Does this scripture refer to the evening of the first day—that is, our present Sunday evening—or the first part of the second day, counting Biblically? The day mentioned is the evening after the first day of the week, our Sunday evening. The Jews reckoned the evening of the days as beginning just as soon as the sun began to decline. Consequently we have in Ex. 12:6, margin, "between the two evenings." The true evening, however, began when the sun was set. We know this was the first day of the week, because the chapter opens with an account of the first day of the week. The disciples had come down to the close of that day—to the evening. They had gathered together for that evening, doubtless in the closing hours of the first day. But when Jesus appeared to them, it was dark. There certainly is no claim for Sunday observance in it at all, because that whole first day had been spent in all kinds of work by the disciples. Two of them had gone to Emmaus, where Jesus made Himself known to them when the day was "far spent." They had walked back about seven miles to Jerusalem after that; and that night, while they were there with the disciples, Jesus appeared to them. It is not reasonable to suppose that if Jesus were going to hallow that first day, He would have waited until the day was over before He met with His disciples. He did, however, wait until the day was over, showing that the day was not to be blessed at all. But He could there reveal Himself to them all. There is naught to indicate that our Lord must have risen Sabbath morning. Mark tells us very plainly that "Jesus was risen early the first day of the week." Mark 16:9. The Syriac version of this verse reads, "And in the morning of the first day of the week He arose." Rotherham renders, "And arising early on the first day of the week, He was manifested unto Mary, the Magdalene." The Baptist version, "Having risen early on the first day of the week He appeared first to Mary, the Magdalene." This seems clearly to settle the matter as to when He arose. See "Questions and Answers," pages 28-34.