DID THE APOSTLES KEEP SUNDAY? by C. L. Clarke

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 6, 1898

“DID THE APOSTLES KEEP SUNDAY?”

By C. L. Clarke

The above question has been asked me several times, and, in reading the New Testament, I conclude they did not. I find that the Scriptures were read every Sabbath day. Acts 13:27.

There is only one meeting recorded as being held on Sunday (Acts 20:7), and that was a night meeting (Acts 20:8), after the Sabbath was past, on what we call Saturday night, and Paul continued his journey the next day on foot to Assos (Acts 20:13). This he would not have done had he observed it as the Sabbath, for it was more than a Sabbath-day’s journey, being about nineteen miles.

To offset this one meeting on Sunday, I find the following meetings on the Sabbath recorded:—

Acts 13:14-16	1 Sabbath-day meeting
“ 13:44	1 “ “
“ 16:13	1 “ “
“ 17:2	3 “ “
“ 18:4-11	78 “ “
Total	84 “ “

Now if the apostles kept Sunday, why did the Gentiles ask that these words be preached to them the next Sabbath (Acts 13:42-44) instead of the next day, which was Sunday? If meeting once on Sunday to break bread (Acts 20:7), proves it to be the Sabbath, then all days are proven to be sabbaths, for they continued daily breaking bread from house to house (Acts 2:46).

Every one claims the Ten Commandments as the law of the Jews. Paul said he had not offended against the law of the Jews (Acts 25:8), so he must have kept the fourth commandment. He also said, “I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers.” Acts 28:17. But it was their custom to keep the seventh day. Did Paul keep Sunday?—C. L. Clarke, in Sabbath Recorder.