📖 Biblical Definition
Holy Saturday is the Sabbath between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection — the day He rested in the tomb after declaring "It is finished" (John 19:30). The Apostles’ Creed includes that day in the clause traditionally rendered "descended into hell" or, more carefully, "descended to the dead" — affirming the reality of His death and burial without affirming any post-mortem suffering on our behalf. Holy Saturday is the Christian Sabbath of waiting: the women resting from anointing, the disciples scattered, the world thinking it had won. The Reformed church marks the day soberly, neither denying its silence nor filling it with speculation. It teaches us how to wait when God seems most still.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The day Christ rested in the tomb.
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The Sabbath between Christ's crucifixion and resurrection; the day He rested in the tomb after declaring 'It is finished'; included in the Apostles' Creed as 'He descended into hell' or 'descended to the dead' — variously interpreted across traditions but agreeing that Christ truly died and entered the realm of the dead.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 27:60 — "And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock."
Luke 23:54-56 — "And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on... And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment."
1 Peter 3:18-19 — "Christ also hath once suffered for sins... Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Treated as empty waiting; Holy Saturday is the day Christ rested His finished work, the great sabbath.
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Holy Saturday is the great sabbath. Christ rested His finished work as the Father rested creation week. The disciples could not see the joy yet. Sometimes faith is sitting at the tomb on the seventh day, trusting the eighth will come.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew shabbat; the great rest.
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['Hebrew', 'H7676', 'shabbat', 'sabbath, rest']
['Greek', 'G4521', 'sabbaton', 'sabbath']
Usage
"Holy Saturday is the great sabbath."
"Faith sits at the tomb trusting the eighth day."