Argument on Sabbaton by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 13, 1870

Argument on Sabbaton.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

“A drowning man will catch at straws.” This saying is wonderfully illustrated in the various and contradictory arguments which are resorted to in support of the Sunday Sabbath. Among the weakest of these, is that founded upon the Greek of Matt. 28: 1, where we find the phrase eis mian Sabbaton, rendered first day of the week. It is claimed that this really means, and should be translated, “first day of the Sabbaths,” as sabbaton means Sabbath. Putting this with the phrase before it, it reads, In the end of the Sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the Sabbaths. From this a grand argument is made, thus:

In the end of the Sabbaths, means the end of the old series of Sabbaths, that is, the seventh-day Sabbaths, which ended with the day that Christ lay in the tomb; and then the first day of the Sabbaths means the first day of the new series of Sabbaths, which began the day of Christ’s resurrection, the first-day Sabbath. Thus showing that the old series of Sabbaths ended there, and the new series commenced at the resurrection of Christ. But is there any real truth in this assumption? There is not, as may be seen by good authority, on the meaning of these terms.

First, on the meaning of the term, “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn,” &c. This is King James’ translation, which is manifestly not the best translation that might be made of the original. Mark, in referring to the same thing, says, “And when the Sabbath was past.” Matthew must harmonize with Mark. The following notes and translations by eminent authors, will give the reader a correct idea of its meaning.

“Matt. 28: 1. In the end of the Sabbath. The word end here means the same as after the Sabbath; i. e., after the Sabbath was fully completed, or finished, and may be expressed in this manner: In the night following the Sabbath; for the Sabbath closed at sunset, as it began to dawn.—Barnes’s Notes on Matt. 28: 1.”

“Matt. 28: 1. Opse de Sabb. This must, with Krebs, Wahl, Tittm., Kuim., and Fritz, be explained, ‘after the Sabbath,’ i. e., as Mark more clearly expresses it, dia genomenon ton Sabbaton, which must determine the sense here. Of this signification, the commentators adduce examples from Philost., Plut., Ælian, and Xenophon.”—Bloomfield’s Notes.

“Matt. 28: 1. In the end of the Sabbath. Opse de Sabbaton. After the end of the week: this is the translation given by several eminent critics; and in this way the word opse is used by the most eminent Greek writers.”—Clarke on Matt. 28: 1.

“Matt. 28: 1. And late in the Sabbath as it was dawning into the first day of the week, came Mary,” &c.—Bible Union.

“Matt. 28: 1. Now after the Sabbath, as it was dawning to the first day of the week,” &c.—Diaglott.

“Matt. 28: 1. And after the Sabbath, when it began to dawn on the first day of the week,” &c.—Sawyer.

These authorities are sufficient to show the meaning of that expression. It does not signify the end of a series of Sabbaths, or anything like it, but simply after the Sabbath. But what is the meaning of the phrase eis mian Sabbaton, first day of the Sabbaths? Does it not mean the beginning of a new series of Sabbaths? Well, if it does, then we have another new series of Sabbaths, beginning about twenty-eight years after the resurrection of Christ, as recorded in Acts 20: 7, where King James’ translation says, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together.” Here the Greek is the same as Matt. 28: 1, mia ton Sabbaton, the first day of the Sabbaths. If this phrase, in Matt. 28: 1, means the first day of a new series of Sabbaths, then of course this also means the first day of a new series of Sabbaths. We should like to know what new series of Sabbaths commenced way down over twenty-eight years after the resurrection of Christ. So also we have the phrase in 1 Cor. 16: 2, thus having several new series of Sabbaths. The simple truth of the case is this: Among the Hebrews, the Sabbath was the principal day of the week, and hence the whole week was frequently called from its name, a Sabbath; and the other days of the week were reckoned

from it. Thus, the first day of the week was called the first day of the Sabbath, and so on. That this is so, is pointedly proved by the following eminent authors.

SABBATON—ITS MEANING.

“A period of seven days, a week, sing. and pl. Matt. 28: 1; Mark 16: 9.”—Greenfield’s Greek N. T. on Sabbaton.

“A cessation from labor, rest, the Sabbath, a day of rest; by synecd. a week. Mark, 16: 7; Luke 18: 12; Matt. 28: 1, &c.—Pickering’s Comp. Lex. of the Greek Language.

“2. Meton. a Sabbath, put for the interval from Sabbath to Sabbath; hence a se’night, week.”—Robinson.

“Shabbath. 2. perh. week, as in the Syriac and Greek. Matt. 28: 1; Lev. 23: 15; comp. Deut. 16: 9.”—Gesenius’ Hebrew Lexicon.

“Sabbaton. 2. Week, N. T.”—Liddell and Scott.

“From the circumstance that the Sabbath was the principal day of the week, the whole period of seven days was likewise called Shabat, in Syriac, Shabta, in the N. T., Sabbaton, and Sabbata. The Jews accordingly, in designating the successive days of the week, were accustomed to say the first day of the Sabbath, that is, of the week; the second day of the Sabbath, that is, Sunday, Monday, &c. Mark 16: 2, 9; Luke 24: 9.”—Ency. of Relig. Knowl., Art. Week.

“Sabbath is also taken for the whole week. Luke 18: 12. I fast twice in the week: in the Greek it is, I fast twice in the Sabbath.”—Cruden.

This fast was on the second and fifth days of the week, says Bloomfield in his Greek N. T.

“The seventh day, which we term Saturday, was styled among them (the Jews) the Sabbath, that is, the day of rest. And because this was the most important day of all in the week, the whole week came to be called from its name, a Sabbath; whence the other days were called also the first day of the Sabbath, the second day of the Sabbath, and so on in their order.”—Nevins’ Biblical Antiquities, p. 174.

“The Jews called Sunday one of the Sabbath, that is, the first day of the week. Monday was two of the Sabbath.”—Union Bible Dict., Art. Weeks.

“Sabbathum is also taken for the whole week.”—Calmet., Art. Sabbath.

Other remarks might be made, and facts stated, showing the absurdity of the argument founded on this phrase; but these certainly are all-sufficient for any candid mind.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Adel, Iowa.