Christ and the Sabbath by Cyrus Simmons

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 28, 1905

Christ and the Sabbath

By Cyrus Simmons

CYRUS SIMMONS

“But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” 2 Cor. 3:15.

This is the arraignment that Paul brought against the Jews for not being able to see Christ in the writings of Moses. There is a popular error to the effect that the Old Testament has been done away. The ones who hold to this are unable to see Christ in the Old Testament. “The veil is upon their heart.” Jesus tells us to “search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39. Evidently the Saviour had reference to the Old

Testament, as the New Testament had not been written at the time when he gave this injunction. The beginning of the text is “search.” We can see Jesus in the Old Testament only by searching.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Tim. 3:16. This text shows that the Old Testament as well as the New is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable and necessary for our salvation. The spirit of Christ was in the prophets who wrote the Old Testament. 1 Peter 1:11.

Christ Was in the Wilderness With the Children of Israel

He told Moses to tell the children of Israel that “I AM” sent him to them. Ex. 3:14. When he was on earth, he told the Jews that he was the “I AM.” “Before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58. If Christ is the “I AM,” it was Christ who spoke to Moses.

It was Christ who suffered with the children of Israel in the wilderness; he went with them and saved them by the angel of his presence. “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” “So he was their Saviour.” Isa. 63:9, 8. “For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10:4.

Christ Spoke the Law on Mount Sinai

“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48. Here Christ refers to his word that he has spoken, which shall be a standard of righteousness, by which all shall be judged. By the ten commandments all shall be judged. James 2:11, 12. The ten commandments were spoken, as well as written. “And God spake all these words, saying.” Ex. 20:1. In Ex. 34:28 the marginal reading shows that the expression “the ten commandments” is also rendered “the ten words.” The one who spoke the ten commandments is the one who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.” Ex. 20:2. We are told by Hosea that the one who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt was the Saviour. “Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no Saviour beside me.” Hosea 13:4. If the one who spoke the law was the one from the land of Egypt, and the one from the land of Egypt was the Saviour, the conclusion is evident that it was the Saviour, or Christ, who spoke the ten commandments on Mount Sinai.

Christ is the one who ascended on high and led captivity captive. Eph. 4:8. The psalmist tells us that the one who ascended on high was on Mount Sinai. “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive.” Ps. 68:17, 18. If the one who ascended on high was Christ, and if he was on Mount Sinai, it is evident that Christ spoke the law from that holy mount.

Christ Is the “I Am” Who Was in Existence Before the First Sabbath Day Was Made

He is the “I AM” that existed before Abraham. John 8:58. “Yea, before the day was I am he.” “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour.” Isa. 43:13, 11. If the Saviour was in existence before the first day was called into being, he lived before the first Sabbath was made.

His own testimony in the prayer that he made before he went to the garden of Gethsemane gives evidence of that fact: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” John 17:5.

Christ Is in the Sabbath

It has already been shown that Christ is the “I AM” who spoke to Moses. Therefore it was the presence of Christ that made the ground holy while he was speaking to Moses. Ex. 3:5; Joshua 5:13-15. God calls the Sabbath “my holy day.” Isa. 58:13. We are told to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Ex. 20:8. If the presence of Christ made the ground holy, it is the presence of Christ that makes the Sabbath holy, and in order to keep the Sabbath holy it is necessary for us to keep Christ in that day. The veil should be taken from our hearts so that we can see Christ in the Sabbath of the Lord.

Christ Is the Agent in the Creation of all Things

All things are of God and by Christ. 1 Cor. 8:6. God created all things by Jesus Christ. Eph. 3:9. God by Christ made the worlds. Heb. 1:2.

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Col. 1:15-17. This last quotation shows that Christ created “all things.” If he created “all things,” he must necessarily have created the Sabbath day. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3. If the Sabbath was made, and if all things were made by Christ, does not Christ himself tell us that he made the Sabbath day? “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27, 28. If the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath day, then the Sabbath day, not Sunday, is the Lord’s day. If Christ made the Sabbath, then the seventh-day Sabbath is the Christian Sabbath, and not Sunday. Christ wants us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy in commemoration of him as our Creator. He tells us why he wants us to keep the Sabbath day: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Ex. 20:11.

Christ Is Our Re-Creator, or Saviour

To be regenerated we must be new creatures, or new creations. 2 Cor. 5:17. We must be born again, or from above (John 3:3), born by the word of God. 1 Peter 1:23. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Eph. 2:10. Sanctification is regeneration, being born again, being a new creation. Christ wants us to keep the Sabbath not only as a memorial of his creation of the worlds and of ourselves, but also as a sign of his re-creation, or sanctification, or redemption of us as his children. “Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Eze. 20:12.

Christ is the power and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. 1:24. The Sabbath is a weekly remembrancer and evidence of that power and wisdom. “There remaineth therefore a keeping of a Sabbath [margin] to the people of God.” Heb. 4:9.

Knoxville, Tenn.