A few weeks ago, @jongolson and I discussed why Catholics do not adhere to the 4th Commandment to "remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy". Instead, we celebrate Mass on Sunday. I mistakenly offered an incomplete answer as I understood that Sunday, the "Lord's Day", to be a spiritual replacement for the Sabbath. The reasoning is that Catholics are "at rest in Christ" and are thus following the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law. This was an incomplete and slightly wrong answer, as you will read below.
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And what does being "at rest in Christ" mean? Even to me that sounds like the magic trick of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. But, my research has clarified the significance of this, giving me more confidence and understanding as I was able to find the scriptures that directly support it.
Before going further, this blog post is not an effort to say to any reader that I'm right and you're wrong. I am only explaining the reasoning, based on scripture, that Catholics don't have a hard-coded Sabbath. This is not an effort to convert you to Catholicism or smack down your own beliefs. This is only about me filling in the holes in my own knowledge and sharing it.
One other important thing to point out is that in the early Church history, there was a mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians. There were attempts at converting people to Judaism so that they could become Christians, such that it became necessary for Paul to clarify that Gentiles were not bound by the old Covenant. Thus, new members did not need to be circumcised or restrict their diets.
Not the Same
The short explanation why Catholics don’t keep the Sabbath as Jews do because the Jewish Sabbath is distinct from God’s own Sabbath rest—a cosmic rest tied to creation, not the weekly observance given to Israel. Instead, Catholics celebrate Sunday as the “Lord’s Day,” a ceremonial observance that echoes God’s rest while focusing on Christ’s resurrection. Beyond that, any day can reflect this rest because Christians find it in Jesus. Let’s explore how God’s Sabbath, the Jewish Sabbath, and Christian practice connect—and differ.
God’s Sabbath vs. the Jewish Sabbath
In Genesis 2:2-3, God rests on the seventh day after creating the world:
"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy."
This is God’s Sabbath—a cessation from the act of creation, a rest that’s cosmic and ongoing, not a recurring day of inactivity. God doesn’t tire (Isaiah 40:28) or stop sustaining the universe; His rest marks the completion of His creative work, as Hebrews 4:3-4 notes:
"His works have been finished since the creation of the world."
The Jewish Sabbath, however, is different. In Exodus 20:8-11, God commands Israel to “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,” resting on the seventh day (Saturday) as a pattern of His creation rest. This weekly observance is a covenant sign for Israel (Exodus 31:13-17), a human practice reflecting God’s example but tailored to their needs—physical rest, worship, and trust in God’s provision. God’s Sabbath is eternal and foundational; the Jewish Sabbath is temporal and covenant-specific.
Jesus Ties Rest to God’s Sabbath
Jesus reframed the Sabbath, aligning it with God’s rest rather than just Israel’s law. In John 5:17, He says, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working,” showing that God’s rest isn’t idleness but an active sustaining of creation—work that includes mercy, like healing. In Mark 2:27, He adds, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” and as “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8), He reveals its deeper purpose: human flourishing.
Even more, Jesus offers a rest that echoes God’s eternal rest. In Matthew 11:28-30, He invites:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
This rest isn’t bound to Saturday—it’s a spiritual reality tied to faith in Him, reflecting God’s completed work now extended through redemption.
Sunday: The Lord’s Day
Catholics celebrate Sunday as the “Lord’s Day,” not as a replacement for the Jewish Sabbath, but as a link to God’s rest fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection on the first day (Matthew 28:1). Early Christians gathered on Sunday (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2), a practice cemented by the second century in texts like the Didache. In practical terms, the early Christians met on Sunday because Paul and other Christian Jews spent Sabbaths in synagogues. Paul, in particular, used Sabbath to spread the Gospel in the synagogues. But this observance of Sabbath excluded Gentiles. Therefore, it would have been more convenient for Gentiles to meet and have Communion with Paul and the other elders of the early church on Sunday, when they were available.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2174-2176) calls Sunday a “fulfillment of the Sabbath’s spiritual truth,” blending rest with the joy of the new creation in Christ.
Sunday Mass includes rest—Catholics avoid unnecessary work (CCC 2184-2188)—but it’s distinct from the Jewish Sabbath. It’s a ceremonial observance honoring God’s rest (completed creation) and Christ’s victory (redemption), not a covenant obligation tied to Israel.
Any Day as Sabbath: Rest in Christ
Christianity goes further: any day can be a Sabbath because believers find rest in Christ, mirroring God’s eternal rest. Hebrews 4:9-11 promises “a Sabbath-rest for the people of God,” entered through faith:
“For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.”
Paul echoes this in Romans 14:5-6:
“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike… Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.”
This rest isn’t about a fixed day but a state of peace in Christ, who fulfills God’s Sabbath by completing redemption. Catholics might rest on Sunday, but they can experience God’s rest any day through prayer, trust, and devotion.
Why Not the Jewish Sabbath?
Catholics don’t observe the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday because:
God’s Rest Supersedes It: The Jewish Sabbath reflects God’s creation rest but is a human institution for Israel. Christians tie their rest to God’s eternal Sabbath, fulfilled in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).
New Covenant Focus: The Jewish Sabbath was part of Israel’s covenant, but Christians live under a New Covenant where Christ’s work offers rest beyond a single day (Romans 10:4).
Church Tradition: The Catholic Church shifted worship to Sunday, reflecting God’s rest through Christ’s resurrection, not Israel’s weekly law.
In Acts 15, the early Church didn’t mandate the Jewish Sabbath for Gentiles, and this freedom extends to all Christians. Catholic practice aligns with God’s Sabbath—rest in Christ—rather than Israel’s.
Sunday and Beyond: Echoing God’s Rest
Sunday Mass incorporates rest, worship, and renewal, reflecting God’s Sabbath while celebrating redemption. But because Christians rest in Christ, any day can carry this meaning—prayer on a Monday or service on a Thursday can connect us to God’s eternal rest. Sunday is a communal anchor, but the true Sabbath is Christ Himself, making every day a chance to live in His peace.
Wrapping It Up
Catholics don’t observe the Jewish Sabbath because it’s distinct from God’s Sabbath—a cosmic rest tied to creation and fulfilled in Christ, not a weekly law for Israel. Sunday honors this rest, blending it with resurrection joy, while any day can be a Sabbath as Christians find rest in Jesus. Far from rejecting rest, Catholics tie it to God’s eternal Sabbath, transforming every moment into an opportunity to dwell in His presence—Sunday and beyond.
Having gone through this research, many more questions arise. For example, if Catholics aren't bound by Mosaic Law, what place does the Old Testament have? Are there any Commandments that Catholics must follow?
I do want to thank Jon G. Olson for his willingness to discuss these matters. If not for him, I would not have put in the effort to research the matter to my own satisfaction. This has inspired me to seek more knowledge, the details, about the Catholic Church's teachings. Furthermore, this experience has introduced me to people like Wes Huff and Father Mike Schmitz who have a way of explaining things that work for me. Perhaps this is the start of a spiritual journey.