The early Christians observed the Sabbath on Saturday, but by the first half of the second century an increasing number of Christians would gather for worship on Sunday. Some continued to observe the Sabbath on Saturday, until even the crusader period. The practice was discouraged, but not suppressed. Most Christians today consider Sunday to be the Sabbath day, a holy day and a day of rest and church-attendance. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday)
I read many articles about this subject, written by different authors from different religious affiliations and backgrounds. They made very good arguments and explanations regarding their beliefs. The purpose of this blog is not to condenm any religious groups and promote one. I believe we are all worthy of God's love and saving grace. It is up to you to decide and be guided by the Holy Spirit. God bless you...
What day is the Biblical Sabbath day?
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (Gen. 2.1-2).
The chronology of the crucifixion, death, and Resurrection of Christ as follows:
Friday, the Day of Preparation: Jesus is crucified with two thieves. From noon to three in the afternoon, a darkness covers the land (Matt. 27:45). Then, "[s]ince it was the Day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath . . . the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away" (John 19:31). Then Joseph of Arimathea obtains Jesus’ body and buries it: "It was Preparation Day [that is, the day before the Sabbath]. So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body" (Mark 15:42-43, NIV).
Saturday, the Sabbath: "On the Sabbath they [the women] rested according to the commandment" (Luke 23:56b). Also on this day, "that is, after the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate" and asked for a guard to be placed on the tomb (Matt. 27:62).
Sunday, the first day of the week: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher" and found that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matt. 28:1).
Ok.. let's start with the what the Bible tells us about the Sabbath- Seventh day (Saturday):
*this is not the complete list*
Exodus 20:8
The fourth commandment
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you,"
Jesus
Matthew 12:8
For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.
Luke 4:16
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Jesus' followers
Luke 23:56
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Paul
Acts 17:2
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.
Acts 13:14
But when they departed from Perga,they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Acts 13:44
And the next sabbath say came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
And now what about the First day(Sunday) Sabbath:
In the Bible:
The phrase First day of the week is mentioned 8 times but NOT one Passage in the Scriptures is found that says the First day became a Sabbath, rest day, day of worship or holy day...
1. Matthew 28:1[ The Resurrection ] After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.Matthew 28:1-3 (in Context) Matthew 28 (Whole Chapter)
2. Mark 16:2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tombMark 16:1-3 (in Context) Mark 16 (Whole Chapter)
3. Mark 16:9[ ((The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.)) ] When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.Mark 16:8-10 (in Context) Mark 16 (Whole Chapter)
4. Luke 24:1[ The Resurrection ] On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.Luke 24:1-3 (in Context) Luke 24 (Whole Chapter)
5. John 20:1[ The Empty Tomb ] Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.John 20:1-3 (in Context) John 20 (Whole Chapter)
6. John 20:19[ Jesus Appears to His Disciples ] On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"John 20:18-20 (in Context) John 20 (Whole Chapter)
7. Acts 20:7[ Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas ] On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.Acts 20:6-8 (in Context) Acts 20 (Whole Chapter)
8. 1 Corinthians 16:2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.1 Corinthians 16:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 16 (Whole Chapter)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
And there is the Lord's Day found in Revelation 1:10.. Apostle John while in the exile in the island of Patmos Wrote:
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet"
The New Bible Dictionary says regarding the term, ‘The Lord’s Day’ in Revelation 1:10: "This is the first extant occurrence in Christian literature of heµ kyriakeµ heµmera. The adjectival construction suggests that it was a formal designation of the church’s worship day. As such it certainly appears early in the 2nd century (Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians, 1. 67).
CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS AND RESEARCH MINISTRY
The answer:
Some believe that "the Lord's day" mentioned in Revelation 1:10 refers to Sunday. However, when we read the passage, we find no hint of it being either a Sunday or a worship day. John here simply states that he "was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." Although it is true that eventually the term "Lord's day" came to be used for Sunday, no evidence indicates this was the case until about a century after the book of Revelation was written![11] Most pointedly of all, there is neither prior nor contemporary evidence that Sunday had achieved in New Testament times a status that would have caused it to be called "Lord's day." Another day--the seventh-day Sabbath--had, of course, been the Lord's holy day from antiquity (see Isaiah 58:13)
Copyright 1978 by Kenneth A. Strand
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