Anthony’s Cell
YouTube
The Sabbath, Sunday, and the Eighth Day in Orthodox Teaching
4:26
The audio reading presents the article "The Sabbath Day, Sunday, and the Eighth Day" from the Orthodox Study Bible. The article explains the Sabbath commandment's two biblical reasons: God's rest after creation in Exodus and Israel's deliverance from Egypt in Deuteronomy. Sabbath observance involved rest from almost all work to contemplate these acts and reinforce the covenant.
Synagogue worship on the Sabbath developed during the Babylonian exile around the sixth century BC. Early Jewish Christians observed the Sabbath but also celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday, the Lord's Day, because Jesus rose on Sunday. St. Ignatius of Antioch in 107 AD writes that Christians gave up keeping the Sabbath and ordered their lives by the Lord's Day.
Constantine the Great decreed in 321 AD that every Sunday would be a holy day. Orthodox Christians still keep Saturday as the Sabbath, remembering the departed because Christ rested in the tomb on Holy Saturday. Sunday as the eighth day is the day beyond nature and time, the beginning of another world, whether called day or eternity.
The church celebrates Pascha for eight days during Bright Week, babies are named on the eighth day, and baptismal fonts have eight sides indicating entry into the eighth day of eternal rest in Christ's kingdom. The article cites numerous scriptural passages including Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 20:8, 11; 31:12-17, Deuteronomy 5:15, Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, Hebrews 4:1-11, and Revelation 1:10.
Key moments
- The Sabbath commandment in Exodus gives creation as the reason: God rested on the seventh day after making heaven and earth in six days.
- Deuteronomy adds a second reason: God delivered Israel from Egypt by a mighty hand, so they must guard and sanctify the Sabbath.
- Sabbath observance required rest from almost all work to contemplate creation and deliverance, reinforcing the covenant; synagogue worship on Sabbath began during the Babylonian exile around the 6th century BC.
- Early Jewish Christians observed the Sabbath but also celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday, the Lord's day, because Jesus rose on Sunday.
- St. Ignatius of Antioch in 107 AD writes that Christians gave up keeping the Sabbath and ordered their lives by the Lord's day.
- Constantine the Great decreed in 321 AD that every Sunday would be a holy day; Orthodox Christians still keep Saturday as the Sabbath, remembering the departed because Christ rested in the tomb on Holy Saturday.
- Sunday as the eighth day is the day beyond nature and time, the beginning of another world, whether called day or eternity.
- The church celebrates Pascha for eight days during Bright Week, babies are named on the eighth day, and baptismal fonts have eight sides indicating entry into the eighth day of eternal rest in Christ's kingdom.