THE SABBATH
Which day is the Christian Sabbath? Most observe Sunday. Christ observed the "seventh day", which we know as Saturday. Does it make any difference which day we observe? Since calendars have changed, do we know which day Christ observed? Did he change the day or authorize others to change it? These are just a few of the questions about the Sabbath. More are given below along with the scriptures that answer them.
1. What is the Sabbath?
Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 20:8-11 Ex. 35:2 Lev. 23:2-3,44 Eze. 20:12
2. Who created it?
Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 20:11
3. How was it created?Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 20:11
4. When was it created?Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 20:11
5. Was it in effect prior to Mt. Sinai?Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 20:11
6. Why was it created?Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 16:4, 23-30 Eze. 20:12 Lev. 23:2-3 Deu. 5:15
7. How is it to be observed?Lev. 23:3 Ex. 20:8-10 Ex. 23:12 Lev. 23:2-3 Deu. 5:12-15 Jer. 17:21-27
Neh. 10:31 Neh. 13:15-22 Psa. 92:1-15 Isa. 58:13-14 Isa. 66:23
8. Were blessings promised for observing it?Lev. 26:1-45 Isa. 56:2-7 Isa. 58:13-14 Jer. 17:21:26
9. What is the penalty for violating it?Ex. 31:14-15 Ex. 35:2 Lev. 26:1-45 Num. 15:32-36 Jer. 17:21-27
10. How can one violate it?Ex. 20:10 Ex. 23:12 Ex. 31:15 Lev. 23:2-3 Neh. 10:31 Neh. 13:15-22
Jer. 17:24,27 Eze. 20:12-24
11. Is it a specific time or a general time?Gen. 2:2-3 Ex. 20:11 Neh. 13:19
12. How is one to prepare for it?
Ex. 16:23 Mk. 15:42
13. Who is to observe it?Ex. 20:8-11 Ex. 23:12
14. Is the Sabbath a "sign"?Ex. 31:13-17 Isa. 66:19, 23 Eze. 20:12, 20
15. How long was the Sabbath to be in effect?Ex. 31:13-17 Lev. 24:5-8 I Chrn. 9:32 Isa. 66:15, 23 Eze. 40:1-2; 44:24; 46:1
16. When does the Sabbath begin and end?Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 Gen. 2:2 Lev. 23:32 Neh. 13:19
17. Was a sacrifice required?Lev. 24:5-8 Num. 28:9-10
18. What kind of sacrifice is required today?Mat. 9:13 Rom. 12:1 Heb. 10:10 Heb. 13:15-16 1 Pet. 2:5
19. How does one "keep it holy"?Ex. 20:10-11 Ex. 23:12 Ex. 35:2 Lev. 23:2-3 Neh. 10:31 Neh. 13:15-22
20. What activities are forbidden on the Sabbath?Ex. 20:11 Ex. 23:12 Ex. 31:14-15 Ex. 35:2 Lev. 23:2-3
Deu. 5:13-14 Neh. 10:31 Neh. 13:15-22 Isa. 58:13:14 Jer. 17:24, 27
21. What activities are acceptable for the Sabbath?Ex. 23:12 Ex. 31:17 Lev. 23:3 Psa. 92: l Psa. 92: title Psa. 118:24
Isa. 58:12-14 Isa. 66:23 Mat. 12:10-13
22. Can one keep the Sabbath in vain?Isa. 1:1-4, 14-15 Eze. 20:13-16 Amos 8:4-14
23. Did Christ observe the Sabbath?Mk. 6:2 Lk. 6:6 Lk. 13:10-17 Mat. 12:10-13
24. Did Christ endorse breaking the Sabbath, or only the breaking of Pharisical traditions?Mat. 12:1-8 Mk. 2:23-28 Mat. 12:10-13 Lk. 13:10-17
25. Was the Sabbath observed after the Death and Resurrection of Christ?Lk. 23:56 Jn. 19:31 Acts 13:14 Mk. 16:1
26. Since the Sabbath was given as a sign, what happens to those who do not keep it?Ex. 31:14-15 Ex. 35:2
27. Is the Sabbath mentioned in prophecy?
Isa. 66:15, 23 Eze. 40:1-2; 44:24; 46:4-5
28. Does one's job take priority over observing it?Ex. 20:8-11 Ex. 23:12 Ex. 31:13-17 Ex. 34:21 Ex. 35:2 Lev. 23:2-3
The "first day of the week":
The "first day of the week" is mentioned once in each of the four gospels, in reference to the day on which Mary went to visit Christ's tomb, to see about completing the preparation of the body for burial as explained in Mk. 16:1. There is no mention of worshiping or of keeping this day "holy". When Christ appears to Mary, he says nothing about worship or a meeting.Mat. 28:1 Mk. 16:2, 9 Lk. 24:1 Jn. 20:1
Otherwise, the "first day of the week" is mentioned only twice in the New Testament.
(1) 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."
Why did they "come together"? Answer: ". . . to break bread . . .", in other words to have a meal.
Why did Paul preach to them at that time? Answer: because he was " . . . ready to depart on the morrow;" in other words, because he was leaving the next day.
The Jews counted days from sunset to sunset ("even to even"). If the disciples gathered together late Sunday afternoon for the evening meal, then as they count days, most or all of this meeting and Paul's preaching actually took place on Monday. If they met late Saturday afternoon, near sunset to observe Sunday as the "Sabbath", then Paul couldn't have left "on the morrow" for a long trip, as that would have violated the "Sabbath".
(2) 1 Cor. 16:1-2, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do you. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."
Why did Paul want them to get together on the "first day of the week"? Answer: "that there be no gatherings ["to lay in store"] when I come." The gathering was relief aid for the saints in Jerusalem (verse 3). It may have been food, clothing, money or a combination of all three.
If Paul had been referring to having worship services or taking up offerings on the "first day", then in the same sentence, he declares that it's not going to happen after he gets there, "that there be no gatherings when I come.".
The "Lord's day": This expression is used only once in the Bible.
Rev. 1:1, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:"
1:7 "Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."
1:9 "I John, . . . was in the island called Patmos, . . . "
1:10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,".
The context of John's statement and the entire book of Revelation describe the "day of the Lord", in other words, the events at the time of Christ's second coming. The Greek word for "on" is "en", a preposition "denoting position in place, time or state". John was saying, "I had a vision in which it was of the day of the Lord."
John is told in Rev. 1:11, ". . .What you see, write in a book . . ."
What he saw was ". . . the great day of (God's) wrath . . ."(6:17), "that great day of God Almighty." (16:14b).
Did Christ change the requirement from keeping Sabbath to keeping "the Lord's Day"? No.
Is there any scriptural basis for observing Sunday instead of Sabbath? No.
One must go outside of scripture to find the reasoning behind worshiping on a day other than the one God commanded, and the one Christ kept as an example for us. The Roman Catholic Church claims sole authority to make that change.
The Catholic articles can be found at:
http://www.tagnet.org/llt/challenge.htm
Has time been lost so that we cannot identify which day is the seventh? This question is answered in many encyclopedias found in public libraries. The only change since the time of Christ, involved the day of the month, not the day of the week. In addition, the Jews have preserved the observance of the seventh day, since long before the time of Christ. Christ, as our example, observed the same seventh day of the week which we today call Saturday.
In spite of all of the scriptures above, some still humanly reason that, "It really doesn't make any difference which day we keep." If it doesn't make any difference, why did God command it? Why did Christ keep it? Why didn't Christ teach otherwise? If this commandment "doesn't matter", do any of the others? Is it okay to kill, to steal, to lie? Can we change any rules which "we think" don't matter to God? If it doesn't matter, why not keep the same day Christ kept? After all, he did say, "imitate me".
"You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Deu. 4:2).
"Whatever I command you, observe to do it: you shall not add to it, nor diminish from it." (Deu. 12:32).
Does this principle still apply in New Testament times, and after the death of Christ?
See Rev. 22:18-19.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Ex. 20:8).
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