Why doesn’t the NT explicitly teach the seventh-day Sabbath?

It does, actually, in Hebrews 4. There we find the seventh day specified in connection with Gospel rest.

To see the context, go back a few verses to chapter 3, which recounts the fatal unbelief of those who failed to enter Canaan. Then comes a warning for Jewish Christians to avoid likewise falling short of gospel rest.  In this context of resting in God's salvation, the seventh day Sabbath is introduced: God's "works were finished from the foundation of the world" and He "rested on the seventh day from all His works" (4:3,4).  Then comes the sad history of Jewish failure to enter this Sabbath rest, which God had earned for them.  Even after Joshua finally led them into Canaan they were not yet into Sabbath rest.  Being external sabbatarians, the Jews did avoid business on the holy day.  But they were not true Sabbath keepers  they never entered the spirit of Sabbath rest.

This passage, read carefully, clearly carries the seventh-day Sabbath into the Christian church.  Verse 8 mentions "another day" David introduced.  Another day besides what?  The Sabbath, of course; the passage is still discussing the seventh day rest.  Did David's day replace the Sabbath day?  On the contrary.  He made true Sabbath keeping possible by calling a time apart to repent and believe in God's salvation.  Did the Jews ever become true Sabbath keepers?  Unfortunately not:  "There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God" (4:9).  And what Sabbath rest is this that remains for New Testament Christians?  "For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His" (4:10).  When did God rest from His works?  Verse 4 says: “God did rest the seventh day from all His works.” 

So there we have it. This seventh-day Sabbath, says the apostle, remains for us so we can celebrate gospel rest.

Keep in mind that Hebrews 4 has no hint that God would abolish His sacred day of rest.  The opposite is stated.  So why do even Adventists themselves often ignore this powerful New Testament proof of the Sabbath?  Because some of us doubt that the seventh day Sabbath is under discussion throughout the passage.  After all, how could the apostle be telling Heb¬rews that their nation never kept the Sabbath?  But this is exactly his point  the Jews, who strictly observed the day, ignored its meaning.  The apostle proves their need to begin true Sabbath keeping by reminding them of Canaan.  In David's day, three centuries after Joshua brought them in, they still had not entered the rest it represented.  Therefore they were mere sabbatarians, not Sabbath keepers. The call for spiritual rest on Sabbath, just like God Himself did rest—on the seventh day! This is the rest that remains for us.

Jorge Alcon commented on 18-Aug-2009 11:59 AM
Great.

Rachel Beckwith commented on 20-Aug-2009 02:30 PM
Thank you for adding this. Tt really helped clear things up for me.