Early Church Documents and Developments
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Evidence of Sabbath Observance
Evidence for Sabbath endorsement and observance in the early church are mixed. We have reference in Jerome’s writings to an oath that those in the synagogue had to take that cursed the Nazarenes. This was done with the purpose of keeping them out of the synagogue even at that late date, around 80-90 A.D. The Talmud also makes reference to this curse on the heretics, which was understood to be Christian Nazarenes and possibly Essenes.
We also have texts that describe Sabbath endorsement. Here is a listing of the more prominent ones:
[/FONT][FONT="]Apostolic Constitutions 4th century
In this text we see both being kept, and an endorsement of Sabbath, in honor of the command. Like Ignatius it stresses that it is a day for meditation of Scripture, not for external rest.
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-07/anf07-41.htm#P5614_2026032
XXXVI. Have before thine eyes the fear of God, and always remember the ten commandments of God,-to love the one and only Lord God with all thy strength; to give no heed to idols, or any other beings, as being lifeless gods, or irrational beings or daemons. Consider the manifold workmanship of God, which received its beginning through Christ. Thou shalt observe the Sabbath, on account of Him who ceased from His work of creation, but ceased not from His work of providence: it is a rest for meditation of the law, not for idleness of the hands.
And a bit later on:
Be not careless of yourselves, neither deprive your Saviour of His own members, neither divide His body nor disperse His members, neither prefer the occasions of this life to the word of God; but assemble yourselves together every day, morning and evening, singing psalms and praying in the Lord's house: in the morning saying the sixty-second Psalm, and in the evening the hundred and fortieth, but principally on the Sabbath-day. And on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent Him to us, and condescended to let Him suffer, and raised Him from the dead. Otherwise what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day to hear the saving word concerning the resurrection, on which we pray thrice standing in memory of Him who arose in three days, in which is performed the reading of the prophets, the preaching of the Gospel, the oblation of the sacrifice, the gift of the holy food?
Sozomen, 5th century
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/26027.htm
The people of Constantinople, and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria.
Socrates Scholasticus, History book 5, 5th century
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/26015.htm
For although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this.
Socrates again, book 6
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf202.htm
The Arians, as we have said, held their meetings without the city. As often therefore as the festal days occurred—I mean Saturday[1] and Lord’s day—in each week, on which assemblies are usually held in the churches, they congregated within the city gates about the public squares, and sang responsive verses adapted to the Arian heresy (Socrates' Ecclesiastical History, Book 6, Chapter 8, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3, p. 144)
These comments, coming from a fairly late period, hundreds of years after the apostles, testify that Sabbath assembly and endorsement continued for some time. These are important because they describe actual practice. While the comments by many of the Early Church Fathers (see below) take a negative stance on Sabbath, the actual practice of it was still continued for a long time. And even this negative stance on the Sabbath seems to have come about sometime after 70 AD, and mostly after 100 AD.
here are two more statements that speak of continued Sabbath observance, though they do not endorse it:
[/FONT][FONT="]John Chrysostom, Commentary on Galatians. 4th century
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF1-13/npnf1-13-06.htm#P187_15275
You will now understand why Paul calls circumcision a subversion of the Gospel. There are many among us now, who fast on the same day as the Jews, and keep the sabbaths in the same manner; and we endure it nobly or rather ignobly and basely.
Post Nicene Fathers, Series II book VIII, page 13, late 6th century, early 7th.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf213.htm
Gregory, servant of the servants of God, to his most beloved sons the Roman citizens.
It has come to my ears that certain men of perverse spirit have sown among you some things that are wrong and opposed to the holy faith, so as to forbid any work being done on the Sabbath day. What else can I call these but preachers of Antichrist, who, when he comes, will cause the Sabbath day as well as the Lord’s day to be kept free from all work. For, because he pretends to die and rise again, he wishes the Lord’s day to be had in reverence; and, because he compels the people to judaize that he may bring back the outward rite of the law, and subject the perfidy of the Jews to himself, he wishes the Sabbath to be observed.
We also have the coptic church keeping the Sabbath to this day, as they broke off at the council of Chalcedon, apparently before the change had been cemented. Some churches in India also kept it until relatively recent time.
So this, along with the Scriptural evidence, shows that Sabbath observance did not cease at all with Jesus' resurrection. It took some time for it to fade, as a result of a number of factors.
Factors that led to change
[/FONT]There is no doubt that by the end of the first century there are already some who are questioning the Sabbath, and some who are endorsing a new day, Sunday. Those who do hold to Sunday often keep both, with distinctive roles. And among those who do keep Sunday, or reject Sabbath ,they do so with varied explanations. (see below.
What brought about this change in views, if not in widespread practice, so early?
The picture seems to be a combination of a couple of factors. First Gentiles eventually came to outnumber Jewish believers, especially in certain areas (Rome etc.). We already begin to see some disconnect between Jews and Gentiles over in Paul's letters. They came from different backgrounds, and the Gentiles would have less of an inherent connection to the Sabbath. .
Probably the larger factor was the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and of Jerusalem in the rebellion in the 130's. Both of these led to a diminishing of the influence of the Jerusalem church, with the church at one point relocating to another area. At same time anti-Jewish measures were taken across the empire, and especially in Jerusalem. At one point The emporer forbade circumcision or Sabbath keeping.
While at one time the Christians had benefitted from being considered a sect of Judaism, an officially tolerated religion, they had since the time of Nero started to be distinguished. Now with Jewish persecution throughout the empire there was more incentive, especially in prominently Gentile areas to avoid fiscal and physical persecution by further separation.
It was around the time of the 130's that we see a number of the ECF start to write against Sabbath and for Sunday. This seems more than coincidental. They formed the theological basis that would eventually lead to the cessation of Sabbath observance in most of the church.
This seems to have started first in Rome and Alexandria, both largely gentile centers (note the quotes of Sozomen, Socrates etc. above which indicated that Sabbath assembly stopped first in Rome and Alexandria due to some ancient tradition).
As an interesting side note Rome also led the way in establishing the traditional Easter date over Nisan 14, the traditional passover date. The pope at one point disfellowshipped Nisan 14 adherents before being prevailed upon to change his mind.
So we see not only precident for changes in the manner of worship in Rome, but the necessary authority to bring the issue to the church at large.
There was no ecumenical council that finally settled the issue, but a regional council, that of Laodicea, discouraged Sabbath rest and actually encouraged Sunday rest, blurring the two distinct meanings of the days.
Council of Laodicea
Christians should not Judaize and should not be idle on the Sabbath, but should work on that day; they should, however, particularly reverence the Lord's Day and, if possible, not work on it, because they were Christians (canon 29 [A.D. 360]).
This council did not have a lot of attendees, and appears to have possibly occurred during a time of persecution. It is unclear how widespread its influence was.
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Non-Sabbatarian Statements by the Early Church Fathers
[/FONT] The statements of the Early Church Fathers present a few different perspectives on Sabbath, Sunday, etc. The majority of the existing church fathers take an elevated view of Sunday, though with different rationales in some case, and some take a diminished view of Sabbath or feel it is no longer needed at all.
The question of development of views in the early church depends greatly on when you date the documents. It is not always easy to establish definite dates.
The crucial passages are the ones believed to be the earliest ones, and thereby closest to the time of the apostles. They deserve special attention.
The Didache
While some date this text as early as 60-130 AD it is often now seen to be a document from the early second century. There are no clear references to events that can be dated. Instead the information that it is dated by is the doctrine etc. The doctrine of the Didache seems to be less developed than some later texts in regards to church structure, etc. compared to Ignatius, which either favors an earlier date, or a different location. However, it also makes reference to some material that is regarded as later. Here is a discussion of the later date:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/....html#viii.i.i
Since some see in it quotes from the Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas they assign it to the second century.
14:1 But on the Lord's day, after that ye have assembled together, break bread and give thanks, having in addition confessed your sins, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let not any one who hath a quarrel with his companion join with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be polluted, for it is that which is spoken of by the Lord. In every place and time offer unto me a pure sacrifice, for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the Gentiles.
It says to assemble on the Lord’s Day. This is possibly the earliest reference to the Lord’s Day outside of Scripture. If you take the second century date then Ignatius’ letter to the Magnesians would come before it. It does not, as some later texts do, mention anything about a replacement of Sabbath with Sunday.
But here, as with Ignatius, there is also a translation issue. Here is the Greek text:
http://www.ccel.org/l/lake/fathers/didache.htm
The beginning of chapter 14 is the text in question. Notice that the reading is Kata Kuriakhn de kuriou.
This is the part rendered "but on the Lord's day", but again hmera does not occur. Nor in fact is it just left out, assumed to be substantival. Instead it literally says "but/and according to the Lord’s (missing or assumed word) of the Lord" This is, to say the least an obscure phrase. Here is a discussion of the texts in the B-Greek list that speaks about the issue:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/b-greek/2003-December/027171.html
He is quoting the Lord in his statement about leaving your sacrifice at the altar and going to be reconciled with your brother before worship. So perhaps the word is something related to the teaching or command of the Lord.
In any case it is not clear what is meant, nor does it associate the Lord’s Day with any calendar day. Some think it could be a reference to Pascha.
Igantius' letter to the Magnesians:
In chapter 9 of his letter Ignatius takes up the question of Sabbath observance. You can find the document here:
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-17.htm#P1394_249090
Ignatius wrote his letter during his time as bishop. He was stated to be Bishop during the reign of Trajan. In addition he states that he is to be martyred, having handed himself over to Trajan. The letter to the Magnesians likewise makes reference to him being bound. Since Trajan reigned from 98AD to 116 these are the dates that the epistle must fall into. The letters are usually dated to around 107 which was when the expedition of Trajan was believed to have been, at which time that he handed himself over. Some, with an alternate view of Trajan's expedition against the Parthians date the death of Ignatius at 116. Either way this was a document written just at the end, or just after the end of the apostolic period, since John died, as the last of the apostles, around 100 AD. The rest of the apostles would have been gone for a while.
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(The following info on the longer and shorter readings is taken from the introductory material to the Ignatius letters in Cleveland Coxe's Ante-Nicene Fathers, American edition)
There are shorter and longer versions of Ignatius. Opinions vary as to which is legitimate. There are two Greek recensions containing both the long and short versions. For some time scholars preferred the shorter. But the discovery of an old Syriac version also contained the longer reading, re-igniting the debate.
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Chapter IX.-Let Us Live with Christ.
Short
If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things49 have come to the possession of a new50 hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance51 of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death-whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith,52 and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master-how shall we be able to live apart from Him, whose disciples the prophets themselves in the Spirit did wait for Him as their Teacher? And therefore He whom they rightly waited for, being come, raised them from the dead.53
Long
56 Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath after the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness; for "he that does not work, let him not eat."57 For say the [holy] oracles, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread."58 But let every one of you keep the Sabbath after a spiritual manner, rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in relaxation of the body, admiring the workmanship of God, and not eating things prepared the day before, nor using lukewarm drinks, and walking within a prescribed space, nor finding delight in dancing and plaudits which have no sense in them.59 And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days. Looking forward to this, the prophet declared, "To the end, for the eighth day,"60 on which our life both sprang up again, and the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, "whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things,"61 who are "lovers of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."62 These make merchandise of Christ, corrupting His word, and giving up Jesus to sale: they are corrupters of women, and covetous of other men's possessions, swallowing up wealth63 insatiably; from whom may ye be delivered by the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ!
This statement gives us some important information.
a. That Sunday was already recognized as the Lord's day at this time according to verse 59, in honor of the resurrection.
b. Whoever authored the longer portion does not think that Christians should keep Sabbath after the Jewish traditions that Jesus denounced, but does think that they should keep it. (lukewarm drinks, Sabbath day's journey etc. are repudiated.) Instead they were to celebrate it in a spiritual way in contemplation of the Scriptures etc.
Now back to the shorter reading. the Greek of vs. 50 does not support the reading given.
And here is a link to the Greek.
http://www.ccel.org/l/lake/fathers/i...nesians.htm#IX
Now a few notes:
a. there is no word for day, hmera , it is supplied a a substantive.
b. The Greek manuscript discovered with Siniaticus actually has the word zwhn which is not present in this Greek version provided by the web site. They omitted this, assumedly following the Latin translations.
c. There is evidence from the next phrase "in which", which is in the feminine, that there is a feminine word being referenced.. The aforementioned hmera, or zwhn could be that word. But since the one is clearly present in the Greek (Zwhn) but the other is not present in any text, but was assumed, then the issue is rather clear.
d. The word translated as "no longer keeping the Sabbath" is just the participle form, leading some to suggest it could be translated literally Sabbatizing..
e. Moreover, as commentators have pointed out, the context is referring to the prophets of old. No one suggests that they kept Sunday. So the reading could be rendered:.
If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer sabbatizing, but living in the observance of the Lord's own life (or own way of living), by which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death-whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith ...
(Bacchiocchi takes this position in his work, From Sabbath to Sunday).
In this case the text is saying that the prophets lived according to the Lord's own way of life (keeping the Sabbath without the Jewish traditions).
If the longer reading is to be viewed as valid, then it harmonizes with this rendering well. If it is not valid then it was added later to clarify the text according to the later author's thinking. And it endorses the Sabbath, but not after the Jewish manner of legalism. He is telling them to keep the Sabbath, but not in the old way. And if not then he is simply saying to live after the Lord's way of life, and that of the prophets (not keeping the pharisaical traditions of the Sabbath).
The Epistle of Barnabas
The dating of this epistle is uncertain, and possibly covers a long range, again because it does not make clear reference to events. It is certainly after the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70). Most put it closer to AD 130 or so. The letter is generally very negative toward Judaism, favoring a later date when the relations were poor between Christians, and the Jews were reviled in the empire. The author’s use of Scripture is quite odd.
Here were a couple of the more unusual segments:
Learn then, my children, concerning all things richly, that
Abraham, the first who enjoined circumcision, looking forward in spirit to
Jesus, practiced that rite, having received the mysteries of the three letters.
For [the Scripture] saith, "And Abraham circumcised ten, and eight, and
three hundred men of his household." What, then, was the knowledge given
to him in this? Learn the eighteen first, and then the three hundred. The ten
and the eight are thus denoted — Ten by I, and Eight by H. You have [the
initials of the, name of] Jesus. And because the cross was to express the
grace [of our redemption] by the letter T, he says also, "Three Hundred."
He signifies, therefore, Jesus by two letters, and the cross by one. He
knows this, who has put within us the engrafted gift of His doctrine. No
one has been admitted by me to a more excellent piece of knowledge than
this, but I know that ye are worthy
It is a stretch that Abraham understood circumcision to be a symbol of the initials of Jesus, and therefore circumcized just the right number of people to spell out the initials of Jesus in ROMAN Numerals.
This kind of spiritualization is the norm in the letter. Note also that he thought this to be a very novel idea. And indeed it was! As you read through the letter he seems to be presenting what he thinks will be new information to the reader concerning the real significance of the Jews.
Here is another example:
Now, wherefore did Moses say, "Thou shalt not eat the swine, nor the
eagle, nor the hawk, nor the raven, nor any fish which is not possessed of
scales?" He embraced three doctrines in his mind [in doing so]. Moreover,
the Lord saith to them in Deuteronomy, "And I will establish my
ordinances among this people." Is there then not a command of God they
should not eat [these things]? There is, but Moses spoke with a spiritual
reference. For this reason he named the swine, as much as to say, "Thou
shalt not join thyself to men who resemble swine." For when they live in
pleasure, they forget their Lord; but when they come to want, they
acknowledge the Lord. And [in like manner] the swine, when it has eaten,
does not recognize its master; but when hungry it cries out, and on
receiving food is quiet again. "Neither shalt thou eat," says he "the eagle,
nor the hawk, nor the kite, nor the raven." "Thou shalt not join thyself,"
he means, "to such men as know not how to procure food for themselves
by labor and sweat, but seize on that of others in their iniquity, and
although wearing an aspect of simplicity, are on the watch to plunder
others." So these birds, while they sit idle, inquire how they may devour
the flesh of others, proving themselves pests [to all] by their wickedness.
"And thou shalt not eat," he says, "the lamprey, or the polypus, or the
cuttlefish." He means, "Thou shalt not join thyself or be like to such men
as are ungodly to the end, and are condemned to death." In like manner as
those fishes, above accursed, float in the deep, not swimming [on the
surface] like the rest, but make their abode in the mud which lies at the
bottom. Moreover, "Thou shalt not," he says, "eat the hare." Wherefore?
"Thou shalt not be a corrupter of boys, nor like unto such." Because the
hare multiplies, year by year, the places of its conception; for as many
years as it lives so many it has. Moreover, "Thou shalt not eat the hyena."
He means, "Thou shalt not be an adulterer, nor a corrupter, nor be like to
them that are such." Wherefore? Because that animal annually changes its
sex, and is at one time male, and at another female. Moreover, he has
rightly detested the weasel. For he means, "Thou shalt not be like to those
whom we hear of as committing wickedness with the mouth, on account of
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their uncleanness; nor shalt thou be joined to those impure women who
commit iniquity with the mouth. For this animal conceives by the mouth."
Moses then issued three doctrines concerning meats with a spiritual
significance; but they received them according to fleshly desire, as if he had
merely spoken of [literal] meats. David, however, comprehends the
knowledge of the three doctrines, and speaks in like manner: "Blessed is
the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly," even as the
fishes [referred to] go in darkness to the depths [of the sea]; "and hath not
stood in the way of sinners," even as those who profess to fear the Lord,
but go astray like swine; "and hath not sat in the seat of scorners," even as
those birds that lie in wait for prey. Take a full and firm grasp of this
spiritual knowledge. But Moses says still further, "Ye shall eat every
animal that is cloven-footed and ruminant." What does he mean? [The
ruminant animal denotes him] who, on receiving food, recognizes Him that
nourishes him, and being satisfied by Him, is visibly made glad. Well spake
[Moses], having respect to the commandment. What, then, does he mean?
That we ought to join ourselves to those that fear the Lord, those who
meditate in their heart on the commandment which they have received,
those who both utter the judgments of the Lord and observe them, those
who know that meditation is a work of gladness, and who ruminate upon
the word of the Lord. But what means the cloven-footed? That the
righteous man also walks in this world, yet looks forward to the holy state
[to come]. Behold how well Moses legislated. But how was it possible for
them to understand or comprehend these things? We then, rightly
understanding his commandments, explain them as the Lord intended. For
this purpose He circumcised our ears and our hearts, that we might
understand these things.
It again seems a stretch that God gave the dietary laws to show that people should not associate with those who have oral sex and conception as he thinks that weasels do, or those who change genders as he thinks that hyenas do. There is also no indication that David wrote Psalm 1 to clarify the kind of people that the dietary laws were referring to.
His approach to Scripture leaves a lot to be desired.
Now here is his statement regarding the Sabbath. And while his reasoning is again rather unusual it is important because it is the first statement in which it is clearly asserted that the Sabbath is replaced with Sunday.
Further, also, it is written concerning the Sabbath in the Decalogue which
[the Lord] spoke, face to face, to Moses on Mount Sinai, "And sanctify
ye the Sabbath of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart." And He
says in another place, "If my sons keep the Sabbath, then will I cause my
mercy to rest upon them." The Sabbath is mentioned at the beginning of
the creation [thus]: "And God made in six days the works of His hands,
and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it."
First of all note that he saw the Sabbath mentioned at creation, not just Sinai.
Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, "He finished in six
days." This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand
years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifieth,
saying, "Behold, to-day will be as a thousand years." Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. "
a. that meaning is not exactly evident from the text.
b. He appears to be making a prediction of the time of Jesus coming, and unless we are giving him some slack he has missed that prediction.
And He rested on the seventh day." This meaneth: when His
Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge
the ungodly, and change the sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He
truly rest on the seventh day.
Again he takes the meaning of the creation narrative to mean something totally different than it did. Now he introduces the true Sabbath as an end-time fulfillment.
Now this in itself is not out of line. The true rest will be in heaven. However, like most of his analysis, his point is to show that the Sabbath never had a literal application. Jesus obviously didn’t share this view. The Sabbath could hardly be for man if it was only an eschatological prediction.
Moreover, He says, "Thou shalt sanctify it with pure hands and a pure heart." If, therefore, any one can now sanctify the day which God hath sanctified, except he is pure in heart in all things, we are deceived. Behold, therefore: certainly then one properly resting sanctifies it, when we ourselves, having received the promise, wickedness
no longer existing, and all things having been made new by the Lord, shall
be able to work righteousness. Then we shall be able to sanctify it, having
been first sanctified ourselves.
Apparently he is now saying the 7th day is so holy that we can’t sanctify it until we are made holy. So it is so holy, we should disregard it.
Further, He says to them, "Your new moons and your Sabbath I cannot endure." Ye perceive how He speaks: Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Me, but that is which I have made, [namely this,] when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is, a beginning of another world. Wherefore, also, we
keep the eighth day with joyfullness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead. And when He had manifested Himself, He ascended into the heavens.
a. He seems to miss the original intention of the quote. The verses revealed that God could not endure their hypocritical festivals that masked their evil actions.
b. He asserts that the resurrection of Jesus ushered in a new world. However, 2 Peter makes it plain that the first earth was destroyed by a flood, and the second is reserved for fire. There was no re-creation of the earth at Jesus’ death according to Peter. He then speaks of an 8th day. This eventually became a popular convention. The notion is here already presented that the new day is above the old as the 8th follows the 7th. But it is interesting that he gives no scriptural admonition to keep Sunday. While Barnabas is forming a theology for Sunday keeping, it is not yet very developed. .
c. He already said that the seventh day will not occur until the second coming. He now
says that the 8th day...which follows the 7th...comes at Jesus first coming.
It is pretty plain that there was no Scripture with a plain meaning to the author. While he does provide early evidence of the view that Sunday should replace the OT Sabbath his reasons leave a lot to be desired.
Moreover, the very fact that he was presenting all this about the “true” meaning of the Old Testament Jews to those who were ignorant of all these facts shows that they were not informed by Jesus originally on all these points. This confusion as to the nature of Sabbath, the rationale for Sunday etc. is further evidence that Sunday was a later development.
The First Apology of Justin Martyr
The letter was addressed to Antoninus Pius, so this dates the writing from between 138-161.
Justin lays out a thorough defense of the Christians to the emperor who has been unduly persecuting the church as criminals. It is truly a heroic work. In it he makes some of the first reference to the definite rituals surrounding the Lord's Day in the early church. Here is the quote from chapter 67
And on the day called
Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place,
and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as
long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president
verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then
we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is
ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like
manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the
people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a
participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who
are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do,
and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited
with the president, who succors the orphans and widows and those who,
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through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in
bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of
all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our
common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having
wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus
Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. For He was
crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after
that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His
apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have
submitted to you also for your consideration.
Here is noted that the Christians meet on Sunday. He says that this is so because it was the first day on which at creation God made the world. This is not a terribly biblical argument, since the original Sabbath was the 7th because of the completed creation. He also notes the more traditional reason of it being the day of the resurrection. He makes no note about the 8th day argument which Ignatius and Barnabas used. So it seems that there is still no universal rationale.
Some have noted particularly the last part of the statement, regarding what Jesus taught His disciples as proof that the Sunday concept was in fact from Jesus Himself. However, when looking in context it is clear that this statement is in fact the conclusion of a whole section, starting at the end of chapter 14 in which a summary of the teachings of Christ is given. Most of these have direct quotes from Jesus to substantiate them. So the statement is simply wrapping up that part of the document. And it is noteworthy that there is no statement of Jesus cited, or any biblical reason at all cited, for observance of Sunday, other than the rather illogical one of the first day of the creation.
From here out we get a number of statements upholding Sunday and condemning Sabbath. Some of the more notable ones are listed below without much comment.
Victorinus
The document is probably from around 300 AD.
For light was made before sky and the earth. This sixth day is called parasceve, that is to say, the preparation of the kingdom. For He perfected Adam, whom He made after His image and likeness. But for this reason He completed His works before He created angels and fashioned man, lest perchance they should falsely assert that they had been His helpers. On this day also. on account of the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, we make either a station to God, or a fast. On the seventh day He rested from all His works, and blessed it, and sanctified it. On the former day we are accustomed to fast rigorously, that on the Lord's day we may go forth to our bread with giving of thanks. And let the parasceve become a rigorous fast, lest we should appear to observe any Sabbath with the Jews, which Christ Himself, the Lord of the Sabbath, says by His prophets that "His soul hateth;" which Sabbath He in His body abolished, although, nevertheless, He had formerly Himself commanded Moses that circumcision should not pass over the eighth day, which day very frequently happens on the Sabbath, as we read written in the Gospel. Moses, foreseeing the hardness of that people, on the Sabbath raised up his hands, therefore, and thus figuratively fastened himself to a cross. And in the battle they were sought for by the foreigners on the Sabbath-day, that they might be taken captive, and, as if by the very strictness of the law, might be fashioned to the avoidance of its teaching.
And thus in the sixth Psalm for the eighth day, David asks the Lord that He would not rebuke him in His anger, nor judge him in His fury; for this is indeed the eighth day of that future judgment, which will pass beyond the order of the sevenfold arrangement. Jesus also, the son of Nave, the successor of Moses, himSelf broke the Sabbath-day; for on the Sabbath-day he commanded the children of Israel to go round the walls of the city of Jericho with trumpets, and declare war against the aliens. Matthias also, prince of Judah, broke the Sabbath; for he slew the prefect of Antiochus the king of Syria on the Sabbath, and subdued the foreigners by pursuing them. And in Matthew we read, that it is written Isaiah also and the rest of his colleagues broke the Sabbath--that that true and just Sabbath should be observed in the seventh millenary of years. Wherefore to those seven days the Lord attributed to each a thousand years; for thus went the warning: "In Thine eyes, O Lord, a thousand years are as one day." Therefore in the eyes of the Lord each thousand of years is ordained, for I find that the Lord's eyes are seven. Wherefore, as I have narrated, that true Sabbath will be in the seventh millenary of years, when Christ with His elect shall reign. Moreover, the seven heavens agree with those days; for thus we are warned: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the powers of them by the spirit of His mouth." There are seven spirits. Their names are the spirits which abode on the Christ of God, as was intimated in Isaiah the prophet: "And there rests upon Him the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of wisdom and of piety, and the spirit of God's fear hath filled Him." Therefore the highest heaven is the heaven of wisdom; the second, of understanding; the third, of counsel; the fourth, of might; the fifth, of knowledge; the sixth, of piety; the seventh, of God's fear. From this, therefore, the thunders bellow, the lightnings are kindled, the fires are heaped together; fiery darts appear, stars gleam, the anxiety caused by the dreadful comet is aroused. Sometimes it happens that the sun and moon approach one another, and cause those more than frightful appearances, radiating with light in the field of their aspect. But the author of the whole creation is Jesus. His name is the Word; for thus His Father says: "My heart hath emitted a good word." John the evangelist thus says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made that was made." Therefore, first, was made the creation; secondly, man, the lord of the human race, as says the apostle. Therefore this Word, when it made light, is called Wisdom; when it made the sky, Understanding; when it made land and sea, Counsel; when it made sun and moon and other bright things, Power; when it calls forth land and sea, Knowledge; when it formed man, Piety; when it blesses and sanctifies man, it has the name of God's fear.
Eusebius
They [the early saints of the Old Testament] did not care about circumcision of the body, neither do we [Christians]. They did not care about observing Sabbaths, nor do we. They did not avoid certain kinds of food, neither did they regard the other distinctions which Moses first delivered to their posterity to be observed as symbols; nor do Christians of the present day do such things (Church History 1:4:8 [A.D. 325]).
Athanasius
The Sabbath was the end of the first creation, the Lord's day was the beginning of the second, in which he renewed and restored the old in the same way as he prescribed that they should formerly observe the Sabbath as a memorial of the end of the first things, so we honor the Lord's day as being the memorial of the new creation (On Sabbath and Circumcision 3 [A.D. 345]).
Cyril of Jerusalem
Fall not away either into the sect of the Samaritans or into Judaism, for Jesus Christ has ransomed you. Stand aloof from all observance of Sabbaths and from calling indifferent meats common or unclean (Catechetical Lectures 4:37 [A.D. 350]).
John Chrysostom
When he said, "You shall not kill" . . . he did not add "because murder is a wicked thing." The reason was that conscience had taught this beforehand, and he speaks thus, as to those who know and understand the point. Wherefore when he speaks to us of another commandment, not known to us by the dictate of conscience, he not only prohibits, but adds the reason. When, for instance, he gave commandment concerning the Sabbath — "On the seventh day you shall do no work"— he subjoined also the reason for this cessation. What was this? "Because on the seventh day God rested from all his works which he had begun to make" [Ex. 20:10]. And again: "Because you were a servant in the land of Egypt" [Deut. 21:18]. For what purpose then, I ask, did he add a reason respecting the Sabbath, but did no such thing in regard to murder? Because this commandment was not one of the leading ones. It was not one of those which were accurately defined of our conscience, but a kind of partial and temporary one, and for this reason it was abolished afterward. But those which are necessary and uphold our life are the following: '"You shall not kill... You shall not commit adultery... You shall not steal." On this account he adds no reason in this case, nor enters into any instruction on the matter, but is content with the bare prohibition (Homilies on the Statues 12:9 [A.D. 387]).
You have put on Christ, you have become a member of the Lord and been enrolled in the heavenly city, and you still grovel in the Law [of Moses]? How is it possible for you to obtain the kingdom? Listen to Paul's words, that the observance of the Law overthrows the gospel, and learn, if you will, how this comes to pass, and tremble, and shun this pitfall. Why do you keep the Sabbath and fast with the Jews? (Homilies on Galatians 2:17 [A.D. 395]).
To sum up the evidence, we see no definite statements establishing Sunday in the NT, or evidence of its continued observance. There is also a confused rationale among early adherents to Sunday. And even the earliest dated documents are likely a part of the second century, or very near to it. This evidence together give s a strong indication that Sunday was not part of the original deposit of faith. And in any case, Sabbath, being kept alongside it by many, and being kept for hundreds of years, was not apparently done away with either at the resurrection of Jesus.
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. This is a thread for keeping track of thoughts on the Sabbath 
