Paul a Sabbath-Keeper by I. D. Van Horn

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Feb 15, 1877

Paul a Sabbath-Keeper.

By I. D. Van Horn

The great apostle Paul was a Jew—a Pharisee. No one will doubt that he kept the Sabbath according to the fourth commandment before he was converted. Query: Did he change to the observance of the first day of the week after his conversion? Most of professors think he did, and refer as proof to Acts 20: 7: “Now upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” Any one who will carefully examine the first fifteen verses of this chapter cannot fail to see the following facts:—

1. There were nine persons in the company, including Luke and Paul, all prominent Christian men, on their way from Macedonia to Jerusalem. Verse 4.

2. They reached Troas in five days, and abode there seven days.

3. The day, according to Bible time, commences in the evening at sunset; hence, Paul’s meeting at this place was held on what we now call Saturday night. Verse 7.

4. The breaking of bread was after midnight; after the young man that fell down was healed. Verses 10, 11.

5. Paul departed from Troas at break of day on Sunday morning to journey on foot nineteen miles across the peninsula to Assos.

6. While Paul was holding his meeting the brethren who were with him took the ship and went around the point of the peninsula, more than forty miles to Assos. Verse 13.

7. Paul met them there according to appointment, and they took him in and went on to Mitylene the same day. All this was done on the first day of the week. Too much labor for a Sabbath day.

8. The three following days are mentioned in verse 15, so that we are sure the above all transpired on Sunday.

That Paul kept the Sabbath is clearly proved by the following scriptures: Acts 13: 14, 15, 27, 42-44. These, if carefully studied and interpreted, will show clearly the following facts:—

1. That the inspired writer of the Acts of the Apostles, in the use of the word Sabbath, means the seventh day of the week. No writer of any portion of the New Testament ever uses the word Sabbath when he has occasion to refer to the first day of the week.

2. That Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, to worship, and after the reading of the law and the prophets Paul was requested to speak.

3. Paul improved the opportunity, and in his discourse had occasion to allude to the Sabbath day in a way that shows its succession from Moses down to his time. Verse 27.

4. The congregation was not composed wholly of Jews, for many Gentiles were present, who, at the close of the meeting, besought Paul to preach these same words to them the next Sabbath. Verse 42.

5. Accordingly Paul made an appointment, and almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. It must be understood that Paul was a chosen apostle to the Gentiles, and if they were to keep a different day for the Sabbath, here certainly was an excellent opportunity to inform them.

The eighteenth chapter of Acts affords another clear proof that Paul kept the Sabbath. Verses 1-3, show his engagement with Aquilla as a partner in making tents. In verse 4, we see how he employed his time on the Sabbath. Both Jews and Gentiles assemble every Sabbath to hear this great apostle declare the gospel.

When he testifies of Christ the Jews rise up in opposition and close their synagogue against him. But this does not stop his meetings. The way is opened in the private dwelling of Justus who lives hard by the synagogue for Paul to continue his work. Verses 5-7.

No doubt he was somewhat discouraged; but his courage is greatly revived when the Lord speaks to him in vision. “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I have much people in this city.” Verses 9, 10.

After hearing this he takes hold of the work with new energy. He continues there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Verse 11. During this time the large church at Corinth was raised up, and, without doubt, a church that kept the Sabbath of the Lord.

In a year and six months there are seventy-eight Sabbaths. The working days of each week were employed by Paul and Aquilla making tents, while “every Sabbath,” meetings were held, which shows the custom not only of Paul, but of all the people, both Jews and Gentiles.

Near the close of Paul’s life, when a prisoner at Rome, he calls the chief of the Jews together, and makes a statement to them bearing on this question worthy of notice. Thus he says: “Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.” Now, if Paul had done so grave a matter as to abandon the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord, contrary to the custom of his fathers, who strictly kept the seventh day, the Jews would have had a very serious charge to make against him.

This is sufficient to show that Paul observed the seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord our God. I. D. VAN HORN.