The Bible explains itself. By Gordon Anderson

Reading time: 20 minutes

Tell me, Jesus, have you appointed a special day of rest for your followers?
I was seized with the Spirit on the day of the LORD. (Revelation 1,10L)

What day then is the day of the LORD?
If you refrain from walking on the Sabbath and do not do your business on My holy day, calling the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD "Honored"...then you will delight in the LORD, and I will take you up above the high places Let the earth go... (Isaiah 58,13:14-XNUMX)

And what is your relationship to this day?
For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. (Matthew 12,8:XNUMX)

Now the week has seven days. Which of these is the Sabbath day?
The seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. (Exodus 2:20,10 E)

And which day of the week is that, Saturday or Sunday?
But they returned and prepared fragrant oils and ointments. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the law. But very early on the first day of the week they came to the tomb, carrying with them the fragrant oils which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb and went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 23,56 – 24,3 L)

Some say you abolished the law when you died on Calvary?
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to dissolve, but to fulfill. (Matthew 5,17:XNUMX L)

Does “fulfill” mean the same as “abolish”?
Bear one another's burdens, and you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6,2L)
If you fulfill the royal law according to the Scriptures [3. Genesis 19,18:2,8]: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and you do right. (James XNUMXL)

Lord Jesus, have you perhaps changed one of the Ten Commandments so that your followers today must observe Sunday instead of the seventh day?
For verily I say to you, Until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter nor one tittle of the law shall pass away, until it all comes to pass. (Matthew 5,18:XNUMX L)

But the Sabbath is a Jewish day, right?
The Sabbath was created for man's sake. (Mark 2,27:XNUMX E)

At least I have heard that the Sabbath was no longer observed by your disciples after the crucifixion. Is that correct?
And they rested on the Sabbath according to the law. (Luke 23,56:XNUMX L)

But since then, in commemoration of the resurrection, the disciples have kept Sunday instead of the Sabbath, haven't they?
But Paul and those who were with him left Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. But John separated from them and returned to Jerusalem. And they left Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia, and on the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down. (Acts 13,13:14-XNUMX L)

Wasn't this perhaps a one-off event?
As Paul was wont to do, he went in to them and spoke to them about the Scriptures on three Sabbaths. (Acts 17,2:XNUMX L)

It would also be conceivable that Paul gathered with the Jews on the Sabbath and with the Gentiles on Sunday...
But as they were going out of the synagogue, the people asked that they speak of these things again on the next Sabbath. But on the following Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. (Acts 13,42.44:XNUMX L)

Lord Jesus, is there any other evidence that Paul actually kept the Sabbath?
On the Sabbath day we went outside the city to the river, where we thought they used to pray, and we sat down and talked to the women who were there. (Acts 16,13:XNUMX L)

So does the Bible really tell us that Paul spoke to both Jews and Gentiles on the Sabbath?
And he taught in the synagogue on all Sabbaths, and convinced both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18,4:XNUMX L)

Did Paul preach about the Sabbath?
So there is still a Sabbath rest left for the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest has also found rest from his works, as God did from his own. (Hebrews 4,9:10-XNUMX E)

When Paul writes about resting as God did, does Paul really mean Saturday?
For this is what he said in another place about the seventh day [1. Moses 2,2:4,4]: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his works." (Hebrews XNUMX:XNUMX L)

How did Sunday celebrations come to be introduced into Christianity? If you didn't change God's law, who did?
He will blaspheme the Most High... and will dare to change the seasons and the law. (Daniel 7,25 L)

Are you telling me that there is a power that thinks it has the right to change God's law?
Ask the priests about the law. (Haggai 2,11L)

Stephen Keenan, you are a Roman Catholic priest. Does your church believe it has the right to change God's law?
"If she did not have this power, she could not have done what all modern religious leaders agree with her: she could not have replaced Saturday, the seventh day, with the celebration of Sunday, the first day of the week - a change for that there is no biblical authority." (Doctrinal Catechism [Teaching Catechism], page 174)

When did you make this change?
"We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church at the Council of Laodicea [336 AD] transferred the sanctity of Saturday to Sunday." (Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine [Catechism of Catholic Doctrine for the Convert], page 50)

Do pastors of other churches also say that Sunday celebrations cannot be found in the Bible?
»And where in the Holy Scriptures are we told to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh day; but nowhere are we commanded to keep the first day. We keep the first day of the week holy for the same reason we keep many other things: not because of the Bible, but because the Church commanded it." (Isaac Williams, Church of England)

»It is true that there is no express commandment for infant baptism; nor is there any for keeping the first day of the week holy. Many believe that the Messiah changed the Sabbath. But from his own words we see that he did not come for such a purpose. Anyone who believes that Jesus changed the Sabbath is just guessing." (Amos Binney, Methodist Church)

“There was and is a commandment for keeping the Sabbath holy; but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. However, it is quickly said, and with a certain joy, that the Sabbath was moved from the seventh to the first day of the week, with all its duties, rights and prohibitions. As I intensively collect information on this topic, which I have been studying for many years, I ask: Where can one find the basis for such a transfer? Not in the New Testament – ​​absolutely not. There is no biblical evidence for changing the institution of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week." (ET Hiscox, author of The Baptist Manual [Baptist Handbook])

»There is not a word, not a single reference in the New Testament that forbids working on Sundays. The Ash Wednesday celebration and Lent are on exactly the same level as the Sunday celebration. Sunday rest is not commanded by any divine law.« (Canon Eyton, Anglican Church)
“It is absolutely clear: no matter how strictly or devotedly we observe Sunday, we do not observe the Sabbath... The Sabbath was instituted by a special commandment of God. We cannot bring forward any such commandment for the celebration of Sunday... There is not a single line in the New Testament which says that we will incur any punishment for violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday." (RW Dale, Congregational Church)

"If one could point to a single passage in the Holy Scriptures that says that either the Lord Himself or the Apostles ordered such a change of the Sabbath to Sunday, then the question would be easily answered: Who changed the Sabbath and who did it? has the right to do this?" (George Sverdrup, Lutheran Church)

»The sacred name of the seventh day is Sabbath. This fact cannot be disputed (Exodus 2:20,10)...The clear teaching of the Bible on this point has been recognized in all ages...Not once did the disciples apply the Sabbath law to the first day of the week - this folly remained for a later time Reserved. Nor did they claim that the first day replaced the seventh." (Judson Taylor, Southern Baptist [America's largest Protestant church])

Lord Jesus, is it really that important which day I observe? Isn't one day of the week as good as any other?
Do you not know that to whom you make yourselves servants to obey, you are his servants and must obey him, whether by sin leading to death or by obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6,16:XNUMX L)

But I can worship God every day!
Six days you shall labor and do all your works. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God. You shouldn't do any work there. (Exodus 2:20,9-10 L)

And how do you feel about me observing Sunday instead of the Sabbath?
They serve me in vain, because they teach such doctrines as are but the commandments of men. (Matthew 15,9:XNUMX L)

How do you feel about Sunday observance in general?
You have thus made the Word of God invalid because of your tradition. (Matthew 15,6:XNUMX E)

But then millions of Christians who keep Sunday would be on the wrong track.
Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to damnation, and there are many who enter by it. (Matthew 7,13:XNUMX L)

If the seventh day is truly the Sabbath, why is it that famous evangelists, preachers, and church leaders all fail to observe it?
Not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many eminent are called. But God has chosen what is foolish in the eyes of the world to confound the wise; and what is weak before the world, that is what God has chosen to confound what is strong. (1 Corinthians 1,26:27-XNUMX L)

Lord Jesus, I have accepted you as my personal Savior. I know that you have accepted me and have always kept Sunday. Will I be lost if I continue to keep Sunday?
It is true that God overlooked the time of ignorance; but now he commands men that all in every direction should repent. (Acts 17,30:XNUMX L)

So you would reject me just because I keep Sunday?
Whoever says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2,4:XNUMX L)

But what if I love God and my neighbor?
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not difficult. (1 John 5,3:XNUMX L)

So that means I have to hold all ten?
For if anyone keeps the whole law and sins against a single commandment, he is guilty of the whole law. For he said [2. Genesis 20,13.14:2,10]: "You shall not commit adultery," he also said, "You shall not kill." Now if you do not commit adultery but kill, you are a transgressor of the law. (James 11:XNUMX-XNUMX L)

Did you actually keep the Sabbath yourself, Lord Jesus?
And he came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath, according to his custom, and stood up to read. (Luke 4,16:XNUMX L)

But that was almost 2000 years ago. If you lived among us today, wouldn't you go to church on Sunday?
Jesus Christ yesterday and today and the same forever. (Hebrews 13,8:3,6 L) For I, the LORD, have not changed. (Malachi XNUMX:XNUMX E)

So again: Does that mean I won't go to heaven if I don't keep the Sabbath?
But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19,17:XNUMX L)

I still don't really understand why this day should be so important!
And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. (Genesis 1:2,3 L) He has blessed, and I cannot turn it back. (Numbers 4:23,20 L) For whatever you, O LORD, bless, is blessed forever. (1 Chronicles 17,27:XNUMX L)

My gut feeling still tells me: the main thing is that you have a weekly rest day.
For some people one way seems right; but at last he brings him to death. (Proverbs 16,25:XNUMX L)

Sir! It is so difficult to keep the Sabbath. I have accepted you as my Savior. Won't that take me to heaven?
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but they who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7,21:XNUMX L)

But I say my prayers.
Whoever turns away his ear from hearing the commandment, his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28,9:XNUMX L)

I attend a Sunday church. There I experienced miraculous healings and other spiritual gifts. Surely these believers can't all be on the wrong path?
Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Have we not cast out evil spirits in your name? Have we not performed many miracles in your name? Then I will confess to them: I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers! (Matthew 7,22:23-XNUMX L)

Well, I now understand that the seventh day is the Sabbath. But what if I lose my job because I no longer work on the Sabbath?
For what use would it be to a man if he gained the whole world and lost his soul? (Mark 8,36:XNUMX L)

I have to provide for my family. What will happen to her if I lose my job?
Therefore you should not worry, saying, What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we dress with? …For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be yours. (Matthew 6,31:33-XNUMX L)

If I keep the Sabbath, my friends will think I'm crazy.
Blessed are you when people revile you for my sake... and speak all sorts of evil things against you when they lie. Be cheerful and cheerful; you will be richly rewarded in heaven. (Matthew 5,11:12-XNUMX L)

And what do I do if my family doesn't want to go down this path with me? In the worst case scenario, that could destroy my marriage.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10,37:38-XNUMX L)

Lord Jesus, I don't think I can handle all the problems that will come my way if I start keeping the Sabbath.
Let my grace be sufficient for you; for my strength is made great in the weak. (2 Corinthians 12,9:XNUMX L)

So you're telling me bluntly that I can only go to heaven if I keep the Sabbath?
Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city through the gates. (Revelation 22,14:XNUMX)

Will we keep the Sabbath there too?
For as the new heavens and the new earth which I am making shall endure before me, says the LORD, so shall your family and your name endure. And all flesh shall come to worship before me, one new moon after another, and one Sabbath after another, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 66,22:23-XNUMX L)

Then God's will will be done on earth as well as in heaven. With God's help I will keep the Sabbath.
That's right, you good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25,21:XNUMX L)

Lord Jesus, I will ask God for your wisdom, your selflessness and your loving nature so that my family, my friends and my enemies may also receive good things through my Sabbath keeping and the blessings that come from it.

Sunday in the New Testament

The Bible does not use the word Sunday at all, just as the biblical writers did not use any of the names we use today for the days of the week. The days of the week were simply given a number. Sunday = one day, Monday = two days, etc. The only exceptions were Friday and Saturday. Friday was called the preparation day (Luke 23,54:XNUMX) and the seventh day was called the Sabbath. Even today we still find this weekday count in some languages, e.g. B. in Hebrew, Arabic, Portuguese, Greek and Persian.

The first day of the week is only mentioned nine times in the entire Bible.

1. The first mention is at creation. (Genesis 1:1,5)
2. The second time Sunday is mentioned is in Matthew 28,1:XNUMX, which records how the women came to Jesus' tomb after the Sabbath, early on Sunday morning.
3. Mark 16,1:2-28,1 describes the exact same scene as Matthew XNUMX:XNUMX.
4. Mark 16,9:XNUMX tells how Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene on the first day of the week after his resurrection.
5. Like the verses from Matthew and Mark, Luke 24,1:XNUMX also records that very early on the morning of the first day of the week women came to Christ's tomb.
6. John 20,1:XNUMX describes how Mary Magdalene visited Jesus' tomb on the first day of the week.
7. John 20,19:24,33 records the same evening when the disciples gathered in the upper room. Some have described this meeting as the first Sunday service in memory of the Resurrection. Several compelling reasons make it clear that this is not the case. John says the disciples had gathered “out of fear of the Jews.” So that was the reason for them being together. Luke 48:24,37-XNUMX reports the same meeting. It is clear from Luke's account that the disciples were by no means convinced that Jesus had been resurrected. When he appeared to them, they were very frightened because they thought he was a ghost. (Luke XNUMX:XNUMX)
8. The eighth mention of the first day of the week is found in Acts 20,7:12-23,54. This is the only time in the entire Bible that a Sunday service is described. In biblical times, a day began and ended in the evening at sunset (Luke 11:30). So the first day of the week actually began at what we would today call Saturday evening. Paul wanted to travel to Assos the next morning – we would call it Sunday morning. So the community of Troas decided the evening before to hold a farewell communion service. Paul preached all night long (verse 50). After breakfast on Sunday morning, the group of missionaries set out. Most of the group sailed to Assos, but Paul spent his Sunday walking XNUMX-XNUMX km from one town to the other. There is no indication here that Paul kept Sunday holy. Likewise, Luke, who reports this event, simply calls Sunday the first day of the week.
9. The last time Sunday is mentioned is in 1 Corinthians 16,1:4-XNUMX. A few casual readers have mistaken these verses for a description of a Sunday service at which offerings were collected. But let's read what Paul actually wrote: "As for the gathering for the saints, as I commanded the churches of Galatia, so you also must do. On the first day of the week, each of you should put something aside and collect as much as you can, so that the collection doesn't only happen when I come. If I put some money aside, I certainly don't throw it away at the same time into the collection basket. When I put something aside, I'm still at home because that's where I would keep money. What Paul says to the Corinthians is very simple: your brothers and sisters in Jerusalem are very poor. Followers of Jesus should help one another. At the beginning of the week, before you do anything else, set aside a little money for the poor brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Then when I come, you won't have to desperately look for some money to put in the basket, because you'll have something set aside every week for exactly this purpose. Here, too, Paul does not use a special name for Sunday. He just uses the normal name for that day. Sunday was an ordinary day for Paul and the early Christians.

The first day of the week is not called holy in any of the nine places. There is also no indication that God set it apart as a special day of worship for Christians.

Two more verses are interesting:

In Revelation 1,10:XNUMX, John writes, “I was seized by the Spirit on the day of the Lord.”

Since Sunday is now referred to as Lord's Day by many Sunday keepers, it is believed that John also meant it around 1900 years ago. The untenability of this argument is illustrated by a similar example: In Presbyterian churches it was customary to call Sunday the Sabbath day. Applying the same principle would mean that whenever the Bible says Sabbath we should mean Sunday. Nobody would agree here.

To prove that John meant Sunday by "Lord's Day," one would need to find a document written before Revelation or about the same time that calls Sunday the Lord's Day. No such document exists. Sunday is first called the Lord's Day in a forged document written about 75 years later called the Gospel of Peter. It was written over a century after Peter's death with the intention of deceiving people into believing that its author was Peter the Apostle. At that time, many people forged documents in an attempt to prove that the apostles had believed and taught their false doctrines.

Matthew 12,8:2,28, Mark 6,5:XNUMX and Luke XNUMX:XNUMX show which day Jesus himself called the Lord's Day.

"The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." (E)

Some cite Colossians 2,16:17 to show that the Sabbath was abolished. But they neglect to cite verse XNUMX, which completes the sentence.

“Let no man therefore judge you concerning food or drink, or concerning a festival, or a new moon, or a Sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come.” (Colossians 2,16.17:XNUMX, XNUMX E)

Paul here repeats the great principle stated by Jesus in Matthew 7,1:2-14,1. In the early church, many followers of Jesus continued to keep the temple feasts even though the teachings they were intended to teach were fulfilled and more clearly revealed in Jesus' ministry. Some recognized that these commandments were no longer binding and criticized those who continued to worship as their ancestors had done. Paul condemned this criticism and recommended that each person be allowed to make his or her own decision. In Romans 8:XNUMX-XNUMX, Paul addresses the same question and states the same principle.

But keep in mind that Paul did not talk about the weekly Sabbath in Colossians. He spoke of the Sabbath days, "which are a shadow of things to come." The weekly Sabbath was a monument to God's creative work. Like every commemoration, it pointed back to creation, not forward to the Messiah.

However, during a Jewish year there were numerous Sabbath days that were "a shadow of things to come" (listed in Leviticus 3:23,4-44). These ceremonial Sabbath days were associated with Passover and other festivals that pointed to Jesus' future ministry (1 Corinthians 5,7:1). Followers of Jesus no longer have to keep these special Sabbath days; Instead, in remembrance of Jesus' death, we should partake of our Lord's supper "until he comes" (11,26 Corinthians XNUMX:XNUMX).

Original title: A Talk with the Lord about the Sabbath, first published by: Truth for Today, Narborough, UK, translation: Michael Göbel, linguistic editing: Edward Rosenthal, editing: Kai Mester