Saturday or Sunday Sabbath?
Which one is correct?
A call to honor the Sabbath Revisited
The Fourth Commandment isn’t just a
suggestion; its one of God’s Ten Commandments. It is a sign between God and
His people for all generations to come.
Ex.31:13,Ezek. 20:12
By Dr. Alfred Harrell
I could not have agreed more with the opening paragraph in last Monday’s article by Mr. Henry G. Brinton on the need to emphasize the keeping of the Ten Commandments of God instead of just displaying them. But, the last sentence of his opening paragraph and the rest of the article were devoted to breaking one of the Ten Commandments.
Mr. Brinton stated that “A day of rest does not have to be a Saturday or a Sunday, but it should be at least one day out of seven.” His statement was not based on facts but was his opinion and should have been stated as such instead of indicating that there was a biblical basis for the statement.
A review of History and the admissions of church leaders makes it clear that the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) and not the first day (Sunday) was observed by the first century Christians after Jesus’ crucifixion. There are not any scriptures in the Bible that can be used as proof for the changing of the Sabbath to any other day other than the seventh. So, how did this happen?
A good place to start is the quote from Historia Ecclesiastia by M. Ludovicum, Cent. 4, Chapter 10, pages 739 and 240, Ed. Basilea 1624. Mr. Ludovicum states that, “Sylvester, Bishop of Rome (314 to 337 A.D), officially changed the title of the first day of the week, calling it the Lord’s Day.” This decision to call the first day the ‘Lord’s Day’ was not based on scripture.
In the book, History of the Sabbath, by Andrews, we read on page 263: “In the time of Justin Martyr, Sunday was a weekly festival widely celebrated by the heathen in honor of their god, the sun. And in presenting to the emperor of Rome an apology for his brethren, Justin takes care to tell him three times that the Christians held their assemblies on this day of general observance,” This was written in A.D. 140, about 90 years after the apostle Paul had predicted that there would be a falling away from truth.
In the same History of the Sabbath we find this quotation from Bowers’ History of the Popes: “Victor, Bishop of Rome, in the year 196, took upon himself to impose the Roman custom upon all the church; that is to compel them to observe the Passover upon Sunday” (page276).
The leaders of the Roman Catholic Church have always been very free to admit that the change from Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday was their work. Leaders of other denominations have also been willing to admit the basis of their belief on a Sunday Sabbath did not come from scripture. Here are some of their quotes:
John Laux (A Catholic priest, teacher, and author of many Catholic histories as well as biographies of their saints) states that, “If we consulted the Bible only, we should still have to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is Saturday.” This statement is from a book titled, A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies, 1936 edition, vol. 1 P. 51.
We are told by a representative of the Church of England that, “The Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week. The Christian church made a gradual and almost unconscious transference of the day to the other.” (The Voice of Sinai, pp. 163, 167, by Archdeacon, Farrar, Church of England).
From the Methodist we have this quote. “It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism. Nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week. Many believe that Christ changed the Sabbath. But, from His own words, we see that he came for no such purpose. Those who believe that Jesus changed the Sabbath base it only on a supposition” states Methodist minister and presiding elder Amos Binney, Theological Compendium, 1902 edition, pp. 180-181.
Lastly from the Episcopalians and the Baptists we have these quotes, “Neither Christ nor His apostles nor the first Christians celebrated the first day of the week instead of the seventh as the Sabbath. (New York Weekly Tribute, May 24, 1900-Baptist). “The observance of the first, instead of the seventh day rests on the testimony of the church and the church alone.” (Hobert Church News, July 2, 1894-Episcopalian).
God blessed the seventh day not the first, and sanctified it and rested from all His work. (Genesis 1:31; 2:1-3). During His life and ministry on earth Jesus observed the seventh day Sabbath, “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” (Luke 4:16). Jesus told those who were His disciples, “Follow me.” Jesus kept the Sabbath and set us an example that all of us should follow His steps (I Peter 2:21). Paul, after Jesus’ death, reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks” (Acts 18:4).
Rather than scripture indicating that God has done away with the Sabbath, the Bible shows that even in the world to come, man will be worshiping God “from one Sabbath to another” (Isaiah 66 23).
Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. (Ezek. 20:12)
If Christians would read their Bibles instead of accepting the teachings and traditions of men, they would find out that many of our beliefs are based on false assumptions. The contradictions and confusions that many experience in the Christian faith would disappear.
Dr. Alfred Harrell is president and founder of Christian Leadership Academy based in Little Rock, Arkansas