Christian Traditions:
The Sunday Sabbath

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And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {13} Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. ... {17} It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Exodus 31:13-14, 17

Seventh Day or First Day Debate
The Christian Sabbath

The Sabbath Day is Chosen
Elohim Sanctifies the Sabbath
Authority of the Church

The Covenant Relationship
Spiritual Israel
Dispensationalism

Fulfilling the Law
Fulfilling the Law

First Day of the Week
'First Day' does not Exist
Paul's Preaching
Gathering Collections
Assembled in Fear

Lord's Day of the Resurrection
Resurrection Day
Day of the Lord

Do Not go Out on Sabbath
Staying in your Place
An Imperfect Messiah?
A Sabbath Days Journey
Places to Go on Sabbath

Seventh Day or First Day Sabbath

The Christian Sabbath

The Christian religion believes that the Sabbath has been changed to the first day of the week. Several reasons have been made to explain how and why this transfer was made. Some of the more common reasons are given below along with why this does not line up with Scripture. Ultimately, each one boils down to the fact that Elohim sanctified the seventh day rest and man decided to change it to the first day. K2

The Sabbath Day is Chosen

(Gen 2:2-3) And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. {3} And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Gen 2:2-3 KJV

Elohim Sanctifies the Sabbath

In the book of Genesis, we read that Elohim blessed and sanctified the seventh day Sabbath. Over one hundred times theme is repeated and applied not just once, but to all generations and forever. It is observed under the Old Covenant, it is observed by the Messiah, and it will be observed in the future. There is no place in Scripture that states the Sabbath is to change.

Authority of the Church

Almost 2000 years ago, the Bishops declared for themselves the authority to decide which commandments people are to obey in worshipping the Almighty and what observances to follow in daily life. One of the foremost of these changes was the keeping of the Sunday Sabbath. However, this is not the Earthly Temple and the Aaronic priesthood sanctified by the Almighty nor is it the Heavenly Temple with the Messiah as High Priest. Mankind has not been given greater authority in setting the covenant commands than Elohim. Q1

The Covenant Relationship

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: ... {33} But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. {34} And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
(Jer 31:31,33-34)

Spiritual Israel

The Christian religion claims the day of Pentecost and the giving of the Spirit as the time of its birth. Often, this is claimed to be the fulfillment of the New Covenant prophecy in Jeremiah 31:31. With this claim comes the idea that the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people have been forsaken and are replaced by a new group. The requirements of the New Covenant found in Jeremiah 31:31-34 have not been fulfilled. Further, the Almighty's people is the Nation of Israel which is not to be replaced but instead is to have people grafted into it. The concepts of replacement theology and a fulfilled New Covenant are dangerous, false, and not a basis for changing the laws of the Almighty.

Dispensationalism

The Christian religion views its relationship with the Almighty through the concept of dispensationalism. A dispensation is when an authority temporarily releases or exempts those under it from an obligation or rule. Depending on the denomination involved there can be one or many dispensations through history. However, there is one dispensation that the Christian religion recognizes as a whole. This dispensation is the release from the commandments and laws of the Sinai Covenant. However, the dispensational idea has several flaws with it. The biggest problem is that it suggests the Almighty is not the same yesterday, today, and forever but rather changes over time. There are some commands that are given and called 'eternal decrees'. Yet within the dispensational concept, these decrees are no longer kept. Furthermore, some dispensational theories change how salvation is achieved in different time periods through history.

Fulfilling the Law

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {18} For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(Mat 5:17-18)

Fulfilling the Law

Perhaps the biggest reason used to allow changes to the Commandments of Elohim is the Christian interpretation of Matthew 5:17. The standard interpretation is that the Messiah put an end to the Old Covenant law because He fulfilled its purpose and it is no longer necessary. However, this makes the serious error of taking a single verse out of context. The very next verse, Matthew 5:18, shows that the law will continue until Heaven and Earth pass away. Also, this interpretation uses the word 'fulfill' to mean that things have been completed. In the Greek language, the connotation of the word is not finished, but rather means to give a proper interpretation or to bring to the fullest understanding. It also is the aorist active tense which does not show completion but rather is an ongoing action (past, present, and future).

First Day of the Week

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Acts 20:7

'First Day' does not Exist

In most English translations, the phrase 'first day of the week' is used eight times. However, this phrase is not found in the Greek. Instead it is translated from μια σαββάτων meaning 'one of the Sabbaths' or from πρωτη σαββάτων meaning 'first of the Sabbaths'. Six of these passages are in reference to the resurrection at the garden tomb and do not effect this debate.

Paul's Preaching

We read in Acts chapter 20 of Paul visiting the people of Troas for a few days. In the English it reads they gathered together on 'the first day of the week'. Yet in the Greek it says they met on 'one of the Sabbaths'. Contrary to popular belief, this passage does not show any transfer of gathering together from the seventh day to the first day of the week.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1 Cor 16:2

Gathering Collections

Another passage often cited to support a first day worship is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 2. In English translations it is often made to read that they were to gather collections at a gathering on the first day of the week. In the Greek it says κατα μιαν σαββάτων which should be translated 'after one of the Sabbaths'. Which still refers there whole situation to the Sabbath as the measure of time.
Then 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.
John 20:19

Assembled in Fear

One other passage that is sometimes used to point to a first day gathering is found in John chapter 20 when the Messiah first appeared to the disciples. This passage again shows that in the Greek they were gathered on 'one of the Sabbaths' and not on the first day of the week.


Lord's Day of the Resurrection

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. {10} I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 1:9-10

Resurrection Day

Theologically speaking, the change itself is said to be made for the reason that sunday is the 'Lord's Day of Resurrection' as it officially became designated by Sylvester, Bishop of Rome, in 1624 AD. Again, there are problems with this concept. First, the Messiah mentioned His death and resurrection many times and never mentioned commemorating it or changing the Sabbath because of it. Second, the Almighty has already commemorated the Resurrection in the wave sheaf offering during the spring festival of Unleavened Bread.

Day of the Lord

The only time in the Bible where the phrase 'Lord's Day' is used occurs in Revelation chapter one. This is commonly held by Christians to refer to Sunday. Yet the context of the passage and the entire book of Revelation is upon the return of the Messiah and the related events to that occurrence. In the Old Testament, those events are talked numerous times by the phrase 'the Day of the Lord'. This is most likely what is meant by 'Lord's Day' rather than a specific day of the week.

Do Not go Out on Sabbath

See, for that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. {30} So the people rested on the seventh day.
(Ex 16:29-30)

Staying in your Place

Some have tried to use the verse in Exodus 16:29 to declare that no one ever really keeps the Sabbath as a day of rest up to and including the Messiah. The focus of this attempt is to change the word 'place' into a 'house'. Thereby making a doctrine that a person cannot leave their house on the Sabbath. Simply put, this is a bad translation and has no serious basis. The word for house in Hebrew is בַּיִת , or beit, and literally refers to a house as a dwelling place. The word for place in Hebrew is מָקוֹם [maqom] and can refer to either a specified or unspecified place or location such as 'the place of Schechem'. If we were to apply the interpretation of 'house' in other passages where the Hebrew 'maqom' is written, then in Genesis 1:9 all the waters of Heaven must be gathered in one house, in Gen 18:24 Elohim cannot destroy Sodom for the 50 righteous people in one house, and in Exodus 3:5 while Moses was before the burning bush had to remove his sandals because the house he is standing on is set-apart.

An Imperfect Messiah?

The accusation that the Messiah did not obey this law has deeper consequences in regards to theology and salvation as well. The Messiah had to be perfect to be a suitable substitute in the sacrifice made for our salvation and redemption. If He were to break any of the laws or commandments, then He would not be perfect and therefore could not take our place on the cross. As we can read that the Messiah did indeed go out on Sabbath, especially for fellowship, then we can conclude that not leaving a house on the Sabbath is not the correct interpretation of this passage.

A Sabbath Days Journey

The question can be asked as to how far one can actually travel on the Sabbath and not break the commandment. The above definition of place [maqom] most generally fits an encampment or small town. I am not advocating the Rabbinical definition, but for lack of any other specific definition of this distance we can note that they allow a distance of 2000 feet which is about two fifths of a mile. Perhaps the longest measurable distance described of the Messiah traveling on the Sabbath is going from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives to pray. This distance certainly falls under the 2000 feet allowed in Rabbinical Judaism.

Places to Go on Sabbath

The commands for the Sabbath include both rest and convocation. An example of the appropriate kinds of travel can be found in the actions of the Messiah. We clearly see that He would meet in fellowship at the synagogue, visit in peoples homes, or go somewhere private to pray. Therefore, it should follow that these activities do not break the Sabbath commandment.

Todd Elder is a believer in the Messiah who wants to help people understand Scripture and know the message of Salvation. For more information from the Christian Traditions series, please visit the website http://www.exploringsalvation.info and look under 'Scripture'.
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