THE RESURRECTED LORD AND THE LORD'S DAY.
By G. E. Fifield
IT has been made clear, we think, that the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, blessed and consecrated by Christ at creation, enshrined by Him in the heart of His law, and, during His incarnate life, rescued by Him from pharisaical formalism, and made honorable once more, as the seal of love's sacrificing service. Jesus said, "The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath day." This, then, is the Lord's day, and "this same Jesus," speaking by His Spirit, through Isaiah, calls it, "My holy day." Isa. 58:13. Thus it is evident that the expression "Lord's day" is only another title for the Sabbath, and that the apostle John, when he says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10), if he refers to any day of the week, must intend us to understand that day. Still we are told that all the meetings of Christ with His disciples after the resurrection were held on the first day of the week. With almost a unanimous voice the church asserts this, and then assumes that, by this means, the first day was made to take the place of the seventh in the early church, and that the change thus received the Lord's sanction, and that thus arose the title "Lord's day" in commemoration of the resurrection. Such a claim as this deserves thorough investigation. We have already noticed that the New Testament record, in speaking of the first day of the week, only mentions it eight times, and never calls it either the Sabbath or the Lord's day, and never hints, far less directs or commands, that it should be religiously observed. This fact should lead us to suspect that the assertion concerning these meetings must be a mistake. But the record will surely tell. In John 20:19 we have a record of the first meeting of Jesus with His disciples after the resurrection: "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." It is assumed that this was a religious meeting; that the disciples were assembled to commemorate the resurrection; and that Christ's meeting with them sanctioned the object of the gathering and lent to the practise the weight of His example. All this is not only assumption, but it is directly contradicted by all the facts. They were not assembled for the purpose of commemorating the resurrection, for they did not believe that Christ had arisen from the dead. The holding of a religious service with such a purpose would be the one thing that would madden the Jews to desperation, and their disciples were assembled "for fear of the Jews." In the first chapter of Acts and the thirteenth verse it is plainly stated that the disciples had in Jerusalem an upper room where they all abode. Mark, in speaking of this meeting, says plainly that when Jesus unexpectedly appeared among them "they sat at meat." Evidently they were eating their evening meal in this upper room. The record Mark gives of all Christ's appearances up to and including this time is as follows:— "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. And she went and told them that had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not." "After that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them." "Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen." Mark 16:9-14. Nothing could more clearly show that this was not a religious meeting held to celebrate the resurrection. Two questions remain concerning it: What was the object of Christ's meeting with His disciples at this time? and why is it so definitely stated that it was on the first day of the week? The record ought to answer these questions, and if Sunday observance can gain any sanction from this meeting, the answer to these questions must make it plain. Unfortunately for those who seek here for divine authority for Sunday observance, the Bible does answer these questions, but not as they would wish. Surely it is no wonder that the merciful Jesus should take the first opportunity to meet with His disciples, on the very day of His resurrection, when their hearts were breaking with sadness at His death. It was like Him to appear first to Mary Magdalene, addressing her with the familiar "Mary," which must have so thrilled her heart, for she it was who, in return for His loving service for her, had broken at His feet the precious box of ointment, and given Him all the fragrance of her heart's unselfish love. How like Him, too, it was to go with these two disappointed souls, who, as they walked and went into the country, talked together of His death, and of all their disappointed hopes, and were sad! And now it is evening, and for the first time since His resurrection the disciples are with one exception all together where He can see them as of old. Object of Christ's Meeting with His Disciples.
But, beyond all this, there is a definite reason why He must appear to them there, on that very first day of the week. The proof of His Messiahship, as that truth should be proclaimed to the world, would be that He, and He only, fulfilled the prophecies concerning the Messiah. It was prophesied that the Messiah should rise the third day after His crucifixion. Jesus Himself had referred to this prophecy and repeated it when He gave it as a sign to the unbelieving Jews that He would destroy the temple of His body and after three days raise it again. It was recorded that He was crucified on the preparation, the sixth day. He must, therefore, rise on the first day of the week. He must not only rise on that day, but He must have witnesses who can refute the lying testimony of the Jews and the hired soldiers, by testifying that He rose on that day. To testify to His resurrection on that day they must have seen Him on that day, after He arose. Now see how plainly the record states that this, and not, therefore, the consecration of Sunday, was the object of this meeting. "And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them." Luke 24:36-43. Having thus convinced them that He was no phantom, but His real self, He immediately adds the lesson He wanted them to learn. He says: "These are the words I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." "And He said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day." "And ye are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:44, 46, 48. This, then, and not the consecration of the first day of the week as the Christian sabbath, is the plainly-stated object of this meeting. In the tenth of Acts we find the apostle Peter witnessing as Christ commanded. Of himself and of the other disciples He says: "And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead." Acts 10:39-41. This, then, is the first meeting after the resurrection. The reason why it was held, and the reason why it was held at that time, are plainly stated, but it is not hinted that it was any part of the Saviour's design to consecrate that day to be observed by His church. "And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in their midst, and said, Peace be unto you." John 20:26. The record makes the object of this meeting evident. It was to reclaim Thomas from his doubts and unbelief. (See verses 24-29.) There is no hint that there is any object save this, and to teach all the disciples how blessed is faith. The first meeting was on the afternoon, or early evening, of the first day of the week. It is plainly stated that this was "after eight days" from that time. This meeting must, therefore, have been on Monday or Tuesday. No honest count can make it come on the next seventh day from the time of the first meeting, and so on Sunday. Yet for the sake of the argument for Sunday sacredness, it is boldly asserted that this was on the next Sunday, and then assumed, contrary to the plainly-stated facts, that it was to sanction the observance of that day. G. E. FIFIELD.
(To be continued.)