"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Hebrew: זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ, romanized: Zāḵōr ’eṯ-yōm haš-šabbāṯ lə-qaddəšōw) is one of the Ten Commandments[1] found in the Torah.
[20] A number of the prophets condemn desecration of the Sabbath with various forms of work, including Isaiah,[21] Jeremiah,[22] Ezekiel,[23] and Amos.
Instead...he explained to them that from the Exodus from Egypt they will know that it was He who spoke and the world came into existence, and He ceased from work thereon.
(2) That we might remember how kind God had been in freeing us from the burden of the Egyptians - The Sabbath is therefore a double blessing: it gives us correct notions, and also promotes the well-being of our bodies.
[29] For example, Jesus is described as pointing out to the Jews their misunderstanding of the Mosaic Law by making observance of the Sabbath more rigorous than God had commanded.
(Mark 2:27) With compassion, Christ declares the Sabbath for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing.
According to Catholic teaching, ceremonial observance of Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week replaces that of the Sabbath.
Sunday is described as a fulfillment of the spiritual truth of the Jewish Sabbath and an announcement of man's eternal rest in God.
[38] The Catholic Catechism describes Sunday celebration as observing the "moral commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship."
Thus, 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.
"[41] Christians also sanctify Sunday by giving 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.
"[42] In addition to one's own rest, Christians should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord's Day.
[43] Martin Luther taught that with regard to external observance, the Sabbath commandment was given to Jews alone and not strictly applicable to Christians.
Luther did see wisdom in voluntary observance of a day to rest from labor and pay particular attention to Christian duties of reading the Scriptures, worshiping God, and prayer.
Further by this sanctification of the Sabbath it is also plainly shown that man was especially created for the knowledge and worship of God.
For the Sabbath was not instituted on account of sheep or oxen, but for the sake of men, that the knowledge of God might be exercised and increased by them on that sacred day.
He willed that on the seventh day both the Word should be preached, and also those other parts of his worship performed, which he himself instituted; so the end that by those appointed means we should first of all think solemnly on our condition in the world as men; that this nature of ours was created ...for the knowledge and the glorifying of God; and also that by these same sacred means we might hold fast in our minds the same hope of a future and eternal life.Here one does not find Luther saying the Sabbath command of Genesis 1 is something that could be dispensed with.
However, he emphasized that because Christians are buried with Christ in baptism and raised from the dead to the glory of God the Father (Romans 6:4), that what Christ fulfilled in the Sabbath requires not one day each week, but rather "requires the whole course of our lives, until being completely dead to ourselves, we are filled with the life of God.
"[45] Calvin taught that spiritual wisdom deserves to have some part of every day devoted to it, but owing to the weakness of many daily meetings cannot be held.
Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the Gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed: [John 4:21] but God is to be worshipped everywhere,[Malachi 1:11, 1 Timothy 2:8] in spirit and truth;[John 4:23] as, in private families[Jeremiah 10:25, Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 1 Peter 3:7, Acts 10:2] daily,[Matthew 6:11] and in secret, each one by himself;[Matthew 6:6, Ephesians 6:18] so, more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God, by His Word or providence, calls thereunto.
For this reason, we abstain from secular work and from all merchandising on this holy day, except that required by mercy or necessity.
"[50] Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the Lord has commanded them to continue to observe the Sabbath.
Latter-day Saints attend sacrament meeting each week, which includes the ordinance of partaking of bread and water in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ as He instructed his apostles to do at the Last Supper.
Other Sabbath-day activities may include: praying, meditating, studying the scriptures and the teachings of latter-day prophets, reading wholesome material, spending time with family, visiting the sick and distressed, and attending other Church meetings.
[54] In places where the sun does not appear or does not set for several months, such as northern Scandinavia, the tendency is to regard an arbitrary time such as 6 p.m. as "sunset".