Sabbath is Not Mentioned in the New Testament

The Bible is to be taken as a whole; the Old Testament and the New Testament complete each other (Matt. 13:52, Luke 24:27, Deut. 8:3, John 5:39, John 10:35). Some believe that the Old Testament is no longer significant in the light of the New Testament and that there isn’t proof for the Sabbath in the New Testament. Consider the following:

(1) “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Luke 4:16. Christ’s custom was to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

(2) “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day.” Matthew 24:20.  Jesus prophesied that His followers (Christians) would still be keeping the Sabbath 40 years after His death (at the destruction of Jerusalem, 70 A.D.).

(3) Jesus said,“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17, 18. As long as heaven and earth exist, not even the smallest changes will happen to the Ten Commandments (including the Sabbath fourth commandment).

(4) “The sabbath was made for man….” Mark 2:27. The Sabbath was made for mankind. Remember, the Sabbath was sanctified at creation 2,500 years before the Jews existed.

(5) Referring to the Ten Commandments Jesus said, “but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17.

(6) The disciples kept the Sabbath “And they . . . rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” Luke 23:56 “they . . . went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.” Acts 13:14; “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath…And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.” Acts 13:42, 44; “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.” Acts 16:13; “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” Acts 18:4.

There is no verse in the New Testament that mentions that the fourth commandment (Sabbath) was changed. But there are verses that mention that the commandment will never change. The disciples continued to keep the Sabbath holy after Christ’s resurrection.