Bible Question: The bible says Observe the Sabbath and keep it Holy. I want to know if is it still relevant to the Christian of today to observe the Sabbath or for matter that any Ten commandments laws? |
Bible Answer: As Lord of the Sabbath Jesus is the Ruler and King of it... His Kingdom was established on the day of Pentecost. Which fell on the 1st day of the week. These have always been the reasons that I have held as with most Christians for Sunday worship. Matthew 12 5 And haven't you ever read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7 But you would not have condemned those who aren't guilty if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.' F67 8 For I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath." As Lord of the Sabbath Jesus is the Ruler and King of it... His Kingdom was established on the day of Pentecost. Which fell on the 1st day of 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 sepulchre. the end - The Hebrew word Schabbath, from which our English word is derived, signifies rest, and is applied to all solemn festivals, equally with that one day of every week devoted to the worship of God; Eze 20:21, "they polluted my sabbaths. Three evangelists say, the transaction recorded in this verse, occurred upon the first day of the week, early in the morning, about sunrising, and John says, while it was yet dark. Commentary...Try as one might, he will search in vain for New Testament evidence that the primitive church observed the sabbath with apostolic approval. Yes, it certainly was the case that the apostles frequented the synagogues on the sabbath for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel. That is where the greatest concentration of Jews would have been (cf. Acts 13:14; 17:1-2, etc.), and the message regarding Jesus was to be spoken first to them (Rom. 1:16). But where is the evidence that the early church, under divine guidance, came together to worship God on the sabbath day? The kingdom of Christ was established on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), which always fell on “the morrow after the sabbath” (Lev. 23:15-16), hence, on Sunday. So the church started out meeting for worship on the first day of the week (cf. Acts 2:42). The disciples at Troas “were gathered together” [passive voice] upon “the first day of the week” to break bread, i.e., to worship, (Acts 20:7). The specific day of meeting was no accident. Though Paul was anxious to get to Jerusalem (20:16), he waited seven days for the opportunity to assemble with the church. Moreover, the passive voice (see above) indicates that the assemblage was orchestrated by someone other than the disciples; it was of divine initiative. The saints in Corinth were assembling, and contributing into the church treasury, “every first day of the week” (1 Cor. 16:2 – Greek text; cf. NASB). On the isle of Patmos, John was “in the spirit” on “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10). The term for “Lord’s” is kupiakos, which is defined here as “relating to the Lord.” Thayer comments: “. . . the day devoted to the Lord, sacred to the memory of Christ’s resurrection” (365). The Gospel narratives, of course, make it clear that the resurrection occurred on Sunday. While Revelation 1:10 would not be conclusive by itself, the very fact that the day is specifically mentioned is significant. God's Peace be with us! -khuck |