Is the Sabbath for Disciples? (Part Two)

In my previous post, I began by explaining the three primary positions of Christians on the Sabbath, and I began by addressing the first position: that the Sabbath has changed to Sunday. (I am also addressing the related position or that the Sabbath should not be observed, but Christians are to observe a holy day on Sunday).

I began by addressing Acts 20:7, one primary proof text for Sunday observance, showing that when it is read from a Hebraic perspective, it actually supports the perspective that the early believers observed the Sabbath on the seventh day.

I will now continue by addressing more texts cited as proof that the apostolic community abandoned the Sabbath in favor of Sunday.

Set aside on the first day of the week

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:2)

First, let’s notice what is missing from this verse:

• There is no indication that this first day of the week should be observed as a sacred day. In fact, this type of dealing with money is something that would be prohibited on the Sabbath, and it is best left for a common weekday.
• There is not even an indication of a meeting on the first day of the week. Instead, it instructs each individual to set aside savings on that day.
• There is not the slightest indication that the believers did not or should not observe the seventh day as the Sabbath.

Next, notice that this money collection is for a specific, pragmatic purpose. Paul is gathering funds to bring back to the community of believers in Jerusalem. He directs this instruction specifically to the believers in Corinth and Galatia. There is no indication that this is intended as a spiritual principle that should be observed throughout the world or to the end of the age. This verse also fails miserably as a proof of Sunday observance.

The Lord’s Day

Sometimes this passage is also brought as proof:

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet… (Revelation 1:10 NASB)

Notice that this verse does not explicitly mention Saturday or Sunday. Remember that modern day usage of the term “the Lord’s day” to mean Sunday came from this verse, so it is circular reasoning for us to say that this was Sunday just because it says, “the Lord’s day.” It could just as easily be referring to the seventh-day Sabbath. In fact, this passage does not even indicate whether the Lord’s day is a weekly, yearly or one-time event. Neither this nor any passage in the Bible connects the term “the Lord’s day” with the resurrection.

Speaking hypothetically, the term “the lord’s day” could even refer to a pagan or secular event, such as something in honor of Caesar. This might be supported by the fact that the term translated “lord’s” is technically not possessive (in the sense of “day of the lord”), it is an adjective. In other words, a more literal translation would be something to the effect of “the lordly day.” In the case that this was a pagan or secular event, John would actually be defying the lord’s day by being “in the Spirit” instead or partaking in its observances. Now, this is probably not the correct interpretation, but I am simply trying to show how ambiguous our text leaves the term.

The use of the term “the Lord’s day” in the Church Fathers and apocrypha is something that should be addressed. I will probably get into it at a later point, but for now I am sticking with biblical texts.

Even supposing this event had occurred on Sunday, the verse does not tell us that John was observing it as a weekly day of worship. Nor does it indicate that Sunday or the Lord’s day substituted for Sabbath observance. Furthermore, this verse contains no instructions for believers as to how to worship or keep the Sabbath. Again, this passage fails to provide a basis for supplanting the seventh-day Sabbath with Sunday.

In future posts, I will continue to demonstrate that Sunday has not replaced the seventh day Sabbath. After that, I will take on the remaining two positions: 1) that the Sabbath should be observed, but not on any particular day, and 2) that the Sabbath is not to be observed at all because it is a part of the Law that was put to an end in Christ.

More to come!