Was the Lord’s Day Sabbath revoked by Jesus?

The teaching of Jesus and the pattern of the New Testament church plainly demonstrate that one day in seven is to be set apart for the worship of God. From one of our Ask Ligonier events, Derek Thomas expresses the importance of the Lord’s Day.

[lansan]

1O COMMANDMENTS not 9..., Sabbath is a gift for us!

[joeywamplerpreaching]

Very weak answer. More of a so called "logical" answer than a scriptural one. Jesus did not revoke the sabbath, He fulfilled it. Like all of the days of OT law, Christ is their fulfillment. The sabbath is no longer a day, it is a person. It is Jesus - Jesus is the sabbath rest. The Christian sabbath is Christ, not a day of the week.

We set a day aside because the apostles did, and because we are commanded to assemble (Heb. 10:25), not because of the fourth commandment.

Colossians 2 literally says that we're to not let anyone judge us according to sabbaths. The days of the OT were just shadows of Christ. The other nine commandments were not shadows of Christ but reflections of His righteousness. However, the fourth commandment was a shadow. Colossians says so!

[vuningomaemmanuel]

Gen 2:1-3 – Sabbath was instituted at Creation
• Ex 16:4-30 – The Sabbath was known and kept before explicitly given in the law
• Ex 20:8-11 – The Sabbath is part of God’s law which doesn’t change (Matt 5:17-20)
• Neh 13:22 – The Sabbath was kept by God’s people in the Old Testament
• Jer 17:21-22 – The Sabbath was kept by God’s people in the Old Testament
• Luke 4:16 – Jesus kept the Sabbath
• Acts 13:42-44 – The disciples/early church keep the Sabbath
• Acts 17:1-2 – The disciples/early church keep the Sabbath
• Matt 24:20 – Jesus speaking about the future and times before Jesus’ 2nd coming, mentions that the Sabbath still holds
• Rev 14:12 – God’s people in the end times will keep the Sabbath as part of the law
• Isaiah 66:22-23 – God’s people will keep the Sabbath in heaven
• Ez 20:12, 20 – The Sabbath is a sign to know and show that God sanctifies us and is our God
• Luke 23:52-24:2 – All acknowledge Jesus died on the Friday, was in the grave on Saturday and rose on Sunday. The preparation day was Friday, Sabbath is Saturday, and the first day of the week is Sunday
There is no Scriptural evidence for the Sabbath being changed from the 7th day Saturday to Sunday (the 1st day of the week). God has blessed the 7th day Sabbath (Gen 2:3, Ex 20:11) though no blessing has been specifically given for Sunday. Keeping Sunday holy was an institution made by humanity and not God. Jesus says that it is possible to worship God without meaning (Matt 15:9). Jesus wants us to obey the commandments of God instead of tradition (Mark 7:9) and to worship as He has asked. God deserves our worship every day of the week, though there is one specific day that God has set apart for corporate worship. It is the 7th day Sabbath that is sanctified and given for our rest (Lev 23:3). God knew the future though, and foretold that an entity will attempt to change God’s times and law (Dan 7:24-25) or His Sabbath and commandments. God invites us to show our love for Him by keeping His commandments (John 14:15) and experience rest and delight in His Sabbath

[WithHope]

Please show me in the New Testament where the early church consistently met on Sunday and were told that this is now the day that you should remember and keep holy.

[Berean_with_a_BTh]

Contrary to what is claimed in this video, the New Testament is unequivocal in its support for the Christian observance of the Biblical sabbath, which ran from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. 

For example, expecting sabbath observance to continue until the end times, Jesus - the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5) - told his disciples to pray that, when they see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, their flight not be on a sabbath (Matthew 24:15-20).

In Acts 13:42-48, jewish and gentile converts alike observed the sabbath.

When writing to _gentile_ Christians in 48AD, the Council at Jerusalem noted: “from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues” (Acts 15:21). At this early stage in church history, there was no New Testament for Christian congregations (which typically met in synagogues) to draw on.

In Acts 20:7, the breaking of bread refers to the evening meal after the sabbath was over. Notice that the reference is to the Jewish 'first day of the week', which ran from sunset on Saturday to sunset on Sunday, and not to the Roman 'Day of the Sun'. Hence, the 'breaking of bread' was the Saturday evening meal. Acts 20:11 confirms that Paul departed at daybreak the next day. The clear implication is that, after observing the Sabbath then preaching on Saturday night,   Paul's intention was to depart on Sunday morning - not to observe a Sunday sabbath.

The offering referred to in 1 Corinthians 16:2-3 was not gathered during a Sunday worship service. Indeed, the text strongly implies that what was set aside was to be stored at home - not brought to the church on Sunday for collection at a church service. For Jews, taking up collections at a sabbath service was (and still is) offensive. 

The Apostle Paul – the apostle to the gentiles – consistently observed the sabbath (Acts 13:14 & 42-44; 16:13; 17:1-2; 18:4-11). After at least 25 years’ Christian ministry, Paul declared: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all” (Acts 25:8), meaning he still kept the sabbath.

Although Romans 14:5, Galatians 4:9-10 and Colossians 2:16-17 are often used to claim Sabbath observance has been abolished, careful reading reveals that:
• *Romans 14:2-6* concerns only whether one should fast on certain days, not whether one should observe the Sabbath;
• *Galatians 4:9-10* concerns only the observance of 'days, and months, and seasons, and years' associated with 'elemental spirits', which has nothing to do with the Sabbath;
• *Colossians 2:16-17* - which contains the only Sabbath reference in the entire Pauline corpus - refers to sabbaths, not _the_ Sabbath, and concerns human traditions that are "not according to Christ" (cf. Colossians 2:8), which clearly does not apply to the institution of the Sabbath in Genesis 2:3. Biblical Sabbaths included Passover and the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 23:2-43). Note, too, that these _are_ a shadow of things to come, not _were_ a shadow of things past. In other words, they all remain in force for the present. Colossians 2:20-23 tells us that man-made rules about these things have _an appearance of wisdom but are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh._ What Colossians 2:8, 16-23 tells Christians is that they can safely ignore non-biblical sabbaths (e.g. Sunday observance) and non-biblical sabbath rules; they are not told they can ignore the weekly Sabbath.

Hebrews 3:11-4:11 deserves special consideration, as the textual nuances are often missed when relying on a translation. In Chapters 3 & 4, the writer employed the verb καταπαύω (katapauó) and noun κατάπαυσις (katapausis),  both referring to 'settling down, colonizing', as well as, figuratively, 'ceasing' (Hebrews 3:11, 18; 4:1-8, 10-11). In the Septuagint, with which the audience would have been familiar, κατάπαυσις (katapausis) spoke of the rest to be attained by settlement in Canaan. The allusion is evident in the writer's citation of Psalm 95:8-11, which is itself an allusion to Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 14:28-30. This rest, the writer tells us, is the same kind of endless rest God enjoyed when He had finished creating (Hebrews 4:3-4). The writer tells his audience that the Israelites of the exodus could have found such rest in God's grace in Canaan had they but trusted Him. The same kind of rest is promised to Christians but, just as the Israelites failed to attain it, so could they (Hebrews 4:1-3). God's rest is something Christ has entered (cf. Hebrews 1:3; 10:12) and which Christians are to "strive to enter" (Hebrews 4:10-11). Note well that Hebrews 4:3 does *not* say: "we who have believed _have entered_ that rest". Few Christians would argue that God has already given them permanent rest from physical labor (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). That rest will not be attained before the millennium. Of particular note is that the writer switched to σαββατισμός (sabbatismos) in Hebrews 4:9 when saying _"there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God", _ before switching back to telling them to strive to enter the as yet unrealized κατάπαυσις (katapausis) rest. That σαββατισμός (sabbatismos) rest is a direct reference to the weekly שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbathon) sabbath rest (cf. Exodus 16:23; 20:8-11) and is but a foretaste of the promised future rest. There is no suggestion in either the Old Testament or the New that the weekly sabbath could have become God's promised rest in Canaan. In other words, the writer says in Hebrews 4:9 that the weekly sabbath remains in effect.

In Revelation 1:10, the reference to the Lord’s day does not necessarily mean Sunday. Once again, it at most means after the sabbath was over (e.g. Saturday night). In any event, it is not referred to as a day on which believers had some kind of gathering; indeed, all it tells us is that John was 'in the spirit' on that day. It may also be just another way of saying 'the day of the Lord', which is how the ISV translates it.

Although Jesus is often said to have broken the sabbath (Matthew 12:2, Mark 2:24; Luke 6:1-2; John 5:19; 9:16), thereby abolishing it, what He in fact did was to assert His authority over it (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5), restore its observance to its proper basis (Mark 2:27) and confirm the true scope of what could be done on that day (Matthew 12:10-12; Mark 3:3-5; Luke 6:6-10; 13:10-16; 14:1-6; John 5:2-18; 7:23, 9:1-34).

The earliest _possible_ reference to Sunday worship comes from Ignatius in 110AD who wrote of Jewish converts: “no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day” ( _Letter to the Magnesians_ 9), but see my comments re Revelation 1:10.

The earliest _clear_ reference to Sunday worship is found in the _Epistle of Barnabas_ (c.120), I which the writer says: “Your present sabbaths are not acceptable to Me… we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead”. Note the antisemitism already creeping into the church.

Justin Martyr (c.140) wrote of “memoirs of the apostles” being read on “the day called that of the sun” alongside the “writings of the prophets” ( _First Apology_ 67).

Many others also wrote of Christian worship on Sundays well before the 4th century; and of other Christians who continued to worship on Saturdays.

Conspiracists - especially from the SDA - love to blame Constantine and the Roman Catholic Church for changing the sabbath from Saturday to Sunday when, in fact, the change from sabbath observance to Sunday worship began centuries before either existed.

Although Constantine made Sunday the official Roman day of rest (in 321), doing so merely abolished the 8-day week the Roman Empire had inherited from the Etruscans - which had also been the norm in various parts of the Roman Empire - and facilitated what was by then a widespread, centuries-old, majority Christian preference in the western Roman Empire for Sunday observance.

The Council of Laodicea (c.363/4) tried (unsuccessfully) to stamp out sabbath observance by anathemetizing anyone who worshipped on Saturday. Again, this was long before the RCC came into existence - in the eastern part of the church. As late as the 5th century, Socrates of Constantinople and Sozomen cite the seventh day as the Christian day of worship except for Christians in Rome and Alexandria.

Just as the institution of marriage as the union of one man with one woman is grounded in creation (Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6-9) so too is the sabbath as a day blessed and hallowed by God grounded in creation (Genesis 2:3). Those who assert that the sabbath has been abolished are, in effect, denying Jesus' lordship (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5) over that day. The denial of the sabbath's applicability to Christians is just one product of the apostate 'American Gospel'.

It is only since the middle of the 20th century that the idea that the sabbath was abolished has gained currency.

[jaypreddy]

Society has simply made Sunday just another Saturday unfortunately. We as Christians must not lose sight of this commandment.

[georgeburks]

The day was not changed in scripture. Hebrews 4:8-9 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Some teach Revelation 1:10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet", is Sunday. Did Jesus not teach he was the Lord of the Sabbath, not the first day of the week? Paul understood this. Acts 17:2"And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ". If the pattern of the early church was meet on the first day of the week, why did Roman Emperor Constantine I issued a civil decree making Sunday a day of rest from labor, stating: "All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the venerable day of the sun" on March 7, 321?

[MrKC]

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, (Acts 2:46, ESV)

[NipkowDisk]

I consider the Sabbath to be a day where we are to rest from our work, worship God, and meditate on His Word. As for working on such a day, I heard some sage advice many years ago from a friend. If we are working for the sole benefit of others and not ourselves, e.g., mowing a lawn for someone who is disabled, then doing so is not a violation. We cross the line when we seek to gain ourselves from such work.

[marciamcgrail]

Thank you for a Godly clarification in these laisse faire days of shop til you drop mentality.

[DiscipleofJtC]

Which day did Adam and all the people observe the Sabbath, before week days had a name? Saturday, Sunday, or Monday? How did they keep a week day? And since people lived in different places, how did they come up with the same day?

[MountCarmel]

"IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS" - John 14v15
Please watch " About the Fourth Commandment" by Doug Bachelor

[Stefan-X]

"I think..."
There's the problem right there.

[marcoswanke]

Genesis: If God blessed Sabath (7 th day) on Genesis, who am I to suppose it is now sunday?

[bfinn]

Practice of the Sabbath (old law) and observance of the Lords day (new covenant) are two separate concepts. It is not a changing of days, removal of the judgement from the law. The Lord Jesus fulfilled the law. We are not bound to follow as a means, but are obedient in works out of thanksgiving for the blessing we receive by Faith alone. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and defied the practice of that law and then justified his actions to the Pharisees to show his new covenant was not bound by it.

[ElleeZee]

What are the implications here for Sunday football? How about household chores?

[johnwalker]

When did the Sabbath day change? How did it change?

Don't you think if God changed the only commandment that starts with the word "Remember", he would have told someone?

[MarvinCounciltcreg]

Where in scripture does it say it was changed? Where?... I seen a lot of i thinks, I believes etc. The day to Saturday to Sunday...The 7th day to the 1st day has to be shown in scripture not smart philosophy. Please please please show me where.

[aniljacob]

Those who say that the Sabbath commandment does not apply to Christians today don't seem to realise one thing -the Fourth Commandment is not just the revealed will of God for one day of the week, but for all seven days of the week. God says, "Six days you shall labour and do all your work" (Exodus 20:9). Every week day Christians spend something like 8 hours at the work place. That is 1/3 of every day. Which is the commandment in the Ten Commandments that deals with that part of our lives? Which is the precept that deals with professional ethics? The Fourth Commandment! To say that it is no longer binding on Christians is to also say that Christians don't have to be diligent at their work and have all the other virtues like integrity, reliability, etc connected with the work place. Think about it.

[dpbeardslee]

I'm wondering if the Jewish Sabbath had something to do with Christians observing the sabbath on Sunday. Since the first Christians were Jews, did they observe the sabbath laws on Saturday, and then use Sunday for worship when they didn't have to worry about how far they walked or whether or not they did any work?