Which Day of the Week is the Sabbath?

[Isaiah 53]

This is from the Apostolic Scriptures:

Acts 13:14; Acts 13:42; Acts 13:44; Acts 15:21; Acts 16:13; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:4; Col 2:16-17; Heb 4:9

Now other sources:

A learned English first-day writer of the seventeenth century, William Twisse, D. D., thus states the early history of these two days:

"Yet for some hundred years in the primitive church, not the Lord's day only, but the seventh day also, was religiously observed, not by Ebion and Cerinthus only, but by pious Christians also, as Baronius writeth, and Gomarus confesseth, and Rivet also, that we are bound in conscience under the gospel, to allow for God's service a better proportion of time, than the Jews did under the law, rather than a worse."—Morality of the Fourth Commandment, p. 9, London, 1641

"While the Jewish Christians of Palestine retained the entire Mosaic law, and consequently the Jewish festivals, the Gentile Christians observed also the Sabbath and the passover, with reference to the last scenes of Jesus' life, but without Jewish superstition. In addition to these, Sunday, as the day of Christ's resurrection, was devoted to religious services."-- Eccl. Hist. vol. i. chap. ii. sect. 30.

"The seventh day of the week was also observed as a festival, not by the Christians in general, but by such churches only as were principally composed of Jewish converts, nor did the other Christians censure this custom as criminal and unlawful."-- Eccl. Hist. book i. cent. l. part ii. chap. iv. sect. 4. Dr. Murdock's translation is more accurate than that above by Maclaine. He gives it thus:- "Moreover, those congregations, which either lived intermingled with Jews, or were composed in great measure of Jews, were accustomed also to observe the seventh day of the week, as a SACRED day: for doing which, the other Christians taxed them with no wrong.

This is just a few examples of information about that time era. I will endeavor to come up with more information, I have much in storage right now, seeing how I have been lazy and haven't completely unpacked my library.

I did want to post a story that happened back in the 1600's to get a feel for the persecution that was going on to Sabbatarians of the time, which is why it isn't easy to find lots of info on them:

"It was about this time [A.D. 1661], that a congregation of Baptists holding the seventh day as a Sabbath, being assembled at their meeting-house in Bull-stake alley, the doors being open, about three o'clock P.M. [Oct. 19], whilst Mr. John James was preaching, one Justice Chard, with Mr. Wood, an headborough, came into the meeting-place. Wood commanded him in the king's name to be silent and come down, having spoken treason against the king. But Mr. James, taking little or no notice thereof, proceeded in his work. The headborough came nearer to him in the middle of the meeting-place and commanded him again in the king's name to come down or else he would pull him down; whereupon the disturbance grew so great that he could not proceed."

The officer having pulled him down from the pulpit, led him away to the court under a strong guard. Mr. Utter continues this narrative as follows:

"Mr. James was himself examined and committed to Newgate, on the testimony of several profligate witnesses, who accused him of speaking treasonable words against the king. His trial took place about a month afterward, at which he conducted himself in such a manner as to create much sympathy. He was, however, sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. This awful sentence did not dismay him in the least. He calmly said, `Blessed be God; whom man condemneth, God justifieth.' While he lay in prison, under sentence of death, many persons of distinction visited him, who were greatly affected by his piety and resignation, and offered to exert themselves to secure his pardon. But he seems to have had little hope of their success. Mrs. James, by advice of her friends, twice presented petitions to the king [Charles II.], setting forth the innocence of her husband, the character of the witnesses against him, and entreating His Majesty to grant a pardon. In both instances she was repulsed with scoffs and ridicule. At the scaffold, on the day of his execution, Mr. James addressed the assembly in a very noble and affecting manner. Having finished his address, and kneeling down, he thanked God for covenant mercies, and for conscious innocence; he prayed for the witnesses against him, for the executioner, for the people of God, for the removal of divisions, for the coming of Christ, for the spectators, and for himself, that he might enjoy a sense of God's favour and presence, and an entrance into glory. When he had ended, the executioner said, `The Lord receive your soul;' to which Mr. James replied, `I thank thee.' A friend observing to him, `This is a happy day,' he answered, `I bless God it is.' Then having thanked the sheriff for his courtesy, he said, `Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.' . . . After he was dead his heart was taken out and burned, his quarters were affixed to the gates of the city, and his head was set up in White chapel on a pole opposite to the alley in which his meeting-house stood."-- Crosby's Hist. Eng. Baptists vol. 2. pp. 165-171. Manual of the Seventh-day Baptists, &c. pp. 21-23. (When asked what he had to say why sentence should not be pronounced, he said he would leave with them these scriptures: Jer.26:14,15; Ps.116:15.)

Such was the experience of English Sabbath-keepers in the seventeenth century. It cost something to obey the fourth commandment in such times as those. The laws of England during that century were very oppressive to all Dissenters, and bore exceedingly hard upon the Sabbath-keepers. But God raised up able men, eminent for piety, to defend his truth during those troublous times, and, if need be, to seal their testimony with their blood. In the seventeenth century, eleven churches of Sabbatarians flourished in England, while many scattered Sabbath-keepers were to be found in various parts of that kingdom. Now, but three of these churches are in existence! And only remnants, even of these, remain!

I also have a story on the history of Sabbath keepers in America which is interesting, but I think I should leave that for another thread. This is already getting off the topic, I think.

Why would I take the writings of a 17th century Protestant over the historical writings of the ECF? I do thank you for the post.

PAX CHRISTI

 

[tall73]

Hi tall73, yeah Acts 20:7 looks to have the same word regarding sabboths, that Jesus the bread of life is to be given which is broken for us and are to give it to others, the bible. So God in the OT was giving us scripture to see he was talking about a new thing, Isa 42:9, Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
And upon the first of the week(sabbatwn <4521>), when the disciples came together to break bread,

Isa 58:4, Behold, ye fast for strife and debate,

Isa 58:7, not to deal thy bread to the hungry,?

Matthew 5:6, Blessed they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

John 6:35, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:34, Then said he unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

Revelation 2:17, I am the first and the last: And was dead and am alive forever more.

Matthew 16:12, Then understood they how that he bade not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Saducees.

Sorry, I am not following you here. There was no deep spiritual meaning here to the use of the word sabbatwn. It simply meant on the first day of the week. Please consult oldsage's post on usage.

 

[Cliff2]

personally I don't believe the Catholic Church is hiding any documents, nor do I believe they altered them to suit their purpose. I don't believe a conspiracy is going on either.

You maybe at least partly right.

The RCC allowed DR. SAMUELE BACCHIOCCHI to study at their own university in Rome at the Vatican.

He was the first person to have this to be allowed to do this who was not a RC.

So that was a good start by the RCC and very good of them to allow him to go in and study the Church documents.

Click here for more info on Dr Sam B. He is a very interesting person to listen to as he is Italian and still speaks with a very strong Italian sound. They allowed him free and open access to all that he wanted to see.

You can't ask for more than that.

 

[Debi1967]

Why would I take the writings of a 17th century Protestant over the historical writings of the ECF? I do thank you for the post.

PAX CHRISTI

Isaiah53, my Brother, long time no see how are you?

ps..... trust me they are not all bad people .... LOL .... and some of them actually like me can you believe that????? J/K...

Pax Christi
Debi

 

[oldsage]

Palehorse, ever hear of the Young's literal translation? I don't have it but it translated it there good, http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Mat&chapter=28&version=yng&Go.x=18&Go.y=10

I have Young's, it really isn't a translation in the sense that a translation trys to give you what the author is saying. it is more like greek words in English dress. I personally think it is a poor translation. Of the 28 English translations I have that is the only one that renders it that way...and probably because it is trying to be too literal and not really giving the meaning of the phrase.

 

[ra123]

If it's the same word tall, why don't you read it like that,

In the end of the of week, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week,

both are the word sabbaths

In the end of the sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward the first of the sabbaths,

I hope that gives more faith to understand God's new day.

Sorry, I am not following you here. There was no deep spiritual meaning here to the use of the word sabbatwn. It simply meant on the first day of the week. Please consult oldsage's post on usage.

 

[oldsage]

The issue is confusing Law and Gospel, you can thrash around all you want and try to focus on one part or the other but any discussion of the Sabbath and our relation to it as Christians comes back to that.

God set aside "Today" to remember Him as our Creator. The observance of one day as a day of rest is the shadow of the rest to come. To preach the observance of the shadow instead of the real rest is to distort the Gospel.

The thing is, the writer of the Book of Hebrews isn't arguing for or against Sabbath Keeping, the context of the Book is talking about the world to come. So it only mentions Sabbath Keeping incidentally. It really has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

 

[TrustAndObey]

If it's the same word tall, why don't you read it like that,

In the end of the of week, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week,

both are the word sabbaths

In the end of the sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward the first of the sabbaths,

I hope that gives more faith to understand God's new day.

Here's an interesting view on "mia sabbaton"......

http://www.goodnewsaboutgod.com/resurrection/res1.htm

This person believes it means "one of the sabbaths" and is referring to the one of the sabbaths involved in Passover and wasn't Sunday at all.

??

 

[oldsage]

Why would I take the writings of a 17th century Protestant over the historical writings of the ECF? I do thank you for the post.

PAX CHRISTI

The post was in response to being asked to cite sabbath keeping in history. That was all it was.

 

[oldsage]

If it's the same word tall, why don't you read it like that,

In the end of the of week, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week,

both are the word sabbaths

In the end of the sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward the first of the sabbaths,

I hope that gives more faith to understand God's new day.

It is like the word blue I can say the sky is blue, but I can also say I am feeling blue..same word different meaning...greek words do have more than one meaning.

 

[ra123]

TrustandObey, thanks for the link, I have one too. I found it excellent, here is an excerpt,
“Week” or “Sabbaths”?

Matthew 28:1 is translated: “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week [the translators italicized the word day to indicate it was not in the original], came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.”

The translators correctly translated the Greek word “opse” as “end.” It is a word also translated as “even” as in Mark 11:19, “And when even was come, he went out of the city.” Since the seventh day Sabbath ended at sundown, on Saturday, when it had become dark, the Sabbath Day was past. Therefore, the first few words in Matthew 28:1 are correctly translated “in the end.”

The translators also correctly translated the Greek word “mia” as “first.” The Greek word “mia” is translated as “one” more than 50 times in the New Testament. It was also translated as “first” eight times in the New Testament. For example “mia” is used in Titus 3:10 to say, “A man that is an heretick after the first [Greek “mia”] and second admonition reject.”

As we go on in our study, we will see that both the translation “first” and the translation “one” apply to the Greek word “mia” used in Matthew 28:1.

But it is the Greek word “Sabbaths” that is found in Matthew 28:1 that surprises us. Amazingly, the Greek shows that the verse really says, “In the end of Sabbaths [plural], at the dawning on toward the first of the Sabbaths [not “week”].” The second word “Sabbaths” in this verse is identical to the first word “Sabbaths.” Why did the translators change the second “Sabbaths” to “week”? First of all the word “week” is singular whereas “Sabbaths” is plural. As we have seen, the Bible specifically prohibits a change of this kind. Moreover, God very carefully used precisely the same word “Sabbaths” both in the phrase “the end of the Sabbaths” and in the phrase “the first of the Sabbaths.” Why did they change the plural word “Sabbaths” in the phrase “the end of the Sabbaths” to a singular word “Sabbath,” and why did they change the word “Sabbaths” in the phrase “the first of the Sabbaths” to the phrase “to the first of the week”?

We can speculate why the translators might have been tempted to change the second word “Sabbaths” to week. Christ went to the cross on Friday and was in the tomb on the Old Testament Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. But Sunday morning? How can this Sunday be a Sabbath when the Sabbath is past? And so the translators guessed or decided not to translate that second use of the word “Sabbaths” as “Sabbaths.” They concluded that it must mean the word “week.” They had no Biblical validation for this. If God had wanted to use another word to avoid the use of the word “Sabbaths” in connection with Sunday, He would have used another word. But God used the word “Sabbaths.” We wonder why?

http://209.10.202.163/graphical/literature/sunday.html

Here's an interesting view on "mia sabbaton"......

http://www.goodnewsaboutgod.com/resurrection/res1.htm

This person believes it means "one of the sabbaths" and is referring to the one of the sabbaths involved in Passover and wasn't Sunday at all.

??

 

[TrustAndObey]

I was hoping Oldsage would add his two cents on "mia sabbaton" since he is very well-versed in Greek and he's also very familiar with the feast day sabbaths. Oldsage, where are you bud?

Luke 23:56 - And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

We know Christ was in the grave on Saturday and that it was still called the Sabbath. The seventh-day Sabbath was a commandment.

There were sabbath days associated with the feasts, and we know Christ died on Passover. I have a feeling Matthew's use of mia sabbaton has everything to do with the fact that it was one of the sabbaths associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which starts the day after Passover.

The translators also correctly translated the Greek word “mia” as “first.”

Actually mia means "one".

And that site you quoted from is absolutely right that "day" is italicized, which means it was added by the translators.

 

[Fish Chickie]

God rested on the seventh day, which he called the sabbath, since the first day of the week is sunday...saturday would then be the sabbath

 

[GraceInHim]

if the Sabbath is not a commandment no more - then the sabbath is not Israels law anymore also?

 

[Cliff2]

God rested on the seventh day, which he called the sabbath, since the first day of the week is sunday...saturday would then be the sabbath

Sounds like a good conclusion to me.

 

[TrustAndObey]

Oldsage, was the Passover lamb to be killed on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

 

[ra123]

TrustandObey, I think you're talking about the passover lamb on thursday or when Jesus began to be under the wrath of God Matthew 26. Beginning to dawn toward the first of the sabbaths is not a passover on Sunday, it just ended.

 

[TrustAndObey]

TrustandObey, I think you're talking about the passover lamb on thursday or when Jesus began to be under the wrath of God Matthew 26. Beginning to dawn toward the first of the sabbaths is not a passover on Sunday, it just ended.

ra123, there were sabbaths associated with the feasts. These were sabbaths beside the seventh day Sabbath of the Lord thy God. They were not part of God's Ten Commandments written on stone. (Lev. 23:37 & 38).

Leviticus 23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: 38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD

Right after Passover was the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I'm getting rusty on the feast day sabbaths so that's why I was hoping oldsage would join the conversation again, he is the king of that stuff. Matthew could have been referring to "one of the sabbaths" associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

I never said Passover was on that Sunday, so I think you may be the one that misunderstood actually.

 

[spirit1st]

THe sabbath was saturday .But it was under the law.If we are BORN OF GOD.We are not under the LAW,but under GRACE.Yet we are too be a living sacifice to GOD .Every day belongs to HIm.We are to count our selves dead and allow HIm.though the HOLY GHOST to live though us.We are to talk with the HOLY GHOST and be led by HIm and taught by HIm.There is now ,a NEW REST fior the NEW people .created in CHRIST JESUS!.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
OH this is a VERY NICE REST.YOU SEE?WE DO NOTHING IN THIS REST.THE HOLY GHOST lives though us!And does everything perfect!Now this rest is spiritual,but BLESSES OUR WHOLE BEING!Few have entered in?But I have.I know its real,not just because I read it.But have enjoyed it GREATLY!I hope some here can enter in?

 

[tall73]

If it's the same word tall, why don't you read it like that,

In the end of the of week, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week,

both are the word sabbaths

In the end of the sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward the first of the sabbaths,

I hope that gives more faith to understand God's new day.

No, it doesn't. Nor are we, like the writers of your article, surprised to see the plural. The plural is used in other contexts when clearly it is speaking of a specific Sabbath day. Biblical usage across the various contexts is the only way to indicate meaning. And the usage does not favor your argument.

Let me demonstrate:

And again, did Acts 20:7 represent yet another new start to the Sabbath? If you read it as you are then you have no choice but to say so.

This is just the usage in the plural genitive. Moreover, you have the plural dative, Sabbasin, used also referring to specific Sabbath days in Luke 13:10; Mark 3:2; Mark 2:23; Mark 1:21; Matthew 12:1

So unless you have some reason to say that this is different, against all major translators and lexicons, and unless you are able to make sense of the other reference to the first day of the week in Acts 20:7, and in I Corinthians 16:2, then I think we are safe in saying it was a reference to the first day of the week, and not a commentary on the change of the Sabbath system.