SEVENTH DAY OR FIRST DAY?
By Timothy Glover
Before Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, the church had not yet been built. Jesus had not begun His reign until after His ascension. So, many passages in the gospels refer to practices of the law that were binding because they were under the law at that time. Jesus kept the Sabbath (Lk. 4:16). Of course, he kept not only the Sabbath but every part of the law. He did so because he was under the law of Moses.
We have many examples of saints meeting on the Sabbath day. Luke 23:54-56 finds the disciples meeting on the Sabbath day. It certainly was not wrong to meet on that day or any other day for that matter. That they were in the habit of meeting then is obvious seeing that they were Jews. Paul’s custom was to attend synagogue services on the Sabbath day (Acts 13:14, 27, 42-43; 16:13, 17:2; 18:4, 11).
However, these were not meetings of Christians but of the Jews. What better place could Paul speak to the Jews than on the Sabbath day in their synagogues? It is clear from the above passages that Paul’s intent was to find a captive audience to whom he could preach. There is not a single occasion on which a meeting of the church for worship took place on the Sabbath day. The fact that there are many references to the Sabbath does not support the view that it should be binding. Note the number of times things relating to Christians took place on the first day of the week:
- The resurrection. (Mk. 16:9),
- Appearance to the disciples. (Mat. 28:6-9; Lk. 24:36; Jn. 20:19),
- Second appearance. (Jn. 20:26),
- Holy Spirit’s coming and the beginning of the church. (Acts 2),
- The observing the Lord’s supper in Troas. (Acts 20:7)
- The collection for the poor saints. (Acts 16:2)
All of these things took place on the first day of the week. Yet, the only significant passage in support of Sunday worship is Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor. 16:1-2. If Luke and Paul were giving Jewish description of time, it would have been Saturday evening. If they were using Roman time, the reference is to Sunday evening. Jn. 20:9 reads, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week.” If John employs Roman time, how much more likely would Luke, a Gentile, writing to Theophilus, a Gentile at Troas, a Roman colony? Regardless, Sunday is not the Sabbath and nothing is said of Sabbath laws being observed on Sunday.
The early fathers, such as Ignatius, concur with this conclusion, also. Space does not permit me to continue. I only trust I have introduced some ‘food for thought’ and that you will continue to study.
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