The
Sabbath? Saturday or Sunday?
The Bible never uses either term (Saturday, Sunday) as both are from pagan origins. The worship of Saturn is where the term “Saturday” is derived and the worship of the sun is where the term “Sunday” is derived.
In Genesis creation account the Lord “blessed the seventh day” and sanctified it or set it apart as His Sabbath. None of the creation days were identified as Saturday or Sunday or by any other pagan title. They were just listed numerically in order. Day seven was no more holy than day one or two as far as its intrinsic worth. 24 hours characterized each and every day. There is nothing more holy about this 24 hour period of time above any other. The morality lies in the fact that God “sanctified” it above the others.
In Exodus the Israelites are reminded that God worked six days and rested on the seventh day. The seventh day commemorated His work of creation. Therefore they are to work six days and rest on the seventh.
However, the fourth commandment does not prescribe a certain day of “the week.” In fact, although the term “week” is found many times in the Old Testament, God does not choose to employ that term in the fourth commandment. The fourth commandment is a NUMERICAL command. The only moral principle of this command is that six working days is followed by and then preceded by a Sabbath day rest. To demand that this Sabbath must always fall on a certain prescribed day of the week such as “Sunday” or “Saturday” is not involved in the fourth commandment. Indeed, a 365 solar year would involve the 7th day falling upon a different day of the week almost every week of the year. The time of the week that the Sabbath fell upon would depend upon whether or not a nation used a solar or lunar calendar or a combination of both. Depending on which side of the international date line 7th Day Adventists would be on, some would be observing the Sabbath on one side of the line while on the other side of the line it would be either Sunday or Friday for other 7th Day Adventists. God did not specific a certain day “of the week” but rather specified a NUMERICAL order that can be observed by anyone anywhere under any calendar.
Various cultures in the Old Testament observed the Sabbath on various days of the week. The Egyptians observed a Friday Sabbath. The Jews believed that the giving of the law at Mount Sinai occurred on Pentecost. Pentecost during the time of Christ occurred on the first day “of the week.” A careful study of the time frame of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai would indicate that the first Sabbath observed by Israel in the wilderness fell on the first day of the week rather than the seventh day “of the week.”
The fixed dated Sabbaths in Leviticus 23 indicate that Sabbath days fell upon those dates in a variety of months that will not harmonize with a seventh day “of the week” computation (7,14,21,28).
As far as “tradition” the Jews at least from the time of Christ have observed their Sabbath day upon the pagan day of Saturn.
In Leviticus 23 the Lord introduces the laws of the feasts. These feasts pertain to the Messiah and the New Covenant. Significantly, this chapter introduces another kind of Sabbath day to the nation of Israel. Dispersed throughout the feasts are Sabbath days that correspond to first day of the week Sabbaths instead of seventh day of the week Sabbaths (1,8,15).
“And
on the fifthteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto
the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the FIRST DAY ye shall
have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein….in the SEVENTH
DAY is a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein” – Lev.
23:6-8
A Sabbath day occurred on the “fifteenth”
as this was the “first day” of unleavened bread. Obviously this is the day
after the “fourteenth” or second regular weekly Sabbath. This makes the
fifteenth the first day of the week. This is proven by the fact that also there
was a Sabbath on the seventh day of this same feast which also occurred on the
first day of the week (15th day and 22nd).
In Leviticus 23:15-16 they were to number
seven regular weekly Sabbaths from “on the morrow after the Sabbath, from
the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering” to the fiftieth day.”
The sheaf offering was brought in on the 21st of the month which
would correspond with a seventh day of the week computation. From this regular
Sabbath they were to count seven Sabbaths and the day after the seventh Sabbath
was the day of Pentecost. Pentecost occurred on the very next day after the
seventh Sabbath. This would make it the first day of the week. Pentecost was to
be observed as a Sabbath day also (v. 21).
Thus far there were two first day of the week Sabbaths.
In Leviticus 23:24 the feast of blowing
the trumpets occurs on the “first day” of the seventh month. This first day of the month “shall be a
Sabbath…ye shall do no servile work therein…” – v. 25 This makes three Sabbaths occurring on the first day of the
week.
In Leviticus 23:34-35 and 39-40 we have
the feast of tabernacles. It occurs on the “fifteeth day of the month” or the
day after the second regular Sabbath. This would be “the first day of the
week.” This day is said to be a “Sabbath”
(v. 39). Also, seven days which was to include the “fifteenth” they were to
offer offerings and on the “eighth day” they were to have another “Sabbath.”
The eighth day would end on another “first day of the week.” Thus in all there are five first day of the
week Sabbaths found in the feasts of the Lord.
As we will demonstrate later, this
insertion of “first day of the week” Sabbaths in connection with those feasts
that typify the New Covenant work of Christ sets the stage for a change of the
Sabbath Day under the New Covenant to the first day of the week.
Psa.
118:20 This gate of the LORD, into
which the righteous shall enter.
21
I will praise thee: for thou hast
heard me, and art become my salvation.
22
The stone which the builders refused
is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous
in our eyes.
24
This is the day which the LORD hath
made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
This whole portion is a Messianic prophecy as verse 22 is quoted six times in the New Testament and each time it is applied to Christ.
Matthew
21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye
never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same
is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is
marvellous in our eyes?
Mark
12:10-11 And have ye not read this
scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the
corner: This was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Luke
20:17 And he beheld them, and said,
What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the
same is become the head of the corner?
Acts
4:11 This is the stone which was set
at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Ephesians
2:20-22 And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
1
Peter 2:4-8 ¶ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of
men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the
scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:
and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which
believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a
stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the
word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
However, what is significant about this Old Testament quotation is its special application to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Acts 4:10-11). The builders “refused” Him by condemning and crucifying Him. The Father’s response to their rejection of Him was to raise Him from the grave or reverse their work of rejection. Luke spells this contrast between the builders and the Father in Acts 4:10
“Be it known unto you all, and to all
the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye
crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man
stand here before you whole.”
The contrast between the builders and The
Father is clearly seen in the phrase, “whom ye crucified”, VERSUS
“whom God raised from the dead” In order that the reader have
no doubt that Peter is referring to such a contrast he immediately quotes Psalm
118:22
“This
is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head
of the corner”. – Acts 4:11
However, the Psalmist continues to speak
about this resurrection work of the Father by saying:
“This
is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the
LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psa. 118:23-24
The first phrase explains how the refused
stone became the “head of the corner” – THIS IS THE LORD’S DOING. They killed
Him but God raised Him.
The second phrase identifies the day of
resurrection as a day to be SET APART to commemorate the resurrection as a work
of God. The Hebrew term translated “made” can mean “set apart to be
observed.” There is no question that
this is the meaning because of the words that directly follow – “We WILL
rejoice and be glad in IT” These words describe the kind of
commemoration intended “in it.” The day
of resurrection is to be observed with rejoicing and gladness because without
it the Apostle Paul says there would be no hope of salvation (I Cor. 15:10-16).
The seventh day Sabbath commemorates a
work of God that has fallen into sin and corruption and is now groaning under
sin and awaiting redemption. The first day of the week as typified in the
feasts of the New Covenant and prophetically commanded in Psalms 118:20-24
commemorates a greater work of God that ushers in a New Creation – the
resurrection of Christ.
Mark 16:1-2 And
when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and
Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very
early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the
sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
This passage makes it very clear that the women came early
Sunday morning when the sun was just “rising.” Moreover, the reading of Matthew 28:1-11 makes it clear that the
resurrection occurred just prior to sunrise Sunday morning. Read it carefully
below:
1 ¶ In the end of the
sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the
Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,
and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as
snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake,
and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not
ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen
from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye
see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and
great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met
them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped
him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren
that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
11 ¶ Now when they were
going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the
chief priests all the things that were done.
The natural reading of the above account makes it clear that
the resurrection occurred as the women were heading toward the grave (vv. 1-2).
The angels rolling back the stone frightened the “keepers” (vv. 3-4) whereupon
the women came and the angels calmed their fears (v. 5). After they had been
instructed they quickly headed toward the city where upon they met Christ as
they were leaving the garden (vv. 8-10). The very next verse says “Now when
they were going, behold some of the watch CAME INTO THE CITY” (v.11). That is,
while they were departing the garden for the city so also were the guards
heading to the city. The guards were
coming into the city as the women were leaving the garden. This indicates
clearly that the resurrection occurred between verse 1 and verse 5 or between
the coming of the women and their arrival at the tomb. All the evidence points
to a resurrection on Sunday morning just prior to sunrise.
The first three hundred years of Christian testimony also
supports this very same conclusion:
Ignatius says about A.D.
70 – “Let every one who loves
Christ, keep holy the Lord’s Day, the queen of days, the resurrection day, the
highest of all days.”
Ireneus, Bishop of Lyons,
disciple of Polycarp says, “On
the Lord’s Day, every one of us Christians keep the Sabbath.”
Barnabas in about A.D.
120 says, “We keep the eighth day
with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead”
Justin Martyr in about
A.D. 140 says, “But Sunday is the
day on which we all hold our common assembly, because Jesus Christ, our Savior,
on the same day rose again from the dead.”
Theopolis in A.D. 167
says, “Both custom and reason
challenge from us that we should honor the Lord’s Day, seeing it was that day,
our Lord Jesus Christ, completed the resurrection from the dead.”
Dionysius in A.D. 170
says, “We passed this holy Lord’s
Day in which we read your letter, from the constant reading of which we shall
be able to draw admonition.”
Dynidions in A.D. 170
says, “We Celebrate only the
Lord’s Day.”
Bardesanes in A.D. 180
says, “On one day, the first day
of the week, we assemble ourselves together.”
Clement in A.D. 192 says
that a Christian “According to
the commandment of the gospel, observes the Lord’s Day, thereby glorifying the
resurrection.”
Clement of Alexandria
says in A.D. 194, “He, in
fulfillment of the precept, according to the gospel, keeps the Lord’s Day,
glorifying the Lord’s resurrection in himself.”
Tertullian in A.D. 200
says, “We soleminze the day after
Saturday in contradiction to those who call this day their Sabbath.”
Cyprian, Bishop of
Carthage in A.D. 250 says, “The
eighth day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, is the Lord’s Day.”
The Apostolical
Constitution says in A.D. 250, “On
the day of our Lord’s resurrection, which is the Lord’s day, meet more diligently.”
Anatolius in about A.D.
270 says, “The solemn festival of
the resurrection of the Lord can only be celebrated on the Lord’s Day.”
Anatolius Bishop of
Laodicea in Asia Minor in A.D. 270 says, “Our regard for the Lord’s resurrection which took place on the
Lord’s Day will lead us to celebrate it.”
Victorinus in A.D. 300
says, “On the former day we are
accustomed to fast rigorously that on the Lord’s Day we may go forth to our
brad with giving of thanks, lest we should appear to observe any other Sabbath
with the Jewis, which Sabbath He in His body abolished.”
Peter, Bishop of
Alexanderia in A.D. 306 says, “But
the Lord’s Day we celebrate as a day of joy because on it he rose again.”
John the Beloved in A.D.
96 says, “I was in the spirit on
the Lord’s Day.” – Rev. 1:10
Luke in about A.D. 60
says, “And upon the first day of
the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto
them.” – Acts 20:7
Mosheim, in Volume one,
page 45 says, “In the first
century all Christians were unanimous in the setting apart the first day of the
week on which the Savior arose from the dead, for the solemn celebration of
public worship; and it was observed universally as appears from the united
testimony of the most credible writers.”
All of the above quotations occur prior to the edict of
Constantine concerning Sunday worship. A careful study of the quotations above
show that the “Lord’s Day” is used interchangeable with the “first day of the
week” and “Sunday” and “eighth day” and “day of resurrection.”
Those who say that Sunday observance was not the universal
practice of Christians until after the edict of Constantine are proven to be
liars. Those who claim that the “Lord’s Day” was understood to be “Saturday”
are proven to be liars. The unanimous evidence of both Scripture and history
confirm that Sunday was recognized as the “Lord’s Day” for the first three
hundred years.
“And very early in the
morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the
rising of the sun….Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”
In verse one the phrase “the first day of the week” represents
the Greek words “mia sabbaton” or “first of Sabbaths.” This was a common phrase to mean the “first”
day after “sabbaths” or the first day of the week.
However, in verse nine Mark changes the language dramatically.
The phrase “first day of the week” represents the Greek words “proto
Sabbatou.”
The term “proto” is the root from where we get our English term
“prototype” and it means the “first in a series.” The singular “sabbatou” is used only of the fourth commandment in
the Textus Receptus.
After Mark identifies what day of the week it was in verse one,
he then identifies Sunday as the “first Sabbath in a new series.”
What Moses predicts by typology in Leviticus chapter 23 and
what David prophetically predicts in Psalms 118:20-24 Mark positively
identifies to be the “first Sabbath in a new series of Sabbaths” – First day of
the week Sabbaths.
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”
The term translated “rest” above
represents the Greek word “sabbatismos” which literally means an “observance of
the Sabbath.”
The writer’s argument is very clear and
easy to understand. From Chapter one the writer has been showing that Christ
and the things of Christ are BETTER than those of Moses under the Law. In
chapters 3-4 he comes to the Old Testament Sabbath. In chapter three he argues that those who fell in the wilderness
did not enter into the promised rest because of their lack of faith in the
gospel (Heb. 4:1-2).
The writer argues that we who believe in
the gospel do “enter into rest” even that rest promised since the foundation of
the world or the Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:3-4).
However, there is more to this promised rest than mere “spiritual” rest
through the gospel. There is yet a full and glorious rest that the children of
God must enter into that is yet future (v. 11). The land of Canaan did not fulfill this promised rest for if
“Joshua” (kjv “Jesus”) had fulfilled this promised rest then he would not have
after the time of Joshua spoken of “another day” in Psalms by David (vv 7-8 as
recorded in Psalm 95).
Psa. 95: 8-11 – “Harden
not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the
wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this
generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have
not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter
into my rest.”
Therefore since the antitype of the
creation Sabbath has not been fulfilled by the time of Joshua or David, then
the only conclusion that can be drawn is
“There remaineth a
Sabbath Day observance to the people of God.” –
v. 9 (literal translation)
However, the present day Sabbath keeping
is a BETTER Sabbath day than the Old Testament one:
“For He that is
entered into his rest, He also has ceased from His own works, as God did from
His.” – Heb. 4:10
The pronoun “he” is identified in the
context by two concrete realities. First, the nearest antecedent is found in
verse 14 “Seeing then,that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God….” Second, is the fact that the contextual “he”
has performed a “work” comparable to the work of Creation and thus completed it
by entering into a “rest” just as God did after the work of creation. God rested from His work by setting apart
the seventh day to commemorate His work (v. 4). Likewise, the Son finished His
great work of redemption as our “High Priest” and set apart the first day of
the week to commemorate His work. That is the BETTER Sabbath rest we continue
to commemorate until we enter into the great antitype of that rest which is the
new heaven and earth (v. 11).
The Sabbath continues but with this
difference. The day has been changed to commemorate a greater work of
redemption. This change of day was first introduced typically with the feasts
of the New Covenant in Leviticus 23. It was predicted by Prophetic command in
Psalms 118:20-24. It was pinpointed by Mark as the “first Sabbath of a new
series” in Mark 16:9. It is the BETTER Sabbath under the New Covenant in
Hebrews 4:9-10. It is the consistent testimony of the first three hundred years
of Christianity BEFORE Constantine.
The New Testament
Pattern:
Mark says that Jesus rose early on the
first day of the week (Mk. 16:9) and Matthew 28:1-11 pinpoints this
resurrection just before sunrise between the departure of the women for the
tomb and their arrival. The guards were arriving in town the same time as the
women were leaving the garden (Mt. 28:11). John and Luke show the consistency
of all the disciples meeting together on the first day of the week:
1. “Then the SAME
DAY at evening, being the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the doors were
shut where the disciples were ASSEMBLED for fear of the Jews.” – Jn. 20:19
The Saturday explanation for this is
wrong. Their fear explains the “shut doors” but it does not explain why they
chose to assemble together on this day. Why not assemble the other days?
2. “And after EIGHT
days again his disciples were within…” –
Jn. 20:26
Why assemble again eight days later and
not on the days in between? Why did the Lord wait until the next Sunday to
appear again? Unless, the resurrection day had become important to them and
they were meeting on that day in expectation of having a visit from Christ?
3. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one
place.” – Acts 2:1
Pentecost occurred on the very next day
following the seventh Sabbath or the first day of the week.
4. “And upon the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the disciples came together
to break
bread, Paul preached unto them…” – Acts 20:7
The first day of the week was the
appointed day “when the disciples came together to break bread.” It was also
the only day of the “seven days” Paul remained with them that he chose to
“preach” to them the word.
5. “Upon THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK let everyone of you LAY by him in
STORE, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I
come.” – I Cor. 16:2
The terms “lay…store” are the very exact
words used in the Septuigent to describe tithing for the House of God in
Malichi 3:10. This would indicate that the first day of the week was the day
for assembling in God’s House just as Acts 2:1 and Acts 20:7 also
indicate. Paul didn’t want “any
gatherings” when He came because he didn’t want his personal presence to place
pressure on them. He wanted them to give cheerfully and willfully (2 Cor.
8:3-4,7).
6. “I was in the
Spirit on THE LORD’S DAY..” – Rev. 1:10
The use of words in the Greek text forbid
this to be an expression for “the day of the Lord” as the writers of Scripture
never ever use the Greek words found in Revelation 1:10 to describe that day.
The first three hundred years of Christianity understood these words by John to
refer to the day of resurrection as they repeated these very exact words in describing
the resurrection day. Never are the Greek words that underscore this passage
used for the eschatological day of the Lord – Never.
CONCLUSION
The Seventh Day Sabbaterians must EXPLAIN AWAY the
above passages. Any position that has to explain away what seems to obviously
teach the very opposite is a weak position.
I challenge any 7th day theologian to find one passage in the
New Testament that says the church assembled on the 7th day of the
week for worship or for anything. You can find where Paul met on the 7th
day Sabbath in order to convert the Jews but you can never read where the
Church ever met on that day for anything. Why?
Because the consistent assembling of the church is repeatedly on THE
FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK! Why? Because the
New Covenant reminder is the first day of the week whereas the Old Covenant
reminder is the 7th day of the week. The New Covenant Sabbath day is
better. New Testament saints give the FIRST day of the week to the Lord rather
than giving the LAST day of the week. The New Covenant Sabbath remembers a
greater work than the Old Covenant Sabbath. The New Covenant Sabbath points to
a better creation than the Old Covenant Sabbath. The Jewish Sabbaths have been
abolished by the cross (Col. 2:16) but the New Covenant Sabbath remaineth (Heb.
4:9) and will remain to the New Creation ushers in an eternal Sabbath day.