SUNDAY by T. | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 5, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 23.

SUNDAY

By T.

SUNDAY, the first day of the week, has come to be regarded by the great majority as the Sabbath of the Lord. But does the Bible teach it? Has the Lord appointed Sunday as His day of rest?

It is claimed that Christ and His apostles changed the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week (Saturday) of the old dispensation, to the first day (Sunday) of the new. But what is the basis for such a claim? Such an important matter should be found in clear words in the Bible in order for us to give it credence. We do not want to be found on the wrong side in the Judgment day, and therefore we should take pains to know that we are right.

When we inquire of the Bible for what Christ has said about the change of the Sabbath from “Saturday” to “Sunday,” we find it absolutely silent. There is not a single word of evidence left on record to show that Christ even so much as mentioned “Sunday,” or the first day of the week, in all His ministry.

There are only eight places where the first day of the week is mentioned in the New Testament. And any one can see that if Christ had declared His purpose of making a Sabbath of that day, the statement of it would have to be found in one of these eight scriptures. The first mention of the first day of the week (Sunday) is in the following verse: “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.” Matt. 28:1.

The second and third mentions of it are in Mark, and read: “And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him.” “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils.” Mark 16:1, 9.

The fourth mention of the first day of the week is found in the text which reads, “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.” Luke 24:1.

The fifth and sixth mentionings of the first day of the week are found as follows: “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.” “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” John 20:1, 19.

The foregoing six passages are all the mentions that are made in the four Gospels of the “first day of the week.” All six of these texts are talking about the same thing. They are telling that the resurrection of Christ was on that day, but they are absolutely silent upon the subject of Sunday being made the Sabbath.

The next New Testament mention of the first day of the week reads thus: “And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. And 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.” Acts. 20: 6, 7.

The foregoing words from the book of the Acts simply state an incident that occurred on the first day of the week. There is no suggestion or mention in the text that Sunday has been made the Sabbath. All theories, dogmas, and prejudices being put to one side, it must be admitted that there is no command, nor anything that is in any manner of the nature of a command, for Sunday observance in any of these New Testament texts examined so far.

It has been suggested that since this text from Acts says that it was “upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread,” therefore it must have been a regular meeting day. And if it was a regular meeting day, it must have been made into a day of rest. But such a suggestion is nothing more than an inference. The text says no such thing, and neither does any other text tell it. And besides, there is a text which shows that it was the custom of the early Christians to break bread on all days. The text reads: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts. 2: 46, 47. They continued daily in the temple and in the breaking of bread, and the Lord added daily to their numbers. Hence it is plain that since they were in the habit of breaking bread every day, it could not make a Sabbath of a day, neither show it to be a Sabbath, to have it stated that bread was broken upon some particular day.

There remains one more New Testament mention of the first day of the week. It reads: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Cor. 16:1, 2. There is no semblance of a command for Sunday-keeping in this text. Paul was going to take up a “collection for the saints” when he got down to Corinth, and this text shows that each one was to “lay by him in store” upon the first day of the week, something to put in that collection when Paul came that way.

We have now examined every New Testament mention of the first day of the week, and there is to be seen no intimation of a command for Sunday observance. Those who observe Sunday for the Sabbath do so without any Bible authority, and not only that: in keeping Sunday they disregard the plain command of the Lord to observe the seventh day.