How We Lost Track of the Sabbath: Why Early Christians Stopped Sabbath Keeping

How We Lost Track of the Sabbath Day: Insights from the Epistle of Barnabas

The Epistle of Barnabas offers valuable insights into the evolution of the Sabbath in early Christianity, particularly in how it connects to the broader narrative of salvation history.

The Sabbath as a Symbol of Rest

Barnabas interprets the Sabbath not just as a weekly day of rest but as a symbol of the ultimate rest and peace that believers will experience after the end times. He writes:

"Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, ‘He finished in six days.’ This implies that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years. And He Himself testifies, saying, ‘Behold, today will be as a thousand years.’ Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, six thousand years, all things will be finished. ‘And He rested on the seventh day.’ This means: when His Son, coming, shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge the ungodly, and change the sun, the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day."

This interpretation suggests that the true Sabbath, or the day of rest, will only be realized after the end times, following the judgment and transformation of the world.

The Loss of the Original Covenant

Barnabas also highlights the loss of the original covenant due to the Israelites' idolatry, as seen in the Golden Calf incident:

"For the scripture saith; And Moses was in the mountain fasting forty days and forty nights, and he received the covenant from the Lord, even tablets of stone written with the finger of the hand of the Lord. But they lost it by turning unto idols."

This loss of the covenant necessitated a new covenant through Jesus Christ, emphasizing that true rest and salvation come through faith and righteousness rather than mere observance of rituals.

The New Covenant and the True Sabbath

Barnabas explains that the true Sabbath is a state of spiritual rest and peace that believers will experience through their faith in Jesus Christ:

 "And Moses understood, and threw the two tables from his hands; and their covenant was broken in pieces, that the covenant of the beloved Jesus might be sealed unto our hearts in the hope which springeth from faith in Him."

Thus, the Epistle of Barnabas provides a framework for understanding how the concept of the Sabbath evolved in early Christianity. It emphasizes that the ultimate Sabbath, after 6000 years, will be a time of complete rest and peace, achieved through faith in Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation.

Barnabas also points to Isaiah's warnings against the lunar calendar, which Isaiah criticized for its association with idolatrous practices. He quotes Isaiah, saying, "I hate your new moons and your sabbaths, and the great day of the feast, and your fasting, and your feast days, and your new moons, and your great days, which your hands have made" (Isaiah 1:14, as quoted in the Epistle of Barnabas).