Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, the concept of a "week" is deeply rooted in the creation narrative and the rhythm of life as ordained by God. The week is a seven-day cycle that is foundational to the Judeo-Christian understanding of time and is first introduced in the Book of Genesis.
Creation and the SabbathThe week originates from the creation account in
Genesis 1-2. According to
Genesis 1:31-2:2 , "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work." This passage establishes the pattern of six days of work followed by a day of rest, which is the Sabbath. The Sabbath, observed on the seventh day, is a day set apart for rest and worship, reflecting God's rest after creation.
The Fourth CommandmentThe significance of the week is further emphasized in the Ten Commandments, where the observance of the Sabbath is enshrined as a divine command.
Exodus 20:8-11 states, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."
The Week in Jewish TraditionIn Jewish tradition, the week is central to religious life. The Sabbath, or Shabbat, begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday. It is a time for rest, reflection, and worship, and it serves as a reminder of God's creation and His covenant with Israel. The weekly cycle is a constant reminder of God's order and provision.
The Week in the New TestamentIn the New Testament, the concept of the week continues to hold significance. The early Christians, many of whom were Jewish, initially observed the Sabbath. However, the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, Sunday, led to the practice of gathering for worship on this day, which became known as the Lord's Day.
Acts 20:7 notes, "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread." This shift highlights the importance of the resurrection in Christian worship and the new creation inaugurated by Christ.
Symbolism and EschatologyThe week also carries symbolic and eschatological meanings. The seven-day cycle is often seen as a symbol of completeness and perfection, reflecting God's perfect creation. In eschatological terms, the week can be viewed as a foreshadowing of the ultimate rest and fulfillment in God's eternal kingdom, where believers will enter into God's rest as described in
Hebrews 4:9-10 : "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His."
In summary, the week is a divinely instituted cycle that structures time in the biblical narrative, emphasizing themes of creation, rest, worship, and redemption. It serves as a continual reminder of God's sovereignty and His plan for humanity.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
WeekThere can be no doubt about the great antiquity of measuring time by a period of seven days. (Genesis 8:10;29:27) The origin of this division of time is a matter which has given birth to much speculation. Its antiquity is so great its observance so widespread, and it occupies so important a place in sacred things, that it must probably be thrown back as far as the creation of man. The week and the Sabbath are thus as old as man himself. A purely theological ground is thus established for the week. They who embrace this view support it by a reference to the six days' creation and the divine rest on the seventh. 1st. That the week rests on a theological ground may be cheerfully acknowledged by both sides; but nothing is determined by such acknowledgment as to the original cause of adopting this division of time. Whether the week gave its sacredness to the number seven, or whether the ascendancy of that number helped to determine the dimensions of the week, it is impossible to say. 2d. The weekly division was adopted by all the Shemitic races, and, in the later period of their history at least, by the Egyptians. On the other hand, there is no reason for thinking the week known till a late period to either Greeks or Romans. So far from the week being a division of time without ground in nature, there was much to recommend its adoption. And further, the week is a most natural and nearly an exact quadri-partition of the month, so that the quarters of the moon may easily have suggested it. It is clear that if not in Paul's time, yet very soon after, the whole Roman world had adopted the hebdomadal division. Weeks, Feast of. [PENTECOST]
Easton's Bible Dictionary
From the beginning, time was divided into weeks, each consisting of six days of working and one of rest (
Genesis 2:2, 3;
7:10;
8:10, 12;
29:28). The references to this division of days becomes afterwards more frequent (
Exodus 34:22;
Leviticus 12:5;
Numbers 28:26;
Deuteronomy 16:16;
2 Chronicles 8:13;
Jeremiah 5:24;
Dan. 9:24-27;
10:2, 3). It has been found to exist among almost all nations.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A period of seven days, usually that reckoned from one Sabbath or Sunday to the next.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
WEEKwek (shebhua`, from shebha`, "seven"; sabbaton-ta, "from sabbath to sabbath"): The seven-day division of time common to the Hebrews and Babylonians (Genesis 29:27, 28Luke 18:12). SeeASTRONOMY;TIME. "Week" is used in the apocalyptic writings of Daniel for an unknown, prophetic period (Daniel 9:24-27). For the names of the days see ASTROLOGY, 12.
Greek
4521. sabbaton -- the Sabbath, ie the seventh day (of theweek)... the Sabbath, ie the seventh day (of the
week). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: sabbaton Phonetic Spelling: (sab'-bat-on) Short Definition: the
...1207 -- second, after the first.
... From deuteros and protos; second-first, ie (specially) a designation of the Sabbath
immediately after the Paschalweek (being the second after Passover day...
1145. dakruo -- to weep
... to weep. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: dakruo Phonetic Spelling:
(dak-roo'-o) Short Definition: I shed tears,week Definition: I shed tears, weep....
106. azumos -- unleavened
... particle) and zume; unleavened, ie (figuratively) uncorrupted; (in the neutral plural)
specially (by implication) the Passoverweek -- unleavened (bread)....
Strong's Hebrew
7620. shabua -- a period of seven (days, years), heptad,week... shabua. 7621 . a period of seven (days, years), heptad,
week. Transliteration:
shabua Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-boo'-ah) Short Definition: weeks.
... seven,
week.
...7651. sheba -- seven
... shib-aw'}; from shaba'; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one);
also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, aweek; by extension, an...
Library
His LastWeek
His LastWeek. <. His LastWeek William E. Barton. William E.
Barton; Theodore G. Soares; Sydney Strong; Produced by...
EasterWeek
... EASTERWEEK. Written for music to be sung at a parish industrial exhibition)
See the land, her Easter keeping, Rises as her Maker rose....
A BusyWeek
... Chapter 12. Wesley's Letter to an Editor; Impositions and Declarations;
the Speaking Statue; Wesley's Pentecost A BusyWeek. Monday...
HolyWeek
... II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR HolyWeek. [537]143 All glory, laud, and honor
[538]144 The royal banners forward go [539]145 Ride on! ride...
Through theWeek
... THE HYMNAL. I. DAILY PRAYER: Morning Through theWeek. [110]32 From every
stormy wind that blows [111]33 O help us, Lord, each hour...
A Sunday in theWeek of the First Tone
... A Sunday in theWeek of the First Tone. 8,8,8,8,8,8 Germanicus (634-734). By fruit,
the ancient Foe's device. Drave Adam forth from Paradise:...
Tuesday in PassionWeek. By the which Will we are Sanctified...
... Tuesday in PassionWeek. By the which will we are sanctified, through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. By...
PassionWeek in the Garden.
... PassionWeek In the Garden. I. In the Garden. 7,6,7,6. Wenn je du wieder zagst.
[76]W. Hey.1828. Whenever again thou sinkest,. My heart, beneath thy load,....
PassionWeek at the Sepulchre.
... PassionWeek At the Sepulchre. V. At the Sepulchre. 4,4,7,7,6. Nun gingst auch
Du. [84]Viktor Strauss. Thou sore-oppress'd,. The Sabbath rest....
How to Keep PassionWeek
... SERMON I. HOW TO KEEP PASSIONWEEK. (Preached before the Queen.)... This the first day
of PassionWeek; and this text is the key-note of PassionWeek....
Thesaurus
Week (18 Occurrences)... Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
WEEK.
... See ASTRONOMY; TIME. "
Week" is used in the
apocalyptic writings of Daniel for an unknown, prophetic period (Daniel 9:24-27).
...Early (157 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Matthew 28:1 After the Sabbath, in the early dawn of the first day of the
week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre. (WEY)....
Lord's (548 Occurrences)
... Lord's day. Only once, in Revelation 1:10, was in the early Christian ages used
to denote the first day of theweek, which commemorated the Lord's resurrection....
Sepulcher (48 Occurrences)
... Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day
of theweek, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary to see the sepulcher....
Sepulchre (57 Occurrences)
... Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day
of theweek, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre....
Weeks (17 Occurrences)
... of the commandments to restore and build Jerus" (Daniel 9:25), is divided into three
parts, 7 weeks (49 years), 62 weeks (434 years), and oneweek (7 years)....
Morrow (113 Occurrences)
... or mochoratham, "the morrow," or "tomorrow," "the day following"; mochorath ha-shabbath,
"the day after the Sabbath," ie the first day of theweek): The first...
Seventy (97 Occurrences)
... of the commandments to restore and build Jerus" (Daniel 9:25), is divided into three
parts, 7 weeks (49 years), 62 weeks (434 years), and oneweek (7 years)....
Easter (1 Occurrence)
... According to this reckoning it began on the evening of the 14th day of the moon
of the month of Nican without regard to the day of theweek, while the...
Dawn (70 Occurrences)
... Matthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the
week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb....
Resources
What is Passion Week / Holy Week? | GotQuestions.orgSubscribe to the Question of the Week | GotQuestions.orgUnsubscribe from the Question of the Week | GotQuestions.orgWeek: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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