SOMETHING TO KEEP

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 10, 1879

SOMETHING TO KEEP.

There has been considerable discussion, and there is destined to be still more, over the question whether the first day of the week is called the Sabbath in the Greek New Testament. There would be no discussion on this point at all, if those who presume to handle the question had sufficient acquaintance with the original to treat it intelligently from that standpoint.

Appeal is made to the Greek of Matt. 28:1, and the seven parallel passages in which the first day of the week occurs in the English version to support the claim that the first day of the week is called the Sabbath, because the word from which week is translated is sabbaton. When we defend the common translation, it is thought by some that we are trying to make out a case, and our testimony is discounted accordingly.

But we are happy to present below testimony on this point which is as impartial as any that we may reasonably hope to obtain, and the reliability of which no one can question. The matter was lately referred to the Faculty of Oskaloosa College, who deal with it as scholars, not as theologians, and one of their number, G. T. C., publishes the following in the Sigourney (Iowa) News of April 3, 1879.

Those, both papers and preachers, who have used the Greek ignorantly or deceitfully in this controversy (for it has been one or the other), if they are not so far gone in the path described in Eph. 4:19 as to be without feeling, should blush when they think of their work. The article is headed, “Sabbath—First Day of the Week,” and reads as follows:—

“Not long since a dispute arose between certain religionists, as to whether Matt. 28:1, and parallel passages, should be translated ‘first day of the week’ or Sabbath. The question was referred to the Faculty of Oskaloosa College, not as theologians, but as scholars. As the results of the examination of the subject are fresh in our minds, we have thought a few notes upon the subject might interest our readers, especially as the Sabbath question is still one of some interest in certain localities.

“There are two Greek words in the New Testament that have been rendered Sabbath. These are Sabbaton and Sabbata. Perhaps it would be more nearly correct to say that there grew up two forms of the same word; one of which belongs to the second declension, from which we have Sabbatoon for the genitive plural; in which case stand seven of the eight occurrences of the word where it is rendered ‘first day of the week,’ in the Common Version. Since it is well known that the common rendering of Sabbatoon is Sabbath, it is very natural that those having a very little knowledge of the original should confound the two words, and seek to uniformly render them by the word Sabbath. Perhaps few instances better illustrate the new popular adage: ‘A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring,’ than the one under consideration.

“As already indicated, the expression, ‘first day of the week,’ occurs only eight times in King James’ Version; viz., in Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; and 1 Cor. 16:2. In each of these passages the genitive plural (Sabbatoon) occurs, except in Mark, where the singular is used. But even in this instance, Greenfield, in his Greek Lexicon, supplies the plural in the margin, which, doubtless, is correct. Thus we invariably have the genitive plural (Sabbatoon) where we have rendered it ‘first day of the week.’ The word Sabbatoon in these passages means only week, the associated words being translated from other words, expressed or understood, in the original.

“That the word Sabbatoon may be properly translated week, is held by all the Greek lexicographers and critics known to us. We have seven different versions before us, among which are Rotherham’s, the Bible Union, and the Living Oracles, all of which recognize such a rendering. We know of no standard authority that renders the word in the passages cited, Sabbath. It should never be thus translated when it refers to the Lord’s day, the first day of the week.

“The absurdity of attempting to always translate Sabbatoon Sabbath, will be sufficiently apparent by the consideration of a few passages.

“In John 20:1, we have mia toon Sabbatoon (first day of the week) mentioned as referring to the early Sunday morning; whereas in the nineteenth verse of the same chapter we have the same form of expression following the word day (heemera), and referring to the evening. Now, it cannot be that these two periods of time, not less than fourteen hours apart, can refer to the first (mia) of the Sabbath day, but only to the first day of the week. Greenfield supplies the word heemera (day) in these instances. But it would make nonsense to say ‘the first day of the Sabbath day.’ Again, in Luke 18:12, we have the Pharisee boasting that he fasted ‘twice a week,’ (dis tou sabbatou). Now it does not seem to us a matter of which to boast that a man should fast twice on the Sabbath day, surely the fasts were of no great duration! Beyond all cavil, the passage is properly rendered ‘twice a week.’

“Greenfield very properly defines the original term under consideration (singular and plural): ‘A Sabbath; a period of seven days; a week,’ etc. To this agree other standard lexicographers. Hence the apparent error of those who would attempt to fasten the name Sabbath upon the first day of the week by a reference to the original. Others, with no better reason, have attempted to refute Sabbatarians by claiming that one set of Sabbath days gave way to another series of Sabbath days. In both cases there is a coloring of learning, but neither sound erudition nor truth.

“We shall do well, therefore, if we restrict the use of the word to the seventh day of the week, and in its Jewish recognition, while we apply the term first day of the week, or Lord’s day, to the day commonly called by its civil appellation, Sunday.”