The Sabbath Commandment in the New Testament

Is the Sabbath Commandment in the New Testament?  The answer is yes, but not in the way we might expect in today's culture.  In the world of the first century, how did writers refer to other texts?  Theirs was a world without cut-and-paste and hyperlinks.  In fact, it was a world before chapter and verse--- they hadn't been invented yet.  In their time of hand-written manuscripts, the only way to refer to another text was to quote it.  Since they were working in a culture of intensive scripture memorization and weekly bible readings, they could expect that their audience would recognize the quoted passage and understand its context.

A portion of the Sabbath commandment is quoted several times in the New Testament.   The quoted portion is highlighted in the Exodus 20:8-11 passage that follows.

Exodus 20:8 (KJV) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The phrase "heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is" is quoted verbatim in Acts 4:24 and Acts 14:15.

Acts 4:24 (KJV) And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:...

Acts 14:15 (KJV) And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

The NT Greek is an exact quote from the Septuagint.  (One doesn't have to know Greek to see that they are the same.)

Exodus 20:11 (Septuaginta, ed. A. Rahlfs) ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησεν κύριος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ κατέπαυσεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησεν κύριος τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν

Acts 4:24 (Nestle-Aland, 27th. ed.) οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἦραν φωνὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ εἶπαν· δέσποτα, σὺ ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς,

Acts 14:15 (Nestle-Aland, 27th. ed.) καὶ λέγοντες· ἄνδρες, τί ταῦτα ποιεῖτε; καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ἐσμεν ὑμῖν ἄνθρωποι εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ θεὸν ζῶντα, ὃς ἐποίησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς·

There are other NT texts that paraphrase the same passage.

Rev 5:13 (KJV) And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Rev 10:6 (KJV) And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

Rev 14:7 (KJV) Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Rev 14:7 ((Nestle-Aland, 27th. ed.)) λέγων ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ·  φοβήθητε τὸν θεὸν καὶ δότε αὐτῷ δόξαν, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα τῆς κρίσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ προσκυνήσατε τῷ ποιήσαντι τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν καὶ πηγὰς ὑδάτων. 

What do all of these texts have in common?  They are all references to the identity of God as the creator.

• Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth
• Acts 4:24 thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth 
• Acts 14:15 the living God, which made heaven, and earth
• Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven (creature: Greek κτίσμα, created thing)
• Revelation 10:6 him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven
• Revelation 14:7 worship him that made heaven, and earth

Many texts in the NT make reference to God as the creator; it is as the creator that God is distinguished from other gods and philosophies.

John 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Acts 3:15 (RSV/ESV) and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

Acts 17:24 (KJV) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth (οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς), dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;...

Rom 1:25 (KJV) ... Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Col 1:15 (KJV) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:...

Heb 1:1 (KJV) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;...

Heb 11:3 (ESV) By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

What is the connection between creation and the Sabbath?

Gen 2:1 (KJV) Thus the heavens and the earth (Sept.: ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ) were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested (Heb: ‏וַיִּשְׁבֹּת - shabat: to cease, to rest, desist from labor) on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested (Heb: ‏שָׁבַת - shabat: to cease, to rest, desist from labor) from all his work which God created and made.

Exod 31:16 (KJV) Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth (Sept.: τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν), and on the seventh day he rested (Heb: ‏ - שָׁבַת shabat: to cease, to rest, desist from labor), and was refreshed.

Texts in Isaiah and Ezekiel refer to the Sabbath in a context that is clearly future and "end of time" in character.  See Is 65:17-66:24 (For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth) and Ezekiel 43-48.  Much of the symbolism and language in these chapters has parallels in Revelation.

Isa 66:1 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.... 18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues (Rev. 7:9; 11:9); and they shall come, and see my glory. 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21:1), which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 

Why will "all flesh come to worship" the LORD from "one sabbath to another"?  Revelation 4:11 provides a good answer.

Rev 4:11 (KJV) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.