Did the Apostles Abandon The Sabbath And Keep Sunday Instead To Honor The Resurrection? ~ MUC

There are some who would maintain that the Apostles of Christ abandoned keeping the seventh day Saturday Sabbath, and instituted in its place Sunday, the first day of the week, dedicated to the celebration of the resurrection. Note the following quote, which makes this claim:

Under the Old law, the Sabbath or seventh day of the week was observed because on that day God rested from his labors of creation ...

The Old Law was but an image or foreshadowing of the Light and Truth that was to come. When the Light came in the personality of Jesus, the old Mosaic law having fulfilled its function of preparing the Jews for the coming of the Messiah was abrogated as regards its ceremonial prescriptions in favor of the new dispensation or law of Christ.

To signalize this transition from the old to the new law, the Apostles transferred the observance to the Sunday, the first day of the week. Sunday was chosen because on that day was wrought the greatest miracle of the Christian religion, the resurrection of Christ from the dead. It was on Sunday also that the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles and sent them out to preach the Gospel to the world. Sunday is, therefore, the birthday of the Christian Church.

In this article we will explore the testimony of scripture on this subject and determine if Sunday, the first day of the week, can be proved or disproved as a holy day established by the Apostles to honor the resurrection.

The Testimony of the Old Testament

In all of the Old Testament, the only place the first day of the week is mentioned is in Genesis:

Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Now nowhere in the creation account is the first day of the week of creation blessed, sanctified, or declared holy. Did any day of creation receive this kind of recognition from God?

Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

In all of scripture, the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath, is the only day which has been declared by God Himself to be blessed, sanctified (set aside for a holy purpose), in memorial to His creation.

We are again reminded to observe the seventh day Sabbath in the commandments given at Sinai:

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The seventh day is declared to be a memorial to the creative power of God, which should be observed and kept holy because God Himself has blessed and hallowed the day.

On the sacredness of Sunday, the first day of the week, the Old Testament is completely silent.

The Testimony of the New Testament

The Gospel of Matthew

In the book of Matthew, there is but one reference to the first day of the week:

Mat 28:1 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.

This verse just makes the statement that the women came to the tomb on the first day of the week, after the Sabbath had passed. It is just commenting on the timing of events. Matthew makes no statement that implies that Sunday, the first day of the week, was now to be observed as a holy day. What makes this particularly significant is that according to scholars, even Catholic scholars, the book of Matthew was probably written about 70 A.D. or later. (Catholic reasoning on the dating of Matthew can be found in the notes for the New American Bible, and the New Jerome Bible Commentary.) Now, is it not curious that a gospel written some 40 years after the time of Christ is totally silent on the keeping of Sunday?

The Gospel of Mark

Now the book of Mark has twice the references of Matthew to the first day of the week:

Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Mark 16:9 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.

Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Again, Mark comments on the timing of events, and makes clear that the resurrection was indeed on Sunday, and the women came to visit the tomb on that day, but there is not even the suggestion that the first day of the week should be observed in perpetuity as a holy day. (The meeting of the eleven Apostles on Sunday, at which the risen Christ appeared, will be dealt with in the book of John.)

Catholic scholarship again places the book of Mark as having been written in the 60's A.D. or later, but it too is entirely silent on Sunday worship replacing the seventh day Sabbath.

The Gospel of Luke

The book of Luke is attributed by Catholics to an even later date that either Matthew or Mark. They date it to between 80 and 90 A.D. Luke, like Matthew, has only one verse referring to the first day of the week:

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Luke also refers to the first day of the week only to establish the time that the women came to the tomb, but says nothing further that can establish it as a day to be sanctified or observed.

Again, in the book of Luke, a gathering of the apostles on resurrection Sunday is recounted in Luke 24:33-53. This meeting will be dealt with below when discussing John 20:19.

The Gospel of John

In the final gospel, dated by Catholic scholars to have been written between 90 and 100 A.D., the testimony on the first day of the week is again a mere two verses:

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John is in complete agreement that the women arrived at the tomb on Sunday, the first day of the week.

John 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

John 20:19 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, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

John 20:20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Here we have the first recorded assembly of the disciples on the afternoon of resurrection Sunday. Were they assembled to worship? Were they joyously celebrating the resurrection? No. Until Jesus actually appeared to them they thought He was still dead, despite having been told by Mary Magdalene that she had seen the risen Lord! Until the disciples actually saw Jesus, they did not believe He was risen (Mark 16:14), but upon seeing Him they too believed, and then were glad at His resurrection.

Luke, in his Gospel, recounts what Jesus said to them at this same meeting:

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luke 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

What a splendid opportunity for Jesus to announce the abolition of the seventh day Sabbath and the institution of the new Christian Sabbath on Sunday to commemorate His resurrection! But it did not happen. Luke and John do not mention any such announcement.

Now as it happens the disciples assembled again eight days later:

John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Counting eight days (inclusively) from the resurrection day again brings us to again to Sunday, and Jesus appears before all the disciples, to include Thomas this time, who was previously absent. Another opportunity for Jesus to announce the institution of the new Christian Sabbath of Sunday! But John's account of that day makes no mention of a formal worship service. Jesus is recorded only as performing a number of signs and miracles to demonstrate to the disciples, even the skeptical Thomas, that He was indeed risen from the dead. John in his account simply makes no mention at all of anyone observing Sunday as a holy day to commemorate the resurrection.

That completes our examination of the Gospel testimonies on the first day of the week, and without exception they are silent as to the apostles observing Sunday as a holy day. How is it possible that these accounts in the New Testament, all written over 40 years after the crucifixion, have neglected to mention Sunday sacredness?

The Acts of the Apostles

Here in the second book attributed to Luke, written about 80 - 90 A.D., we now come to one of the most frequently quoted verses to support Sunday sacredness:

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Clearly the disciples are meeting on Sunday, the first day of the week. It might even be presumed by some that by "breaking bread" they celebrated the Lord's supper that Sunday. The question that needs to be asked though, is why were the disciples assembled on this day? What reason brought them together? In context, it will be seen that Paul was departing the next day on his journey to Jerusalem to be present during the Pentecost festival (v. 16). This gathering was a farewell assembly with Paul, the last day the people at Troas could meet with him, and that is why it lasted into the early morning hours. In fact Paul talked with them all through the night and then left in the morning at sunrise (v. 11).

Did Paul preach? Yes, without doubt, as verse 7 makes clear. Does that indicate the day was special, a holy day? No, they preached every day:

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Did they celebrate the Lord's supper? Perhaps, yet even if they did, as some maintain, there is no indication that that Sunday, or any Sunday, was being observed as a newly instituted weekly holy day to commemorate the resurrection. The breaking of bread did not indicate a special day of worship, or even that the Lord's supper was being celebrated, as scripture tells us they met daily and broke bread from house to house:

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat [food] with gladness and singleness of heart,

This indicates nothing more than eating what are called agape meals of fellowship, which are not necessarily connected with a formal worship service involving partaking in communion. Here is another example of breaking bread meaning a common meal:

Acts 27:33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat [food], saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

Acts 27:34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat [food]: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

Acts 27:35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

Now some will point to the celebration of Pentecost, found in Acts 2, and rightly claim that this occurred on a Sunday. Since that year the 16th of Nisan; the day of firstfruits; which was a type of the resurrection; fell on Sunday, Pentecost would also fall on Sunday. However, those gathered in the upper room on that day were gathered because it was Pentecost, not because it was Sunday:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Had they been gathered to observe the resurrection, wouldn't Luke have told us that this was the new day of the week for all Christians to observe? But, you say, we do observe Pentecost always on a Sunday (Whitsunday). Perhaps you do, but not by anything directed in scripture. Pentecost, like Passover, is not tied to any particular week day. It is determined by the day of the month of the biblical lunar calendar, which means it does not always fall on Sunday. According to the scriptural calculation, Pentecost will most likely be on (or about) the 6th day of the third month, Sivan, which will only occasionally fall on the first day of the week. When the Catholic Church ruled in the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. that the resurrection (Easter) would always be observed on a Sunday (instead of the biblical 16 Nisan), this automatically resulted in Pentecost being observed only on a Sunday, but this change lacks any biblical support.

So, there is nothing in the book of Acts that leads us to believe that Sunday had been set aside as a weekly holy day of worship to honor the resurrection.

Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians

Continuing on to the next book of the New Testament, which according to Catholic scholars was written between 52 and 57 A.D., we find what is probably the single most quoted text used in an effort to "prove" Sunday worship:

1 Cor 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Paul writes to the Corinthians that he is requesting money be saved for distribution to the needy saints in Jerusalem (v. 3). Paul is recommending that each person, on the first day of the week, lay aside and save by themselves a proportional amount of their income for the purpose of this offering. In that way, when Paul arrives the necessary funds will be already set aside and available.

1 Cor 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

1 Cor 16:4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

Upon meeting with Paul after his arrival at Corinth, the money that had been saved up would be given to the designated courier and taken to Jerusalem by Paul's direction. Most notably, Paul is not instructing the Corinthians to observe Sunday, or even implying that funds are to be collected at a Sunday worship service. He is saying that on the first day of the week each person is to allocate and set aside at home (lay by him in store) a portion of their funds. There is no indication that the individual needed to leave home or go anywhere to do this.

It is also clear from the book of Acts, that Paul kept only the Sabbath day in Corinth, and not Sunday:

Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Acts 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

That's 72 Sabbaths that Paul preached in Corinth. There can be no question that Paul raised up a Sabbath keeping church in Corinth, a church that knew nothing of observing Sunday as a holy day. So, while many will point to 1 Corinthians 16:2 in the light of Tradition, and say that it refers to passing the collection plate during a Sunday service, in context, that is simply not indicated by the text.

That completes the entire testimony of the scriptures on the first day of the week. Note that not once in the Gospels, or indeed the whole of the New Testament, did Jesus Christ even mention the first day of the week, much less declare it the new day of rest to replace the Saturday Sabbath. And not once, according to the New Testament, were the Apostles gathered together in worship on a Sunday for the declared purpose of honoring the resurrection.

Not another verse in the remaining books of the New Testament even mention the first day of the week. Now some may immediately object, and say, "But there is another to consider, you have overlooked the Apocalypse." In that case let us move to the last book of scripture.

The Revelation

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Here in John the Revelator's testimony, we have the one and only reference in all of scripture to the "Lord's day." Is it prime evidence that Sunday was the "Lord's day"? Is there any indication anywhere in scripture that this name is to be applied to any particular day of the week? Certainly not in Revelation. While Sunday has become known through Tradition as the Lord's day, scripture does not designate it as such, but we can find the following, referring to the Saturday sabbath:

Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Deu 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:

Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Mark 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Luke 6:5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Isa 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

CONCLUSION: The Bible teaches the 7th day Sabbath is the Lord's Day.

So there is no scriptural evidence to be found, that supports the claim that the apostles of Jesus Christ knew anything about sanctifying Sunday and observing it as a holy day of worship.

Now, does any of the New Testament give further evidence that Sunday worship was unknown to the apostles?

Paul preaches in Antioch.

In Acts chapter 13, Paul arrives in Antioch (v. 14) and on the Sabbath day he goes to the synagogue to preach (vs. 16-41). Now note what happens after Paul concludes his sermon about Jesus, the Christ:

Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Now at this point, I have to ask, if Paul was keeping Sunday, and preaching during services on Sunday, how is it that he does not invite the Gentiles to attend services the very next day, on Sunday to hear him preach again?

Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Why did the Gentiles have to wait until the next Sabbath to hear Paul preach? This is a question for which the promoters of Sunday worship cannot give a viable answer.

Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

The Jews in Antioch did not receive the Gospel message on the first sabbath that Paul preached to them. On the following sabbath Paul did not enter the synagogue, the crowd of eager Gentiles being so large that only the outdoors could accommodate the multitude. The envious Jews were angered at Paul's preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. And what was the response of the Gentiles to the Gospel?

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Acts 13:49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Here Paul has preached to a multitude of Gentiles, not on a Sunday which was his first opportunity, but on the following Sabbath, a Saturday. There can only be one reason for this, Paul was not keeping Sunday. Sunday had not been instituted as a day of worship, and none of the apostles were observing it as a holy day.

Was the Sabbath still to be observed?

At this point it might be asked, is there any evidence from the New Testament that indicates the seventh day Sabbath was to be observed even after the crucifixion?

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Mat 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Mat 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Mat 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

Mat 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

Note that Jesus was speaking to His disciples. There are two possible applications of the above text. The first is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the armies of Rome. Note the parallel text in Luke to verse 15:

Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

This verse makes clear that Jesus is warning His disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, and that they should pray that they will not need to flee on the Sabbath. Why would that matter? Jesus as God intended the sabbath day to be one of rest and spiritual growth, not a day of panic; fleeing from a invading army of persecutors. Jesus is affirming here, that 40 years after His death on the cross, the Sabbath would still be observed by His disciples.

Many Christians today, while they might acknowledge an initial application of Matthew 24:15-20 to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, will also maintain that this passage applies most fully to an event yet future. They believe that the antichrist will desecrate the temple at some future date, and that this will signal the nearness of the second coming. If one subscribes to this future timing, then Jesus is speaking of His disciples observing the Saturday seventh day Sabbath all the way into a time that is even now still in the future!

Not only was the Sabbath never rescinded, but scripture even makes clear that in the future, all of mankind (those who are saved) will observe the Sabbath when worshipping the Lord:

Isa 66:22 (KJV) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

Isa 66:23 (KJV) And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

The Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible translates these verses this way:

Isa 66:22 (DR) For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will make to stand before me, saith the Lord: so shall your seed stand, and your name.

Isa 66:23 (DR) And there shall be month after month, and sabbath after sabbath: and all flesh shall come to adore before my face, saith the Lord.

Some will claim that nine of the commandments are found repeated in the New Testament, but not the Sabbath commandment. Why is God worthy of worship?

Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The fourth commandment is cited twice in the book of Acts:

Acts 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

Note that the fourth commandment is referred to in these verses in Revelation:

Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The keeping of the 10 commandments of God is mentioned repeatedly in the New Testament, to those under the new covenant, the Christians, who have God's law written in their hearts and minds. See: The Seal of God in the Old and New Covenants.

Conclusion

Note the following comments from a Catholic viewpoint, again by the Reverend John A. O'Brien:

... the Bible does not contain all the teachings of the Christian religion, nor does it: formulate all the duties of its members. Take, for example, the matter of Sunday observance, the attendance at divine services and the abstention from unnecessary servile work on that day, a matter upon which our Protestant neighbors have for many years laid great emphasis. Let me address myself in a friendly spirit to my dear Protestant reader: You believe that the Bible alone is a safe guide in religious matters. You also believe that one of the fundamental duties enjoined upon you by your Christian faith is that of Sunday observance.

But where does the Bible speak of such an obligation? I have read the Bible from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelations, and have found no reference to the duty of sanctifying the Sunday. The day mentioned in the Bible is not the Sunday, the first day of the week, but the Saturday, the last day of the week. It was the Apostolic Church which, acting by virtue of that authority conferred upon her by Christ, changed the observance to the Sunday in honor of the day on which Christ rose from the dead, and to signify that now we are no longer under the Old Law of the Jews, but under the New Law of Christ. In observing the Sunday as you do, is it not apparent that you are really acknowledging the insufficiency of the Bible alone as a rule of faith and religious conduct, and proclaiming the need of a divinely established teaching authority which in theory you deny?

As the Bible does not testify of Sunday sacredness to honor the resurrection, it was clearly unknown to the Apostles and was neither observed or commanded by them. Sunday sacredness is really nothing more than a Catholic Tradition. If you are going to follow the precepts of the word of God in the Bible and observe the day it enjoins, then there is really only one choice: the keeping of the seventh day (Saturday) Sabbath as found in the Ten Commandments of God.

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MUC

Sunday, March 6, 2016