 2:16–17
The New Testament plainly reveals that the Sabbath finds its completion in Christ.
For starters, we have Colossians 2:16–17, which says,
“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind…”
This passage is part of Paul’s warning against false teachings and legalistic observances that some in the Colossian church were imposing on believers. He emphasizes that Old Testament ceremonial laws—including dietary restrictions, Jewish festivals, and Sabbath observance—were shadows pointing forward to Christ. Now that Christ has come, these shadows have been fulfilled in Him, meaning Christians are no longer bound by these external regulations.
Paul’s point is not that Sabbath rest or worship is abolished, but that its ultimate meaning is found in Christ, who offers the true spiritual rest and fulfillment that the Sabbath foreshadowed (Hebrews 4:9-10). Thus, Christian faith is centered on Christ, not on external religious obligations. Believers are not to be judged for not adhering to Old Covenant rituals, as they now live in the reality of Christ’s finished work.
Hebrews 4:9-10
Hebrews 4:9–10, another crucial passage on the matter, says:
“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.”
This passage is part of the larger argument in Hebrews 3–4, where the author contrasts the Old Testament concept of rest (such as the Sabbath and the promised land) with the greater, ultimate rest found in Christ.
The key message is that the true Sabbath rest is not merely about observing a specific day, but about entering into God’s eternal rest through faith in Christ. Just as God rested after His work of creation (Genesis 2:2), believers enter into spiritual rest by ceasing from their own works and trusting in Christ’s finished work of redemption.
This “Sabbath rest” remains available to all who put their faith in Jesus, and it ultimately points forward to the final, eternal rest in God’s presence. Therefore, Hebrews 4:9-10 teaches that Christians experience the fulfillment of the Sabbath by resting in Jesus’ completed work, both now and in the future kingdom of God.
Sunday Is a Celebration of Redemption
The Old Covenant Sabbath celebrated God’s work in creation. In kind, the New Covenant Sabbath (Sunday) celebrates God’s work in redemption. Christians worship on Sunday to proclaim that Jesus’ work is finished and that He has given us eternal rest.
I can’t emphasize this enough: Jesus instituted the eucharist as an outward public witness to his redemptive work. Those who partake in Communion are on display for all to see who the Jesus people are. The Eucharist is confessional. To take the Eucharist “on the Lord’s day” is one’s way of saying “I belong to Jesus!”
Conclusion: The True Rest Is in Christ
- The seventh-day Sabbath was an object lesson pointing forward to Jesus.
- Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath by offering true rest for the soul.
- His resurrection on Sunday marked the beginning of the New Creation.
- The early Church worshiped on the first day of the week as the New Covenant fulfillment of the Sabbath.
Most importantly, the Christian Sabbath is not about a legalistic observance of a day, but about resting in the finished work of Christ. As believers, we gather on Sunday not as a burden, but as a celebration of the resurrection and the eternal rest we have in him.
