SCRIPTURES USED TO SUPPORT THE SABBATH CHANGE
Three events are mentioned regarding the of the first day but do not state that this is justification for change of the Sabbath. Let us look at these verses in depth all regarding the the first event, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Mark 16:1-6 NKJV 1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.... 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe …. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
The women came on the first day of the week and Jesus was already gone. He was not there. Therefore this verse does not indicate that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week.
John 20:1 NKJV 1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Some arrived before the Sun rose, therefore it was actually Saturday night, and Jesus was also already risen.
John 20:14-17 NKJV 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, ... 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father..."
Jesus rose from the grave before sunrise and was waiting to fulfill the first of the first fruits offering which was done on the first day after the Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread. It starts the countdown to Pentecost and allows the Israelites to then begin eating the early harvest. Jesus Christ is the real first of first fruits the wave sheaf offering. Mathew's account in Mathew 28 is very similar.
Luke 24:1-3 NKJV 1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb.... 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
Therefore the evidence points to Jesus being resurrected at the end of the Sabbath but definitely NOT Sunday at sunrise. Jesus gave a clue to help us know for sure.
IMPORTANCE OF THE ONLY SIGN GIVEN BY CHRIST
We should understand the significance of the three days and three nights. This is 72 hours, if Jesus had said just three days, it could leave some wiggle room, but he said three days and three nights.
Matthew 12:38-40 NKJV 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The only pattern that fits is the Wednesday, late afternoon, sacrifice of Christ and then the High Holy day of Unleavened Bread, Thursday followed by Friday, the preparation day for the weekly Sabbath, Saturday. This then leaves Jesus' death Wednesday and a rushed burial Wednesday just before sunset.
John 19:31 NKJV 31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
The high day was the first Holy Day of unleavened Bread. The sign given says Jesus would be in the ground three days so if he was buried just before sunset Wednesday, He would have risen approximately just before end of the Sabbath Saturday. The women who are the witnesses of the risen Christ saw him before and after the sun rose on the first day but no one witnessed his resurrection. Therefore this event is not justification for altering the creation based seventh day Sabbath.
THE SECOND AND THIRD EXAMPLES OF MEETINGS ON SUNDAY
The second example of a meeting on the first day is often used.
Acts 20: 7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps....and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.
Ct This is in actuality a Saturday night farewell dinner for Paul believing that they would never see the founding Apostle again. This is clearly not a typical service. Paul spoke for many hours. The third example is similar to the second both are not normal regular services when the context is brought into the analysis. Churches do not have regular services at night.
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 NKJV 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. 3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.
Paul is giving special advance instructions to this church to do something different than their regular services. This is a collection of food stuff. This would primarily be grains, oils maybe wines or dried salted meats. All this takes planning and physical work by the believers. Therefore when Paul arrived they could say we have many families who have WORKED HARD to store up grains etc. to be delivered to your caravan. Then Paul would take the goods to Judea and save the starving.
THE SIGN OF GOD, HIS SABBATH, WAS NEVER AN ISSUE
The church strongly supported the Ten Commandments and the fourth one is central. God rested on the seventh day and made it holy. He made no other day holy therefore the church never even considered in the days of the Apostles altering this holy day!
Genesis 2:2-3 NKJV 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
One issue did come up in the Apostolic Era and it is very revealing. The issue is what should we do about uncircumcised adult gentiles?
Acts 15:1-2 NKJV 1 And certain men...., "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2... and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
How could this even be taken seriously if as many worldly clerics now believe that the law was done away? If they had changed the Sabbath already, circumcision would seem petty by comparison. The church was very law oriented. See Acts 21:20-25. Paul knew that God had given the spirit to the gentiles therefore it was OK for them with God. The entire church decided that for Isrealites the circumcision applied but they made an exception for adults gentiles. They also quieted the fears of some Jews that they would NOT teach the gentiles all the things they needed to learn.
Acts 15:20-21 NKJV 20 "but that we write to them... 21 "For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
The gentiles would learn all they needed by hearing the Bible read every Sabbath. This big decision is made nearly twenty years into Christianity.
Acts 26:9-11 NKJV 9 "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth....put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 "And I punished them often in every synagogue …
Where did Paul find Christians to persecute, in the synagogues and on the Sabbath. Later when Paul was converted he conducted his campaigns also to gentiles on the Sabbath. Note Acts 13:42-45.
The Holy Day created by God at creation was kept by the true church during the life span of the Apostles. Unfortunately later false groups, to avoid anti-Semitic persecution distanced themselves from the Jews by changing the Sabbaths.
