Chapter 89
New Testament Sabbath
In what order do the Sabbath and the first day stand in the week?
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." Matt. 28:1.
After the crucifixion, what day was kept by the women who followed Jesus?
"And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Luke 23:56.
What day is the Sabbath "according to the commandment?"
"But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." Ex. 20:10.
How did the holy women regard the first day of the week?
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them." Luke 24:1.
What was the custom of Christ in regard to the Sabbath?
"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. " Luke 4:16.
In predicting the overthrow of Jerusalem, and the necessity of fleeing from Judea before that time, what did He enjoin upon His disciples regarding the Sabbath?
"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day." Matt. 24:20.
NOTE: The destruction of Jerusalem was accomplished by the Romans in 70 A.D.; and the Sabbath, therefore, was certainly commanded by Christ as late as that period.
What title does Inspiration give to the day on which the Jews met in the synagogues?
"For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." Acts 15:21.
NOTE: The Jews read Moses in the synagogue only on the seventh day, never on the first day. But these days on which they did read Moses, are said in the text to include every Sabbath day.
To whom was Paul especially commissioned to preach?
"But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way; for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Acts 9:15 (Acts 22:21) (Rom. 1:5).
On what day did he and Barnabas go into the synagogue at Antioch?
"But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down." Acts 13:14.
After the sermon had been preached by Paul, and the Jews had all left the synagogue, what did the Gentiles request of the apostles?
"And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." Acts 13:42.
NOTE: This was as late as 45 A.D. The Jews had all left the meeting, and as Paul was the minister to the Gentiles, there was nothing to deter the apostle from announcing a meeting for them on the following day, Sunday, if that was to be the Christian Sabbath. But nothing to this effect is said in the text or its connection.
What was the result of this request of the Gentiles?
"And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God." Acts 13:44.
On what day did the women at Philippi hold their prayer meetings?
"And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." Acts 16:13.
What shows that upon his arrival in the city, the apostle waited for the Sabbath before attempting to hold a meeting?
"And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony; and we were in that city abiding certain days." Acts 16:12.
What was Paul's customary day for holding religious services?
"They came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." Acts 17:1, 2.
How did the apostle spend the working days of the week when at Corinth?
"After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla:... and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought; for by their occupation they were tent makers." Acts18:1-3.
What did he do on the Sabbath days?
"And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Acts 18:4.
How long did he continue this work?
"And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." Acts 18:11.
NOTE: Here were seventy-eight Sabbaths on which Paul preached in one city. The record further says that he worked at his trade, and we may justly infer that Paul worked at tent making just as many Sundays as he preached Sabbaths. But if we place with these seventy-eight Sabbaths, the three he spent at Thessalonica, the one at Philippi, and the two at Antioch, we have a record of eighty-four Sabbaths on which the apostle held religious services, while he held only one on the first day, and that only a night meeting, immediately following the Sabbath. See reading on "Sunday Sacredness."
On what day was John in the Spirit?
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." Rev. 1:10.
Who is Lord of the Sabbath?
"Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28.
NOTE: Also means "in like manner."
Who else besides Christ claims the Sabbath as His day?
"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My [God's] holy day." Isa. 58:13.
Why does God call it His day?
"For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:11.
But how did God create the world?
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds." Heb. 1:1, 2.
NOTE: Then when God rested from His creative work, the Son, by whom this work was performed, rested also. He could therefore well claim, by right of creation, to be Lord of the Sabbath, just the same as God Himself. It was doubtless from this consideration that He said He was Lord also of the Sabbath.
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