Sanctifying the Sabbath in Westminster Catechism

The Westminster Confession of Faith, a foundational Reformed document, outlines the sanctification of the Sabbath in Chapter 21, affirming that God appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto Him ^[3]. This directive is rooted in biblical commands to "remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it" (Exodus 20:8) and "keep the Sabbath day, to sanctify it" (Deuteronomy 5:12) ^{[2, 1]}.

The concept of sanctifying the Sabbath is contested across Christian traditions, with varying interpretations of its significance and application. The debate centers on the nature of the Sabbath commandment and its relevance to Christian practice.

One position, represented by Reformed and Presbyterian traditions, views the Sabbath commandment as a moral and perpetual obligation, binding on all people in all ages. According to this view, the Sabbath is a day for worship, rest, and spiritual rejuvenation, with its observance being a means of grace and a sign of the covenant between God and His people ^{[3, 5]}. The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates this perspective, emphasizing the importance of setting apart one day in seven for holy worship and rest.

In contrast, some Christian traditions, such as the Lutheran and Methodist/Wesleyan perspectives, interpret the Sabbath commandment in the context of the Decalogue and its application to Christian life. Luther's Small Catechism, for example, rephrases the third commandment as "Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day," emphasizing the importance of honoring the Lord's Day ^[10]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, notes that sanctifying the Sabbath involves distinguishing it from other days through bodily rest, clean clothing, and spiritual occupation with the law and wisdom ^[6].

The early Church Fathers also contributed to the understanding of Sabbath sanctification. Augustine, for instance, saw the Sabbath commandment as having a typical or figurative significance, pointing to the spiritual rest that believers experience in Christ ^[7]. In a similar vein, John of Damascus, an Eastern Orthodox theologian, understood the Sabbath as a symbol of rest, interpreting it in the context of creation and the divine ordinance ^[9].

Jewish traditions, which underlie the Christian understanding of the Sabbath, offer additional insights. The Babylonian Talmud, a Rabbinic text, notes that the Sabbath is sanctified every week, independent of court decisions, as it commemorates Creation ^[8]. Ramban (Nachmanides), a Kabbalistic/Philosophical commentator, connects the blessing and sanctification of the Sabbath to the Manna, highlighting God's providential care ^[4].

Despite these diverse perspectives, all positions agree on the importance of setting apart a day for worship, rest, and spiritual rejuvenation. The hermeneutical commitments and prior doctrinal premises that drive the differences in interpretation include the understanding of the Decalogue, the nature of the Sabbath commandment, and the relationship between the Old and New Covenants.

The divergence in traditions can be attributed to varying views on the perpetuity of the Sabbath commandment, its moral or ceremonial nature, and the extent to which it is binding on Christians. Reformed traditions tend to emphasize the moral and perpetual nature of the commandment, while other traditions see it as having a more nuanced or figurative significance.

Sources

Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 5:12 (Geneva1599) — Keepe the Sabbath day, to sanctifie it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.”
Exodus “Exodus 20:8 (YLT) — `Remember the Sabbath-day to sanctify it;”
Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 21 (part 2): as, in private families daily, and in secret, each one by himself; so, more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God, by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto. 7. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him:”
Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Genesis 2:3: AND G-D BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND HE SANCTIFIED IT. He blessed it through the Manna. [On all other days of the week there fell one portion per person, whereas on the sixth day — the eve of the Sabbath — a double portion fell.] And He sanctified it through the Manna [by not having it fall on the Sabbath]. And the verse is written here with reference to the future. Thus are the words of Rabbeinu Shlomo [Rashi] as quoted from Bereshith Rabbah. 241 11:2. In the name of the Gaon Rav Saadia 242 Mentioned in Ibn Ezra here. they have said that the blessing and sa”
Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 20:12: sabbaths, . . . a sign between me and them--a kind of sacramental pledge of the covenant of adoption between God and His people. The Sabbath is specified as a sample of the whole law, to show that the law is not merely precepts, but privileges, of which the Sabbath is one of the highest. Not that the Sabbath was first instituted at Sinai, as if it were an exclusively Jewish ordinance (Gen 2:2-3), but it was then more formally enacted, when, owing to the apostasy of the world from the original revelation, one people was called out (Deu 5:15) to be the”
Isaiah (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Isaiah 56:2: That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it - Kimchi has an excellent note here. "The Sabbath is sanctified when it is distinguished in dignity; and separated from other days. 1. As to the body, in meat, drink, and clean clothing. 2. As to the soul, that it be empty of worldly occupations, and be busily employed in the words of the law and wisdom, and in meditation on the works of the Lord." The rabbins say, "Jerusalem had never been destroyed, had not the Sabbaths been profaned in it."”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. XII. --22. It is also for this reason, that of all the ten commandments, that which related to the Sabbath was the only one in which the thing commanded was typical ;' the bodily rest enjoined b (part 1): CHAP. XIII.--23. The Lord's day, however, has been made known not to the Jews, but to Christians, by the resurrection of the Lord, and from Him it began to have the festive character which is proper to it.s For the souls of the pious dead are, indeed, in a state of repose before the resurrection of the body, but they are not engaged in the”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 78b.1: The Festivals of the Lord require sanctification by the court, as the Festival dates are established by the court’s determination of the New Moon, whereas Shabbat, which commemorates Creation, does not require sanctification by the court. Shabbat is sanctified every week independent of any court decision.”
CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 99: Chapter XXIII .— Against the Jews on the question of the Sabbath. The seventh day is called the Sabbath and signifies rest. For in it God rested from all His works 2640 2640 Gen. ii. 2 . , as the divine Scripture says: and so the number of the days goes up to seven and then circles back again and begins at the first. This is the precious number with the Jews, God having ordained that it should be held in honour, and that in no chance fashion but with the imposition of most heavy penalties for the transgression 2641 2641 E”
Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran) “Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran, 1529), 3Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day.: 3Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day.”

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