Sunday Roots

The Bible Sabbath Association ^ | December 2000 | Dr. Sidney Davis

[DouglasKC]

Very interesting letter that clearly explains why most Christians keep Sunday as their day of worship, mainly because of anti-jewish sentiment early in the history of the Christian church.

[RobbyS]

It seems to have been the custom not to keep the sabbath in the 2nd Century, since by that time the majority of Christians were no longer Jews. The destruction of the Temple and the exclusion of Christians from the synagogues left Christians on their own. There is the implication here that Christians were the only ones at fault.

[DouglasKC]

It seems to have been the custom not to keep the sabbath in the 2nd Century, since by that time the majority of Christians were no longer Jews. The destruction of the Temple and the exclusion of Christians from the synagogues left Christians on their own. There is the implication here that Christians were the only ones at fault.

Possibly, but the biggest reason seems to have been anti-semitism on the part of the early church. The letter from Constatine certainly shows the attitude of hatred that many of that time felt toward the Jews.

[sola gracia]

There are no commands to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament.

[RobbyS]

Antisemitism is not an apt term, unless you look at the ongoing cultural war between Greeks and Jews that go back to the Maccabees and realize that the Greeks especially were glad to have access to Jewish monotheism without Jewish particularism. The Jews displayed great hostility against the Christians from the beginning, even if we minimize the charges made in the New Testament. The end of Temple Worship was also an end to any common worship. Hebrews is the Christian reaction to that event; the Jewish reaction is to move elements of temple worship to the synagogue.

[ClimoMike]

There are no commands to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament.

I always get a kick out of people(and I am not saying you) who say this but then turns around and preach how you should tithe(or believe it ). I remember talking to a lady before we went to Church(she went to Church on Sundays and I see nothing with going to church on Sunday). Anyways, we were talking about the sabbath before hand and she said the sabbath is just in the O.T. well, we were in Church and the time came for the offering. The envolope(sp.) said tithes. I asked her if she believed in tithing. She said yes. I asked her where the tithing command was in the bible. She did not answer me.

[sola gracia]

There are no commands to tithe in the New Testament.

[DouglasKC]

There are no commands to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament.

God created the Sabbath, through Christ, at the beginning of creation (Genesis 2:2) in the old testament, which is also the inspired word of God.

Jesus said:

Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.

The word translated "man" in this verse is the greek word:

444 anthropos anth'-ro-pos

from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.

It was created for all human beings else the Lord God Jesus Christ would surely have specified "it was made for the Jews", or "was made for Israel".

Since it was created by God in the old testament, affirmed by God in the New Testament, and kept by God in the flesh in the New Testament, I feel that I have no choice but to obey God.

[sola gracia]

But what you fail to understand is that the Sabbath was a sign of the Old Covenant. See Exodus 31:12-18 and Ezekiel 20:12. 9 (the whole book of Hebrews shows how the Old Covenant has passed away and the New Covenant is in place) There is no evidence that the Sabbath was kept before the giving of the Law. There is no New Testament commandment given to continue to observe the Sabbath. (see Acts 15 - surely the Council of Jerusalem would have mentioned the need to keep the Sabbath when instructing the Gentile converts.)

The Law was shadow, Christ is the substance. Now is you want to keep the Sabbath that is up to you, however, you best remember the admonition of Paul to those who wanted to put Christians under the Law, if you place yourself under any law of the Old Covenant you must continue to keep all of the Law. (see Galatians 5:3) Is that what you are advocating????

[DouglasKC]

Antisemitism is not an apt term, unless you look at the ongoing cultural war between Greeks and Jews that go back to the Maccabees and realize that the Greeks especially were glad to have access to Jewish monotheism without Jewish particularism. The Jews displayed great hostility against the Christians from the beginning, even if we minimize the charges made in the New Testament. The end of Temple Worship was also an end to any common worship. Hebrews is the Christian reaction to that event; the Jewish reaction is to move elements of temple worship to the synagogue.

Anti Judaism I guess would be the proper term for that time. But regardless of what the the situtation was, Christians knew that they didn't need temples or synagogues to worship on the commanded day. They had scripture and they aboslutely knew what day God wanted them to keep. They seem to have flat out rejected it only because of their hatred of the Jews.

[DouglasKC]

But what you fail to understand is that the Sabbath was a sign of the Old Covenant. See Exodus 31:12-18 and Ezekiel 20:12. 9 (the whole book of Hebrews shows how the Old Covenant has passed away and the New Covenant is in place) There is no evidence that the Sabbath was kept before the giving of the Law.

There is ample evidence. God created the sabbath in Genesis:

Gen 2:2 On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.

It's creation far predates the covenent affirmed at Mount Sinai.

Also God says in Genesis about Abraham:

Gen 26:5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."

This indicates that certain commandments, statutes and laws were known to some people in Abrahams time, centuries before Sinai. It's not inconcievable that the Sabbath was one of them.

Also God was commanding his people to keep the sabbath before the old convenent was instituted:

Exo 16:23 He said to them, "This is that which Yahweh has spoken, 'Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning."

This occurs days, if not weeks, before the covenent was struck at Sinai.

In addition, the sabbath is so special to God that he seems to have designated a seperate covenent for it and it alone:

Exo 31:16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

Either way the sabbath clearly pre-dates the covenent agreement made at Mount Sinai.

There is no New Testament commandment given to continue to observe the Sabbath. (see Acts 15 - surely the Council of Jerusalem would have mentioned the need to keep the Sabbath when instructing the Gentile converts.)

The gentiles weren't instructed not to kill and rob so does that make it okay? Besides, gentiles did keep the sabbath:

Act 13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

Act 13:44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

Act 18:4 He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

Everyone was keeping the sabbath.

The Law was shadow, Christ is the substance. Now is you want to keep the Sabbath that is up to you, however, you best remember the admonition of Paul to those who wanted to put Christians under the Law, if you place yourself under any law of the Old Covenant you must continue to keep all of the Law. (see Galatians 5:3) Is that what you are advocating????

Christ is the substance. Christ kept the law, including the sabbath. When we let the spirit of Christ live in us, it is easy to do what Christ did because the love of Christ works in us. It's in that sense that the law is written in the hearts of Christians, it hasn't disappeared, but has been fulfillled with the spirit of Christ.

[DouglasKC]

There are no commands to tithe in the New Testament.

I'm not so sure about that. Read Hebrews chapter 7. Paul starts off talking about how Abraham tithed to Melchizedek even though Melchizedek wasn't a member of the Levi tribe. He then starts talking about the Levitical priesthood recieving tithes and how the law about tithing has to be changed (not abolished) now that the levitical priesthood was fading away. Since God's people are to become "kings and priests" in the milleniel kingdom, Paul might be saying that the tithes should now be going to the new priesthood that has Jesus Christ as the high priest in heaven.

It's a tough chapter to read, I tried King James, New King James, Modern King James and a few other translations and still kept getting lost...the best translation I found was the "God's Word" translation.

[LadyDoc]

Then why did St. Iraneus explain that Christians met on the First day to commemorate the resurrection of Christ? That was 200 years before Constantine.

[DouglasKC]

Then why did St. Iraneus explain that Christians met on the First day to commemorate the resurrection of Christ? That was 200 years before Constantine.

The Writings of Irenaeus are available on-line at the Ante-Nicean Fathers website.

I've searched all through his writings and can't see where he ever mentions "Lord's Day" or the "first day".

I do know that there is a quote that has been falsely attributed to him but actually doesn't appear in his writings.

Please indicate the quotation you are referring to and where it appears in his writings.

Thanks!

[LadyDoc]

My mistake. I thought it was in my book Irenaus Against Heretics. But it's in Justin Martyr's First Apology:

Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability,147 and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given,148 and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

[ClimoMike]

My mistake. I thought it was in my book Irenaus Against Heretics. But it's in Justin Martyr's First Apology

Oh, the good antijewish Martyr. Lets just see what he really though the reasoning behind the sabbath was....

"For since you have read, O Trypho, as you yourself admitted, the doctrines taught by our Saviour, I do not think that I have done foolishly in adding some short utterances of His to the prophetic statements. Wash therefore, and be now clean, and put away iniquity from your souls, as God bids you be washed in this laver, and be circumcised with the true circumcision. For we too would observe the fleshly circumcision, and the Sabbaths, and in short all the feasts, if we did not know for what reason they were enjoined you,-namely, on account of your transgressions and the hardness of your hearts.---Dialogue of Justin

I have a hard time believing him that this is the reason for the law. Justin here is saying that the law was giving because of the Jews sin. John said the sin is the transgression of the law(1 jn 3:4)

[DouglasKC]

My mistake. I thought it was in my book Irenaus Against Heretics. But it's in Justin Martyr's First Apology:

No problem. There is no doubt that gentile Christians, which Justin Martyr was, had already begun to distance themselves from Jewish converts as soon as 100 years after the death of Christ. Martyr spent most of his life in Rome where false Gods were rampant. Perhaps worshipping on Sunday served two purposes: It didn't look so suspicious since there was weekly feast to the Sun god on that day...and it also served to make them appear less "Jewish". Either way it did seem to be a departure from from scripture.

But I think the authors intent wasn't to prove that Constantine was the first person to come up with the concept of Sunday worship, but was the person who made it official for the Roman church, which ultimately became the Roman Catholic church and her protestent sisters.

[DouglasKC]

I have a hard time believing him that this is the reason for the law. Justin here is saying that the law was giving because of the Jews sin. John said the sin is the transgression of the law(1 jn 3:4)

Good point...

[LadyDoc]

I suspect that the question on what day to worship the Lord goes back furthur, since Paul ordered his followers not to argue over which day to worship the Lord. The arguments over how much of the Jewish law to follow goes back to the council in Jerusalem, where Paul argued that change of heart was the main thing necessary, not following rigid rules.

Christians to this day continue to argue over these things, but as he pointed out in Romans, we should not do so.

[DouglasKC]

I suspect that the question on what day to worship the Lord goes back furthur, since Paul ordered his followers not to argue over which day to worship the Lord.

This seems to be a common misconception that is often read into Paul's writings. If you give me the verse you're referring to I'll give you my opinion on it.

The arguments over how much of the Jewish law to follow goes back to the council in Jerusalem, where Paul argued that change of heart was the main thing necessary, not following rigid rules.

Essentially that's true. On our own we couldn't hope to follow God's laws, but with Christ all things are possible.

Christians to this day continue to argue over these things, but as he pointed out in Romans, we should not do so.

Verse?