THE SABBATH IN A. D. 54.
By R. F. Cottrell
THIS is the date of Paul's labors at Corinth, as given in the Bible. The apostle worked at his trade on week days while in this place, but preached on the Sabbath. It is said, "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Acts 18:4. The fact that one day in the week was used for religious purposes at this time, while the disciples were laboring upon the other days of the week, and that the Spirit by which they spoke and wrote call it the Sabbath, without note or comment, is a sufficient refutation of the claim that the Sabbath was abolished at the cross, and consequently that there is no Sabbath for this dispensation. There was then in A. D. 54, a day properly called the Sabbath. No explanation is given, as that it was the Sabbath of the Jews, because none was needed; therefore there was a Sabbath at this date. Again, if there was at that time any day distinguished as the Christian Sabbath, that was doubtless the day observed by Paul and his companions in travel, his partners in the tent-making business, "the Jews and the Greeks." All these parties and classes were agreed in the day. None complained of having to keep two Sabbaths, or of losing one day's labor in a week. Jews and Christians then kept the same day; and if any day should be designated the Christian Sabbath, that is the day. But that was the seventh day of the week, or Saturday, and not the first day, or Sunday. It was the day on which the Jews worshiped in the synagogues then, and the day on which they still do the same. All are agreed that it was Saturday, so-called, and not Sunday, on which Paul preached to the Jews and Greeks at Corinth. No scholar could be found that would risk his reputation on its denial. Then the seventh day was the Christian Sabbath when Paul was at Corinth. But it is claimed that the first day of the week has been the Christian Sabbath ever since the resurrection of Christ; that although it is not mentioned in the account of Paul's labors at Corinth, yet it existed at that time. Let us see if this is possible. "He reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath." Then there was no Sabbath during this time that was not so occupied. But all these meetings being held on the seventh day, the phrase, "every Sabbath," includes every seventh day, or Saturday, and excludes every other day, the first day, or Sunday not excepted. Therefore the first day of the week was not the Sabbath in any sense while Paul was laboring at Corinth in A. D. 54. The terms, "every Sabbath," did not include one first-day, therefore they excluded them all. Now if the first day, or Sunday, was not the Sabbath, in any sense, when Paul was preaching at Corinth, when did it become the "Christian Sabbath," and by what authority?