Sabbath

[Richard Mascarenhas]

Gen.2:3 
And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. 
Leviticus 23: 1-3
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: The Sabbath - 3 " 'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.
Mark 2:27-28
27.Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28.So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
The ten commandments instructs to maintain the Sabbath day holy.
Since it is the 7th day it is presumed to be Saturday and therefore Saturday must be considered as day of rest and holy.
The church considers Sunday, the 1st day of the week as a day of rest.
Why is this change from Saturday to Sunday, when God strictly instructed that the 7th day must be observed as Sabbath?  Can u cite bible quotes where Sunday is the day mentioned? 
You may say the Church has been given all authority? 
Does it mean that the Church can change any of the instruction given by God himself, for strict observance.

Richard Mascarenhas

[Seeker]

Good questions Richard.

As you pointed out, Jesus is the Lord even of the Sabbath (Mt 12:8; Mar 2:27-28; Luk 6:5).  So He has the authority to change the law given to Moses.

Sunday is the day the Lord rose from the dead so it came to be known as the Lord's Day.  The very first Christians met on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7).

One of the first things the Risen Jesus did was "break bread" on Sunday (see Luke 24:12-31).

St. John the Evangelist received his vision of the Apocalypse on the Lord's Day (i.e., Sunday) in Rev 1:10.

There is historical evidence that meeting on the first day of the week came from apostolic times.  The Church inherited this from the apostles.

To my understanding, changing the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday comes to the Church from the apostles.  Most of the evidence for this is historic.  The Scriptural references are there, but not numerous.

The Catholic Encyclopedia has a nice article on the Sabbath <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13287b.htm>.

Here is an excerpt:

Christ, while observing the Sabbath, set himself in word and act against this absurd rigorism which made man a slave of the day. He reproved the scribes and Pharisees for putting an intolerable burden on men's shoulders (Matt., xxiii, 4), and proclaimed the principle that "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark, ii, 27). He cured on the Sabbath, and defended His disciples for plucking ears of corn on that day. In His arguments with the Pharisees on this account He showed that the Sabbath is not broken in cases of necessity or by acts of charity (Matt., xii, 3 sqq.; Mark, ii, 25 sqq.; Luke, vi, 3 sqq.; xiv, 5). St. Paul enumerates the Sabbath among the Jewish observances which are not obligatory on Christians (Col., ii, 16; Gal., iv, 9-10; Rom., xiv, 5). The gentile converts held their religious meetings on Sunday (Acts, xx, 7; 1 Cor., xvi, 2) and with the disappearance of the Jewish Christian churches this day was exclusively observed as the Lord's Day.

There were a lot of observances the Jews had for the Sabbath.  The requirements were much greater for the Jews regarding the Sabbath than for Christians on Sunday.  With the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, the required observance for the Sabbath eventually went away for all Christians who were under the New Covenant of Christ.

Let me reply to a specific comment you made:

You may say the Church has been given all authority? 
Does it mean that the Church can change any of the instruction given by God himself, for strict observance.

The Church does not have the authority to change God's laws.  Christ did give certain powers of "binding and loosing" to the Church.  But the Church cannot change immutable things like the meaning of marriage (which she sees as a revelation from God), or the ordination of women, for instance.  The Church has said many times that it does not have the authority to change these things because they were established by God. 

Here's another example, the Church does not have the authority to make murder acceptable, but she can tell us to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  The Church doesn't create the Truth, she only guards and teaches it (as well as ministers to the people of God).

In the case of the Sabbath, Christ gave us the proper perspective of the Sabbath (against the Pharisees).  By virtue of the Resurrection and through the Holy Spirit's guidance of the apostles, He made the holy day of the New Covenant to be Sunday.

[Richard]

Christ, while observing the Sabbath, set himself in word and act against this absurd rigorism which made man a slave of the day. He reproved the scribes and Pharisees for putting an intolerable burden on men's shoulders (Matt., xxiii, 4) "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark, ii, 27)

Christ was against absurd rigorism that made man a slave of the day as Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath.  If this is so, why does the church insist that attending mass on a sunday is obligatory and on other days u dont fulfil the obligation.  Why again put such a rigorism (absurd!) when Christ himself was against it.  Maintain a day of sabbath as per the convenience of the people for it is not the day that is of importance but observing the meaning of Sabbath.  Dont u think that the day is changed but still we follow as being slave of the day.


Christ did give certain powers of "binding and loosing" to the Church

Which means for preaching the word of God as was taught by him and so to bind and loose. This does not say that what was being followed be changed.

Six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest

The words here specifically say "Seventh day" not the first day or any day.  If it had to be changed it could have been any day as per the convenience.

The church has welcomed changes to suit the changing times.  Even a Saturday or a Sunday is very inconvienient in many places, as such, wouldn't it be more proper to observe it the way Christ meant it to be as stated in  Matt., xxiii, 4.

[Seeker]

Hi Richard!

Christ was against absurd rigorism that made man a slave of the day as Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath.  If this is so, why does the church insist that attending mass on a Sunday is obligatory and on other days u dont fulfil the obligation.  Why again put such a rigorism (absurd!) when Christ himself was against it.  Maintain a day of sabbath as per the convenience of the people for it is not the day that is of importance but observing the meaning of Sabbath.  Dont u think that the day is changed but still we follow as being slave of the day.

What is your definition of “absurd rigorism”? 

The Pharisees claimed the Sabbath was broken in cases of necessity (e.g., hunger) or by acts of charity (e.g., aiding the sick) (see Mt 12 and Mk 2:23-28).  To me, this is "rigorism" and making people slaves to the day.

Compare this to the Church’s teaching:

The holy day of obligation is not “broken” in cases of necessity or charity.

If it is impossible for one to attend Mass on Sunday due to necessity (such as working to feed your family), then that person is released from the Sunday observance.  But they should observe the holy day of obligation at a more “convenient” day during the week.

Here are a few excerpts from the Catechism:

Sunday - fulfillment of the sabbath

2175 Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ:

Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the sabbath, but the Lord's Day, in which our life is blessed by him and by his death.

2176 The celebration of Sunday observes the moral commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship "as a sign of his universal beneficence to all." Sunday worship fulfills the moral command of the Old Covenant, taking up its rhythm and spirit in the weekly celebration of the Creator and Redeemer of his people.

The Sunday obligation

2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass."117 "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."118

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.


A day of grace and rest from work

2184 Just as God "rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done," human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution of the Lord's Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.

2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.

2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm#I

Personally, I don’t see the Church’s teaching as rigorism.  It seems to be in line with the intent and spirit of the Sabbath.  Help me understand your position better.

Christ did give certain powers of "binding and loosing" to the Church

Which means for preaching the word of God as was taught by him and so to bind and loose. This does not say that what was being followed be changed.

How does one “bind” by preaching the Word of God?  How does one “loose” in the same respect?  Where does Scripture say that “binding and loosing” is the same as preaching the word of God?

Six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest

The words here specifically say "Seventh day" not the first day or any day.  If it had to be changed it could have been any day as per the convenience.

Sunday was not chosen arbitrarily. Christ chose the day by rising from the dead the morning of the first day of the week.  This is how the apostles saw it.  The early Christians met on Sunday, why shouldn’t we, if we can?  By the whole Church attending on the same day, we are truly celebrating as a community rather than a bunch of individuals.

The church has welcomed changes to suit the changing times.  Even a Saturday or a Sunday is very inconvenient in many places, as such, wouldn't it be more proper to observe it the way Christ meant it to be as stated in  Matt., xxiii, 4.

What do you mean by “inconvenient?” Maybe my idea of “inconvenient” is different than yours.   The Church does allow us to miss Mass on Sunday out of necessity, but inconvenience isn’t necessarily a good reason to change the day that Christ made holy by His Resurrection.  How do you know that Christ did not intend for the Sabbath to be celebrated on Sunday by His church as a united whole?  He did rise from the dead as the new creation on Sunday.  The apostles and early Christians celebrated the Lord’s Day on the first day of the week. 

There are many times in the US that bishops combine a holy day of obligation with Sunday when it falls on a Monday or Saturday, out of convenience for the faithful.  I sometimes wonder if this is really the wisest thing to do, even though it is within their authority as bishops of the Church.