450. Why did God “bless the Sabbath day and declare it sacred” (Exodus 20:11)?

God did so because on the Sabbath day one remembers God’s rest on the seventh day of creation, and also the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt and the Covenant which God sealed with his people.


Veja este tema no Catecismo

Paragraph 2168

2168. The third commandment of the Decalogue recalls the holiness of the sabbath: "The seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD."92

Paragraph 2169

2169. In speaking of the sabbath Scripture recalls creation: "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it."93

Paragraph 2170

2170. Scripture also reveals in the Lord's day a memorial of Israel's liberation from bondage in Egypt: "You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out thence with mighty hand and outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day."94

Paragraph 2171

2171. God entrusted the sabbath to Israel to keep as a sign of the irrevocable covenant.95 The sabbath is for the Lord, holy and set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on behalf of Israel.

Paragraph 2172

2172. God's action is the model for human action. If God "rested and was refreshed" on the seventh day, man too ought to "rest" and should let others, especially the poor, "be refreshed."96 The sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. It is a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.97

Paragraph 2189

2189. "Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Deut 5:12). "The seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord" (Ex 31:15).


Acesse nossos estudos biblicos:

What does 1 John 2:29 teach us about God’s holiness and justice?

What does Wisdom 8:7 teach us about wisdom as a source of virtue and honor?

What is the importance of gratitude and contentment according to the book of Ecclesiastes?

Understanding God’s Wrath – Habakkuk 1:2-4

God’s chosen people: What does the book of Leviticus teach us about the choice and holiness of God’s people? (Leviticus 20:26)

What is the role of church leaders according to Ephesians 4:11-12?

What is Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem described in Mark 11:1-11?