Copyright © 2018 Jon English Lee All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. THERE REMAINS A SABBATH REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD: A BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL DEFENSE OF SABBATH REST AS A CREATION ORDINANCE A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Jon English Lee May 2018 APPROVAL SHEET THERE REMAINS A SABBATH REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD: A BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL DEFENSE OF SABBATH REST AS A CREATION ORDINANCE Jon English Lee Read and Approved by: _____________________________________ Gregg R. Allison (Chair) _____________________________________ Stephen J. Wellum _____________________________________ Michael A. G. Haykin Date__________________________ I dedicate this dissertation to my lovely and patient wife, without whose support this entire project would have been unrestful. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................. viii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. ix PREFACE ............................................................................................................... x Chapter 1. SABBATH REST AS A CREATION ORDINANCE ....................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Thesis ..................................................................................................... 2 Background ............................................................................................. 7 Methodology ......................................................................................... 12 Overview ............................................................................................... 13 2. THEOLOGICAL AND HERMENEUTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ............... 18 Creation Ordinances as a Theological Category: Historical Survey .......... 18 The Nature of Sabbath Typology ............................................................ 22 What is a Type? ............................................................................. 22 Typology and Creation Ordinances................................................. 24 Sabbath Typology .......................................................................... 28 Inaugurated Eschatology and Sabbath Rest ............................................ 39 Creation Ordinances and Inaugurated Eschatology ......................... 40 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 46 iv Chapter Page 3. Sabbath Rest in the bible........................................................................... 48 Introduction .......................................................................................... 48 Genesis 2 ............................................................................................... 48 Responses to Some Objections ....................................................... 63 Sabbath Rest and the Fall ...................................................................... 71 The Old Covenant and the Sabbath ........................................................ 72 Exodus 16:22–30 ............................................................................ 73 Exodus 20:8–11 .............................................................................. 74 Exodus 31: 12–17; 34:21; 35:2–3 ..................................................... 76 Deuteronomy ................................................................................. 79 Sabbath in the Remainder of the Old Testament ............................. 82 Some Observations and Reflections on Sabbath in the Old Testament .............................................................. 84 Sabbath in the New Testament............................................................... 87 Sabbath in the Gospels ................................................................... 87 Matthew 11:25–30 .......................................................................... 88 Matthew 12:1–8; Mark 2:23–26; Luke 6:1–5 .................................... 93 Matthew 12:9–14; Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11 .................................... 96 Matthew 24:20 ............................................................................... 97 Mark 2:27–28 ................................................................................. 98 Luke 13:10–17 .............................................................................. 102 Luke 14:1–6 ................................................................................. 103 John 5 and 9................................................................................. 104 Paul and the Sabbath ........................................................................... 105 Romans 14:5–6 ............................................................................ 106 Galatians 4:9–11........................................................................... 110 v Chapter Page Colossians 2:16–17 ....................................................................... 111 The Letter to the Hebrews and the Sabbath .......................................... 114 Future Rest in Hebrews 3:7–4:11 .................................................. 114 Rest and Weekly Christian Sabbath .............................................. 120 Rest, Eternal Sabbath, and the Weekly Sabbatical Pattern ............. 121 Sabbath/Lord’s Day in the New Testament and the Day “Transfer” ....... 122 Old Testament Shadows of the Day Change .................................. 123 New Testament Evidence of Lord’s Day Worship .......................... 125 Concluding Thoughts about Sabbath in the New Testament ................. 130 Concluding Thoughts about Sabbath in the Bible ................................. 130 4. INTERPRETATIONS OF SABBATH REST IN THE EARLY CHURCH AND MEDIEVAL ERA ....................................... 132 Early Church and the Sabbath .............................................................. 132 Pliny the Younger ........................................................................ 133 Didache ....................................................................................... 134 Ignatius of Antioch....................................................................... 136 Justin Martyr ................................................................................ 139 Tertullian ..................................................................................... 145 Eighth Day Theology ................................................................... 147 Clement of Alexandria and Origen ................................................ 149 Constantine, Sunday, and Post-Constantinian Sunday Observance .............................................................. 152 Augustine and Sabbath................................................................. 156 Conclusion .................................................................................. 161 Medieval Church and the Sabbath ........................................................ 162 vi Chapter Page 5. INTERPRETATIONS OF SABBATH REST FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE MODERN ERA ..................................... 164 Reformation/Post-Reformation and the Sabbath ................................... 164 Continental Reformers and Post-Reformers .................................. 164 Puritans ....................................................................................... 175 Modern Era and the Sabbath ................................................................ 185 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 187 6. ECCLESIOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SABBATH AS A CREATION ORDINANCE ....................................... 188 Sabbath and Ecclesiology ..................................................................... 188 Sabbath and Church Leadership ................................................... 188 Sabbath and Worship ................................................................... 190 Church Attendance and Discipline ................................................ 191 Sabbath Pattern and Corporate Meetings ...................................... 192 Sabbath and the Second Service .................................................... 192 Sabbath and the Means of Grace ................................................... 194 Human Embodiment ........................................................................... 195 Sabbath Rest and Physical Embodiment ....................................... 195 Sabbath Rest and Personal Identity ............................................... 201 Leisure and Non-Utilitarian Enjoyment ........................................ 204 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 206 7. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................... 207 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................ 220 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 2LBC Second London Baptist Confession of Faith ANF Ante-Nicene