Sabbath And First Day

[prodromos]

Here are some quotes 'straight from the horse's mouth' to demonstrate the fact that there is no scriptural authorization of the transference of sanctity from Sabbath to Sunday. It is rather the authority of the Catholic church by her ecclesiastical tradition.

"You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify." ---Cardinal Gibbons (for many years head of the Catholic Church in America), The Faith of Our Fathers (92d ed., rev.; Baltimore: John Murphy Company), p.89.

"Sunday is founded, not on Scripture, but on tradition, and is distinctly a Catholic institution. As there is no Scripture for the transfer of the day of rest from the last to the first day of the week, Protestants ought to keep their Sabbath on Saturday and thus leave Catholics in full possession of Sunday." Catholic Record, Sept. 17, 1893

"Q. Which is the Sabbath Day?

"A. Saturday is the Sabbath day.

"Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

"A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." Peter Guierman, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1957 ed.), p.50. Copyright 1930 by B. Herder Book Co., St.Louis.

"Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday." Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics Are Asked About (New York: P. J. Kennedy & Sons) p. 136.

"Q. Have you any other way of proving that the [Catholic] Church has power to institute festivals of precept?

"A. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; ... she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority." Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism (3rd American ed., rev.; New York: T. W. Strong, late Edward Dunigan & Bro., 1876), p. 174.

"But the Protestant says: How can I receive the teachings of an apostate Church? How, we ask, have you managed to receive her teachings all your life, in direct opposition to your recognized teacher, the Bible, on the Sabbath question?" The Christian Sabbath (2nd ed.; Baltimore: The Catholic Mirror, 1893), p. 29, 30.

"If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church." Albert Smith (Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore), replying for the Cardinal in a letter of February 10, 1920.)

"It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of JESUS CHRIST, has transferred this [Sabbath] rest to the Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church." Louis Gaston de Segur, Plain Talk About The Protestantism of To-day (Boston: Patrick Donahoe, 1868), p. 225.

"Protestantism, in discarding the authority of the [Catholic] Church, has no good reason for its Sunday theory, and ought, logically, to keep Saturday as the Sabbath. ..." John Gilmary Shae, "The Observance of Sunday and Civil Laws for Its Enforcement," The American Catholic Quarterly Review, 8 (January, 1883), 152.

"The (Catholic) Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her Founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant, claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh Day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant." "The Question Box," The Catholic Universe Bulletin, 69 (August 14, 1942), 4.

"The Israelite respects the authority of the Old Testament only, but the [Seventh-day] Adventist, who is a Christian, accepts the New Testament on the same ground as the Old, viz: an inspired record also. He finds that the Bible, his teacher, is consistent in both parts, that the Redeemer, during His mortal life never kept any other day than Saturday. The Gospels plainly evince to Him this fact; whilst, in the pages of the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles and the Apocalypse, not the vestige of an act canceling the Saturday arrangement can be found." Editorial, The Catholic Mirror (Baltimore), September 2, 1893.

"If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, then the Seventh Day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew." Bertrand L. Conway, The Question Box Answers (New York: The Columbus Press, 1910), p. 254.

"If you follow the Bible alone there can be no question that you are obliged to keep Saturday holy, since that is the day especially prescribed by Almighty God to be kept holy to the Lord." F. G. Lentz, The Question Box (New York: Christian Press Association, 1900), p. 98.

"The Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. The Church altered the observance of the Sabbath to the observance of Sunday. Protestants must be rather puzzled by the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said, 'Keep holy the Sabbath Day.' The word Sunday does not come anywhere in the Bible, so, without knowing it they are obeying the authority of the Catholic Church." Canon Cafferata, The Catechism Explained, p. 89.

Father Conway: "If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian then the Seventh-day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew. But Catholics learn what to believe and do from the Catholic Church, which in Apostolic times made Sunday the day of rest. ... Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Church." Question Box Answers, an official publication of the Catholic Church.

Plain Talk: "The observance of Sunday by Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) Church." Plain Talk about Protestantism of Today, by Msgr. Segur (RC).

John O'Brien, Ph.D., LL.D.: "But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn't it curious that non-Catholics who profess to take their religion directly from the Bible, and not the Church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Yes of course, it is inconsistent; but this change was made about 15 centuries before Protestantism was born, and by that time the custom was universally observed. They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible. That observance remains as a reminder of the Mother Church from which the non-Catholic sects broke away - like a boy running away from home but still carrying in his pocket a picture of his mother or a lock of her hair." Faith of Millions, pp. 543 and 544.

"Hence, the conclusion is inevitable; namely that of those who follow the Bible as their guide, the Israelites and the Seventh-day Adventists have the exclusive weight of evidence on their side, whilst the Biblical Protestant has not a word in self defense for his substitution of Sunday for Saturday." Catholic Mirror.

"The Church is above the Bible; and this transference of Sabbath observance to Sunday is proof positive of that fact. Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday in the Third - Protestant Fourth - Commandment of God." --- The Catholic Record, London, Ontario Canada, September 1, 1923

"Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act. It could not have been otherwise as none in those days would have dreamed of doing anything in matters spiritual and ecclesiastical and religious without her. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things". ---Letter to Cardinal Gibbons, November 11, 1895, from C.F. Thomas.

I'm not Catholic, so I could care less how many quotes you give from Catholics.

 

[overcomer]

I'm not Catholic, so I could care less how many quotes you give from Catholics.

That's the response I expected from an Orthodox. Why should you care? It was their boast. Orthodox and Protestants merely follow. You have sources/quotes claiming the transference was the act of the Orthodox church?

 

[overcomer]

Because this was the day most people would be gathered at the synagogue. If he preached on other days he would have reached far fewer people.

Not so. The pagans gathered to worship on Sundays. The apostle for the gentiles would have reached far more people by your logic. And if it was changed to Sunday by the apostles then Paul knew nothing of it. Because it would have been convenient to preach to the gentiles on Sunday.

 

[prodromos]

Here are some quotes 'straight from the horse's mouth' to demonstrate the fact that there is no scriptural authorization of the transference of sanctity from Sabbath to Sunday. It is rather the authority of the Catholic church by her ecclesiastical tradition.

"You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify." ---Cardinal Gibbons (for many years head of the Catholic Church in America), The Faith of Our Fathers (92d ed., rev.; Baltimore: John Murphy Company), p.89.

"Sunday is founded, not on Scripture, but on tradition, and is distinctly a Catholic institution. As there is no Scripture for the transfer of the day of rest from the last to the first day of the week, Protestants ought to keep their Sabbath on Saturday and thus leave Catholics in full possession of Sunday." Catholic Record, Sept. 17, 1893

"Q. Which is the Sabbath Day?

"A. Saturday is the Sabbath day.

"Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

"A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." Peter Guierman, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1957 ed.), p.50. Copyright 1930 by B. Herder Book Co., St.Louis.

"Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday." Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics Are Asked About (New York: P. J. Kennedy & Sons) p. 136.

"Q. Have you any other way of proving that the [Catholic] Church has power to institute festivals of precept?

"A. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; ... she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority." Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism (3rd American ed., rev.; New York: T. W. Strong, late Edward Dunigan & Bro., 1876), p. 174.

"But the Protestant says: How can I receive the teachings of an apostate Church? How, we ask, have you managed to receive her teachings all your life, in direct opposition to your recognized teacher, the Bible, on the Sabbath question?" The Christian Sabbath (2nd ed.; Baltimore: The Catholic Mirror, 1893), p. 29, 30.

"If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church." Albert Smith (Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore), replying for the Cardinal in a letter of February 10, 1920.)

"It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of JESUS CHRIST, has transferred this [Sabbath] rest to the Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church." Louis Gaston de Segur, Plain Talk About The Protestantism of To-day (Boston: Patrick Donahoe, 1868), p. 225.

"Protestantism, in discarding the authority of the [Catholic] Church, has no good reason for its Sunday theory, and ought, logically, to keep Saturday as the Sabbath. ..." John Gilmary Shae, "The Observance of Sunday and Civil Laws for Its Enforcement," The American Catholic Quarterly Review, 8 (January, 1883), 152.

"The (Catholic) Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her Founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant, claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh Day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant." "The Question Box," The Catholic Universe Bulletin, 69 (August 14, 1942), 4.

"The Israelite respects the authority of the Old Testament only, but the [Seventh-day] Adventist, who is a Christian, accepts the New Testament on the same ground as the Old, viz: an inspired record also. He finds that the Bible, his teacher, is consistent in both parts, that the Redeemer, during His mortal life never kept any other day than Saturday. The Gospels plainly evince to Him this fact; whilst, in the pages of the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles and the Apocalypse, not the vestige of an act canceling the Saturday arrangement can be found." Editorial, The Catholic Mirror (Baltimore), September 2, 1893.

"If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, then the Seventh Day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew." Bertrand L. Conway, The Question Box Answers (New York: The Columbus Press, 1910), p. 254.

"If you follow the Bible alone there can be no question that you are obliged to keep Saturday holy, since that is the day especially prescribed by Almighty God to be kept holy to the Lord." F. G. Lentz, The Question Box (New York: Christian Press Association, 1900), p. 98.

"The Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. The Church altered the observance of the Sabbath to the observance of Sunday. Protestants must be rather puzzled by the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said, 'Keep holy the Sabbath Day.' The word Sunday does not come anywhere in the Bible, so, without knowing it they are obeying the authority of the Catholic Church." Canon Cafferata, The Catechism Explained, p. 89.

Father Conway: "If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian then the Seventh-day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew. But Catholics learn what to believe and do from the Catholic Church, which in Apostolic times made Sunday the day of rest. ... Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Church." Question Box Answers, an official publication of the Catholic Church.

Plain Talk: "The observance of Sunday by Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) Church." Plain Talk about Protestantism of Today, by Msgr. Segur (RC).

John O'Brien, Ph.D., LL.D.: "But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn't it curious that non-Catholics who profess to take their religion directly from the Bible, and not the Church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Yes of course, it is inconsistent; but this change was made about 15 centuries before Protestantism was born, and by that time the custom was universally observed. They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible. That observance remains as a reminder of the Mother Church from which the non-Catholic sects broke away - like a boy running away from home but still carrying in his pocket a picture of his mother or a lock of her hair." Faith of Millions, pp. 543 and 544.

"Hence, the conclusion is inevitable; namely that of those who follow the Bible as their guide, the Israelites and the Seventh-day Adventists have the exclusive weight of evidence on their side, whilst the Biblical Protestant has not a word in self defense for his substitution of Sunday for Saturday." Catholic Mirror.

"The Church is above the Bible; and this transference of Sabbath observance to Sunday is proof positive of that fact. Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday in the Third - Protestant Fourth - Commandment of God." --- The Catholic Record, London, Ontario Canada, September 1, 1923

"Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act. It could not have been otherwise as none in those days would have dreamed of doing anything in matters spiritual and ecclesiastical and religious without her. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things". ---Letter to Cardinal Gibbons, November 11, 1895, from C.F. Thomas.

In case you hadn't noticed, I am Orthodox and could not particularly care less how many quotes from Catholics you put up. If I thought they were correct I would be Catholic. You are trying to argue that Catholics bent the spoon? The Orthodox respond, there is no spoon.

 

[prodromos]

That's the response I expected from an Orthodox. Why should you care? It was their boast. Orthodox and Protestants merely follow. You have sources/quotes claiming the transference was the act of the Orthodox church?

Orthodox don't follow the Catholics. The Church was gathering on Sunday before the Apostles even put pen to paper, before any of the New Testament was written, let alone gathered into one volume. In the Orthodox Church it isn't even one volume. The Gospels are one volume, Acts and the Epistles are another volume, the Psalms are another and the Old Testament is interspersed through the liturgical volumes.

 

[prodromos]

Not so. The pagans gathered to worship on Sundays.

Citation? I think you will find they gathered on any day of the week.

Regardless, the Scriptures tell us multiple times that Paul went to the synagogues to preach to the Jews, not to worship with them. I almost feel embarrassed posting these verses as it demonstrates a profound lack of understanding on the part of those who argue against this evidence, but since it has been questioned...
Acts 13:5
Acts 13:13-52
Acts 14:1
Acts 16:11-15
Acts 17:1-3
Acts 17:10-12
Acts 17:16-17
Acts 18:1-4
Acts 18:19
Acts 18:24-28
Acts 19:8
This is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully will be enough to get you questioning the basis of your arguments.

 

[prodromos]

‘…the seventh day being the Lord’s day (Rev 1:10).‘ ---The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas(Ancient Text and Translation), p154.

I've been trying to find this supposed quote and have not had any success. Are you able to provide a link to an online text?

 

[Grandpa2390]

The day on which Christ rose from the dead is not the first day, rather it is the eighth day, a new day without sunset, the new day of the Lord which is eternal, breaking out of the endless cycle of seven days.
Have a bit of a read through the Old Testament and discover the significance of the eighth day.

a day of final and true rest from works, perhaps?

Citation? I think you will find they gathered on any day of the week.

I was thinking the same thing. lol. You can find a pagan religion that worshipped on any day of the week if you look. with all the pagan religions out there...

 

[prodromos]

a day of final and true rest from works, perhaps?



I was thinking the same thing. lol. You can find a pagan religion that worshipped on any day of the week if you look. with all the pagan religions out there...

Just look at the names of the days of the week for a simple example. "Monday" or moon day, "Tuesday" from Tiw's day, "Wednesday" from Woden's day, "Thursday" from Thor's day and "Friday" from Fria's day. The romance languages are no different except you have Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturns' days

 

[overcomer]

Citation? I think you will find they gathered on any day of the week.

Many Christians go to church every day of the week. But what's their day of worship?

Pagans may honor many stars/gods during the week. But the sun is the most dominant force in the sky and sun worship is the highest form of pagan worship.

Regardless, the Scriptures tell us multiple times that Paul went to the synagogues to preach to the Jews, not to worship with them. I almost feel embarrassed posting these verses as it demonstrates a profound lack of understanding on the part of those who argue against this evidence, but since it has been questioned...

This is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully will be enough to get you questioning the basis of your arguments.

He did preach to the Jews on Sabbath and he also preached to the gentiles on Sabbath in the synagogue, not any other days of the week.

And also for which day Paul worshipped on, being a Jew, do you think he would break the law of God and teach other to do the same?

 

[overcomer]

Citation? I think you will find they gathered on any day of the week.

Regardless, the Scriptures tell us multiple times that Paul went to the synagogues to preach to the Jews, not to worship with them. I almost feel embarrassed posting these verses as it demonstrates a profound lack of understanding on the part of those who argue against this evidence, but since it
This is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully will be enough to get you questioning the basis of your arguments.

I think Paul would disagree with you on what he did in the temple.

Acts 24
11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

 

[prodromos]

Many Christians go to church every day of the week. But what's their day of worship?

Every day is their day of worship.

Pagans may honor many stars/gods during the week. But the sun is the most dominant force in the sky and sun worship is the highest form of pagan worship.

You are big on opinion and light on evidence.

He did preach to the Jews on Sabbath and he also preached to the gentiles on Sabbath in the synagogue, not any other days of the week

Paul preached where he found an audience, initially focusing on those who had a grounding in Moses and the Prophets. When his focus shifted to evangelising the pagans ten it was when and where he could reach the most people.

And also for which day Paul worshipped on, being a Jew, do you think he would break the law of God and teach other to do the same?

The law of God is to Love God with all your heart, mind, will and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. To the Jew, Paul became as a Jew, to the Gentile, Paul became as a Gentile. He became whatever was necessary to reach people with the Gospel.

 

[prodromos]

I think Paul would disagree with you on what he did in the temple.

Acts 24
11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

Read what led up to this from Acts 21.

 

[1watchman]

Well, my summary of this OP at the beginning here, is that it speaks the biblical truth, and whether the RC religion or any other sect desires to deviate to man's reasoning from the pure Word of God, some of us will continue to hold to Bible-only and be "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" as God enjoins us.

One might see some of what God intends for His true testimony in the world from the Biblecounsel.net web site, to learn what God has given faithful saints. No doubt, though, the various religions of men will continue their ideas and hierarchies until the Lord calls His "bride" --the true Church, up to Himself. May that day be soon!

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Notice also - historically (from memory, no bibliography) the sabbath keepers obeying YHWH by faith in Y'SHUA MESSIAH enjoyed HIS PEACE, and the countries where they were at peace (not being martyred by the leaders / government or religious) , had peace.
Where YHWH'S WORD was not (and is not ) honored is war, discord, and souls being marketed and the poor oppressed (by government and religious leaders who don't follow YHWH'S WORD) as written in REVELATION.

 

[prodromos]

Notice also - historically (from memory, no bibliography) the sabbath keepers obeying YHWH by faith in Y'SHUA MESSIAH enjoyed HIS PEACE, and the countries where they were at peace (not being martyred by the leaders / government or religious) , had peace.

Almost all the Apostles, and many of the seventy, suffered martyrdom. You seem to have a very secular understanding of what it means to enjoy God's peace.

 

[Meowzltov]

since "Sunday" is a pagan name (designation); and we are to be worshipping "in spirit and in truth" on that day

Saturday is also a pagan name.

 

[Meowzltov]

Sabbath was a day of rest for Israel; and they worshiped and sacrificed on certain days as given --not the Sabbath.

You are mistaken. Sacrifices etc. did continue on the Sabbath. Today the prayer times on the Sabbath are named after the Sacrifices that used to be offered on the Sabbath: Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, Maariv. Ordinarily there are only three sacrifices a day, but on Shabbat, Musaf is an extra special sacrifice.

 

[Meowzltov]

The Church has the authority to change the solemnity from the Sabbath to the Lord's Day. All Christians should be assembling on the Lord's day.

On a completely different subject, we know that all the thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were "zealous for Torah." Acts 21:20 They continued to meet at the Temple, and observe Jewish law. That would mean they continued to keep Shabbat. Today many Jewish believers in Yeshua also keep Shabbat.

As Jewish Catholic, I keep the Sabbath from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown, and then I attend Mass on the Lord's day. Easy breezy.

 

[1watchman]

Remember that if an Israelite so much as picked up sticks for a fire on the Sabbath they would be condemned ---complete rest from all works was required.

Yes, we all can have any kind of religion we like, but we must bow to the fullness of the Word, for that is how we will be judged. Look up always!