RP 208 THE SIN OF BREAKING THE SABBATH DAY COMMANDMENT

The devil has two modes of attack against the church of God: as a serpent, he is a deceiver, and as a dragon, he is a persecutor. His first method of attack is almost invariably deception, because if he can deceive a man into teaching lies, he can get him condemned:

(Jeremiah 48:10) "Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD deceitfully,"
(James 3:1) "My brothers, do not be many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation."
(Revelation 21:8) "and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Not only this, but the devil can also condemn all those who follow false teaching:

(Isaiah 9:16) "For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and those who are led by them are destroyed."
(Matthew 15:14) "And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

Concerning the observance of the Sabbath day, the devil has been very subtle, and deceived many into believing a very serious error, that the Sabbath day no longer needs to be kept in the New Testament, but Sunday is now the day of worship and rest for the Church. Jesus taught, "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17), and we know that he was referring to the Ten Commandments because he quoted some of them (Matthew 19:18-19). If Jesus made a condition of entering into eternal life, that we keep the Ten Commandments, then how can we enter into it without keeping them? A true believer will obey Jesus. These words, along with others that Jesus taught (Matthew 5:17-19; 23:1-3), are our basis for observing the Sabbath day in the New Testament. He said:

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to show from the scripture that the fourth commandment, concerning the Sabbath day, was never scrapped by God as a day for his people to gather together for study and worship. Neither God, nor the apostles of Jesus, ever instituted Sunday as a substitute for the Sabbath day, and the idea that Sunday is a memorial of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is false, because he did not rise on Sunday.
In view of these facts, we invite anyone who reads this study, who would like to contribute any constructive comments, either to enhance, or to correct, or to contribute in any way that will help others, and bring this study closer to the complete truth, to contact Logos Apostolic Bible College. As seems appropriate, we will use any information offered freely to refine this study for the glory of God.

#1. REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD OBSERVE THE SABBATH

#1.02 BECAUSE GOD ORDAINED THE SABBATH

#1.021 God gave us an example from the beginning

GENESIS 2:1-3
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 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.

EXODUS 20:8-11
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days you shall labour, and do all your work:
10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day: therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Note: When Jesus was teaching people about divorce, he pointed them back to the beginning of creation in order to explain how things should be (Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:6), and when Paul would not permit a woman (or wife) to teach, he pointed them back to the beginning of creation in order to show them why (1 Timothy 2:11-14). Here, as regards the seventh day, we can also look back to the time of creation to see how it was in the beginning. After his work of creation, when God rested on the seventh day, "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it:" (Genesis 2:3). When God spoke about this event as he gave the ten commandments, he said, "the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:11). The verb translated "sanctified" (Genesis 2:3) (Hb. קָדַשׁ , Htr. qādash) is the same verb translated "hallowed" (Exodus 20:11), but notice that in God's spoken version, he says that he blessed "the Sabbath day". So the Sabbath must have existed since the creation, and this is why the seventh day is called, "the Sabbath of the LORD your God:" (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14). God even refers to the Sabbath day as, "my holy day;" (Isaiah 58:13), and "the holy Sabbath to the LORD:" (Exodus 16:23). Has anything changed concerning this? No, because God has said the he will not alter what he has said (Psalm 89:34), so the Sabbath must still be his holy day. No again, because "whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it:" (Ecclesiastes 3:14). God doesn't change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), so as far as he is concerned, the seventh day is still blessed and sanctified by him. If our heart is filled with love, which fulfils the law (See #1.045), then it would be full of God, because, "God is love." (1 John 4:8; 4:16), and we would keep the seventh day holy, just as he did. He gave us an example right back there at the beginning. Jesus told us to be like God when he said, "You be therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48), and showed us the principle that people do the deeds of their father:

(John 8:39) "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham."
(John 8:44) "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do."
(John 9:4) "I must work the works of him who sent me,"
(John 10:37) "If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me."

So if we are to follow God's example, while we are working in the world, then we ought to rest on the seventh day as God did. God sanctified the seventh day (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11), and he told us how to do it also:

(Exodus 20:8) "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
(Exodus 35:2) "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD:"
(Leviticus 23:3) "Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work in it: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings."
(Deuteronomy 5:12) "Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it."

#1.022 God wrote the Sabbath commandment himself on a tablet of stone

EXODUS 31:18
18 And he gave to Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tablets of testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

EXODUS 32:15-16
15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tablets of the testimony were in his hand: the tablets were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
16 And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon the tablets.

DEUTERONOMY 5:22 (Moses)
22 And these words the Lord spoke to all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tablets of stone, and delivered them to me.

DEUTERONOMY 9:10 (Moses)
10 And the Lord delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spoke with you out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

Note: There are several interesting facts which come out of these scriptures, concerning the ten commandments:

(1) God wrote them himself
Nowhere else in the whole bible is it recorded that God wrote commandments with his own finger, as he did here (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10). The fact that God wrote them himself insured his total authority behind them, no mistakes were made when they were written, and they were engraved in stone for permanence. Notice that, "the tablets were the work of God," (Exodus 32:16), and as "his work is perfect:" (Deuteronomy 32:4), every commandment, including the Sabbath commandment, must be perfect. These commandments, which were the basis of the Old Covenant, were called "the tablets of the covenant." (Deuteronomy 9:9; 9:11; 9:15), and were placed in the ark called "the ark of the covenant" (Numbers 10:33; 14:44; Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9). These are the same commandments and laws that are to be written on our heart when we become a partaker of the New Covenant (See #1.16), and which will be fulfilled by love (See #1.045).

(2) God spoke them to the whole congregation
God did occasionally speak to individuals on a lengthy basis (Job 38-41), but a discourse such as this, full of commandments, and spoken to so many people (Deuteronomy 5:22; 9:10), is totally unique. Approximately six hundred thousand men left Egypt (Exodus 12:37), plus women, plus children, plus others, so "all your assembly" (Deuteronomy 5:22) may have numbered around two million people. The fact that God chose to speak these commandments audibly himself, and not leave it to others to speak only, shows how much importance he placed on them, and emphasises their permanence:

(Psalm 89:34) "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

So we can be sure that God is not Going to alter the ten commandments. This can be confirmed by the fact that the ten commandments, which were written on stone, were also called "the testimony" (Exodus 25:16; 30:6; 40:20), and "tablets of testimony" (Exodus 31:18; 32:15; 34:29). They were placed in the ark, which was called "the ark of the testimony" (Exodus 25:22; 31:7; 40:3; Joshua 4:16), which was kept in a tent called "the tabernacle of testimony" (Exodus 38:21; Numbers 1:50; 1:53). Thus the word "testimony" in the Old Testament often refers to the ten commandments, and when we read:

(Isaiah 8:20) "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

we can know that there is no light in those who do not speak according to the ten commandments.

#1.023 God gave the Sabbath commandment to his chosen people

EXODUS 20:8-11
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days you shall labour, and do all your work:
10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day: therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

EXODUS 31:12-17
12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
13 Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep: it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
14 You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you: every one who defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whoever does any work in it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
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.

DEUTERONOMY 5:12-15
12 Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord your God has commanded you.
13 Six days you shall labour, and do all your work:
14 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates; that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you.
15 And remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out from there through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

PSALMS 89:34 (God)
34 My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.

ECCLESIASTES 3:14 (Solomon)
14 I know that, whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him.

MALACHI 3:6
6 For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Note: After his work of creation God rested on the seventh day, and blessed it, and sanctified it (Genesis 2:3). Nothing has changed concerning this because, "whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it:" (Ecclesiastes 3:14). God doesn't change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), so as far as he is concerned, the seventh day is still blessed and sanctified by him. He gave no such blessing concerning Sunday, the first day of the week, but because the seventh day had been blessed since creation, when the law was given to his chosen people through Moses, it included a provision for rest on the seventh day:

(Exodus 20:8-10) "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. ... the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God;",
(Exodus 31:12-17) "the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep: ... You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you: ... the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever:"
(Deuteronomy 5:12-15) "Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord your God has commanded you. ... the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God: ... the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day."

Has God changed anything concerning these remarks? No, because he has said, "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." (Psalm 89:34), and God spoke the ten commandments himself to the whole congregation of Israel (Exodus 20:1-19; Deuteronomy 5:4-22). The ten commandments were the covenant (Deuteronomy 4:12-13; 5:2). Therefore he cannot alter them, because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). This has been established with Israel, "throughout your generations;" (Exodus 31:13), "throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant." (Exodus 31:16), and "for ever." (Exodus 31:17). Therefore, at least as far as Israel is concerned it has not changed. The literal keeping of the Sabbath for the Jews will be superseded by the spiritual fulfilment of it, when they come to the true understanding, but this will not mean that they will cease to keep the Sabbath, and begin to keep Sunday.

#1.04 BECAUSE JESUS CONFIRMED THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT

#1.041 Jesus himself made the Sabbath day for man

MARK 2:27-28 (Jesus)
27 And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

JOHN 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

COLOSSIANS 1:15-16 (Paul about Jesus)
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature;
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him.

Note: Jesus did not say that the Sabbath was made for the Jews, he said it was made for man (Mark 2:27). The Greek words translated "man" in this scripture is o anqrwpoj (Gtr. ho anthropos). Look at some definitions of it:

(James Strong p26) "444. anqrwpoj (559x) anthropos ... man-faced i.e. a human being: man (552x), not tr (4x), misc. (3x).
Anthropos is used (1) generally of a human being, male or female, without reference to sex or nationality:"
(Joseph H. Thayer p46) "444. anqrwpoj -ou, o, [perh. fr. anhr and wy, i.e. man's face; ...] It is used 1. univ., with ref. to the genus or nature, without distinction of sex, a human being, whether male or female: Jn xvi 21. And in this sense a. with the article, generally, so as to include all human individuals: ..."

Look at some examples of where Jesus used this word, with the definite article elsewhere:

(Matthew 5:18) "Let your light so shine before men, ..."
(Matthew 6:1) "Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them."
(Matthew 19:10) "If the case of the man is with his wife that it is not good to marry."
(Luke 4:4) "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

As you can see, "ho anthropos" is sometimes used of an individual, but mostly of mankind in General. Could any of these scriptures (or any of the many others) mean only Jews? If not, then it doesn't mean Jews in Mark 2:27 either. Jesus could have used the word for Jew if he had meant only Jews. When Israel left Egypt a mixed multitude also went with them (Exodus 12:38), and even under the Old Covenant these Gentiles had to keep the Sabbath day:

(Exodus 12:49) "One law shall be to him who is home-born, and to the foreigner who sojourns among you."
(Exodus 20:10) "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates:
(Exodus 23:12) "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your ass may rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the foreigner, may be refreshed."
(Leviticus 24:22) "You shall have one manner of law, as well as for the foreigner, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God."
(Deuteronomy 5:14) "but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you ... nor your foreigner who is within your gates; ..."
(Isaiah 56:6-7) "Also the sons of the foreigner, who join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant;
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my altar; for my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

The word foreigner in all these scriptures refer to someone who was not an Israelite. The Sabbath is never referred to as "the Jewish Sabbath" in the scripture. From the beginning God knew that man would need physical rest, and he provided a day for it. People who ignore this, and work seven days a week, will probably suffer stress, fatigue of some sort, or even ill health. This will not change as long as people are involved in secular work; so as long as it applies, why not set aside the specific day that God ordained and Jesus made? Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1 with 1:14; Revelation 19:13), he created the Sabbath (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16) for man (Mark 2:27), he was Lord of it (Mark 2:28), and yet kept it himself perfectly when he was in the flesh (See #1.042). He is the head of the true church of God (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18), and he has not changed (Hebrews 13:8; 1 Peter 1:25), so if he made it for us, then we need it, and should keep it.

#1.042 Jesus himself kept the Sabbath day

MATTHEW 4:23
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

MATTHEW 9:35
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

MARK 6:2
2 And when the Sabbath day came, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From where has this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given to him, that even such mighty works are done by his hands?

LUKE 4:16 (About Jesus)
16 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 to read.

LUKE 4:31
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days.

LUKE 6:6
6 And it came to pass on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

JOHN 15:10 (Jesus)
10 If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Note: During his lifetime on earth Jesus kept the Sabbath day perfectly. He regularly taught in the synagogues on the Sabbath day (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:31; 6:6; 13:10), and habitually went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day to read the law (Luke 4:16). He said, "I have kept my Father's commandments," (John 10:15), and these commandments included the Sabbath day:

(Exodus 20:8) "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."
(Exodus 31:13-14) "Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep: ... You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you:"
(Exodus 31:16) "the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant."
(Deuteronomy 5:12) "Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it."

Did Jesus ever break the Sabbath commandment? No, because he himself said, "I have kept my Father's commandments," (John 15:10), and God himself referred to the Sabbath as one of "my commandments" (Exodus 16:28). Also, "sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) [look at the context, it is referring to the ten commandments], and Jesus never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). As Jesus was "made under the law" (Galatians 4:4), he must have kept the Sabbath commandment perfectly, otherwise would have been a sinner.
Every Christian has been called to follow Jesus (Matthew 8:22; 10:38; 19:21; Mark 8:34; 10:21; Luke 9:23; 9:59; 18:22), to be as he was (Matthew 10:25), to be conformed to his image (Romans 8:29), to walk as he walked (1 John 2:6), to follow his steps (1 Peter 2:21), and to be as he is in this world (1 John 4:17). They cannot do this without keeping the Sabbath day, because he kept it, and he is "the same yesterday, and today, and for the age." (Hebrews 13:8).
Jesus is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18), which is his body (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1:24), and it should be in complete subjection to him in all things (Ephesians 1:22), but it will never be so without keeping the Sabbath day because he taught us to keep it, both by word (Matthew 5:17-19; 19:17-19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20), and by example (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Luke 4:16; John 16:10). When Jesus was alive on the earth, his physical body was in complete subjection to his spirit, and he habitually went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. If his physical body now, which is the church (Colossians 1:18; 1:24), was in complete subjection to his spirit, then it would also habitually keep the Sabbath day as Jesus did. As he has not changed (Hebrews 13:8), the church ought to be keeping the Sabbath day now, and will never be perfected in this life until it does.

#1.043 Jesus taught us to keep the commandments

MATTHEW 5:17-19 (Jesus)
17 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For amen I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

MATTHEW 19:16-19
16 And, behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said to him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He says to him, Which? Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
19 Honour your father and your mother: and, you shall love your neighbour as yourself.

MATTHEW 23:1-3
1 Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you do after their works: for they say, and do not do.

MARK 10:17-19
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled down to him, and asked him, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother.

LUKE 18:18-20
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? none is good, except one, that is, God.
20 You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour your father and mother.

Note: Jesus could not break any of the ten commandments, because if he did he would be a sinner: "for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4). Nor could he teach men to break any of them, or he himself would be least in the kingdom of heaven according to his own words:

(Matthew 5:19) "Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Who, of all men who ever lived, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? It is Jesus! According to his own words then, he must have kept and taught men to keep every "one of these least commandments." In fact Jesus kept all of the commandments, including observing the Sabbath day (See #1.042), and here we can see he taught others to do it also (Matthew 19:17-19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20). He even told people to obey the Scribes and the Pharisees (Matthew 23:2-3), and they would certainly have told people to keep the Sabbath day! Does the fact that these scriptures do not specifically mention the first four commandments, mean that we should not keep them? No, because keeping these is an expression of our love for God (See #1.045 Note), and loving God is the first and great commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).
Jesus' words are still applicable to us today:

(1 Timothy 6:3-4) "If any man teach otherwise, and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing".

#1.044 Jesus came to fulfil the law

MATTHEW 5:17-18 (Jesus)
17 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For amen I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Note 1: Notice that Jesus said, that he did not "come to destroy the law ... but to fulfil." (Matthew 5:17), and from the words of Jesus himself we can know that he did fulfil as much as he could at his first coming, because he said, "I have kept my Father's commandments." (John 15:10). Also when praying to his Father before his death, he said, "I have finished the work which you gave me to do." (John 17:4), and just before he died, he said, "It is finished:" (John 19:30). There are some things, such as the feast of trumpets, for example, which Jesus will fulfil at his second coming (Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16), but this does not mean that he has not fulfilled as much of the law as was expected of him. Does the fact that Jesus fulfilled the law mean that we do not now have to fulfil it? No, that cannot be so because we are expected to be like Jesus:

(Matthew 10:25) "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his Lord."
(Romans 8:29) "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestine to be conformed to the image of his Son,"
(1 Corinthians 15:48) "as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly."
(1 Peter 2:21) "For even to this you were called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps:"
(1 John 2:6) "He who says he abides in him aught himself also to walk, even as he walked."
(1 John 4:17) "In this is our love made perfect ... as he is, so are we in this world."

If Jesus fulfilled the law, and we are meant to "be as our master", "be as our Lord", "be conformed to his image", "follow his steps", "walk, even as he walked", and be "as he is", then we are meant to fulfil the law also as Jesus did. Again there are exceptions, such as the sin offering (Leviticus 16:15-16), and the scapegoat on the day of atonement (Leviticus 16:20-23), where Jesus carried away the sins of the world. That cannot be done by us, but we do need to fulfil that which we can fulfil:

(Romans 8:4) "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit." (See also #1.045).

Note 2: Notice that Jesus also said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18). There are two separate conditions here, and nothing of the law will pass away until at least one of these is fulfilled. They are, "Till heaven and earth pass", or "till all be fulfilled". Has heaven and earth passed yet? No:

(2 Peter 3:7-10) "But the heaven and earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved for fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men. ... the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are in it shall be burned up."

Note 3: The other condition, "till all be fulfilled", can be taken in two different ways, one of which is, it can mean "till all (the law) be fulfilled" (See #1.045). However, if we examine the Greek, ewj an panta genhtai, (Gtr. heos an panta genetai), which also occurs elsewhere in scripture (Luke 21:32), and where it is also translated "till all be fulfilled", we can compare it with other parallel scriptures:

(Matthew 24:34) "till all these things be fulfilled."
(Mark 13:30) "till all these things be done."

Taking these latter three scriptures in context, it seems obvious that they all refer to the events of the end time, before Jesus returns, things which have not happened to the Jews yet. So some could conclude that Jesus' statement "till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18), literally could mean that "one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, until all (end-time events) be fulfilled", in which case, the law must still be completely intact. This being so, the Sabbath commandment must also be intact, and we still need to fulfil it.

#1.045 Jesus taught us to fulfil the law by love

MATTHEW 22:34-40
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they were all gathered together.
35 Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

ROMANS 13:8-10 (Paul)
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
10 Love works no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

GALATIANS 5:14 (Paul)
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

Note: Does fulfilling of the law mean that we do not have to keep the ten commandments? No, because Jesus said, "all the law" (Matthew 22:40) hangs on the commands to love, which includes all of the ten commandments, not just nine of them. Secondly, we fulfil the law by love (Matthew 22:34-40; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14), and if we love God with all of our heart and soul, and our neighbour as ourselves, then our love for God is expressed by obedience to his commandments:

(John 14:21-24) "He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves me: ... If a man loves me, he will keep my words: ... He who does not love me does not keep my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."
(1 John 5:2-3) "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
(2 John 6) "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments."

(Matthew 22:37) "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."
(Matthew 22:39) "You shall love your neighbour as yourself."

The latter one of these two gives us the desire to keep the last six of the ten commandments, whereas faith would give us the ability to keep them. For example:
If we love our father and our mother, would we dishonour them? No, because we would hate to do such a thing, and we would only want to please them.
If we love our neighbours would we kill them? or anyone that they love? No, because we would hate to do such a thing, and we would only want to do what is best for them. We would not hate them if they offended us, because hate is spiritual murderer (1 John 3:15), and love is the opposite of hate. We would not speak evil of them, because spiritual death is in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), and we would not wish to hurt them.
If we love our neighbours, would we steal from them? No, because we would hate to do such a thing, and we would only want to do what is best for them. Love is a desire to give (John 3:16), and would give us the opposite desire to stealing from them. We would never wish to see them suffer the hurt from our actions, so love would motivate us to keep this commandment.
If we love our neighbours would we lie to them? No, because the scripture declares, "A lying tongue hates those who are afflicted by it;" (Proverbs 26:28). Paul declared, "Therefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:" (Ephesians 4:25), because speaking the truth to someone is an expression of love. So fulfilling this commandment by love would mean that we would never lie to our neighbour.
So likewise, love for our neighbours would keep us from breaking any of the commandments that apply to them.
In the same way, if we love God with all of our heart, and with all of our soul, and with all of our mind, would we put other Gods before him? If you have a wife or a girl friend that you love with your whole heart, would you put other women or girls before them? No way! Love would keep you from it.
Would we make carved images that are an abomination to God, and bow down to them, knowing how much this would hurt God? No way! because our love for God would keep us from it.
Would we take his name in vain, knowing that it would hurt him? No way!
How then would we not keep the Sabbath, which he made for us (Mark 2:27), knowing that this would be like throwing his gift back in his face?
So there it is, love fulfils the law, and love expresses itself as obedience to God's commandments. Jesus said, "He who does not love me does not keep my sayings;" (John 14:24), and one of his sayings was, "keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17), so people who do not keep the ten commandments do not fully love Jesus or God.

#1.08 BECAUSE PAUL OBSERVED THE SABBATH DAY

#1.081 Paul habitually taught in the synagogues on the Sabbath day

ACTS 13:14-16
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, give audience.

ACTS 13:42-44
42 And when the Jews had gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next Sabbath day almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

ACTS 17:1-2
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.

ACTS 18:1-4
1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and came to them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and worked: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks.

Note: It seems clear from these scriptures that Paul habitually attended synagogues on the Sabbath days, where possible; “every Sabbath” (Acts 18:4), and reasoned with them out of the scriptures. In this particular case, at Corinth, it was over a period of “a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” (Acts 18:11), and so would mean 78 consecutive Sabbath days. This took place many years after the resurrection of Jesus. At Thessalonica he entered a synagogue and reasoned with them out of the scriptures for “three Sabbath days”. At Antioch, in a meeting in the Synagogue on a Sabbath day, the Gentiles entreated Paul that he would preach to them on the next Sabbath (Acts 13:42). If Sunday was a day kept by the church at that time, why did Paul not invite them to his Sunday service? With no unbelieving Jews present it would have been an excellent opportunity to preach to the Gentiles, but there was no such meeting. Instead, they had to wait until the next Sabbath day to hear God’s word (Acts 13:44). This is very strong proof that no Sunday meetings were being held at that time. As “sin is transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4), it would be a sin for Paul to break the Sabbath commandment, and he said that he had offended nothing against the law of the Jews(See #1.33). At Antioch (Acts 13:14-16) Paul was in the synagogue again speaking to the people. This makes 84 times in the book of Acts Paul was recorded as being in the synagogue on the Sabbath day teaching and speaking to people. All this just confirms that Paul himself was a habitual Sabbath keeper, and if he ever taught others not to keep it, he would be a liar and a hypocrite, and the least in the kingdom of God, according to the words of Jesus (Mat 5:19). Some have tried to say that Paul only went to the synagogues to evangelise the Jews and their proselytes, but the bible does not say that, and it can be proven false. Where did Paul go to capture Christians before he was a Christian himself? He went to "every synagogue" (Acts 22:19, 26:11), proving that Christians regularly met in synagogues on the Sabbath day. Where in the whole of the New Testament did any of the Jews ever accuse Paul of breaking the Sabbath commandment? Nowhere!

#1.082 Paul went to places of prayer on the Sabbath day

ACTS 16:13
13 And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by the river side, where prayer was accustomed to be made; and we sat down, and spoke to the women who resorted there.

Note: This took place in Philippi (v12), where Paul went after seeing a vision which called him to go into Macedonia (v9). It seems that the religious people of Philippi gathered by the river on the Sabbath day for prayer, and this is where Paul went to minister the gospel of salvation. This not only shows Paul's habit of looking for religious gatherings on the Sabbath day, but also shows that many Gentiles also gathered together on the Sabbath at that time also. As a result of this meeting, God opened the heart of Lydia, a seller of purple from Thyatira, and she and her household believed and were baptised (vv14-15).

#1.083 Paul offended nothing against the law of the Jews

ACTS 25:7-8
7 And when he came, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and made many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

Note: How could Paul say that he offended nothing against the law of the Jews if he was not a Sabbath keeper? Was he a liar? Or was it rather that he told the truth, and being a Jew, he not only kept the Sabbath, but also the feast days (Acts 18:21; 20:16)?

#1.084 Paul taught us to fulfil the righteousness of the law

ROMANS 8:3-4 (Paul)
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Note: The apostle Paul is teaching here that the righteousness of the law should be fulfilled in us, but can we do this without keeping the ten commandments? No, because the psalmist said to God, "all your commandments are righteousness." (Psalm 119:172). This means that the fourth commandment, observing the Sabbath day must be righteousness, doesn't it? This completely agrees with other scriptures being put together:

(1 John 3:4) "Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law."
(1John 5:17) "All unrighteousness is sin:"

Another point is that God's righteousness requires God's law to be in our heart:

(Psalm 37:30-31) "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom ... The law of his God is in his heart."
(Isaiah 51:7) "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;"

This righteousness fulfils the same condition as those who are partakers of the New Covenant, where God's laws are written in their heart (See #1.16). The conclusion to be drawn from all this is that all Christians are expected to grow to the place where they can fulfil the righteousness of the law in a similar manner to the way Jesus did, which would involve us keeping the ten commandments the same way that Jesus taught. So we have seen that Paul not only kept the Sabbath commandment, but taught others to keep it also, even as Jesus did (See #1.044); and his words for us today are, "Be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1).

#1.085 Paul taught us that faith establishes the law

ROMANS 3:30-31 (Paul)
30 Seeing it is one God, who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and un-circumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yes, we establish¹ the law.

Note: The word translated we establish¹ (Romans 3:31) is from the Greek verb isthmi (Gtr. histemi) which means "to make to stand", or "to cause to stand". Paul's conclusion in this context was that "a man is justified by faith without the works of the law." (Romans 3:30), by which he meant that justification could not come through sacrificing animals to cover sin (See #4.04), but only through a genuine faith. There are two ways you can seek to be justified by the law, one was by making animal sacrifices every time that you made a mistake, called the "works of the law" (See #4.04), and the other was by faith. Only faith worked:

(Romans 9:31-32) "But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;"

The implication here is, that if they had sought to attain to the law of righteousness by faith, then they could have done it. James also taught that a man is justified by faith which produces works of faith (James 2:17-26), and therefore a genuine faith will give us the ability to keep the law in a spiritual sense, including the ten commandments. So how does faith establish the law? Simply by giving a person the ability to obey the commandments, which a person without faith cannot do. We could therefore say this:

(Romans 3:31) "Do we then make void the ten commandments through faith? God forbid: but, we establish the ten commandments."

#1.10 BECAUSE THE EARLY CHRISTIANS OBSERVED THE SABBATH DAY

#1.101 Saul found Christians in the synagogues

ACTS 9:1-2
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

ACTS 22:19 (Paul)
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue, those who believe on you:

ACTS 26:9-11 (Paul)
9 I indeed thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
11 And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to strange cities.

Note: Where did Saul go to look for Christians to capture? to "every synagogue," (Acts 22:19; 26:11). Why? because in those days Christians were still observing the Sabbath commandment, and he knew that he would find them in the synagogues on the Sabbath days. This is clear evidence that the early church were still keeping the Sabbath day.

#1.102 The early Jewish Christians were "zealous of the law"

ACTS 21:20
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe: and they are all zealous of the law:

Note: Looking at the context, the "thousands of Jews" who believed, who were also "all zealous of the law:" (Acts 21:20), were at Jerusalem, where the twelve apostles stayed during the dispersion after the persecution of Stephen (Acts 8:1). These thousands of Jewish believers then, were under the teaching of the twelve apostles, so how could they be breaking the Sabbath commandment and be "zealous of the law" at the same time? The scripture says after Pentecost, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine" (Acts 2:42), and this scripture (Acts 21:20) shows that not only did the apostles themselves keep the Sabbath commandment, but they taught others to keep it also, just as Jesus had told them (Matthew 5:19; 28:20). Nowhere in the New Testament after the death of Jesus was any Christian, Jew or Gentile, persecuted for not keeping the Sabbath day.

#1.103 Ananias was "a devout man according to the law"

ACTS 22:12-13 (Paul)
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came to me, and stood, and said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked upon him.

Note: Ananias is described here as, "a devout man according to the law," and "having a good report of all the Jews" who dwelt at Damascus. The word translated "devout" (Gr. eusebhj, Gtr. eusebes) is also used of Cornelius (Acts 10:2), one of his faithful soldiers (Acts 10:7), and is translated "godly" (2 Peter 2:9). It means pious, earnestly religious, or simply faithful and obedient. So how can anyone be described as, "a devout man according to the law," and be a Sabbath breaker at the same time? How can he also have "a good report of all the Jews" at Antioch, if he did not keep the Sabbath day? They were very much against Jesus (John Luke 13:14; 5:16-18; 9:16), and his disciples (Matthew 12:2; Mark 2:24), when they accused them of breaking the Sabbath, so it would not be possible. This shows that Ananias was not only a faithful believer in Jesus, but also a faithful Sabbath keeper at the same time, and confirms that early Jewish Christians kept the Sabbath commandment.
In conclusion, this whole section has now given much evidence that the early church was continuing to observe the Sabbath day. This being so, remember that all of the apostles were Jews, and all of the early church were Jews, until Cornelius and his household became believers (Acts 10:44-48). Look at the covenant they had with God:

(Exodus 31:16-17) "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant."

It was the death penalty for breaking it (Exodus 31:14-15), so there is no way that they would exchange the Sabbath day for Sunday, as a day of gathering together for worship, ministry, and prayer. If there had been any official change of day for the church, the apostles would have both taught it and practised it; but they did neither.

#1.104 James wrote to Jewish believers who met in the synagogue on the Sabbath day

JAMES 2:2
2 For if there come to your assembly¹ a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

Note: The word translated assembly¹ (Gr. sunagwgh&n, Gtr. sunagogen) is a form of the regular word for "synagogue" in the New Testament, and it is translated "synagogue" 55 times out of 57 occurrences. A better translation would have been, "For it there comes into your synagogue". James was writing to, "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" (James 1:1), and so to the Jewish believers who had gone to other countries. It is generally accepted that James was the first book of the New Testament that was written, and that it was at least fifteen years after the resurrection of Jesus (probably more). Regular meetings in the synagogues were held only on the Sabbath day (Acts 13:42-44). Therefore this is strong evidence that the Jewish believers were still observing the Sabbath day long after Jesus was resurrected.

#1.12 BECAUSE THE GENTILES OBSERVED THE SABBATH DAY

Note: Notice how the Gentiles expected to wait until the next Sabbath day to hear Paul again. If the New Testament church were Sunday keepers, why didn't they ask Paul to come and speak to them the next day? It would have been a marvellous opportunity to preach to the Gentiles with no unbelieving Jews present. This scripture shows that many Gentiles in those days were observing the Sabbath day, and they attended the synagogues to hear the word of God. If Paul "reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks." (Acts 18:4), then it shows that Greeks must have been attending the synagogue every Sabbath day, and that this incident was not just a "one off" occasion.

#1.14 BECAUSE JAMES TAUGHT US TO KEEP THE WHOLE LAW

JAMES 2:8-11
8 If you fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbour as yourself, you do well:
9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted of the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become a transgressor of the law.

Note: The law that James was talking about here was the ten commandments, the first four being based on love for God, and the latter six being based on love for our fellow man, "you shall love your neighbour as yourself," (James 2:8). This is confirmed by the discussion (James 2:11) of the sixth commandment, "You shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17), and the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). So when he talks about "the whole law" (James 2:10), is he ignoring the first four commandments? No, not when Jesus so clearly said that loving God was the "first and great commandment." (Matthew 22:38). So if offending in one point makes us guilty of all (James 2:10), that puts Sabbath breakers equal to murderers, adulterers, idolaters, etc., doesn't it? The Devil also knows that offending in one point makes us guilty of all, and that is why he works so hard to stop Christians from keeping the Sabbath day.

#1.16 BECAUSE THE NEW COVENANT HAS NOT ALTERED THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT

JEREMIAH 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says 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 to the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

HEBREWS 8:8-13
8 For finding fault with them, he says, Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I did not regard them, says the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he says, A New Covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and grows old is ready to vanish away.

HEBREWS 10:16-17
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Note 1: There are some important points that we need to make from these scriptures, and the first is, that this New Covenant is clearly made "with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:" (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8). There is no separate New Covenant with the Gentiles, just as there was no separate Old Covenant with the Gentiles. In order to become a partaker of the promises of God in the Old Testament, Gentiles had to come under the Old Covenant with Israel and keep the commandments (Exodus 12:48; 20:10; Leviticus 20:2; 22:18). Also now, in order to be a partaker of the New Covenant we have to become spiritual Jews, which we do by being circumcised in the heart:

(Romans 2:28-29) "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

Spiritual circumcision removes "the flesh" and allows God to write his word, "with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in the fleshy tablets of the heart." (2 Corinthians 3:3). Thus Paul wrote concerning the Jews, "the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things," (Romans 15:27), which is also confirmed elsewhere (Romans 9:4-8). This therefore included the law, for "the law is spiritual" (Romans 7:14).
Again Paul described all Christians as branches of an olive tree (Romans 11:16-25), where Jews were described as natural branches (v24), some of which were broken off through unbelief (v20), showing that the olive tree is symbolically Jewish. When he talked about the Gentiles (v13), he likened them to branches which were, "cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree:" (v24). Gentiles have to become partakers of the same "Jewish" root in order to survive, and the attachment to the olive tree for both natural and wild branches is by faith (Romans 11:20). Similarly, Jesus also described himself as the "true vine" (John 15:1), in which both Jews and Gentiles would have to abide in order to bear fruit (John 15:4). Those who do not abide in that vine would be cast forth and burned in the fire (John 15:6). Paul also went to great lengths to make the point that "there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:" (Romans 10:13), but that we are all part of the same body (Ephesians 2:11-22; Colossians 3:9-11). Finally on this same point, there are no Gentile gates to the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:10-13; #4.027), so if we do not become spiritual Jews, how then will we be able to enter?

Note 2: The second point to note is that all partakers of this New Covenant have God's law(s) written in their heart (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). Which laws are these then? Well, as the New Covenant is with Israel and Judah (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8), it would have to, at least, include the ten commandments which were given to them through Moses. This would have to include the Sabbath day, and can be proven by an incident where Israel broke the Sabbath commandment in the wilderness, by going out to gather manna on the seventh day. God's response to Moses was, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments, and my laws?" (Exodus 16:28). God regards the Sabbath commandment as one of his laws, so this would be one of the laws which have to be written in the heart of the believer in order to become a partaker of the New Covenant, wouldn't it? Notice also that God says, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;" (Jeremiah 31:33), and here the word "law" is singular, applying to the whole of the ten commandment, at least. The word used in the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה (Htr. torah) (Strongs 8451/2) and is translated "law" 219 times. It is used in such phrases as, the "Law of Moses" (15x), the "law of God" (4x), the "law of the LORD" (18x), and is the word used to show that a righteous man has God's law in his heart (Psalm 37:30-31; Isaiah 51:7). Look at this definition:

(James Strong 8452) תּוֹרָה , tôrâh, to-raw"; from 3384; a precept or statute, esp. the Decalogue or Pentateuch:- law (219x).

The Decalogue refers to the Ten Commandments, and the Pentateuch refers to the first 5 books of the bible written by Moses. Therefore, in many places the word "torah" obviously refers to, or includes the ten commandments, even as it does in the promise of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33).
One big difference between Old and New Covenant is that under the old one God's laws were engraved in "tablets of stone", but under the New Covenant they will be written "on the fleshy tablets of the heart." (2 Corinthians 3:3; Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). We can show that this is so, because the ark of the covenant is a type of the believer's heart:

(Hebrews 9:3-4) "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, in which was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;"

There were four things in the ark of the covenant, the first of which was the golden pot with manna. The gold of the pot is a type of faith that has been tried and tested (Job 23:10; 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 3:18). Gold was one of the gifts that the wise men gave to Jesus when he came to earth the first time in human form (Matthew 2:11), but when he comes a second time, he will be looking for the spiritual gold of faith (Luke 18:8). The faith that we have is also Christ, because our faith is often referred to as "the faith of Christ", or "the faith of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16 (2); 3:22; Ephesians 3:11-12; Philippians 3:9). Those bibles which translate these scriptures as "faith in Christ" have hidden this truth, because they are all genitive case in the Greek. Jesus is not only "the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), but it is his spirit in us which gives us our faith.
The second was the manna which appeared in the wilderness:

(Exodus 16:15) "And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat."

(John 6:31-35) "Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said to them, Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.
Then said they to him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he who comes to me shall never hunger; and he who believes in me shall never thirst."

Therefore, having Jesus in our heart, who is the word of God (John 1:1; 1:14), fulfils this Old Testament type of manna in the ark.

Note 3: The third one was Aaron's rod that budded. It was the result of a test, which God performed to demonstrate which tribe he had chosen to do the work of the priesthood in the wilderness. Twelve rods, each one having the name of the leader of each tribe on it, were placed before the ark of the LORD in the tabernacle (Numbers 17:1-7). The one that God chose budded and blossomed overnight, and produced almonds (Numbers 17:8). The rod is a type of Jesus Christ:

(1) He is the rod of God's strength sent forth from Zion (Psalm 110:1-2).
(2) He is the rod that comes from the stem of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1-2).
(3) The rod was a symbol of authority and power to work miracles (Exodus 4:2-3; 4:17; 7:9-12; 7:17 etc.), which is all in the hands of Jesus (Matthew 28:18; John 11:47; 21:25).
(4) Aaron's rod was chosen by God above all the others (Numbers 17:5), just as Christ was chosen by the Father (Matthew 12:18; Hebrews 5:4-5; 1 Peter 2:4).
(5) The rod produced fruit (Numbers 17:8), which is a type of Christ "the first-fruits" (1 Corinthians 15:20-23), and the one who produces fruit through us, when he abides in us (John 15:4-5). This dead piece of wood that suddenly came to life is a type of a resurrected Christ, and is meant to be in the heart of every believer:

(Romans 8:9) "Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his."
(2 Corinthians 13:5) "Do you not know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates?"
(Galatians 4:6) "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
(Colossians 1:27) "Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

Therefore, having Christ in our hearts fulfils this Old Testament type of Aaron's rod that budded in the ark.

Note 4: The ark was also called "the ark of the covenant" (Numbers 10:33; 14:44; Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9; 31:25; Joshua 3:3 etc.), and the fourth thing that it contained was the tablets of stone containing the ten commandments, which were called, "the tablets of the covenant" (Deuteronomy 9:9; 9:11; 9:15; Hebrews 9:4). (See also #1.022). These tablets clearly contain the Sabbath commandment, and are the laws which God has said he will write in our hearts as part of the New Covenant (See #1.16). These commandments cannot be changed:

(Ecclesiastes 3:14) "I know that, whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him."
(Psalm 89:34) "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."
(Romans 11:29) "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."

God gave the Sabbath day to his chosen people for their physical and spiritual benefit, and he will not take back that gift. This all proves that the Sabbath commandment will be in the hearts of God's chosen people who are partakers of the New Covenant. There are other scriptures to support this:

(Psalm 37:30-31) "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of judgment.
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide."

This means that "the law", which includes the Sabbath commandment, will be in the heart of every righteous man, and it must have been in the heart of Jesus:

(Hebrews 10:5-7) "Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice and offering you would not, but a body you have prepared me:
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do your will, O God."

The fact that this scripture refers to Jesus can be easily discerned by looking at the context (vv9-12), and we can get more information if we look at the Old Testament from where it is quoted:

(Psalm 40:6-8) "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; you have you have opened my ears my ears: burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
I delight to do your will, O my God: yes, your law is within my heart."

So here we see Jesus saying, "your law is within my heart", just as it is in every righteous man (Psalm 37:30-31; Isaiah 51:7). Therefore the Sabbath commandment must also be in his heart as it is part of that law. Having the law in his heart enabled Jesus to keep the law, and having the Sabbath commandment in his heart caused him to keep that perfectly (See #1.042). Jesus is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18), which is his body (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1:24), and as he has not changed (Hebrews 13:8; 1 Peter 1:25), the law of God is still in the heart of the head of the church. Jesus is in the heart of every true believer (Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 4:6), and as the law of God is in the heart of Jesus, then it should be in the heart of every believer. This means that the Sabbath commandment is in the heart of the head of the church, and should be in the heart of every believer. Jesus is now the mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:6; 12:24), and if God's law was in his heart, then it should also be in ours (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).

Note 5: Another point to be made from the scriptures is that partakers of the New Covenant will all know God (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:11). This is also a condition to be a partaker of eternal life (John 17:3), and when a man asked Jesus, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" (Matthew 19:16), part of Jesus' reply was, "if you will enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17). We know that he was referring to the ten commandments, because he went on to quote some of them (Matthew 19:18-19). Knowing God is also a condition to be one of Jesus sheep (John 10:14), so what does it mean to know Jesus, or God?

(1 John 2:3-4) "And by this we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He who says I know him, and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

This totally agrees with what Jesus said (Matthew 19:17), so if then all partakers of the New Covenant know God, they must be keeping his commandments. Again we need to remind ourselves that when Israel broke the Sabbath commandment in the wilderness, by going out to gather manna on the seventh day, God's response to Moses was, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments, and my laws?" (Exodus 16:28). God regards the Sabbath observance as one of his commandments, and he does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). Note also that those who do not keep his commandments do not have the truth in them (1 John 2:4), which means:

(1) God's commandments are not fully in them: "all your commandments are truth." (Psalm 119:151). This would mean we lack some righteousness, because "all your commandments are righteousness." (Psalm 119:172). If God scrapped the Sabbath commandment he would be scrapping truth and righteousness.
(2) God's law is not fully in them: "your law is the truth." (Psalm 119:142). God desires truth in our "inward parts" (Psalm 51:6), which is where he promised to put his law when we become partakers of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33). This would mean that they are not yet a partaker of the New Covenant, because God has promised to write his laws when we are (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). It would also mean that we are not yet fully righteous, because a righteous man has God's law in his heart (Psalm 37:30-31; Isaiah 51:7).
(3) God's word is not fully in them: "your word is truth." (John 17:17).
(4) Jesus is not fully in them because Jesus said, "I am ... the truth," (John 14:6).

The conclusion to be drawn from this is that the New Covenant has not altered the Sabbath commandment, but it has altered the way we interpret and observe it. Now we are meant to fulfil the righteousness of the law through the spirit (Romans 8:4), and not the letter of the law through the flesh (See Intro 3; #3.14 Note). If we wish to partake of this covenant, then we need to fulfil the Sabbath commandment the same way that Jesus taught (See #3).

#1.18 BECAUSE THE SABBATH WILL BE KEPT BY THE JEWS IN THE LAST DAYS

MATTHEW 24:15-20 (Jesus to his disciples)
15 Therefore when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand:)
16 Then let those who are in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days!
20 But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day.

Note: Why did Jesus tell his disciples to "pray that your flight is not ... on the Sabbath day."? Simply because in the very last days, which Jesus is talking about here, they will still be keeping the Sabbath, and some may be unwilling to travel on that day, which could prevent their flight. In those days only true believers in Jesus will be left of the Jews (Zechariah 12:9-10; 13:8-9; Romans 11:26). This scripture (Matthew 24:20) shows that Jesus expected the Jews to be keeping the Sabbath commandment in the very last days.

#1.20 BECAUSE THE SABBATH WILL BE KEPT DURING THE MILLENNIUM

ISAIAH 66:22-24
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me says the LORD.
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh.

Note: Looking at this in context, it seems to be after the second coming of Jesus:

(Isaiah 66:15-16) "For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many."

This being so, it will be a time when the Devil will be chained in the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3), and because he will not be able to deceive the nations any more, they will all be able to come to worship God, "from one Sabbath to another" (Isaiah 66:23). If we will observe the Sabbath day at that time, then it shows that it has not been done away with.

#1.22 BECAUSE WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS WILL BE LOST

MATTHEW 7:21-23 (Jesus)
21 Not every one who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out demons? and in your name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I confess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you who work lawlessness¹.

MATTHEW 13:40-42 (Jesus)
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this age.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who do lawlessness¹;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

TITUS 2:13-14
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all lawlessness¹, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

HEBREWS 1:8-9
8 But to the Son he says, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness, and hated lawlessness¹; therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

1 JOHN 3:4 (RPT)
4 Every man who commits sin, also commits lawlessness¹, and sin is lawlessness¹.

Note: The word translated lawlessness¹ (Matthew 7:23; 13:41; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 1:9; 1 John 3:4 RPT) (Gr. anomia, Gtr. anomia) is made up from two parts, "a" which is a negative, and nomoj (Gtr. nomos) which means "law". It literally means "not law", "no law", or "lawlessness", and refers to things done which are contrary to the law of God, namely, a transgression or breaking of the law. The King James Version of the bible translates every one of these places as "iniquity" except "transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). Why did Jesus refuse entrance to the kingdom of God to these people who prophesied, cast out demons, and did many wonderful works in his name (Matthew 7:22-23)? Because they broke God's law. Why will the angels cast people into a furnace of fire at the end of the age (Matthew 13:41-42)? Because they broke God's law. Jesus died to redeem us from "all lawlessness" (Titus 2:14), because he hates it (Hebrews 1:9). Isn't this a good reason to keep the Sabbath day? The apostle James said, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10), so where does that leave those who do not keep the Sabbath day? They are guilty of breaking every one of the ten commandments, including idolatry, adultery, and murder. Idolaters and adulterers cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21). No murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:15). The fate of lawless people will be to be cast into "a furnace of fire:" (Matthew 10:42; Revelation 21:8). These are good reasons to avoid breaking the Sabbath commandment.

#1.24 JESUS WORDS TO ALL THOSE WHO BREAK GOD'S COMMANDMENTS

MATTHEW 15:7-9 (Jesus)
7 You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

MARK 7:6-9 (Jesus)
6 He answered and said to them, Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 However in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do.
9 And he said to them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.

MARK 7:13 (Jesus)
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things you do.

Note: When people lay aside the Sabbath day, and keep Sunday instead, they do exactly what Jesus said:

(Mark 7:8) "laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men,"
(Mark 7:9) "you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition."

This is evil, because it makes the word of God of no effect when we substitute man's tradition for God's word (Mark 7:13). Those who observe Sunday, and do not keep the Sabbath day, teach others by their example.
Jesus' words are still applicable to us today:

(Matthew 24:35) "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
(Matthew 19:17) "if you will enter into life, keep the commandments."
(Luke 6:46) "And why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
(Matthew 19:17) "keep the commandments."
(John 14:15-24) "If you love me, keep my commandments. ... He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves me: ... If a man loves me, he will keep my words: ... He who does not love me does not keep my sayings:"
(Matthew 19:17) "keep the commandments."
(John 12:48) "He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has one who judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

#2. THE TIMING OF THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

Introduction 2: This section is very important, because no matter where we look in reference books, or whoever we ask, when we look for a reason why Christians go to church on Sunday, the answer is usually, because Jesus was raised from the dead on that day. Some may point to the scriptures which say that the apostles gathered together on "the first day of the week", and they have transferred the solemnity of the Sabbath to Sunday, believing that the New Testament Church also did. This was the belief of the Puritans, such as Thomas Watson (1620-1686):

(Thomas Watson p95) "The old seventh-day Sabbath, which was the Jewish Sabbath, is abrogated, and in the room of it the first day of the week, which is the Christian Sabbath succeeds. ... The keeping of the first day was the practice of the apostles. ... Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them." (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). ... What the apostles did, they did by divine authority; for they were inspired by the Holy Ghost."

Nevertheless, it has been the established tradition for many centuries, that Sunday is a memorial of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and therefore, we must first investigate whether Jesus did actually rise on a Sunday or not. If he did, then we must examine whether or not we are told to celebrate his resurrection in this way, but if Jesus didn't rise on a Sunday, then unless we can find some other reason to do it, this reason for substituting Sunday for the Sabbath day will be destroyed. This section therefore is a study of the timing of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and will inevitably also include an analysis of the phrase, "the first day of the week". It is an attempt to establish as accurately as possible the day of his death, and the time and day of his resurrection in particular, in obedience to the scripture, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21). In order to examine his death, we need a background understanding to the Day of the Passover, because this was the day that he died on. So let us begin in the Old Testament by examining the Jewish feasts.

#2.1 THE FEASTS OF YHVH ARE SPECIAL SABBATHS

#2.11 The day of atonement

LEVITICUS 16:29-31
29 And this shall be a statute for ever to you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a foreigner who sojourns among you;
30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
31 It shall be a Sabbath¹ of rest² to you, and you shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

LEVITICUS 23:32
32 It shall be to you a Sabbath¹ of rest², and you shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even to even, shall you celebrate your Sabbath¹.

Note 1: The word translated sabbath¹ (Hb. שַׁבַּת , Htr. shabbat) is the regular word for Sabbath throughout the Old Testament, and is never translated with any other meaning, but the word translated rest² (Hb. שַׁבָּתוֹן , Htr. shabbatôn) is variously described as meaning "a great Sabbath, a solemn Sabbath" (WG p804), and "Sabbath observance" (LAW p902). It is translated "rest" where it is used in conjunction with "shabbat", not only for the regular weekly Sabbath (Exodus 16:23; 31:15; 35:2; Leviticus 23:3), but also for the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:31; 23:32), and for the seventh year of rest for the land (Leviticus 25:4). When used by itself, without "shabbat", it is translated "Sabbath" in connection with the feast of trumpets (Leviticus 23:24), and the feast of tabernacles (Leviticus 23:29 twice), but translated simply "rest" in connection with the seventh year of rest for the land (Leviticus 25:5).

Note 2: The Day of Atonement came on the tenth day of the seventh month every year. It began at even on the ninth day, and continued to even on the tenth day (Leviticus 23:32), and it was counted as a special Sabbath. Because it came on the same date every year, it would have to come on a different day of the week every year, so when it did not coincide with a weekly Sabbath, there would be two Sabbaths during that week.

#2.12 The feast of trumpets

LEVITICUS 23:23-25
23 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
24 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath², a memorial of blowing trumpets, a holy convocation.
25 You shall do no servile work in it: but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Note: The feast of trumpets also occurred on the same date every year, the first day of the seventh month, and it was also a special Sabbath² (Htr. shabbaton See #2.11 Note 1). When it did not coincide with a regular weekly Sabbath, it would fall on a different day of the week each year, and there would be two Sabbaths during that week.

#2.13 The feast of tabernacles

LEVITICUS 23:33-36
33 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
34 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.
35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work in it.
36 Seven days shall you make an offering made by fire to the LORD: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you; and you shall make an offering made by fire to the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work in it.

LEVITICUS 23:39
39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath², and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath².

Note: The feast of tabernacles also came on the same date every year, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and it was also a special sabbath² (Htr. Shabbaton See #2.11 Note 1). When it did not coincide with the regular weekly Sabbath, it would fall on a different day of the week each year, and there would be two Sabbaths during that week.

#2.14 The Passover

LEVITICUS 23:4-5
4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.
5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover.

NUMBERS 28:16
16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD.

Note: The Passover was on the fourteenth of the first month, Nisan (formerly called Abib). It was the day that the angel of death killed all the first born in Egypt, and passed over the children of Israel who displayed blood on their door posts (Exodus 12:7, 22). This was not a special Sabbath, but it was the day that the Passover lamb was killed (Exodus 12:6; 2 Chronicles 35:1; Luke 22:7), the same day that "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:" (1 Corinthians 5:7). It was the day that they prepared for the feast of unleavened bread, the day before the special Sabbath on the fifteenth of the month, and it was called "the preparation" (Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31). Jesus died on the Passover, before the special Sabbath on the 15th, called "a high day" (John 19:31 KJV), and not before a weekly Sabbath.

#2.15 The feast of unleavened bread

LEVITICUS 23:1-8
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh is the Sabbath¹ of rest², a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work in it: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.
5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover.
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to the LORD: seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work in it.
8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work in it.

NUMBERS 28:16-18, 25
16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD.
17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
18 In the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no manner of servile work in it.
25 And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work.

Note 1: The point that we need to see here is that special days, which were counted as Sabbaths, were appointed for Israel to keep, and were separate from the regular weekly Sabbaths (Leviticus 23:3-8). These days were usually described using two particular phrases, "holy convocation" (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:24; 23:35-36; Numbers 28:18), and "you shall do no servile work" (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 16:29; 23:25; 23:35-36; Numbers 28:18). The same phrases are used to describe the regular weekly Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3). It is not said specifically in the Old Testament that the first day of the feast of unleavened bread was a Sabbath, but we can see that it was because it was described by these same two phrases (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 28:18). In the New testament it is referred to as a Sabbath (Mark 16:1; John 19:31), and as it came on the same date every year, the fifteenth of the first month (Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:17), then it would occur on a different day of the week every year. When it did not coincide with a regular weekly Sabbath, there would be two Sabbaths during that week. This is important for us to understand, because as we shall see, Jesus died the day before the feast day Sabbath, on the fifteenth day of the first month, called "a high day" (John 19:31 KJV), and not before the regular weekly Sabbath.

Note 2: We need also to make a distinction between the Passover, which was the fourteenth day of the month, and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, which was on the fifteenth day of the month. On the Passover they ate unleavened bread (Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11; Deuteronomy 16:3; Mark 14:12), and on the first day of the feast they ate unleavened bread (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:15). The Passover was referred to as "a feast day" (Luke 2:41; John 6:4; 13:1), just as the first day of the feast was (Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:17; Matthew 26:5; Mark 14:2). The difference is that the first day of the feast of unleavened bread was a special Sabbath, also called "a high day" (John 19:31 KJV, or literally, "great was that Sabbath day". However, the Passover is not described as a Sabbath, or a day of rest; if it had been Jesus could not have been crucified on that day (John 19:31).
So here is the conclusion so far. Jesus was crucified on the Passover, the fourteenth day of the first month, and had to be buried on that day because the next day was the feast of unleavened bread, a great Sabbath, and he could not remain on the cross that day.

A Diagrammatic Representation of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread

14^th Nisan The Passover The Preparation for the feast
A Special Sabbath 15^th Nisan. The First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
16^th Nisan 2^nd Day of the Feast
17^th Nisan 3^rd Day of the Feast
18^th Nisan 4^th Day of the Feast
19^th Nisan 5^th Day of the Feast
20^th Nisan 6^th Day of the Feast
A Special Sabbath 21^st Nisan The 7^th Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread

#2.16 The timing of the days

LEVITICUS 23:32
32 It shall be to you a Sabbath¹ of rest², and you shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even to even, shall you celebrate your Sabbath¹.

Note 1: The words for Sabbath¹ and rest², have been explained earlier (See #2.11 Note 1). The Jewish calendar works strictly according to the lunar cycle, there being 12 cycles per year of 29 days each. This makes 12 months having alternately 30 and 29 days each, giving a total of 354 days in the year. There is also a thirteenth month, Veadar or Adar Sheni, which is added 7 times every 19 years, to render the average length of the year nearly correct, and to keep the seasons in the proper months. Every month begins with a new moon, and the sacred year starts with the first day of Nisan (formerly Abib) which variously occurs between our March 22nd and April 25th throughout the 19 year cycle.

Note 2: The timing of the Jewish day, is not from midnight to midnight like our days are, but from even to even (Leviticus 23:32), or sunset to sunset. At the Passover time of year, which we call Easter, it would probably be about 6 p.m. our time when their day starts. They describe their time either as hours of the day, or hours of the night, and as there are twelve hours in the day (John 11:9), then there are also twelve hours in the night. As the length of the day varies, so the length of their hour varies also. So we can find various expressions in scripture, such as, "the third hour of the day." (Acts 2:15), "the ninth hour of the day" (Acts 10:3), "the same hour of the night," (Acts 16:33), and "the third hour of the night;" (Acts 23:23), which all show how the bible writers recorded their time. So let us make a note of a typical day in Jewish time, around the Passover time of year, and compare it to our time for reference.

Jewish time	Our period of time	Our point of time
Even	Around 6 p.m.	6 p.m.
The third hour of the night	8 p.m. to 9 p.m.	9 p.m.
The sixth hour of the night	11 p.m. to Midnight	Midnight
The ninth hour of the night	2 a.m. to 3 a.m.	3 a.m.
The twelfth hour of the night	5 a.m. to 6 a.m.	6 a.m.
The third hour of the day	8 a.m. to 9 a.m.	9 a.m.
The sixth hour of the day	11 a.m. to Midday	Midday
The ninth hour of the day	2 p.m. to 3 p.m.	3 p.m.
Even	Late afternoon	6 p.m.

#2.2 JESUS WAS LITERALLY THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE GRAVE

#2.21 He was raised on the third day

MATTHEW 16:21 (Jesus)
21 From that time forth began Jesus to show to his disciples, how that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

MATTHEW 17:22-23
22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said to them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men.
23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

MATTHEW 20:17-19
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said to them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

MARK 9:30-31 (Jesus)
30 And they departed from there, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
31 For he taught his disciples, and said to them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

MARK 10:32-34 (Jesus)
32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen to him,
33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests, and to the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
34 And they shall mock him, and scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

LUKE 9:21-22 (Jesus)
21 And he strictly warned them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;
22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

LUKE 18:31-33 (Jesus)
31 And he took to him the twelve, and said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all thing that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
32 For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spat on:
33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

LUKE 24:6-7 (An angel)
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke to you while he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

LUKE 24:46 (Jesus)
46 And said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

ACTS 10:39-40 (Peter)
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly;

1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-4 (Paul)
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Note 1: In every one of these scriptures except one (Luke 18:33) the expression "the third day" is translated from the Greek words th hmera th trith (Gtr. te trite hemera), which are the singular of the dative case, the adjective being in the "Attributive Intermediate Position" (Ward Powers p85). In Greek the dative describes a point in time when it is used in reference to time, and "te trite hemera" literally means "on the third day" (D.F. Hudson p105; Ward Powers p112; H.P.V. Nunn p47), that is, at some particular point in time on that day. That translated "the third day" (Luke 18:33) is the Greek expression th hmera th trith (Gtr. te hemera te trite), which means exactly the same thing as "te trite hemera", but has the adjective in the "Attributive Post Position" (Ward Powers p85; H.P.V. Nunn p60).

Note 2: How then do we understand this? Jesus died on the day of the Passover, which was the 14^th of the month (Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 9:5; Ezra 6:19), and the preparation for the feast of unleavened bread (John 19:30-31). He died around the ninth hour (Matthew 27:46-60; Luke 23:44-46), which would be around 3 a.m. in the afternoon (See #2.16 Note 2), and was buried the same day (Luke 23:50-56). There are different ways that we can interpret the phrase "the third day". One way is to count the days after his death on the 14^th. The first day would be the 15^th, the Sabbath of the feast (See #2.14), the second day would be the 16th, and the third day would be the 17^th. Thus, counting these as whole days, according to every one of these scriptures, Jesus had to rise on the 17^th day of the month. Another way would be to understand "the third day" as meaning "the third day of the feast of unleavened bread", in which case it would still mean that Jesus would rise on the 17^th day of the month.

#2.22 He was raised in three days

JOHN 2:19-21
19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and will you rear it up in three days?
21 But he spoke of the temple of his body.

Note: In both of these verses the words translated "in three days" (Gr. en trisin hmeraij, Gtr. en trisin hemerais) are the plural of the dative case. As the dative specifies a point in time (See #2.21 Note 1), this phrase means "at some point in time during a three day period". In agreement with the previous section, we know that it was more specifically at a point in time on the third day of that period, which was the 17^th day of the month.

#2.23 He was raised during three days?

MATTHEW 26:59-61
59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witnesses against Jesus, to put him to death;
60 But found none: yes, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the end came two false witnesses,
61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

MARK 14:55-58
55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
56 For many bore false witness against him, but they agreed not together.
57 And there arose certain, and bore false witness against him, saying,
58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.

Note: The words translated "in three days" (Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58) are the Greek words dia triwn hmerwn (Gtr. dia trion hemeron) which are in the genitive case. In this case the preposition "dia" literally means "through", and as the genitive case stands for "time during which" (D.F. Hudson p105; Ward Powers p108; H.P.V. Nunn p43), these statements speak as if he would be building throughout the three days. This was not what Jesus said, he used the dative case indicating a point in time during three days (See #2.22 Note), and in accordance with the best principles of interpreting the word of God (See RP 301 #4.16), as these are stated to be false witnesses who made these statements (Matthew 26:60; Mark 14:57), we can safely ignore their testimony altogether.

#2.24 He was raised after three days

MATTHEW 27:62-63
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

MARK 8:31 (Jesus)
31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Note 1: The words translated "after three days" in both of these scriptures are the Greek words meta treij hmeraj (Gtr. meta treis hemeras) which are in the accusative case. As far as time is concerned, the accusative case deals with "duration over a whole period" (D.F. Hudson p105; Ward Powers p106; H.P.V. Nunn p40), not "duration within a period", that would be genitive case (See #2.23 Note). As the preposition "meta" literally means "after", these statements make it clear that Jesus could not rise within this three day period specified, it had to be some time after it.

Note 2: We cannot take this to be a period of three separate complete days, because that would mean that he rose after the 17^th day, at least on the 18^th, and it would contradict many other scriptures (See #2.21). So in accordance with the best principles of translating scripture (See RP 301 #4.08 "Make Sense of the Apparent Contradictions"), we can count this as a period of three whole days in length, that is 72 hours. If we take it to start from the time of his death, around 3 p.m. on the 14^th day, then he must have risen at some time after 3 p.m. on the 17^th day, but before 6 p.m. which would be the start of the 18^th day for the Jews.

#2.25 He was raised after three days and three nights

JONAH 1:17
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great whale to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.

MATTHEW 12:40 (Jesus)
40 For as Jonah was three day and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Note 1: The sequence of events following Jonah's three days and three nights in the belly of the fish are as follows:

(Jonah 2:1) "Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God",
(Jonah 2:10) "And the Lord spoke to the fish,"
(Jonah 2:10) "and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."

In each case here the underlined words "Then", "And", and "and", are the same conjunction (Hb. וַ , Htr. va) which can mean "and", or "but" or "or", depending upon the context (J. Weingreen p40), and it can also mean "then". It doesn't mean "prior to this", or "before this", or "during which time". We can see that it is being used here to join a sequence of events which follow one another, from which we can conclude that Jonah spent three whole days and three whole nights in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17), that is, at least 72 hours of time. After this the Lord spoke to the fish, and the fish vomited Jonah out on the dry land.

Note 2: In the New Testament, the expression "three days and three nights" (Gr. treij hmeraj kai treij nuktaj, Gtr. treis hemeras kai treis nuktas) (Matthew 12:40) is in the accusative case, and as we have already seen (#2.24 Note 1), the accusative case denotes a complete period of time. It does not normally mean "a time during which", that would be the genitive case, or "a point in that period of time", that would have to be the dative case. So we can take this period of time to be at least 72 hours, counting 12 hours in each day (John 11:9), and 12 hours in each night. This was not the time between his death and resurrection, but the time that he was "in the heart of the earth", that is, the time between his burial in the tomb, and his resurrection.

#2.26 Conclusion concerning the time of the resurrection of Jesus

We have already shown that Jesus rose at some point in time on the 17^th of the month Nisan (See #2.21; #2.22), and that for other scriptures to agree it must have been between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on that day (See #2.24). We can narrow the time down even more when we see that Jesus had to be buried for three whole days (See #2.25 Note 2). We do not know the exact time of his burial, but we can estimate it from the following facts:
He died around 3 p.m. in the afternoon (Matthew 27:46-50).
The Jews sought Pilate to break the legs of those on the cross, and the soldiers broke the legs of the two robbers, and pierced the side of Jesus with a spear (John 19:31-37).
After this, Joseph of Arimathӕa went and asked for the body of Jesus at evening time (Matthew 27:57-58; Mark 15:42-43; Luke 23:50-52; John 19:38a).
The centurion then had to go and check if Jesus was dead, and report back to Pilate (Mark 15:44-45).
Joseph and Nicodemus then took the body, wrapped it up with spices (John 19:39-40), and took it and laid it in the tomb, and rolled a stone across the door (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; John 19:41-42).
It was still the day of the Passover when he was buried (Luke 23:54; John 19:42).
While he was being buried the women watched how he had been laid, and then went and prepared spices before they rested on the Sabbath day (Luke 23:55-56).
We can assume from all of this that it was very late on the day of the Passover (14^th of Nisan) when Jesus was buried, probably between 5 and 6 p.m. He had to be buried for at least three days and three nights, that is, 72 hours (See #2.25 Note 2). We have already shown that he must have risen of the 17^th of Nisan (See #2.21; #2.22), so it was probably between 5 and 6 p.m. on that day.

#2.3 JESUS' FIRST APPEARANCES TO HIS DISCIPLES AFTER HE WAS RAISED

Introduction 2.3

I have met a number of people who have agreed with me that Jesus didn't die on a Friday, but most of them still believe that Jesus rose on a Sunday. This next section is therefore crucial, and I encourage every one who reads it to follow the arguments very prayerfully, because only the Holy Spirit can reveal the truth of it to you. The main purpose of this section is to show when Jesus first appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, and to prove that he did not rise on Sunday.

#2.31 Mary Magdalene went to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to John

JOHN 20:1 (KJV)
1 The first day of the week¹ comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulchre, and sees the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

JOHN 20:1 (RPT)
1 And on one day from the Sabbath¹, Mary Magdalene comes early to the tomb, it being still dark, and sees the stone removed away from the tomb.

Note 1: The words translated the first day of the week¹ (KJV) and one day from the sabbath¹ (RPT) (John 20:19) are the Greek words th mia twn sabbatwn (Gtr.te mia ton sabbaton), and the issue of when Jesus rose from the dead depends very much on the interpretation of this phrase in the Greek. If you would like to see an intensive analysis of this phrase see our study on it. This scripture shows that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark.

#2.32 The women disciples came to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to Luke

LUKE 23:56-24:3 (KJV)
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

LUKE 23:56-24:1 (RPTG)
56 And having returned, they prepared spices and ointments, and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
1 But on one day from the Sabbath, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Note: This scripture also shows that these women came to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus very early on the Sunday morning.

#2.33 The women disciples came to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to Mark

MARK 16:1-2 (KJV)
1 And when the sabbath¹ was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week², they came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

MARK 16:1-2 (RPT)
1 And the sabbath¹ having passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that when they had come they might anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning during one night from the sabbath², they come to the tomb as the sun was rising.

Note: The word translated the sabbath¹ (Gr. sabbatou, Gtr. sabbatou) is the genitive, singular of the word "sabbaton", which means "Sabbath". It is so translated in other places in the New Testament (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5; 13:14; 13:16; 14:5; John 19:31; Acts 1:12), and everywhere in the text of the Septuagint. Here, it either refers to that Sabbath of the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread [as it also does in John 19:31 where it is not translated in the KJV], or the weekly Sabbath which followed (See #2.34 Note 1). That translated the first day of the week² (KJV), and during one night from the sabbath² (RPT), are the Greek words thj miaj sabbatwn (Gtr. tes mias sabbaton), which literally read "during one of the Sabbaths". The words "tes mias" are in the genitive case, which deals with "time during which" (H.P.V. Nunn p43, J.W. Wenham p64, Ward Powers p108), and literally means "during one day (or night) of", or "during one day (or night) from", or "during one day (or night) after". More specifically we know that the time was "at the rising of the sun" (v2), but just before sunrise as it was still dark (John 20:1), so this would be about 6 a.m. This section just confirms what we have seen with the previous two sections, that the women came to the tomb at the dawn of Sunday morning.

#2.34 The two Marys came to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to Matthew

MATTHEW 28:1 (KJV)
1 In the end¹ of the sabbath², as it began to dawn toward the first³ day of the week², came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

MATTHEW 28:1 (RPT)
1 But after¹ the Sabbath², at the dawning into one³ day from the sabbath², came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the tomb.

Note 1: The word translated In the end¹ (KJV), and after¹ (RPTG) (Gr. oye, Gtr. opse) is an adverb that occurs in only two other places in the New Testament. It is translated "even" (Mark 11:19), and "at even" (Mark 13:35). It occurs four times in the Septuagint, where it has a similar meaning (Genesis 24:11; Exodus 30:8; Isaiah 5:11; Jeremiah 2:23). In these cases it means "late in the day" or "at evening". However, some scholars say that oye can mean "after" [Walter Bauer (Bauer Arndt Gingrich Danker p601 oye), and Joseph Thayer (Joseph T. Thayer p471 oye)]. It obviously cannot mean "at even" here, because that would be late afternoon, and the context here clearly shows that the time was daybreak, "at the rising of the sun" (Mark 16:2). If oye does mean "after" in this scripture, then it refers to either the feast day Sabbath that had passed a few days before, or the weekly Sabbath of that week which had just passed. However, Thayer's editor does not agree with him, and says about Thayer's quoted examples, "they fail to sustain the rendering after" (Joseph T. Thayer p471 oye). He concludes that in Matthew 28:1 it means "late on the Sabbath", which is unlikely to be true. However, if instead of the missing word being "day" at this place, it is the word "night" that has been omitted, then it could read, "But late the night from (or after) the Sabbath," (RPTG). This would then make very good sense with the rest of the verse.

(Matthew 28:1 RPTG) "But late the night after the Sabbath, at the dawning into one day after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb."

It would also mean that the word oye is now used with consistent meaning throughout Old and New Testaments, and so this is good alternative interpretation.

Note 2: The word translated of the sabbath², of the week² (KJV), and twice sabbath² (RPT) is the same Greek word sabbatwn (Gtr. sabbatōn) in each case. The word translated first³ (KJV), and one³ (RPT), is the Greek word mian (Gtr. mian), which is the accusative singular of the word mia (Gtr mia). It is obvious from looking at the Greek that there are words missing from this text, which may not have confused the readers in those days, but it does make it more difficult for us to understand. The conclusion to be drawn from all of these scriptures is that the women came to the tomb at dawn (about 6 a.m.) on the Sunday morning of that week. The night after the Sabbath was coming to an end, and the day after the Sabbath was just about to start (Matthew 28:1). Jesus was already risen from the dead at this time (See #2.26).

#2.35 Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene on Sunday Morning

MARK 16:9 (KJV)
9 Now when Jesus was risen¹ early the first day² of the week³, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

MARK 16:9 (RPT)
9 And having risen¹, early the first day² after the sabbath³ he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons.

Note 1: The word translated having risen¹ (Gr. Anastaj, Gtr. anastas) is the nominative, singular, masculine, second aorist, active participle of the verb anishmi, (Gtr. anistemi), "I raise up". The timing of the aorist participle is almost invariably prior to the main verb (here "appeared"), especially when it appears before the verb, and is used in a temporal sense. This shows what is obvious from the context, that Jesus rose from the dead before he appeared. Being masculine, "anastas" refers to Jesus rising from the dead, and not to Mary Magdalene rising from sleep. That translated the first day² (KJV)(RPT) (Gr. prwth, Gtr. prōte) is the dative, feminine, of the adjective "prōtos". It means "first" whenever it applies to more than one thing numerically, which is by far the most common use, and that is what it means here. The word translated of the week³ (KJV) and after the sabbath³ (RPT)(Gr. sabbatou, Gtr. sabbatou) is the genitive, singular of the word "sabbaton", which means "Sabbath". It is translated "week" (Mark 16:9) and in one other place in the KJV (Luke 18:12). This verse makes it clear that this was Jesus first appearance to anybody after his resurrection, and when Mary Magdalene told it to the disciples they did not believe her.

Note 2: We can show plainly from scripture that Jesus could not have risen on Sunday morning. Let us suppose that he rose sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. on Sunday, and then ask the question, "On what day did he die?" If we say Thursday, then as we have already shown that he must have been buried after 5 p.m. on that day (See #2.26), we can reason as follows. He was buried for at least 72 hours (See # 2.24; #2.25), which would bring us to at least 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, so he could not have died on Thursday and raised on Sunday morning. If we say then that he died on Wednesday, we can reason like this. Thursday was the first day, Friday was the second day, and Saturday was the third day, and many scriptures show that he rose on the third day (See #2.21). Therefore he could not have died on Wednesday and rose again on Sunday morning. The timing is wrong. For all scriptures to fit he had to rise late afternoon, and in this case the weekly Sabbath afternoon just before sunset. To say that Jesus rose on Sunday morning is always contradicting some scriptures.

#2.36 Jesus appeared to two disciples on the Emmaus road on Sunday according to Luke

LUKE 24:1 (RPT)
1 But on one day from the Sabbath², very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

LUKE 24:13-15 (Disciples on the way to Emmaus)
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

Note: If we wish to know when this happened, we only have to look at the words "that same day" (v13), to know that it was later on the same Sunday that the women went to the tomb, and found he had been raised (Luke 24:1). It was after Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, because the scripture shows that his first appearance was to her (Mark 19:9), and was in fact later in the day (Luke 24:22-24), "towards evening" (Luke 24:29), so probably it was late afternoon.

#2.37 Jesus appeared to his other disciples on the Sunday evening according to John

JOHN 20:19 (KJV)
19 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 to you.

JOHN 20:19 (RPT)
19 Then it being evening on that day, one day from the Sabbath, and the doors being shut where the disciples had assembled themselves together because of the fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and says to them, Peace to you.

Note 1: This scripture has been used by some to prove that after the death of Jesus, the apostles, who were the New Testament church, began to gather together on a Sunday, "the first day of the week" (John 20:19), but why would they do that?
Did they get it out of their bible? No, their bible was our Old Testament, and everywhere that commanded the Sabbath day to be observed. There was no command there to change to Sunday.
Did Jesus tell them to do it? No, Jesus told them to "keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17), referring to the ten commandments, and also told them to teach others not to break them (Matthew 5:19). He never commanded to change to Sunday.
Were they then inspired by the Holy Spirit as people such as Thomas Watson believed (See Intro 2)? No, because it would mean that the Holy Spirit inspired them to do things totally contrary to scripture, and their scripture, our Old Testament, told them to keep the Sabbath day.
It would also mean that the Holy Spirit told them to do something contrary to the instructions of Jesus, and Jesus said, "he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you." (John 16:14). He also said that the Holy Spirit would, "bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you." (John 14:26), and Jesus told them, "keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17).
Jesus also said, "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:" (John 16:13), which meant that he would guide them to the ten commandments, as it is written, "all your commandments are truth." (Psalm 119:151).
Also at that time they had not received the Holy Spirit, they were not filled with the Spirit until the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4), so the idea that the Holy Spirit inspired them to change the day is not scriptural.
Were they then supposedly beginning to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus when they first did it? This cannot be right, because the women believers went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus early on that day, expecting him still to be dead (Matthew 28:1-6; Luke 24:1-7; John 20:1). If they had believed he had risen they would not have done that. When they discovered that he had risen, they went to tell the disciples, who did not believe them, (Mark 16:8; Luke 24:9-11; John 20:2), because they did not know the scripture that he would rise from the dead (John 20:9). Some of them went to the tomb to check (Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10), after which Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; John 20:14-18), and other women (Matthew 28:9-10). Even when the women reported that they had seen Jesus, the disciples still did not believe them (Mark 16:11; John 20:18). Jesus then appeared to two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:13-31), who though at first did not believe, after they understood, they went back to report to the apostles (Luke 24:33), but the apostles did not believe them either (Mark 16:12-13). At this point Jesus appeared to them (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23), and rebuked them for not believing those who had seen him (Mark 16:14), but even then they thought they were seeing a spirit (Luke 24:37). Even after this, because he was not there at that time, Thomas still did not believe (John 20:24-25) until he saw Jesus for himself (John 20:28). So we can dispense with any idea that they had begun to gather together on the first day of the week to commemorate Jesus' resurrection; not one of them believed in his resurrection at that time.
What was the spiritual state of the Apostles at that time? Peter had denied Jesus three times (Mark 14:66-72), saw him suffer and die, and did not even have the opportunity to say sorry. The others (except John) deserted him in his hour of need (Mark 14:50), also saw him die, and they had no opportunity to apologise either. They must have been very sad, and as far as they were concerned their ministry had ended, and they had no idea what to do. They were full of fear, hiding away "for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19), and were even terrified when Jesus appeared to them (Luke 24:37). Look at the covenant that they had with God:

(Exodus 31:16-17) "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever:"
(Exodus 34:28) "And he wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
(Deuteronomy 4:12-13) "And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of the words, but saw no likeness; only you heard a voice.
And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tablets of stone."

How then can anyone believe that these men were so spiritually confident at that time, that they could change one of the Ten Commandments, totally contrary to what God spoke audibly himself (Exodus 20:1; 20:8; 31:13-14; 31:16; Deuteronomy 5:12; 5:22), and wrote himself (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10), contrary to a "perpetual covenant" that he made with them "for ever", the penalty for breaking which was death (Exodus 31:14-15), and contrary to the words of Jesus (Matthew 19:17)? The idea is absurd. Make no mistake, the apostles were not gathering together here to establish a new day of worship instead of the Sabbath, they were gathered together "for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19). This was his first appearance to his disciples together, and took place after he appeared to the two disciples on the Emmaus road, so probably at the very end of Sunday afternoon, just before 6 p.m.

#2.38 Conclusion on Jesus' first appearances to his disciples after he was raised

We have already concluded that Jesus was buried late on 14^th Nisan, that he was buried for at least three days, and rose late on 17^th Nisan, probably just before 6 p.m. (See #2.26). This Sunday on which people found that he had been raised must therefore have been 18^th Nisan, in which case we can now work out when he died. The 17^th Nisan, on which he was raised up, must have been a Saturday, and the 16^th would have been Friday. The 15^th, which was the Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, was on Thursday, and the 14^th, which was the Passover on which Jesus died that year, was on Wednesday. So let us now put together the events of this day when he appeared to his disciples.

	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
(1) The women believers went to the tomb to anoint the
body of Jesus early on the weekly Sabbath day, about 6 a.m.	28:1	16:1-3	24:1	20:1
(2) They found the stone rolled away, and spoke to two
angels who told those who Jesus had risen.	28:2-7	16:4-7	24:2-8
(3) They went to tell the disciples, who did not believe
them.		16:8	24:9-11	20:2
(4) Peter and John ran to the tomb, but did not find the
body of Jesus.			24:12	20:3-10
(5) Mary Magdalene stayed at the tomb when the others
left, and spoke to two angels.				20:11-13
(6) Then Jesus appeared to Mary.		16:9		20:14-18
This was his first appearance after he rose from the dead.
(7) After seeing Jesus, Mary Magdalene must have gone
and told the other women first, who then all went together
to tell the apostles. (This is speculative, but seems
necessary for the next event to be understood.)
(8) As the women went, Jesus met with them and told
them to tell the disciples.	28:9-10
(9) When the women reported to the disciples that Jesus
had been seen by them, they did not believe them.		16:11		20:18
(10) By this time the guards had entered the city, taken
counsel of the elders, and took bribes to say that the
disciples had taken the body away.	28:11-15
(11) During the afternoon, Jesus then appeared to two
disciples on the Emmaus road.		16:12	24:13-31
(12) They went back to report to the apostles.			24:33-35
(13) The apostles did not believe them either.		16:13
(14) At this point Jesus appeared to the apostles.			24:36-43	20:19-23
(15) He rebuked them for not believing those who had
seen him.		16:14
(16) Thomas was not with them on that day.				20:24

These seem to have been the order of the events that occurred on the first day that Jesus appeared to his disciples.

Considering all this evidence, the conclusion is that Jesus did not die on a Friday, nor did he rise on a Sunday, although his first appearance to his disciples was on a Sunday he had already been raised up the afternoon before. The phrase "the first day of the week" in the New Testament, in almost every bible, is a paraphrase of the Greek which refers to the day after the weekly Sabbath day. There is therefore, no case anywhere in scripture for substituting Sunday for the Sabbath day on the basis of Jesus' resurrection, or for forsaking the Sabbath commandment.

#3. THE SPIRITUAL FULFILMENT OF THE SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3

This section is very important, because many Christians today have rejected much of the law of God completely. They have misunderstood the teaching of the apostle Paul on this subject, and in some cases they have even elevated what they think he meant above the words of Jesus. However, in order to rightly understand the truth, we must harmonize various scriptures in the word of God, and study together those which seem to contradict each other. By then meditating on them (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2-3), and seeking God to obtain the correct understanding (Matthew 7:7-8; James 1:5), the real truth can be revealed to us by his Spirit (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12). So before we go into this section, let us lay a foundation on how we, as Gentiles, should now understand the law, and in particular the Sabbath, so that we can see more clearly how it applies to us today.

Jesus was once asked, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" (Matthew 22:36). His reply was:

(Matthew 22:37-39) "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

No other commandment superseded these commandments, and when a person operated according to these commandments, in faith, he was fulfilling the law. Paul said, "he who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8), and "love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:10). There were also other commandments which were greater than some of the others:

(Matthew 23:23) "Woe to you scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith: these you ought to have done, and not leave the others undone."

In this verse Jesus is making the point that justice, mercy and faith were more important principles in the law than paying tithes, even though both should be done. Here in another example:

(Matthew 12:7) "But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless."

Of course sacrifice was part of the law, but in this place Jesus made it clear that mercy was more important and took precedence. Look at another example:

(1 Samuel 15:22) "And Samuel said, Does the LORD have as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hear than the fat of rams."

This example shows that obeying the commands of God is more important to God than making sacrifices. Thus there is a hierarchy of commands in the law, showing that some commands are more important than others, and when there is a conflict of commands the higher ones take precedence. Understanding how Jesus operated in this hierarchy, and how we should operate, removes many of the apparent contradictions and arguments that Jesus broke the law. "The law is spiritual" (Romans 7:14) and we are meant to fulfil the law in a spiritual way (Romans 8:4). A carnal man can only interpret the law in a carnal way, and cannot fulfil a spiritual law, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Romans 8:7). Why can a carnal man not keep the law? Because he is "Sold under sin" (Romans 7:14), and "sin is transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4). The higher commands in the law are love, mercy and faith, and these are spiritual. Therefore, spiritual fulfilment of the law supersedes keeping commandments in a carnal way. When Paul spoke of it he compared the spirit and the letter of the law:

(Romans 2:29) "But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

(Romans 7:6) "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead in which we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."

(2 Corinthians 3:6) "Who has made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills but the spirit gives life."

These scriptures show that the spirit of the law supersedes the letter of the law. However there are some occasions when we do have to keep the letter of the law, as well as the spirit of it. For example, "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14), is spiritually fulfilled by not lusting in our heart (Matthew 5:28), and loving our neighbour (Galatians 5:14). But then we must ask, "If I love my neighbour, and I do not lust after men or women in my heart, is it then alright to commit adultery?" The answer is obviously no. This is an example where the heart condition (love and no lust) is naturally expressed by keeping the letter (no adultery). Another example is the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3). This commandment is fulfilled by loving God with our whole heart, and our whole soul, and our whole mind (Matthew 22:37). So if we do love God this way, is it then alright to have another God before him? Obviously not! This is an example where our heart condition (love) is naturally expressed by our faithfulness (no other gods), and therefore keeps the letter also. You can examine all of the Ten Commandments in this way, on the basis of a heart filled with love, and find that every one of them will be kept literally in some way. The main thing is that we now fulfil the righteousness of the law:

(Romans 8:4) "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Love God
Love our neighbour
Justice, Mercy and Faith, Human need
Obedience to specific commandments, tithes, no work on the Sabbath
Free-will offerings and sacrifices

The higher commands here take priority over those below. Look at some examples to see how this hierarchy of commandments applies in the bible.

(Exodus 20:9-10) "Six days you shall labour, and do all your work:
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates:"

(Exodus 23:4-5) "If you meet your enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
If you see the donkey of him who hates you lying under his burden, and would forbear to help him, you shall surely help with him."

Now here we have some conflicting instructions. If you met your enemy’s ox going astray, you must take him back to him (Exodus 23:4), which would be work, but what if this happened on the Sabbath day when it was forbidden to do any work? The answer is that taking the animal back would be showing love for your neighbour, which is the second highest commandment, so you would do this even though contrary to doing no work on the Sabbath, which was for your own benefit.
The same reasoning applies if you found the donkey of someone who hated you lying under his load. You would help him as an act of mercy, which is a higher command that doing no work on the Sabbath day.

(Leviticus 24:5-9) "And you shall take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes of it: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
6 And you shall set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
7 And you shall put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
8 Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
9 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute."

(1 Samuel 21:1) "Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you?
2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Do not let any man know anything of the business on which I send you, and what I have commanded you: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
3 Now therefore what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present.
4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
5 And David answered the priest, and said to him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yes, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
6 So the priest gave him holy bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away."

(Matthew 12:3-4) "But he said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him;
How he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?"

In this example David ate the showbread which was holy, and intended only for the priests to eat. Why could he do that and not be guilty? Simply because a there was a human need and mercy overrode the letter of the law, which authorised only the priests to eat it.

(Numbers 28:9-10) "And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and its drink offering:
This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering."

(Matthew 12:5) "Or have you not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?"

Here we have contrary commands which say that no work should be done on the Sabbath day, and yet the Priests had to make more sacrifices than on a normal weekday, which was more work for them. Jesus said that they "profane the Sabbath", but were blameless. Why? Because they were doing the work of God, and in this case it took priority over the command to rest on the Sabbath.

(Mark 7:10-13) "For Moses said, Honour your father and your mother; and, Whoever curses father or mother, let him die the death:
But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; he shall be free.
And you permit him not to do anything for his father or his mother any more;
Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you."

Here we have a case where people were dedicating a free-will offering with God, called Corban, which should have been used to help their parents. Free-will offerings were accepted according to the law, but not when it broke the 5^th commandment to honour their Father and Mother (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). To show love and mercy to their parents and obedience to the 5^th commandment should have been a much higher priority than a free-will offering. The Pharisees were exalting relatively minor commandments, and ignoring the more important ones. Jesus referred to them as, "blind guides, who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel." (Matthew 23:24).

Example 5: Should Jesus’ disciples have plucked the ears of corn on the Sabbath Day?

(Matthew 12:1-2, 7-8) "At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, Behold, your disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.
7 But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day."

Technically speaking Jesus’ disciples were breaking the command to do no work on the Sabbath day, because in a small way they were reaping. However there was a human need because the disciples were hungry, and this took precedence over the letter of the law (See #3.15).

(1 Pet 2:13-14) "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it is to the king, as supreme;
Or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of those who do well."

(Romans 13:1-4) "Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities; for there is no authority except from God; and those who are authorities have been appointed by God.
2 Whoever therefore resists the authority, resists the ordinance of God: and those who resist shall receive to themselves condemnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him who does evil."

(Acts 5:29) Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."

In this case both Peter and Paul commanded us to obey the authorities of the country where we live, saying, they have been put there by God, and if we disobey we will be punished. However, when the rulers of the Jews tried to make a law in Jerusalem that the Apostles should not teach in the name of Jesus, Peter and the others agreed to obey God rather than men. The hierarchy here is obvious; God’s commands are more important than man’s commands.

The Levitical priesthood under the law was physical, but this was only temporary, and was a figure, or shadow, of the heavenly one.

(Hebrews 9:8-10) "The Holy Spirit signifying this, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him who did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and various washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation."
(Hebrews 10:1) "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make those who come to it perfect."

The true spiritual priesthood was the one promised to Jesus, after the order of Melchisedec:

(Hebrews 7:11-17) "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
And it is yet far more evident: for that after the likeness of Melchisedec there arises another priest,
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
For he testifies, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
(Hebrews 6:20) "even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
As the true high priest, Jesus offered himself as a once and for all sacrifice for sins, and cleansed the heavenly sanctuary with his own blood:
(Hebrews 9:11-12) "But Christ, having become a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
(Hebrews 9:22-26) "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others;
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the completion of the ages has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

So Jesus is now "a great high priest" (Hebrews 4:14), and we are a "holy priesthood" (1 Peter 2:5). The whole of the Levitical priesthood, and all of its ordinances, including the animal sacrifices that were made (See #4.24), are now obsolete, and are now meant to be understood only in a spiritual sense. For example, as a "holy priesthood", we are now meant to make spiritual sacrifices to God (See #3.25 Note). Those functions of the priest, such as teaching (Exodus 24:12; Leviticus 10:11; Nehemiah 8:8), have now been transferred to teachers that God has set in the Church (1 Corinthians 12:28).

(3) Rather than being engraved on tablets of stone, God's commandments are now written on our heart

The scripture speaks of, "The ministry of death, written and engraved in stones," (2 Corinthians 3:7), being done away with (2 Corinthians 3:11), but "the ministry of the spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:8), "written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the heart." (2 Corinthians 3:3), remains (2 Corinthians 3:11). This writing of God's laws in our heart is a part of the New Covenant (See #1.16), and enables us, through the Holy Spirit, to understand the spiritual significance of them, and keep them. It applies to Gentiles as well as Jews, because "the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things," (Romans 15:27), and "the law is spiritual," (Romans 7:14).

Jesus once asked a question, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?" (Mark 3:4). This came about because people were watching to see if Jesus would heal a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day, so that they could accuse him (Mark 3:1-2). Jesus established a principle, by healing the man, that "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day." (Matthew 12:12).
In this case healing the man was an act of love, an act of faith, and an act of mercy, and so Jesus was operating according to the higher requirements of the law.

Therefore, when we analyse this next section, these above points need to be kept in mind.

#3.1 WHAT NOT TO DO ON THE OLD TESTAMENT WEEKLY SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3.1

Paul said, "For we know that the law is spiritual:" (Romans 7:14), and "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning," (Romans 15:4). The scripture says, "the word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isaiah 40:8), so even though we may not believe that we should always keep every commandment of God literally, there must be something spiritual in them for us today. Therefore, in this section we will be examining the instructions where we are told not to do something on the Sabbath day, and we will be looking for the spiritual understanding that we are meant to fulfil.

#3.11 Do not do our own work

EXODUS 20:8-10
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days you shall labour, and do all your work:
10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates:

EXODUS 31:15
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

DEUTERONOMY 5:12-14
12 Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD your God has commanded you.
13 Six days you shall labour and do all your work:
14 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates; that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you.

ISAIAH 58:13
13 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shall honour him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:

Note: This commandment was taken literally in the days of Moses, and on one occasion a man was put to death for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day (See #3.13), but Jesus showed that human need was above the letter of the law, and on one occasion told a man to take up his bed and walk on the Sabbath (John 5:8). This Sabbath commandment has also a spiritual significance, and we can see several different kinds of works that we need to cease from in order to fulfil it, and enter into spiritual rest:

(Hebrews 4:10) "For he who is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his."

(Galatians 5:19) "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envying, murders, drunkenness, revelling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Every one of "the works of the flesh" are sin, and they are also referred to as "the sins of the flesh" (Colossians 2:11). This is why we must cease from them. In a spiritual sense, ceasing from the works of the flesh is putting away sin, and is similar to carrying no burden on the Sabbath day (See #3.15).

(Galatians 2:16) "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
(Galatians 3:10) "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

These "works of the law" included the animal sacrifices which were done to cover sin under the law (See #4.04), and could never justify anybody in the sight of God. The body of Jesus Christ is the only acceptable offering for sin (Hebrews 10:10).

(Deuteronomy 6:25) "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us."
(Isaiah 64:6) "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags;"

Self righteousness is the righteousness that comes through obedience to the letter of the Law (Deuteronomy 6:25), [such as the animal sacrifices (See #4.24)] as was also confirmed by the apostle Paul:

(Philippians 3:9) "And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law,"

We must cease from all self righteousness in order to be justified by the faith of Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16).

(Hebrews 6:1) "let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,"

Dead works are the works that are done through the spiritual death that exists in people (Romans 5:12; 5:14; 7:24). It includes all sin, our own works, the works of the flesh, the works of the law, and self righteousness. Ceasing from all of these types of work spiritually fulfils the commandment, "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work," (Exodus 20:10).

#3.12 Do not cook or gather food

EXODUS 16:22-23
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
23 And he said to them, This is that which the LORD has said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath to the LORD: bake that which you will bake today, and boil that you will boil; and that which remains over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

EXODUS 16:27-30
27 And it came to pass, that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, and they found none.
28 And the LORD said to Moses, How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
29 See, For that the LORD has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide you 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.

Note 1: God gave Israel instructions not to prepare food on the Sabbath day, so that food had to be cooked and prepared ready for the Sabbath, and all they had to do on the Sabbath was eat it. In a spiritual sense, preparing food is equivalent to rightly dividing the word of God (2 Timothy 2:15), and obtaining the truth from it. When we enter into true spiritual rest, all we will be doing with spiritual food is continually eating it:

(Joshua 1:8) "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."
(Psalm 1:2) "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law he meditates day and night."

An example of this was Jesus, when he started his ministry, he had already obtained all the truth from God's word. He didn't have to keep going back to study the scriptures to get some more truth from it, all he had to do was keep on meditating it, and live it.

#3.13 Do not gather sticks or make a fire

NUMBERS 15:32-36
32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day.
33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.
34 And they put him under guard because it was not declared what should be done with him.
35 And the LORD said to Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.
36 And all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

EXODUS 35:3
3 You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.

Note: One purpose of preparing a fire was to cook physical food, so this could be seen as the same as the previous section (See #3.12 Note). Spiritually it matches up because God's word is like a fire: "Is not my word like as a fire? says the LORD;" (Jeremiah 23:29). So when we enter into true rest, we will not be preparing God's word (the fire), by rightly dividing it (2 Timothy 2:15), that will have already been done. We will just be eating it (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2).
Another purpose of preparing a fire is to keep us warm. Spiritually we could see this as the fire being the Holy Spirit, which sets us on fire for God. John the Baptist said:

(Matthew 3:11) "I indeed baptize you with water to repentance: but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to loose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:"

Jesus said to the church at Laodicea, "I would you were cold or hot." (Revelation 3:15), but he really wanted them to be hot. To be hot for God is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and busily going about doing his will. We won't have to work anything up in the flesh, trying to make it look like something is happening when it isn't, nor will we be seeking to be filled with the Spirit, that is equivalent to preparing a fire. We will be spiritually on fire, and be spiritually fulfilling the Sabbath commandment, "You shall kindle no fire ... on the Sabbath day." (Exodus 35:3).

#3.14 Do not pluck the ears of corn?

MATTHEW 12:1-8
1 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, Behold, your disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.
3 But he said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only the priests?
5 Or have you not read in the law, how on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?
6 But I say to you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

Note: It was lawful to pluck the grain (Deuteronomy 23:24-25), but not on the Sabbath day. This was similar to gathering manna on the Sabbath day which was also forbidden (Exodus 16:27-30), so they were literally breaking the letter of the law. However, Jesus showed them that human need came above the letter of the law (Matthew 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-26), that mercy (attending to human need) was better than sacrifice (sticking rigidly to the letter of the law) (Matthew 12:6), and that his disciples were guiltless in the eyes of God (Matthew 12:7). Those who are aware of the spiritual meanings behind the law, and it is spiritual (Romans 7:14), are free from the bondage of it, and no longer have to keep it to the letter (See Intro 3). In the natural sense, reaping is lawful on the Sabbath day for an individual when there is a great human need, but as part of a secular job, or just to make more money it would be wrong. In a spiritual sense we can see this as the Harvest of souls:

(Luke 10:2) "Therefore said he to them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."
(John 4:35) "Do you not say, There are yet four months, and then comes harvest? behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

This then shows us that evangelism, and winning souls for God, which is God's work and not our own, is quite in order on the Sabbath day.

#3.15 Do not carry any burden

JEREMIAH 17:21-22
21 Thus says the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do you any work, but hallow you the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

Note: For the Jews this command was literal. When Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda, he told him to take up his bed and walk (John 5:8). The man was immediately healed, and took up his bed as Jesus had commanded him, but then got into trouble with the Jews because it was against the letter of the law to carry it on the Sabbath day (John 5:10). However, it was not contrary to the spirit of the law, otherwise it would have been wrong for Jesus to tell him to do it. It cannot therefore be a sin to carry something on the Sabbath day, as long as we walk according to the Spirit. So what spiritual significance it there in this scripture (Jeremiah 17:21-22) for us today? Spiritually, the heavy burden with which we are laden before we come to Jesus is sin:

(Psalm 38:4) "For my iniquities are gone over my head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me."
(Isaiah 1:4) "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,"
(2 Timothy 3:6) "silly women laden with sins,"

When we come to Jesus this needs to be laid aside, "let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us," (Hebrews 12:1), then can we take his yoke upon us (Matthew 11:29) and become yoked together with him. This will enable his spirit to work through us in order to fulfil God's will for our lives. Once we have laid aside our sin, then we have spiritually fulfilled the Sabbath commandment, "bear no burden on the Sabbath day," (Jeremiah 17:21-22).

#3.16 Do not buy or sell

NEHEMIAH 13:15-17
15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day in which they sold victuals.
16 There dwelt men of Tyre also in there, who brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

NEHEMIAH 10:31
31 And if the people of the land brought any ware or victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the extraction of every debt.

Note: Again, by the letter of the law it was a sin to buy and sell on the Sabbath day. It was work for many people, and a lot of work was involved to enable them to do it. For example, they brought much food into Jerusalem to be able to sell it, but this involved a lot of human work, and also work for the animals (Nehemiah 13:15). Everyone was supposed to rest on the Sabbath day, even the animals (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14). So what is the spiritual significance of this for us today? What is it that we spiritually trade in, and exchange with others? Our business is doing God's work, which still has to be done on the Sabbath day (See #3.3). So we can preach the gospel, teach God's word, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons, and do it all freely just as Jesus commanded, "freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8). When we receive the knowledge and power to do it freely from God, together with our needs supplied (Matthew 6:31-33; Philippians 4:19), and minister it freely, then we are fulfilling the Sabbath commandment not to buy or sell on the Sabbath day.

#3.17 Do not do our own ways, or seek our own pleasure

ISAIAH 58:13-14
13 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shall honour him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.

Note: Not doing our own ways, is the same as not doing our own works (See #3.11), but here we are told not to do or find our own pleasure also.
Pleasure is likened to a thorn in the parable of the sower, which chokes the word, and prevents us from going on to perfection (Luke 8:14). The phrase, "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;" (2 Timothy 3:4), shows that the pleasures of this life are competing with God for our affections, and we are told, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2). Even Moses did this:

(Hebrews 11:24-26) "By faith Moses, when he came to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward.

(Matthew 16:24) "Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(Mark 8:34) "Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
(Luke 9:23) "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

Satan's golden rule is to please ourselves, but Jesus requires us to deny ourselves. When we deny ourselves the pleasures of this life, and rather please God as Jesus did (Matthew 3:17; John 8:29), then we will be spiritually fulfilling the command not to seek our own pleasure on the Sabbath day.

#3.18 Do not speak our own words

ISAIAH 58:13
13 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shall honour him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:

Note: Speaking only God's words was always God's intention for his people, even in the Old Testament:

(Deuteronomy 6:6-7) "And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart:
And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up."

(Isaiah 59:21) "As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD; My spirit that is upon you (Jesus), and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed (the apostles), nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed (us who have been saved through the words of the apostles), says the LORD, from now on and for ever."

Jesus kept this commandment perfectly, according to his own testimony he spoke only what the Father told him to say:

(John 8:28) "as my Father has taught me, I speak these things."
(John 8:38) "I speak that which I have seen with my Father:"
(John 12:50) "whatever I speak therefore, even as the Father said to me, so I speak."
(John 14:10) "the words that I speak to you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works."

We have the same instruction, because if we are a partakers of the New Covenant God's laws will be written in our heart (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16), and if Jesus lives in our heart, as he should (Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 4:6), then he will speak through us:

(Matthew 12:34) "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
(Matthew 15:18) "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart;"

We are called to be like Jesus (Luke 6:40; Romans 8:29; 1 John 2:6), and when we are we will be fulfilling this part of the Sabbath commandment, "nor speaking your own words:" (Isaiah 58:13), every day of the week.
Another way of fulfilling this commandment is to speak in tongues, as they did on the day of Pentecost, when "the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4). This is equivalent to praying "in the spirit" (Ephesians 6:18), which we are told to do often.

#3.2 WHAT TO DO ON THE OLD TESTAMENT WEEKLY SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3.2

Paul said, "For we know that the law is spiritual:" (Romans 7:14), and "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning," (Romans 15:4). The scripture says, "the word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isaiah 40:8), so even though we may not believe that we should always keep every commandment of God literally, there must be something spiritual in them for us today. Therefore, in this section we will be examining the instructions where we are told to do something on the Sabbath day, and we will be looking for the spiritual understanding that we are meant to fulfil.

#3.21 Rest

EXODUS 16:23
23 And he said to them, This is that which the Lord has said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath to the LORD: bake that which you will bake today, and boil that you will boil; and that which remains over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

EXODUS 31:15-16
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

EXODUS 35:2-3
2 Six days shall work be done but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD: whoever does work in it shall be put to death.

LUKE 23:56
56 And they returned, and prepared spices, and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

Note: This commandment was one that Israel kept literally in the days of Moses, and it is one that we should keep now if we are involved in secular work. Human beings need physical rest, because God created us this way. He knew that we would need a physical rest day every week, and through the Sabbath he has provided one for us. Taking advantage of it gives us the opportunity to devote our time to spiritual things on that day, which is not always possible during the week, so for these reasons we should still keep the Sabbath day. There are also spiritual meanings to "rest" which we should also fulfil, and these are as follows:

(1) Rest in Death
In the Old Testament there are several references which indicate that death is a type of rest:

(Job 3:11-13) "Why did I not die from the womb? ... then had I been at rest,"
(John 11:13) "However Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep."
(Revelation 14:13) "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on: Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

(See also Job 3:17; 17:16; Revelation 6:9-11). When people die they rest from the labours of this world, because they can no longer do them. Spiritually, dying can refer the death of our “old man” (Romans 6:6), the "self" (Galatians 2:20) that lives in us. When we have crucified these, we will be dead to "the world" (Galatians 6:14), dead "to sin" (Romans 6:2), dead to "the flesh" (Galatians 5:24), and be spiritually fulfilling the type of "rest in death".

(2) Rest from Our Enemies
Another type of rest came when all the enemies had been defeated, and the people of the land had rest from wars:

(Deuteronomy 12:9-10) "For you are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God gives you. ... when he gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety;"
(Joshua 11:23) "And the land rested from war."
(Joshua 23:1) And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about,"

(See also Joshua 1:13-15; 21:44; 2 Samuel 7:11; 1 Kings 5:4; 1 Chronicles 22:9; 22:17-18; 2 Chronicles 14:6; 20:29-30). This was a literal rest from physical enemies for Israel. It applied to them as long as they did right by God, and did not go out and attack their enemies, but for us today there is a spiritual significance. Our warfare is now spiritual (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:11-18), and our adversary is the Devil (Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8-9). However, we can get to a place, walking in full obedience to God, where the Devil cannot touch us directly:

(Proverbs 16:7) "When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."
(Psalm 91:5-7) "You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you."
(Ecclesiastes 8:5) "Whoever keeps the commandment shall feel no evil thing:"
(1 John 5:18) "We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one does not touch him."

When we get to this place, we will be spiritually fulfilling the Old Testament type of rest from our enemies.
However, when the Devil cannot touch us directly, he will seek to get at us through other people, and then we may suffer persecution, as we have been promised:

(John 15:20) "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;"
(2 Timothy 3:12) "Yes, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

(3) Rest from Our Own Works
The different types of work that we are to rest from in order to spiritually fulfil "rest from our own works" has been discussed earlier (See #3.11).
When we get to the place where we are spiritually fulfilling all these different types of rest, we will be fulfilling the Old Testament type of rest on the Sabbath day.

#3.22 Have a Holy Convocation

LEVITICUS 23:3
3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, a holy¹ convocation²; you shall do no work in it: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Note: The word translated holy¹ (Hb. קֹדֶשׁ , Htr. qōdesh) means "sanctified, set apart, or holy", and the word translated convocation² (Hb. מִקְרָא , Htr. miqrāʼ) refers to "a called out gathering, or a convocation". In the Old Testament, these words were reserved exclusively for the seventh day Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3), and the special feast day Sabbaths (See #2.1). The seventh day Sabbath was a time which was set apart for people to gather together for worship (See #3.24), reading of the law (See #3.32), teaching (See #3.31), and prayer (See #3.33). In the time of Jesus and the apostles this was done by gathering together at the synagogues (See #1.042; #1.081), which were open on that day for that purpose. Our equivalent today would be going to church on the Sabbath day, Saturday. So in the natural sense, a holy convocation was a physical gathering together of people, but in a spiritual sense this is a spiritual togetherness of people. This is what Jesus prayed for before he died:

(John 17:20-21) "Neither do I pray for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word;
That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us:"

This refers to a oneness of spirit. Just as it is possible for people to be physically together, without being spiritually together, so it is possible for people to be spiritually together, without being physically together:

(1 Corinthians 5:3-4) "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him who has so done this deed,
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
(Colossians 2:5) "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit,"

Paul would not be physically present at those meetings, but he would be with them in spirit. This oneness of spirit is something that Christians today ought to be striving to achieve.
This is another case where fulfilling the spiritual does not do away with keeping the physical, because we have been told to gather together:

(Hebrews 10:25) "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching."

Gathering together on the Sabbath day was a habit of Jesus and the apostles (See #1.042; #1.081).

#3.23 Keep the Gates of the City Closed

NEHEMIAH 13:19-22
19 And it came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath: and I set some of my servants at the gates, that there should be no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of ware lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why do you lodge about the wall? if you do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no more on the Sabbath.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy.

JEREMIAH 17:21
21 Thus says the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;

JEREMIAH 17:27
27 But if you will not hear me to sanctify the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

Note: Jerusalem is the capital city for all Israel. It is the place that God chose for himself, and his temple:

(2 Chronicles 6:6) "But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there;"
(2 Chronicles 7:16) "For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually."

It has a large wall around it for protection, and a main Gate through which the inhabitants and visitors to the city can go in and out. It is a type of the spiritual heart of the believer, the place where God has now chosen to dwell (2 Corinthians 6:16; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 3:17). The wall for protection is like our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:15), and the inhabitants that live there are like the thoughts of our heart. The gate, which is what we need to consider in this section, is equivalent to the mind. The gate was a very important place in every city, because a lot of activity went on there. People who wanted to know what was going on often "sat in the gate" (Genesis 19:1), in particular the elders of the people (Deuteronomy 22:15; Ruth 4:11; Proverbs 31:23), sometimes even the king (2 Samuel 19:8; Jeremiah 38:7). Any news that came to the city came first to the gate, where it could be discussed, and judgements were made (Psalm 69:12; Amos 5:12; 5:15). Wisdom was spoken there (Proverbs 24:7), people were often reproved (Isaiah 29:21; Jeremiah 17:19-20; Amos 5:10), and trading was done (2 Kings 7:1; 7:18). This was the place where any undesirable person could be rejected, so when enemies came to attack them, the gate would be firmly shut. Our mind is where all of our mental activity goes on, and because it is the entrance to the heart, this is where information first enters. Judgements are made here, things are thought over, and it is the place where we can receive wisdom, or reproof. When the enemy comes to attack us, we need to reject his thoughts, by "casting down imaginations" (2 Corinthians 10:5), and close our mind to his attempts to enter. Spiritually, shutting the gate on the Sabbath day to stop outsiders from coming in is equivalent to shutting our mind to outside thoughts, so that we can concentrate on the things of God, and meditate on him (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2). True rest comes from him when we are in his presence (Exodus 33:14; Matthew 11:28).

#3.24 Worship God at the Gate of the Temple

EZEKIEL 46:1-3
1 Thus says the Lord God; the gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened
2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate outside, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.
3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the Sabbaths and in the new moons.

Note: The literal temple at Jerusalem has not existed since 70 A.D. when it was destroyed by the Romans. No one has been able to fulfil this scripture in a literal sense for over 1930 years, but the body of every believer has now become the new spiritual temple:

(1 Corinthians 3:16-17) "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."
(1 Corinthians 6:19) "What? do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?"

(John 4:23-24) "But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him.
God is a Spirit: and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

The fulfilment of this scripture (Ezekiel 46:1-3), in a spiritual sense, is therefore to worship God in Spirit and in truth in a holy physical body, which is the spiritual temple of God.

#3.25 The prince shall offer burnt offerings

EZEKIEL 46:4-5
4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer to the LORD in the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.

Note: Literal animal sacrifices are no longer required because Jesus has fulfilled them all (See Intro 3 (1); #4.24), so how can we today fulfil this scripture in a spiritual sense?

(1 Peter 2:5) "You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Jesus is now a high priest after the order of Melchisedec (See Intro 3), and we are his priesthood, who are to make the spiritual sacrifices to God. Here is a list of some of the spiritual sacrifices that we should be giving to God today:

(Deuteronomy 33:19) "They shall call the people to the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness:"
(Psalm 4:5) "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD."
(Psalm 51:19) "Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,"

(Psalm 27:6) "therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD."

(Psalm 51:17) "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

(Leviticus 22:29) "And when you will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, offer it at your own will."
(Psalm 107:22) "And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing."
(Psalm 116:17) "I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD."

Sacrifices made with our mouths are called, "the calves of our lips." (Hosea 14:2).

(Jeremiah 17:26) "bringing sacrifices of praise, to the house of the LORD."
(Jeremiah 33:11) "those who shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD."
(Hebrews 13:15) "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

(Hebrews 13:16) "But do not forget to do good and to communicate: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

(Romans 12:1) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

Obedience is really a great sacrifice, because it requires us to deny ourselves. It is equivalent to sacrificing "our old man" up to be crucified (Romans 6:6), and is really a sacrifice of our self-life: "I am crucified with Christ." (Galatians 2:20).

(1 Samuel 15:22) "And Samuel said, Does the LORD have as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hear than the fat of rams."

Love is also a great sacrifice, because it expresses itself in obedience to God (See #1.045 Note). So another way that we can fulfil this scripture (Ezekiel 46:4-5) is to love God with all or heart and soul, and our neighbour as our self:

(Mark 12:33) "And to love him (God) with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

These spiritual sacrifices are our fulfilment of the animal sacrifices that were made by the Levitical priests. These sacrifices were increased on the Sabbath day (Numbers 28:1-8; 28:9-10; Ezekiel 46:4-5), and ceasing from secular work gives us plenty of time to do them.

#3.26 Remain in Your Place

EXODUS 16:29
29 See, for the LORD has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days; let every man abide in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

Note: This was a restriction against going out to gather food on the Sabbath, just as it was also forbidden to gather sticks (See #3.13), or go out to do any work (See #3.11). It could not mean that they could not go out of their tent, because they had to go to the tabernacle of the congregation for a holy convocation (See #3.22). Also Jesus and others walked through the cornfields on the Sabbath day without breaking the commandment (Mark 2:23). In a spiritual sense we can look on this command, "let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." as being fulfilled by:

(1) Staying in God's will, which is the duty of every believer, and makes us brothers and sisters to Jesus (Mark 3:35).
(2) Staying, or "abiding in Christ", and not backsliding. This means that we will not sin (1 John 3:6), that we will walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6), that we will bear much fruit (John 15:5), and that we will remain a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
(3) Stay, or abide, in the love of Jesus. This means that we will obey him:

(John 15:10) "If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."

#3.3 THE NEW TESTAMENT WORKS FOR THE SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3.3

The best way to see what we should do on the Sabbath day is to examine what Jesus and the early church did on that day. These works, therefore, although spiritual, are literal things that we should do on that day.

#3.31 Teach in the church or synagogue

LUKE 4:31
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days.

LUKE 6:6
6 And it came to pass on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

ACTS 17:2
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Note: From these scriptures, it seems obvious that Jesus had a habit of going into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and teaching the people. If he was alive today in the physical flesh, then because he is "the same yesterday, and today, and for the age." (Hebrews 13:8), he would still be going to the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach, wouldn't he? But he is alive, and he lives in every born again believer (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 4:6; John 5:11-12), so why are all born again believers not going to the synagogue (or church) on the Sabbath day? The answer is that they are not yielded to the Spirit of Christ in them, because of the deception of their heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Never, while he was alive on earth, did Jesus ever reverence Sunday as a special day of worship, or attending the synagogue, and so it should be now. The calling of all Christians is to be as Jesus was (Matthew 10:25), to be conformed to his image (Romans 8:29), to walk as he walked (1 John 2:6), to follow his steps (1 Peter 2:21), and to be as he is in this world (1 John 4:17). There is no way that we can fulfil this calling while we are failing to keep the Sabbath day.

#3.32 Read the law

LUKE 4:16 (About Jesus)
16 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 to read.

ACTS 15:21 (James)
21 For Moses of old time has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.

Note: The argument here is the same as the previous section (See #3.31). Jesus had a habit of going into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and reading the law (Luke 4:16), and for Gentiles, this is equivalent to going to church on the Sabbath day and reading the word of God. The calling of all Christians is to be as Jesus was (Matthew 10:25), to be conformed to his image (Romans 8:29), to walk as he walked (1 John 2:6), to follow his steps (1 Peter 2:21), and to be as he is in this world (1 John 4:17). There is no way that we can fulfil this calling while we are failing to keep the Sabbath day, and reading God's word on it.

#3.33 Pray

ACTS 16:13
13 And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was accustomed to be made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who resorted there.

Note: This event occurred at Philippi, by a riverside where it was a custom to pray. The scripture declares, "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17), so prayer should be a regular habit of all Christians every day, not just on the Sabbath.

#3.34 Do the works of God

JOHN 6:28-29
28 Then they said to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.

Note: In contrast to the works that we should not do on the Sabbath day (See #3.11 Note), there are some works that we should do on the Sabbath day. All of these are different ways of looking at the works that are done by the spirit of Jesus Christ dwelling in us, when we are yielded to him.

(John 6:29) "This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent."

(John 14:12) "He who believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;"

(Colossians 1:10) "That you might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,"
(2 Timothy 2:21) "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared to every good work."

Jesus did good works. He said, "Many good works have I showed you from my Father;" (John 10:32), and he "went about doing good (works), and healing all who were oppressed of the devil." (Acts 10:38).

(Galatians 5:6) "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails any thing, nor un-circumcision; but faith which works by love."
(1 Thessalonians 1:3) "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love,"
(James 2:26) "faith without works is dead".

(1 John 2:29) "every one who does righteousness is born of him."
(1 John 3:7) "he who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous."
(1 John 3:10) "whoever does not do righteousness is not of God,"

(1 Corinthians 2:4) "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:"
(2 Thessalonians 1:11) "the work of faith with power:"
(2 Timothy 1:7) "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

These works include casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead, some of which Jesus himself did on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:10-13; Luke 13:10-13; John 5:1-10). None of them are done by our own effort or our own power, so they are not our own works but his. It is God doing the works through the spirit of Jesus Christ in us. They are spiritual works rather than physical works. Jesus made the point that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day (Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9), so the Sabbath commandment is not broken by doing them.

(James 4:17) "Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin."

#3.4 THE PENALTY FOR FAILING TO KEEP THE SABBATH DAY NOW

#3.41 Spiritual Death

EXODUS 31:15
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

Note 1: Here we can see that the penalty for breaking the Sabbath commandment in the time of Moses was physical death, but what about today? The scripture declares:

(Ezekiel 18:4) "the soul that sins, it shall die."
(Romans 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death;"
(Romans 8:13) "For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die:"

The penalty is still the same, but not through the judgement of a civil court. Unless Jesus returns first, we will all die physically one day because of our sin, which may include breaking the Sabbath commandment, but we may also die now spiritually to some degree.
Other penalties are listed in God's word:
God promised to pour his fury out on those who polluted his Sabbaths (Ezekiel 20:21).
God promised that he would scatter his people who did not keep his commandments, including the Sabbath day (Ezekiel 20:23-24), and give them bad statutes and judgements which would not give them life (Ezekiel 20:24-25). The denominational system that we see today is equivalent to being scattered and wandering in a spiritual wilderness. This has happened because people went away from God's commandments, including keeping the Sabbath day. Many are now believing, and keeping doctrines which are false, such as Sunday worship, which cannot give them life.

Note 2: Because "sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4), then any consequence of sin is possible for breaking the Sabbath commandment. Here are some of them:

(1) Defeat by our enemies (Joshua 7:11-12; Judges 3:7-8; 6:1; 13:1).
(2) Others suffering because of us (Deuteronomy 28:15-18; 28:58-59; 2 Samuel 12:13-19; Hosea 9:16-17).
(3) Our soul will be "spoiled" of plundered (Proverbs 8:36; 22:22-23).
(4) Physical or spiritual blindness (Job 11:20; Isaiah 44:17-18; Lamentations 5:16-17; Zephaniah1:17).
(5) Our heart may be hardened (Hebrews 3:13).
(6) More deception (Jeremiah 5:25-27; Obadiah 3; Romans 7:11; Hebrews 3:13).
(7) Lack of understanding (Isaiah 44:17-18; Daniel 9:13; Romans 3:9-11).
(8) Confusion (Daniel 9:7-8).
(9) A lack of blessings (2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Jeremiah 5:25).
(10) Prayers not answered (Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 59:2).
(11) Sickness (Leviticus 26:21; Deuteronomy 28:15-22, 58-61; Psalm 25:18; 31:10; 38:3-5; 39:11; 89:30-33; 107:10-11, 17; Proverbs 11:17; Jeremiah 30:14-15; Daniel 9:11; Micah 6:12-13; Matthew 9:5)
(12) A stumbling-block before us (Ezekiel 3:20; 14:3-4).
(13) Chastisement (Leviticus 26:27-28; Psalm 107:17; Jeremiah 30:14).
(14) Our name blotted out of God's book of life (Exodus 32:33), which will cause us to be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10; 20:15; 21:8).
(15) Separation from God (Joshua 7:11-12; Isaiah 59:2).

The list is not exhaustive, but there are some good reasons here not to break the Sabbath commandment.

#4. SCRIPTURAL ANSWERS TO COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Introduction 4

This section has been added because of questions and objections, which have arisen since this study was first begun. It is the result of many years of analysing contrary arguments, which have come from opposing literature, and debates with other Christians. Sometimes scriptures have been quoted to prove a point contrary to this study, and where reasonably possible they have been included and answered through the scripture.

#4.02 DOESN'T THE SABBATH APPLY ONLY TO THE JEWS?

Introduction 4:02

This seems to be a fairly common view point, and some very prominent teachers have expressed it. Here is one example:

(Derek Prince p149) "Nowhere in the bible is there any suggestion that God ever intended that Gentiles, either nationally or individually, should observe the law of Moses, either in part or whole."

Jesus was once asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" (Matthew 22:36). His reply was,

(Matthew 22:37-39) "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself."

If no Gentile is expected to observe any part of the law, then as Gentiles, we do not have to love God or our neighbour. We can have other gods before God, make carved images, bow down to them, take the name of the Lord in vain, profane the Sabbath day, dishonour our father and mother, kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, and covet anything that belongs to others. I trust that the foolishness of such an idea is apparent.
The apostle Paul did refer to, "the law of the Jews" (Acts 25:8), but this doesn't mean that only the Jews should keep it, any more than only Moses should keep "the law of Moses" (Acts 28:23; 1 Corinthians 9:9), or that only God should keep "the law of God" (Romans 7:22; 8:7). Nowhere does the scripture ever refer to "the Sabbath of the Jews", or anything that could mean similar, but often God refers to it as, "the Sabbath of the LORD", "the Sabbath of the LORD your God", "my holy day", and "my Sabbaths" (See #6 refs.). Jesus didn't say that the Sabbath was made for the Jews, but "the Sabbath was made for man," (Mark 2:27). The Greek words translated "man" in this scripture is o anqrwpoj (Gtr. ho anthropos). Look at some definitions of it:

Look at some examples of where Jesus used this word, with the definite article elsewhere:

(Exodus 12:49) "One law shall be to him who is home-born, and to the foreigner who sojourns among you."
(Exodus 20:10) "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates:
(Exodus 23:12) "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your ass may rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the foreigner, may be refreshed."
(Leviticus 24:22) "You shall have one manner of law, as well as for the foreigner, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God."
(Deuteronomy 5:14) "but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you ... nor your foreigner who is within your gates; ..."
(Isaiah 56:6-7) "Also the sons of the foreigner, who join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my altar; for my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

The word foreigner in all these scriptures refer to someone who was not an Israelite.
Now the law applies (at least in a spiritual sense) to Gentiles as well as Jews, because "the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things," (Romans 15:27), and "the law is spiritual," (Romans 7:14). For those who still doubt it, here are seven other reasons why the Sabbath does not only refer to the Jews.

#4.021 All Christians abide in the same vineh

JOHN 15:1-8 (Jesus)
1 I am the true vine, and my Father the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.
8 In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples.

Note: Jesus described himself as the "true vine" (John 15:1; 15:5), in which both Jews and Gentiles would have to abide in order to bear fruit (John 15:4). The vine is therefore Jewish, because Jesus was a Jew, and all the food for the branches passes through the vine. This means that both Jews and Gentiles should be eating the same spiritual food: the same word of God, the same commandments, the same teaching, the same words of Jesus. This means that both Jews and Gentiles must feed on the words of Jesus, and he told us to keep the ten commandments:

(Matthew 5:19) "Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 19:17) "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments."
(Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20) "You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother."

Those who do not obey Jesus, that is, who do not abide in the vine, will be cast forth and burned in the fire (John 15:6). Anyone who truly loves Jesus will do what he said:

(John 14:15) "If you love me, keep my commandments."
(John 14:21-24) "He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves me: ... If a man loves me, he will keep my words: ... He who does not love me does not keep my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

Jesus was only sent to Israel (Matthew 15:24), and he said, "salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22). However, his words were for everybody, and they will judge everybody on the last day (John 12:48). If the Jews therefore keep the Sabbath, what objections can Gentiles have against it. There are no commandments anywhere in the word of God for anybody to observe Sunday, and yet they seem quite happy to observe that.

#4.022 All Christians are branches in the same olive tree

ROMANS 11:16-25 (Paul)
16 For if the first-fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and the fatness of the olive tree;
18 Do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, you do not bear the root, but the root you.
19 You will say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not you.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off.
23 And they also, if they do not abide still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles is come in.

Note: Paul here is talking about Israel and the Gentiles (Romans 11:25). Christ is the olive tree, and the Jews are the natural branches, some of which were broken off through unbelief (Romans 11:20), showing that the olive tree is symbolically Jewish. When he talked about the Gentiles (v13), he likened them to branches which were, "cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree:" (v24). Gentiles have to become partakers of the same "Jewish" root in order to survive, and the attachment to the olive tree is for both "natural" and "wild" branches is by faith (Romans 11:20). All the food for the branches passes through the same root, which means that both Jews and Gentiles should be eating the same spiritual food: the same word of God, the same commandments, the same teaching, the same words of Jesus (See #4.021). How then can one be going to the synagogue to worship on the Sabbath day, and another going to church to worship on a Sunday? That is not the same teaching.

#4.023 Circumcision of the heart makes Gentiles spiritual Jews

ROMANS 2:26-29 (Paul)
26 Therefore if the un-circumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his un-circumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not un-circumcision which is by nature, if it fulfils the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision transgresses the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

ROMANS 9:4-8 (Paul)
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6 Not as though the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall your seed be called.
8 That is, Those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

GALATIANS 3:28-29 (Paul)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you be Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Note: Paul made it clear that a real spiritual Jew is anyone who is circumcised in the heart (Romans 2:8), whether they are Jews or Gentiles (Romans 2:26-27). They are those who "keep the righteousness of the law," (Romans 2:26), and "fulfil the law," (Romans 2:27; 8:4), which is done by love (Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:14). This includes all those who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Galatians 3:26-29), even "every one which sees the Son, and believes on him," (John 6:40). These scriptures therefore refute that there is any separate "Jewish church" or "Gentile church", one of which keeps the Sabbath day, while the other goes to church on Sunday.

#4.024 Not all Jews are heirs

JOHN 8:33-44
33 They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how can you say, You shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Amen I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant does no abide in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
37 I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus says to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God: Abraham did not do this.
41 You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do you not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

ROMANS 9:6-8 (Paul)
6 Not as though the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall your seed be called.
8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Note: The Jews claimed to be "Abraham's seed," (John 8:33), because they were perhaps hoping to inherit the promises which were made to Abraham and his seed:

(Galatians 3:16) "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He says not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Christ."

The promises came down through Isaac and Jacob to Christ, so that those who believe in Jesus inherit the promises made to Abraham:

(Galatians 3:29) "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Just as then, the promises made to Abraham did not pass to all his physical children, but only came through Isaac, who was promised (Romans 9:7), so now all Jews do not inherit Abraham's promises, except through Christ, who was the promised seed. Gentiles who belong to Christ also inherit the promises through him (Galatians 3:29), by becoming spiritual Jews (See #4.023; #4.16 Note(2)). "There is neither Jew nor Greek ... you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28; See #4.025 below). Therefore, if our nationality has nothing to do with our salvation, or justification, why should it affect whether we keep the Sabbath day or not?

#4.025 Jews and Gentiles are all one in Jesus Christ

ROMANS 10:11-13 (Paul)
11 For the scripture says, Whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call upon him.
13 For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

GALATIANS 3:28-29 (Paul)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

EPHESIANS 2:11-22 (Paul)
11 Therefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called un-circumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made with hands;
12 That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace;
16 That he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity by it:
17 And came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows into a holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

COLOSSIANS 3:9-11 (Paul)
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him.
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor un-circumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Note: No one need look any further than these scriptures to see that Jews and Gentiles are all part of one church:

(Romans 10:12) "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:"
(Galatians 3:28) "There is neither Jew nor Greek ... you are all one in Christ Jesus."
(Ephesians 2:16) "That he might reconcile both to God in one body"
(Ephesians 2:22) "In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit."
(Colossians 3:11) "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, ... but Christ is all, and in all."

All this proves that there is no separate Gentile church who can worship on Sunday (or any other day that they choose), while the Jewish Christians are expected to keep the Sabbath day.

#4.026 God made no separate covenant made with Gentiles

JEREMIAH 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says 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 to the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

HEBREWS 8:6-9
6 But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he says, Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not regard them, says the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he says, A New Covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and grows old is ready to vanish away.

Note: In the Old Testament, a mixed multitude came out of Egypt with the Israelites (Exodus 12:38; Numbers 11:4), and when God made the covenant with Israel, these "foreigners" had to keep the law the same as the Israelites (Exodus 12:19; 12:48-49; 20:10; Leviticus 16:29; 17:12; 18:26; etc.). In the New Testament God has made no separate covenant with the Gentiles, but only with "the house of Israel", and with "the house of Judah." (Jeremiah 31:31; 31:33; Hebrews 8:8; 8:10). So how then do Gentiles become part of this New Covenant?

(1) By being grafted into the Jewish olive tree (See #4.32).
(2) By being circumcised in the heart, and becoming spiritual Jews (See #4.33).
(3) By becoming children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26-29).
(4) By hearing God's words (Exodus 24:7-8; Isaiah 55:3), which is how we get faith (Romans 10:17).
(5) By having God's laws in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).
(6) By speaking God's word (Isaiah 59:21; Malachi 2:5-6), which comes from our hearts (Matthew 12:34-35; 15:18-19).
(7) By knowing God (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:11), which means obeying his commandments (1 John 2:3-4).
(8) By crucifying our "old man" (Romans 6:7; Hebrews 9:16-17).
(9) By sacrifice (Psalm 50:5; 51:17).

Therefore, the spiritual fulfilment of the Sabbath commandment is an obligation on both physical Jews and Gentiles, who become partakers of the New Covenant by believing in Jesus. This requires that we set the Sabbath day apart for worship and fellowship with God, as he has commanded (See #1.023), and as Jesus confirmed (See #1.043).

#4.027 There are no Gentile gates in the new Jerusalem

REVELATION 21:10-13 (John)
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like to a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

Note: Here again the question to Gentile Christians is obvious. If Gentiles do not become spiritual Jews, at which gate do they enter into the New Jerusalem? because there are no gates for the Gentiles. There are three ways of looking at it:

(1) As the church is the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7), we would have to go in at the same gate as Jesus, which would be the one named Judah.
(2) As the church is also the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:24), again we would have to go in at the same gate as Jesus, which would be the one named Judah.
(3) Alternatively, as we are spiritual children of Jesus Christ, that is "Christ'" (1 Corinthians 3:23; 15:23; 2 Corinthians 10:7; Galatians 3:29; 5:24), then in the same way, that would also entitle us to go in by the gate of Judah.

If we agree that Gentiles do become spiritual Jews, then they must spiritually fulfil the Sabbath commandment, which would include setting that day aside for worship, and fellowship with God.

#4.028 Who was the Law made for?

1 TIMOTHY 1:10 (Paul)
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For fornicators, for those who defile themselves with mankind, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Note: We saw earlier (#1.041) that the Sabbath was not made for the Jews, but for man. Even so now we see that the law was not just made for the Jews, but for every kind of sinner. One purpose of the law was to expose the sin in the life of the individual:

(Romans 3:20) "for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
(Romans 7:7) "I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet."
(Romans 7:12-13) "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Was then that which is good made death to me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful."
(1 John 3:4) "Whoever commits sin also transgresses the law; for sin is transgression of the law."
(Romans 4:15) "for where no law is, there is no transgression."

Having exposed the sin in the life of the individual, another purpose of the law was show him his inability to save himself:

(Romans 7:15-24) "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

Once having shown a man his own inability to save himself, a further purpose of the law was to lead them to Christ:

(Romans 7:24-25) "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(Galatians 2:22-24) "But the scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up to the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

(1) To show man his sinfulness.
(2) To show man his own inability to save himself.
(3) To lead him to Jesus Christ.

Then all we need to ask concerning the Gentiles is, "Do these three things apply to Gentiles, or only Jews?" These are steps that a good evangelist might use to lead sinners to Jesus. The law is an evangelistic tool, as Paul said, "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;" (1 Timothy 1:8). Therefore it is good to use the law to convert Gentiles to Christ:

(Psalm 19:7) "The law of the law is perfect, converting the soul:"
(Romans 3:19) "Now we know that whatever things the law says, it says to those who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."

Dear reader, "all the world" includes Gentiles, and "all the world" is who the law is for, including the Sabbath day.

#4.04 NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW

ACTS 13:38-39 (Paul)
38 Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

ROMANS 3:20 (Paul)
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law¹ there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

ROMANS 3:27-28 (Paul)
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law¹.

ROMANS 9:31-32
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by the works of the law¹. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;

ROMANS 10:3-4 (Paul)
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes.

GALATIANS 2:16 (Paul)
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law¹, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law¹: for by the works of the law¹ shall no flesh be justified.

GALATIANS 2:21 (Paul)
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

GALATIANS 3:2-5 (Paul)
2 This only would I learn of you, Received you the Spirit by the works of the law¹, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have you suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore who ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law¹, or by the hearing of faith?

GALATIANS 3:10-12 (Paul)
10 For as many as are of the works of the law¹ are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that does them shall live in them.

GALATIANS 5:2-4 (Paul)
2 Behold, I Paul say to you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.

Note: "No man is justified by the works of the law" is one of the statements made by people who do not wish to keep the Sabbath day. The implication is that keeping the Sabbath day is one of the works of the law, but is this right? The words translated the works of the law¹ (Gr. ergwn nomou, Gtr. ergon nomou) (Romans 9:32; Galatians 2:16(3x); 3:2; 3:5; 3:10), are also translated "the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:20; 3:28), and the facts are these:

(1) The definite article is never used in the expression.
(2) The expression is always genitive case in the Greek.
(3) With one exception (Romans 3:28) it is always preceded by the primary preposition "ek", which indicates origin.
(4) The basic meaning of "ek" is "out of" or "out from", and it is variously translated "of" (367x), "from" (181x), "out of" (162x), "by" (55x), "on" (34x), etc.

(Romans 2:13) "the doers of the law shall be justified." and
(Romans 3:20) "by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified"

It seems obvious that "the deeds (or works) of the law" cannot possibly be the same as keeping the ten commandments. So what are "the works of the law"? Looking at all of these scriptures in their context, it is obvious that that they are the means whereby someone would be justified under the law of Moses, so let us examine this. The first thing to note is that justification under the law required total obedience:

(Deuteronomy 6:25) "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us."
(Galatians 3:10) "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."
(Galatians 5:3) "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law."
(James 2 10) "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

(Ecclesiastes 7:20) "For there is not a just man upon the earth, that does good and does not sin."
(Romans 3:20) "by the law is the knowledge of sin."
(Romans 3:23) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
(Galatians 3:22) "But the scripture has concluded all under sin,"

When they sinned, animal sacrifices had to be made to cover their sin (Leviticus 5:5-6; 5:17:18-19; 16:15 etc). This would justify them according to the law, and cover their sin, but it did not remove the sin from their heart:

(Hebrews 10:1-4) "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make those who come to it perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

Because sin is the cause of sin (Psalm 69:27; Proverbs 5:22; Jeremiah 9:3; John 8:34; Romans 6:16; 7:5; 7:17; 7:20), the people continued to sin, and their heart was never right before God. Trying to be justified by the law led to self-righteousness rather than God's righteousness:

(Deuteronomy 6:25) "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us."
(Romans 10:3) "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God."
(Philippians 3:9) "not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ."

The works of the law then, are certain rituals of the law which were performed in order to justify someone who had sinned, and who was under the law as a means of justification. This would include the animal sacrifices which were made to cover their sin. None of the ten commandments are considered to be "the works of the law", as keeping these afterwards would not justify a person who had sinned. The first four express our love for and duty to God, and the last six express our love for and duty to our fellow man. Therefore, the fact that we are not justified by the works of the law has not done away with the ten commandments. We keep them because we love God, and wish to please him, and be obedient to his word. Our love for him is expressed by our obedience (See #1.045). Therefore, there is no justification here for not keeping the Sabbath day.

#4.06 JESUS HAS FULFILLED THE LAW FOR US

MATTHEW 5:17-18 (Jesus)
17 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For amen I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

JOHN 17:4 (Jesus)
4 I have glorified you on earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do.

JOHN 19:30
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the spirit.

Note: The argument here is that as Jesus has already fulfilled the law for us, we do not now have to keep the law. So let us ask the questions. Does that mean that we can have other Gods before God? Does it mean that we can make carved images, take the name of the Lord in vain, dishonour our father and mother, kill people, commit adultery, steal, lie, and covet? Of course not, and neither does it mean that we can break the Sabbath commandment. Jesus has fulfilled as much of the law as was expected of him at his first coming, and we are now meant to fulfil the righteousness of the law:

(Romans 8:4) "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

How can we fulfil the righteousness of the law without keeping the ten commandments, when the psalmist said, "for all your commandments are righteousness." (Psalm 119:172)? Jesus has not changed (Hebrews 13:8), and he now lives in all true believers:

(Romans 8:9) "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
(1 Corinthians 13:5) "Do you not know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates?
(Galatians 4:6) "God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

Therefore, as he has not changed he must be trying to fulfil the law through us, and we are meant to be like him (See #1.044 Note 1). The fact that Jesus has fulfilled the law then proves nothing against our keeping the Sabbath day.

#4.07 PAUL PREACHED AT TROAS ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK (Acts 20:7)

ACTS 20:7 (KJV)
7 And upon the first day of the week¹, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

ACTS 20:7 (RPT)
7 And on one day from the sabbath¹, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart the next day; and continued his speech until midnight.

Note 1: Some have tried to use this scripture to say that the New Testament Gentile church gathered together to break bread on Sunday, the first day of the week. However, I would ask, "How can Acts 20:7 be any possible reason for keeping Sunday, when it is scriptural that the New Testament church gathered together daily for fellowship and teaching about Jesus?"

(Acts 2:46) "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, ate their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,"
(Acts 5:42) "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

Breaking of bread was practiced daily (Acts 2:46), and this is what they came together to do (Acts 20:7). If then Acts 20:7 had said "the second day of the week", or "the third day of the week", would this justify modern Christians keeping Monday or Tuesday instead? The timing of the days throughout bible times was always from sunset to sunset, so rather than being on Sunday, this meeting was started on Saturday evening, and Paul preached until midnight on Saturday. He continued talking to them throughout the night, and ate with them and departed at daybreak (Acts 20:11). It seems obvious then that this was not a regular meeting time, unless we are to argue that the early church had regular meeting times during the night, rather than during daylight hours. Much rather, this was a "one off" all night meeting as the visiting evangelist and apostle, Paul, wanted to preach to them before he left. There is no command here, nor even conformity, in this scripture to establish Sunday as a substitute for the Sabbath day, on the contrary, this is the only New Testament scripture which records Paul attending a meeting on "the first day of the week".

Note 2: However, Paul habitually attended the synagogues for meetings on the Sabbath days.

(Acts 13:14-16) “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, give audience.”
(Acts 13:42-44) “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation dispersed, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next Sabbath day almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.”
(Acts 17:1-2) “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.”
(Acts 18:1-4) “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came to them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and worked: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks.”

It seems clear from these scriptures that Paul habitually attended synagogues on the Sabbath days, where possible; “every Sabbath” (Acts 18:4), and reasoned with them out of the scriptures. In this particular case, at Corinth, it was over a period of “a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” (Acts 18:11), and so would mean 78 consecutive Sabbath days. This took place many years after the resurrection of Jesus. At Thessalonica he entered a synagogue and reasoned with them out of the scriptures for “three Sabbath days”. At Antioch, in a meeting in the Synagogue on a Sabbath day, the Gentiles entreated Paul that he would preach to them on the next Sabbath (Acts 13:42). If Sunday was a day kept by the church at that time, why did Paul not invite them to his Sunday service? With no unbelieving Jews present it would have been an excellent opportunity to preach to the Gentiles, but there was no such meeting. Instead, they had to wait until the next Sabbath day to hear God’s word (Acts 13:44). This is very strong proof that no Sunday meetings were being held at that time. As “sin is transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4), it would be a sin for Paul to break the Sabbath commandment, and he said that he had offended nothing against the law of the Jews (See #1.083). At Antioch (Acts 13:14-16) Paul was in the synagogue again speaking to the people. This makes 84 times in the book of Acts Paul was recorded as being in the synagogue on the Sabbath day teaching and speaking to people. All this just confirms that Paul himself was a habitual Sabbath keeper, and if he ever taught others not to keep it, he would be a liar and a hypocrite, and the least in the kingdom of God, according to the words of Jesus (Mat 5:19). Where in the whole of the New Testament did any of the Jews ever accuse Paul of breaking the Sabbath commandment? Nowhere!

#4.08 JESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATH DAY

MARK 2:27-28 (Jesus)
27 And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

LUKE 6:5 (Jesus)
5 And he said to them, That the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Note: The suggestion is that because Jesus was "Lord of the Sabbath", he did not have to keep it, and therefore we do not have to keep it either. This is really no argument, because although he did not condemn breaking the letter of the law when there was a human need (See #3.14), he kept it himself, fulfilled the spirit of the law (See #1.042; #1.044), and taught others to do so (See #1.043; #1.045). Also we are meant to be like him (See #1.044 Note 1), so there is no proof here that we should not keep the Sabbath day.

#4.10 THE LAW WAS ONLY UNTIL JOHN THE BAPTIST

LUKE 16:16 (Jesus)
16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it.

Note: Because of this quotation, "The law and the prophets were until John:" (Luke 16:16), it has been preached that the law was no longer binding after John the Baptist died. This is a failure to rightly divide the scriptures on this subject. Just look at what Jesus said:

(Matthew 5:18) "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
(Matthew 5:19) "Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:"
(Matthew 19:17) "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments."

In view of these statements of Jesus, who also said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35), it is foolish to think that the law passed away with John the Baptist. So what did Jesus mean by, "The law and the prophets were until John:" (Luke 16:16)? Look at the statement again, and notice that the word "were" is in italics, which means that there is no word for it in the Greek. The translators were faced with the words, o nomoj kai oi profhtai ewj Iwannou (Gtr. Ho nomos kai hoi prophetai heos Yoannou), which literally read, "The law and the prophets until John". They knew there was a verb missing (which is quite common in Greek) and so they put in the verb "were". However if they had looked for parallel scriptures to find the missing word, which is what they should have done, they would have found, "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (Matthew 11:13). Matthew recorded the verb "prophesied" which Luke missed out. All this scripture is telling us is that the law and the prophets prophesied until John, because they all prophesied about Jesus, who began his ministry in the days of John the Baptist. They prophesied where he would be born (Micah 5:2), that he would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), when he would be born (Daniel 9:25), how he would die (Isaiah 53), and many other details of his life, and that is all this scripture (Luke 16:16) is saying. It is nothing at all to do with the law being done away with after John the Baptist, and therefore no proof that we should not now keep the Sabbath day.

#4.12 WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE

ROMANS 6:14-15 (Paul)
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law¹, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law¹, but under grace? God forbid.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:20 (Paul)
20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those who are under the law¹, as under the law¹, that I might gain those who are under the law¹;

GALATIANS 3:23-25 (Paul)
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law¹, shut up to the faith that should afterwards be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

GALATIANS 4:4-5 (Paul)
4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law¹.
5 To redeem those who were under the law¹, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

GALATIANS 5:4 (Paul)
4 Christ is become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.

GALATIANS 4:21 (Paul)
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law¹, do you not hear the law?

GALATIANS 5:18 (Paul)
18 But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law¹.

Note: Many people quote, "We are not under the law", as a reason for not keeping the Sabbath day; but what does the expression "not under the law" mean? In each of these scriptures the words translated under the law¹ (Gr. upo nomon, Gtr. hupo nomon) literally mean "under law". The definite article "the" does not occur in any of them. This is not significant unless we are trying to argue that being "under law" is not referring to the law of Moses, but rather the principle of law. However, the law of Moses does seem to be included in it, so there are several facts that we ought to bring out:

(1) Being "under the law" is contrary to grace (Romans 6:14-15).
(2) Being "under the law" is contrary to faith (Galatians 3:23-25).
(3) Being "under the law" is contrary to being an adopted son of God (Galatians 4:5).
(4) Being "under the law" is contrary to being led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18).

The obvious conclusion to draw from all of this is that some of those who Paul wrote to were seeking to be justified by letter obedience to the law, and the phrase "under the law" means "under the law as a means of salvation and justification". In this case, they would not only agree to circumcision, which Paul clearly taught against (Romans 2:28-29; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:2; 5:6; 6:15), but also to the animal sacrifices which were supposedly required to justify them under the law (See #4.24). The last three of these points come from Paul's letter to the Galatians, where he also said to them:

(Galatians 3:1) "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?"

His accusation against them was very serious. A Christian, however is saved by grace (Acts 15:11; Ephesians 2:5; 2:8), and justified by grace (Romans 3:24; Galatians 5:4; Titus 3:7). He is saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8; 1 Timothy 2:15), and justified by faith (Romans 3:28; 5:1; Galatians 3:24). He is obedient to the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14), not the letter of the law (See #3.14 Note). We do not keep the Sabbath day in order to be justified, any more than we keep any of the other of the ten commandments to be justified. We keep them because we love God, and wish to please him, and be obedient to his word. Through the spirit of Christ in us, our love for him is expressed by our obedience (See #1.045). Therefore, there is no justification in the phrase "not under the law" for not keeping the Sabbath day.

#4.14 WAS THE SABBATH ONE OF THE NECESSARY THINGS FOR THE GENTILES?

ACTS 15:28-29
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Farewell.

ACTS 21:25 (The elders)
25 Concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Note: These instructions to Gentiles arose out of a dispute over circumcision. Paul and Barnabas contended with the Jews that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised (Acts 15:1-2), and went to the council at Jerusalem to settle the matter. The argument today is, that the council did not tell the Gentiles to observe the Sabbath day, and therefore they do not need to observe it. Beware when anyone argues solely on the basis of what is not said in the scripture, this almost always leads to false doctrine. They did not tell the Gentiles here to observe any of the ten commandments. Does that mean that Gentiles can have other Gods before God? Does it mean that they can make carved images, take the name of the Lord in vain, dishonour their father and mother, kill people, commit adultery, steal, lie, and covet? Of course not, and neither does it mean that they can break the Sabbath commandment. The ten commandments were well known to the Gentiles, and were being kept by Gentile Christians in those days, including the Sabbath day (See #1.12), so there was no need to mention these. What they did mention were the things that the Gentiles may not have been sure about, or were not well known to them, but were still necessary.

#4.16 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SABBATH AND CIRCUMCISION, THAT GENTILES SHOULD KEEP ONE BUT NOT THE OTHER?

ACTS 15:24
24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

1 CORINTHIANS 7:18-19 (Paul)
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in un-circumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and un-circumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

GALATIANS 5:2-4 (Paul)
2 Behold, I Paul say to you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.

Note: The above scriptures, by the apostle Paul, clearly teach against physical circumcision for Gentiles. So we have to answer the question, "Why should we keep the Sabbath day, if we do not have to be circumcised?" This question arises because of the previous point (See #4.14), and there are several reasons why the Sabbath should still be kept, even though physical circumcision isn't necessary for Gentiles.

(1) It is certain physical aspects of the law that have been done away with, such as circumcision and the animal sacrifices, but even these have a spiritual significance which we still should keep. However, all of the ten commandments remain. The first four express our love for and duty to God, and the last six express our love for and duty to our fellow man. As loving God and our fellow man were the two commandments which Jesus emphasised (Matthew 22:36-39), the ten commandments cannot be done away with.

(Matthew 22:36-39) "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself."

(2) The circumcision commandment was given to Abraham, his physical descendants, and his household (Genesis 17:9-14). Therefore it was passed down to Israel, and became part of the Law given by Moses (Exodus 12:48; Leviticus 12:3; John 7:22). However, physical circumcision was only a type of the inward circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30;6; Jeremiah 4:4), which Abraham had, and by which he was counted righteous by faith, before he was circumcised physically (Romans 4:9-11). When it comes to Gentiles today, it is circumcision of the heart that makes us spiritual Jews, not circumcision of the flesh:

(Romans 2:28-29) "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

We can be circumcised in heart without being circumcised in the flesh, therefore we can fulfil the commandment of circumcision spiritually, without physical circumcision.

(Romans 8:4) "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

Can we fulfil the Sabbath commandment spiritually, without keeping the day in some way? The answer is no (See #1.045).

#4.18 GOD NEVER SAID "THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE WEEK"

This has been one of the arguments of people such as the Puritan Thomas Watson (1620-1686) and Arthur W Pink (1886-1952) to support the change of the Sabbath to Sunday.

(Thomas Watson p95) "The old seventh day Sabbath, which was the Jewish Sabbath, is abrogated, and in the room of it the first day of the week, which is the Christian Sabbath, succeeds. The morality or substance of the fourth commandment does not lie in keeping the seventh day precisely, but keeping one day in seven is what God has appointed."
(Arthur W. Pink p 34) "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." Note well that it is not said (here, or anywhere in scripture) "the seventh day of the week," but simply the seventh day, that is, the day following the six of work."

Note: Beware when anyone argues on the basis of what the scripture does not say; it is almost always false. Look at the scripture:

(Genesis 1:5) "And the evening and the morning were the first day."
(Genesis 1:8) "And the evening and the morning were the second day."
(Genesis 1:13) "And the evening and the morning were the third day."
(Genesis 1:19) "And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."
(Genesis 1:23) "And the evening and the morning were the fifth day."
(Genesis 1:31) "And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."
(Genesis 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.
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."

Now let us ask the question: The first day of what (Genesis 1:5)? Was it not the first day of the first week, of the first month, of the first year, of time as we know it?
The second day of what (Genesis 1:8)? Was it not the second day of the first week, of the first month, of the first year, of time as we know it?
The seventh day of what (Genesis 2:2-3)? Was it not the seventh day of the first week, of the first month, of the first year, of time as we know it?
So if the first Sabbath was the seventh day of the first week, then the second Sabbath must be the seventh day of the second week, and so on. So no matter what week number we are in now, the Sabbath day will still be the seventh day of the week, and cannot be altered as long as weeks of seven days still continue to exist.

#4.20 DOES ROMANS 14:5 CANCEL THE SABBATH DAY?

ROMANS 14:5-6 (Paul)
5 One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He who regards the day, regards it to the Lord; and he who regards not the day, to the Lord he does not regard it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Note: This scripture (Romans 14:5) is used by some to say that we do not need to keep the Sabbath day, because it is now a matter of individual preference whether we regard one day as more important than another or not. This is a misinterpretation of what Paul is talking about here for the following reasons:

(1) There is no mention of the Sabbath day in this scripture, so to use it to prove that we do not need to keep the Sabbath day is not sound.

(2) Consider the context. From verse 1 the conflict is between, "Him that is weak in the faith", who eats only herbs (v2), and those who are not, who believe that they can eat anything. The Mosaic law is not under consideration then, because nowhere does it prescribe strict vegetarianism. It does differentiate between different kinds of meat (Leviticus 11:1-8; Deuteronomy 14:3-8), but this is not under consideration here. If, as is generally presumed, it was the weak believer who regarded the Sabbath (one day above another (v5)), then Paul would have to regard himself as weak because he observed the Sabbath and other Jewish feasts (Acts 17:1-2; 17:10; 18:4; 18:19-21; 20:16). But Paul regarded himself as strong in faith: "We who are strong," (Romans 15:1), so he could hardly have been thinking of Sabbath keeping when he was considering the days.

(3) Consider the context again. The whole of Romans chapter 14 is to do with eating food, and if we examine verse 6, we see that Paul is referring to days on which people should fast: "He who regards the day, ... he who regards not the day, ... He who eats, ... he who does not eat." Some were regarding one day better than another on which to fast. Paul is telling those who this is not an important issue, and not to judge one another over it (v13). This is the preferred interpretation. A failure to consider the context often leads to erroneous interpretations.

In conclusion then, this scripture (Romans 14:5) is nothing at all to do with the Sabbath day.

#4.22 YOU OBSERVE DAYS, AND MONTHS, AND TIMES, AND YEARS (GALATIANS 4:10)

GALATIANS 4:8-11 (Paul)
8 However then, when you did not know God, you did service to those who by nature are not gods.
9 But now, having known God, or rather having been known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
10 You observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Note: Here again we have a scripture that does not mention the Sabbath, being used to prove that the Sabbath has been done away with. This reasoning is not sound. What this scripture refers to depends on what we believe Paul meant by the word "days," (v10) (Gtr. hemeras). If we consider the context, there are two possibilities.

(1) In the immediate context (v8-11), it looks as if the Galatians may have gone back to observe "days, months, times, and years." (v10), from their previous religion, when they served false gods (v8). In which case, the days would refer to the days of their previous pagan religion, and would be nothing at all to do with the Sabbath day.

(2) Looking at the broader context of Paul's letter to the Galatians, he is rebuking them for going back under the law of Moses.

(Galatians 2:16) "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
(Galatians 3:2) "This only would I learn of you, Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
(Galatians 3:5) "He therefore who ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
(Galatians 3:10-11) "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith."
(Galatians 3:18) "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise."
(Galatians 4:21) "Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?"
(Galatians 5:4) "Christ is become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace."

This is the more obvious interpretation, in which case we must accept that the "days" referred to could be Sabbath days or feast days. If we read these scriptures very carefully, and we see that Paul is talking about "the works of the law" as a means of justification (Galatians 2:16; 3:10-11; 5:4), which has already been dealt with (See #4.04), and being "under the law" (Galatians 4:21 See #4.14). The whole context of the letter to the Galatians, is concerned with urging them to be justified by the faith of Christ, and not trying to be justified by "works of the law". What was Paul saying then?

(Galatians 4:10) "You observe days, and months, and times, and years in order to be justified,"

The "days" could refer to weekly Sabbaths, "months" to the New moons, "times" to evening and morning, and "years" to the yearly feast days. In which case Paul is against the sacrifices which were made for sin on those days (See #4.24 below), and not against the days. Keeping the days without the sacrifices would never justify anybody under the law, because all have sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23). Paul himself observed the Sabbath and other Jewish feasts (Acts 17:1-2; 17:10; 18:4; 18:19-21; 20:16), but not as a means of justification.
In conclusion, there is no case here for rejecting the Sabbath day.

#4.23 DID JESUS ABOLISH THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS ON THE CROSS - EPHESIANS 2:15?

An excellent bible study showing that Jesus did not abolish the Ten Commandments on the Cross. If you notice any errors you may contact us.

EPHESIANS 2:13-16
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; in order to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity by it:

Note: Looking at this scripture by itself, it is easy to see why people misinterpret it to say that Jesus abolished the Ten Commandments on the cross. However, when we rightly divide the word of God, we look for other scriptures to put with it, and when we do that we find these.

(Colossians 2:16) "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"
(Hebrews 7:15-16) "And it is yet far more evident if, according to the likeness of Melchisedec there arises another priest,
Who is made, not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life."
(Hebrews 9:9-10) "Which was symbolic for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him who did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meat and drink offerings, and various washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed until the time of reformation."

Now if we meditate on these scriptures, we can see what Jesus nailed to the cross, and what was contrary to him;

(Ephesians 2:15) "the law of commandments contained in ordinances;"
(Colossians 2:16) "the handwriting of ordinances;"
(Hebrews 7:15-16) "the law of a carnal commandment;"
(Hebrews 9:9-10) "carnal ordinances;"

What Jesus abolished was carnal (or fleshly) commandments and ordinances, and hand written ordinances. Carnality was what defeated people in the Old Testament, and prevented them from keeping the law. Because the blood of bulls and goats did not remove the sin from the heart (Hebrews 10:4), people were often stuck in bondage to sin (Romans 7:14-24). Why?

(Romans 8:7) "Because the carnal mind is enmity with God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

As long as people are carnal they are "sold (like a slave) under sin." (Romans 7:14). The enmity is the carnal mind (Romans 8:7), and this is what Jesus slew on the cross (Ephesians 2:16). What replaces it? Spirituality and a spiritual mind. Jesus was our example; he was a spiritual man and came to do the will of the Father and keep the law with the law of God written in his heart.

(Psalm 40:8) "I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is in my heart."

In fact having the law in the heart was what God always commanded the children of Israel, and it was an attribute of every righteous man.

(Deuteronomy 6:6) "And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart:"
(Psalms 37:30-31) "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of judgment.
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide."
(Isaiah 51:7) "Hear me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;"

It also happens to be one of the attributes of people who come under the New Covenant.

(Jeremiah 31:33) "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says YHWH, 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."
(Hebrews 8:10) "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
(Hebrews 10:16) "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;"

This writing of the law in the hearts of people enables them to keep the commandments in the law.

(Psalm 119:11) "Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
(Romans 2:13-15) "For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, who do not have the law, are a law to themselves:
Which shows the work of the law written in their hearts,"

Keeping the commandments of the law enables us to live free from sin just as Jesus did.

(Romans 7:7) "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it not be! No, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet."
(1 John 3:4) "Whoever commits sin also transgresses the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

Jesus death on the cross enabled the Old Covenant written on stone and in a book, and made with carnal people, to be superseded. He replaced it with a spiritual covenant made with spiritual people, who have God's law written in their heart. The law is spiritual (Romans 7:14) and was meant to be fulfilled in a spiritual way, and Jesus gave us the example of how to do it.

(Romans 8:3-4) "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

When we operate according to the spirit, and not carnally according to the flesh, it sets us free from condemnation.

(Romans 8:1) "There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

When we follow Jesus' example in a spiritual way, and crucify our spiritual flesh, which is what causes us to sin, we can have God's law written in our hearts, and become fully obedient to fulfil the law in a spiritual way. Jesus didn't nail the Ten Commandments to the cross, he nailed carnal ordinances such as animal sacrifices to it, carnal interpretation, and gave us spiritual understanding to replace carnal understanding. As Jesus said, every commandment of God still stands in a spiritual sense.

(Matthew 5:17-19) "Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For amen I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

There is no proof in Ephesians 2:15 for removing the Sabbath commandment, or any other of the Ten Commandments.

#4.24 WAS THE SABBATH DAY NAILED TO THE CROSS COLOSSIANS 2:16?

COLOSSIANS 2:14-17 (Paul)
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of a new moon, or of the sabbath¹ days:
17 Which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Note 1: This scripture is used by some to say that when Jesus died on the cross he nailed the ordinances, such as keeping the Sabbath day, to the cross, so that we do not have to keep it any more. The key verse in this scripture is verse 16, where 5 things are mentioned: meat, drink, a holyday, a new moon, and a Sabbath. Whenever we get things mentioned together like these, and we wish to know what Paul is talking about, it is wise to consider where he gets them from. Remember that the bible for the early church was the Old Testament scriptures, so this is the obvious place to look, especially as Paul said:

(Romans 15:4) "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning,"

He also believed "all things which are written in the law and in the prophets." (Acts 24:14). So if we first look to the Old Testament to find out where the words "meat" and "drink" come together, we find that they often come together concerning the daily offerings and sacrifices that were made under the law:

(Exodus 29:38-41) "Now this is that which you shall offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
The one lamb you shall offer in the morning; and the other lamb you shall offer at even:
And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
And the other lamb you shall offer at even, and shall do to it according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to its drink offering, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire to the LORD."

These were daily offerings which were to be made with the daily sacrifices, and they are spoken of in many other places:

(Leviticus 23:13) "And its meat offering shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, ... and its drink offering shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin."
(Leviticus 23:18) "And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs ... with their meat offering, and their drink offerings,"
(Leviticus 23:37) "a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:"
(Numbers 6:15) "and their meat offering, and their drink offerings."
(Numbers 6:17) "the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering."
(Numbers 15:4-5) "bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.
And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering "
(Numbers 15:6) "Or for a ram, you shall prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil."
(Numbers 15:7) "And for a drink offering you shall offer the third part of an hin of wine,"
(Numbers 15:9) "Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering"
(Numbers 15:10) "And you shall bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, ""
(Numbers 15:24) "with his meat offering, and his drink offering,"
(Numbers 28:5) "And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil."
(Numbers 28:7-8) "And its drink offering shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place you shall cause the strong wine to be poured to the LORD for a drink offering."
And the other lamb you shall offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as its drink offering, ..."

These scriptures make it clear that often when the words "meat" and "drink" come together (KJV), they are referring to the Old Testament offerings. The same Hebrew word (Hb, מִנְחָה , Htr. minchâh) is used to translate the two words "meat offering" in all of these scriptures, and it is obvious from the ingredients of flour and oil that it is a "food or grain offering" rather than a "meat offering". This is confirmed by its use elsewhere in scripture, for example:

(Genesis 4:3) "Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the LORD."

The word translated "meat" (Colossians 2:16) (Gr. brwsei, Gtr. brosei) is the dative case of "brosis", a noun which can also mean food, as it is so used elsewhere in the New Testament:

Note 2: Now let us examine the other three things mentioned, "a holyday, a new moon, and a Sabbath." The word translated "holyday" (Gr. eorthj, Gtr. heortes) is the genitive singular of "heorte", a word which occurs 27 times in the New Testament, and is translated "feast" (26x), and "holyday" (1x). It means "feast". To understand what Paul was writing about here, we must again go back into the Old Testament and find where these three words, "feast, new moon, and Sabbath", occur together.

(1 Chronicles 23:31) "And to offer all burnt sacrifices to the LORD in the Sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded to them, continually before the LORD:"
(2 Chronicles 2:4) "Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, ... for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God."
(2 Chronicles 31:3) "He appointed also ... the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD."
(Nehemiah 10:33) "For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
(Ezekiel 46:4-6) "And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer to the LORD in the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.
And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish."

Just as the words "meat" and "drink" were referring to sacrifice offerings made on certain days, even so, looking at the above scriptures, it becomes obvious that the words "feast", "new moon", and "Sabbath" always come together when referring to offerings made on those days. In fact there is one scripture where all five things, meat, drink, feast, new moon, and Sabbath are all mentioned together:

(Ezekiel 45:17) "And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the Sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel:"

Look at the order of these underlined words. They are in exactly the same order as Paul quoted them, making it obvious that this was exactly what Paul was referring to. In fact all of these offerings on each day are listed out for us to read:

(Numbers 28:1-8) Daily meat and drink offerings.
(Numbers 28:9-10) Sabbath day offerings.
(Numbers 28:11-18) New moon offerings.
(Numbers 28:17-25) The offerings for the feast of Unleavened Bread.
(Numbers 28: 26-31) The offerings for the feast of Weeks (or First-fruits).
(Numbers 29:1-6) The offerings for the feast of Trumpets.
(Numbers 29:7-11) The offerings on the day of Atonement.
(Numbers 29:12-40) The offerings for the feast of Tabernacles.

Paul knew these scriptures, and he was referring to these offerings in Colossians 2:16, but as is habitual with New Testament Greek, he missed out a word: "offerings". This would not confuse the readers in those days, because the Old Testament was their bible, and they would know to look there to see what Paul was writing about, but it has allowed many to misinterpret what Paul was saying here. So let us look now at a literal translation:

(Colossians 2:16) "Therefore, do not let anyone judge you in food or in drink offerings, or offerings in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of Sabbaths."

Note 3: So what "handwriting of ordinances" did Jesus blot out, "nailing it to his cross;" (Colossians 2:14)? We might argue that it couldn't refer to the ten commandments, because they were initially written by "the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18), not mans hand, and therefore they endure for ever (Psalm 89:34; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:25). However, they were also written by Moses in the book of the law, so other scriptures will help to clarify:

(Ephesians 2:15) "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;"

The "law of commandments" referred to here is called a "law of carnal commandment" (Hebrews 7:16), and the "ordinances" referred to are called "carnal ordinances":

(Hebrews 9:10) "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and various washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation."

They are the ordinances to do with these sacrifices, some of which were man made:

(Nehemiah 10:32-33) "Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God."

They had made ordinances to cover the cost of these sacrifices.
None of these offerings (or their ordinances) were necessary any more, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins." (Hebrews 10:4). Jesus fulfilled them all, and he was the real offering:

(Isaiah 53:10) "you shall make his soul an offering for sin,"
(Ephesians 5:2) "Christ also ... has given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God",
(Hebrews 10:10) "we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
(Hebrews 10:12) "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,"
(Hebrews 10:14) "For by one offering he has perfected for ever those who are sanctified."

(Colossians 2:17) "Which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ."

These sacrifices were all a shadow or type of the physical body of Jesus Christ, which was the true and only acceptable offering for sin, and which made all the sacrifices under the law obsolete:

(Hebrews 10:10) "we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

So let us summarise what we have said. When Jesus died on the cross he fulfilled all the Old Testament offerings and sacrifices for sin. His physical body, and his Soul (or life) were the ultimate sacrifice which was acceptable to God. Since then, none of the Old Testament sacrifices or offerings under the law, or the ordinances that go with them, are necessary any more. They were only a type or shadow of the body of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul is saying in this scripture (Colossians 2:14-17), and he is saying nothing at all about the Sabbath day itself being done away with, only the sacrifices which were being made on that day. The law written on stone or paper was the Old Covenant, which has been done away with, and what has replaced it is the New Covenant, with God's laws written in the heart of the believer (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). The carnal interpretation has gone and been replaced by the spiritual, because "the law is spiritual" (Romans 7:14). However, as Jesus said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18), we cannot write off the Ten Commandments without contradicting Jesus.
Nowhere in the New Testament, after the death of Jesus, was Paul, or any other Christian, ever accused of breaking the Sabbath day, or teaching others to do so.

#4.26 WHAT ABOUT "THE LORD'S DAY" (Revelation 1:10)?

REVELATION 1: 10
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day¹, and heard behind me the great voice, as of a trumpet,

Note: There are many who believe that "the Lord's day," (Revelation 1:10) refers to the day that Jesus rose from the dead, paraphrased as "the first day of the week" (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; 16:9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1), and thus taken to be Sunday. Even though there is not even one scripture to support the idea that "the Lord's day" is Sunday, and this study has shown that Jesus didn't rise on Sunday anyway, this still seems to be the most common interpretation.
There are others who believe that it refers to the Sabbath, and they can use scripture to support their case. God himself instituted the Sabbath by sanctifying the seventh day for his own rest after creation (Genesis 2:2-3). After that God sometimes calls the Sabbath, "the Sabbath of the LORD", "the Sabbath of the LORD your God", "my holy day", and "my Sabbaths" (See #6 refs.), thus making it his day. Jesus declared himself to be "Lord of the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5), so making this his day.
Yet others believe that "the Lord's day" refers to the day of the second coming of Christ, John seeing into the future in his vision, to the day when Jesus returns.
While according to the English translation, many may see one or more of these as acceptable interpretations at first sight, none of them has real credibility according to the original Greek text. That translated "on the Lord's day," is in the Greek en th Kuriakh hmera (Gtr. en te Kuriake hemera), and the whole meaning depends on the translation of the one word "Kuriake", which has been translated "Lord's".

(1) To be correctly translated "Lord's" or "of the Lord" the Greek word(s) should be in the genitive case, which is the possessive case, showing to whom it belongs. In almost every other case where the word "Lord's" appears in the New Testament, it is correctly put in the genitive case, most referring to Jesus or God.
kuriou, (Gtr. kuriou) (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:11; Luke 2:26; 1 Corinthians 7:22; 10:21).
tou kuriou, (Gtr. tou kuriou) (Romans 14:8; 1 Corinthians 10:26; 10:28; 11:26; 11:29; Galatians 1:19).
There are three referring to people (Matthew 25:18; Luke 12:47; 6:5).
Apart from these there are three others, two in the accusative case (1 Peter 2:13; 1 Corinthians 11:20), and one dative case (Revelation 1:10). That translated "the Lord's sake" (1 Peter 2:13), dia ton kurion (Gtr. dia ton kurion), is the accusative case and literally means "because of the Lord". This use of the word "Lord's" here is brought about by a rephrasing of the actual translation, and is therefore not worth considering here. What we are left with are two others (1 Corinthians 11:20; Revelation 1:10), neither of which should be translated "Lord's" because they are not in the genitive case.

(2) Now examine the word "Kuriake" (Revelation 1:10). If this referred to Jesus it would have to be masculine gender, as it is in every other case where it refers to him, because Jesus (Gr. Ihsouj, Gtr. Yesous) is masculine in Greek. However, here it is not only dative case instead of genitive, but also feminine gender instead of masculine! This should destroy any notion that "Kuriake" refers to Jesus.

(3) Lastly we need to look at the construction of the Greek sentence, as the order of the words is significant. If this meant "the Lord's day", even referring to a female Lord, it would usually be in the order th hmera tou kuriou (Gtr. te hemera tou kuriou) "the day of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14); but it isn't. Instead "Kuriakē" is inserted between the noun "hemera" and its article "te", thus exactly following the correct grammatical construction for an adjective in the "Attributive Intermediate Position" (H.P.V. Nunn p60, J.W. Wenham p50, Ward Powers p85), showing that in this case "Kuriake" is an adjective rather than a noun. This being so it should agree with its noun "hemera" in both case and gender, and it does. Both are dative case, and both are feminine, confirming that this is simply an adjective describing the day, and is nothing at all to do with Jesus. John was in the Spirit on a lordly day. Just as a Lord is a man above other men, John saw this as a day above other days. The same reasoning applies to kuriakon deipnon (Gtr. kuriakon deipnon), translated "the Lord's supper" (1 Corinthians 11:20), where "kuriakon" is also an adjective. It is in the accusative case, neuter in gender, and following the rules of Greek grammar for an adjective, it completely agrees with its noun "deipnon", which means "supper". Together they mean "a lordly supper", and "kuriakon" is the wrong case and wrong gender to be correctly rendered "Lord's". The conclusion of this is that "the Lord's day" (Revelation 1:10), is definitely not referring to Sunday, and cannot be used in any way as an argument against observing the Sabbath day.

#4.28 WE CAN WORSHIP GOD ANY DAY OF THE WEEK

NUBERS 28:3-5, 9-10 (God instructing Moses)
3 And you shall say to them, This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at even;
5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.
9 And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
10 This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

EZEKIEL 46:4-5
4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer to the LORD in the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.

Note 1: When you suggest to people that they ought to go to church to worship God on the Sabbath day, some people argue with a statement something like, "We can worship God any day of the week." That is their excuse to justify going to church on Sunday, instead of the Sabbath. Is it scriptural to worship God every day of the week? Yes, because Jesus went daily to the Temple when he had opportunity (Matthew 26:55,Mark 14:49), and the New Testament church gathered together on a daily basis (Acts 2:46; 5:42). Nevertheless, to interpret scripture correctly, we ought to check our understanding with the Old Testament types and shadows first, before we draw any solid conclusion. So let us examine the daily sacrifices in the Old Testament. We can see that regular sacrifices were to be made, evening and morning, every day (Numbers 28:3-5), but on the Sabbath day they were doubled by the priests (Numbers 28:9-10), and also greatly multiplied by the prince of the tribe (Ezekiel 46:4-5). We know that animal sacrifices are no longer necessary, as Jesus is our sacrifice, but also, "we know that the law is spiritual:" (Romans 7:14), and look what the apostle Peter said:

(1 Peter 2:5) "You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

New Testament Christians are now a "holy priesthood", and the sacrifices that we are supposed to offer are spiritual. So what are the spiritual sacrifices? Some of them are:

Sacrifices made with our mouths are called, "the calves of our lips." (Hosea 14:2).

(See other sacrifices #3.25 Note.) Just like the Old Testament animal sacrifices, these New Testament spiritual sacrifices are meant to be offered every day of the week, but the Old Testament type shows clearly that they are meant to be greatly increased on the Sabbath day. This is why we need to lay aside secular work, and collect together in a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:3), which is equivalent to our church meeting. There is nothing wrong with worshipping God every day of the week, but substituting Sunday for the Sabbath day as the main day to do it, is totally contrary to the word of God, and is evil.

Note 2: You may ask, "What should I do if I have been involved in regular church attendance on Sunday, instead of the Sabbath day?" Forsake it, and start to keep the Sabbath! Three of the steps to complete repentance are:

(1) Forsake the sin (2 Chronicles 7:14; Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 1:16-18; 55:7; Jeremiah 36:3; Ezekiel 18:21-22; Jonah 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:19).
(2) Destroy all association with past sinful practices (Deuteronomy 9:16,21; Joshua 7:11-12; Isaiah 27:9; Acts 19:18-19).
(3) Obey God's word and do right (Isaiah 1:16-18; Ezekiel 18:21-22; 33:14-16; Ephesians 4:28; James 4:17).

If you wish to get your past apostasy forgiven, then I urge you to do it now, before it is too late.

#5. NON SCRIPTURAL ANSWERS TO COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Introduction 5

This section has been separated from the rest of the study because it is attempting to answer questions which the scripture alone does not answer. The answers can be obtained from secular history, but as such history is not scripture, it cannot be trusted as scripture, and history that contradicts scripture is not acceptable evidence. It is advisable therefore to be careful when reading this section, even though there has been an attempt made to stick to scriptural principles [such as: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." (2 Corinthians 13:1)] while compiling these answers.

#5.1 WHO SUBSTITUTED SUNDAY FOR THE SABBATH?

#5.11 Secular Legislation for Instituting Sunday as a Day of Rest

There was no change made from the Sabbath to Sunday in the time of the apostles. However, after the death of the apostles, Sunday was substituted for the Sabbath day through the commandment of men, but not by any commandment of God. It is possible that the transfer may have taken place gradually after the death of the apostles, but concerning secular or church legislation history records the following:

"Unquestionably the first law, either ecclesiastical or civil, by which the sabbatical observance of Sunday is known to have been ordained is the sabbatical edict of Constantine, A.D. 32I."
Chambers" Encyclopaedia, Article "Sunday."

Here is the first Sunday Law in history, a legal enactment by Constantine 1 (reigned 306-331):

"On the Venerable Day of the Sun ["venerabili die Solis"--the sacred day of the Sun] let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost--Given the 7th day of March, [A.D. 321], Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time."
The First Sunday Law of Constantine 1, in "Codex Justinianus," lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Phillip Schaff "History of the Christian Church," Vol. 3, p. 380.

"Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun; but let those who are situated in the country, freely and at full liberty attend to the business of agriculture; because it often happens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines; lest the critical moment being let slip, men should lose the commodities granted by Heaven."
Translated from the original edict in Latin, now in Harvard College U.S.A.

Constantine's empire was predominantly for Sun worship, so this was not a law to favour Christianity, but rather the "venerable day of the sun", which was the day of the dominating sun worship religion of that time.

#5.12 Church Legislation for Instituting Sunday as a Day of Rest

The Church of that day, then followed suit, and legislated on Sunday worship at the Council of Laodicea.
"The Council of Laodicea ... forbids Christians from judaizing and resting on the Sabbath day, preferring the Lord's day, and so far as possible resting as Christians."
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1899 Edition, Vol. XXIII, page 654.

Here is the first Sunday Law decree of a Christian council. It was given about 16 years after Constantine's first Sunday Law of A.D. 321:

"Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday [in the original: "sabbato" shall not be idle on the Sabbath], but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall especially honour, and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out ["anathema,"--excommunicated] from Christ."
Council of Laodicea, c. A.D. 337, Canon 29, quoted in C.J. Hefele, "A History of the Councils of the Church," Vol. 2, p. 316.

By the term "Judaize" they mean keeping the Sabbath day. By the term "the Lord's day" they mean Sunday, which seems to have become a term for that day, although there is no scriptural basis for calling it so.

Note 1: Paul and Peter both predicted false teachers would come after their death:

(Acts 20:29-30) "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
(1 Timothy 4:1) "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons;"
(2 Peter 2:1-2) "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."

Doctrines of Devils and False teachers: They teach that Jesus rose on Sunday, and that Sunday is the day of worship and rest.
Privily shall bring in damnable heresies: In the privacy of the council of Laodicea, they substituted Sunday for the Sabbath.
Denying the Lord: It was Jesus who said, "keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17), "but in works they deny him," (Titus 1:16), by not keeping them.
Many shall follow their pernicious ways: Almost all of Christianity keeps Sunday as a day of worship, instead of the Sabbath.
The way of truth shall be evil spoken of: Almost all of Christianity speaks against keeping the Sabbath commandment, which is the truth (Psalm 119:151).
The scripture has this to say on the matter:

(Romans 6:16) "Do you not know, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey;"
So who are we obeying when we keep Sunday as a day of worship instead of Saturday?

(1) We are obeying men, because men changed the Sabbath commandment for Sunday, and we are told not to do this:

(Acts 5:29) "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."
(1 Corinthians 7:23) "You are bought with a price; do not you be the servants of men."

(2) We are obeying the spirit of Antichrist, because it is the Antichrist, who will "think to change times and laws:" (Daniel 7:25). This spirit was already in the world in the time of the apostles, for John wrote, "this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:3). The spirit of antichrist is really the spirit of the Devil, because he is the one who gives the antichrist his authority:

(Revelation 13:2) "the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."

Therefore, when we obey the commandments of men (keeping Sunday), which is inspired by the spirit of antichrist, we are really bowing to Satan because we keep his law instead of God's.

(Matthew 15:1-9) "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour your father and mother: and, He who curses father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But you say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me;
6 And does not honour his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
7 You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Jesus severely rebuked the Pharisees, and called them hypocrites (v7), for pretending to love God, while at the same time breaking one of the Ten Commandments by their tradition. Where does this leave you dear reader? Do you say that you love God, while at the same time break the Sabbath commandment? Are you honouring the tradition of men (keeping Sunday), or honouring the commandment of God (keeping the Sabbath)?

#6. SUMMARY

From the very beginning God showed us an example of resting on the seventh day. When he chose Israel as a special people for himself, keeping the Sabbath day was part of that covenant. God himself engraved this commandment on a tablet of stone, and gave it to Moses. Whenever Jesus was tempted by the Devil to stray from the truth, he always answered, "It is written," (Matthew 4:4; 4:7; 4:10), and when we are tempted to stray from the truth concerning the Sabbath day, we also can answer, "It is written:"

(Exodus 20:8) "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
(Exodus 31:13) "Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep:"
(Exodus 31:14) "You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you:"
(Exodus 31:16) "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant."
(Exodus 35:1-2) "These are the words which the LORD has commanded, ... the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD:"
(Leviticus 19:3) "keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God."
(Leviticus 19:30) "You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD."
(Leviticus 26:2) "You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD."
(Deuteronomy 5:12) "Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD your God has commanded you."
(Deuteronomy 5:15) "the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day."
(Jeremiah 17:21-22) "Thus says the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do you any work, but hallow you the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers."
(Ezekiel 20:20) "And sanctify my Sabbaths;"

There are over 40 commands in the Old Testament to keep the Sabbath day, and as we have just seen, many of them were given directly by God. God has said that he will not alter anything that he has said (Psalm 89:34), so he will not alter this commandment. Remember, the Old Testament was the only bible for the New Testament church for many years in the days of the apostles, and many other commands were given, including the words of Jesus, such as, "keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17), and, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do;" (Matthew 23:2-3). Jesus never changed the Sabbath to Sunday. This study has shown that Jesus did not rise on Sunday morning, although he appeared to his disciples that day. The apostles did not substitute Sunday for the Sabbath, as is commonly believed, but were faithful to their bible (our Old Testament), and to the words of Jesus. They were not inspired by the Holy Spirit to change the day, because they did not receive that until the day of Pentecost, neither did they begin to gather together on the "first day of the week" to celebrate Jesus' resurrection, because none of them believed in it until they saw him personally. The phrase translated "first day of the week" in most modern bibles is a "paraphrase", for the Greek idiom, "first day after the Sabbath", or "one day from the Sabbath". There are no commands anywhere in the bible to substitute Sunday for the Sabbath day, besides which, the ark of the covenant is now in the temple of God in heaven: "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament:" (Revelation 11:19), and the Sabbath command is still written there.
For anyone who reverences the word of God as their guide in matters of doctrine and practice, here are some comparisons between the Sabbath and Sunday.

This following list has been obtained from another source and is not the original work of the author of this study:

Did God rest on the seventh day/Sabbath? Yes! (Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:11).
Did God rest on Sunday? No! (Genesis 1:1-5).
Did God bless the Sabbath? Yes! (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11).
Did God bless Sunday? No!
Did God hallow/sanctify the Sabbath? Yes! (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11).
Did God hallow/sanctify Sunday? No!
Did God write the Sabbath commandment with his own finger? Yes! (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10).
Did God write any Sunday commandment with his own finger? No!
Did God command the weekly Sabbath to be kept? Yes! (Exodus 20:8-11; See refs. above).
Did God command Sunday to be kept weekly? No!
Did God call the Sabbath "the holy Sabbath"? Yes! (Exodus 16:23)?
Did God call Sunday "the holy Sunday"? No!
Did Nehemiah call the Sabbath "your holy Sabbath"? Yes! (Nehemiah 9:14),
Did Nehemiah call Sunday "your holy Sunday"? No!
Did God call the Sabbath "the Sabbath of the LORD"? Yes! (Leviticus 23:3, 38).
Did God call Sunday "the Sunday of the LORD"? No!
Did God call the Sabbath "the Sabbath of the LORD your God"? Yes! (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14),
Did God call Sunday "the Sunday of the LORD your God"? No!
Did God call the Sabbath "my holy day"? Yes! (Isaiah 58:13).
Did God call Sunday "my holy day"? No!
Did God ever call the Sabbath "holy to the LORD"? Yes! (Exodus 31:15).
Did God ever call Sunday "holy to the LORD"? No!
Did God call the Sabbath "a delight, the holy of the LORD,"? Yes! (Isaiah 58:13).
Did God call Sunday "a delight, the holy of the LORD,"? No!
Did God ever refer to "my Sabbaths"? Yes! (Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 19:3,30; 26:2; Isaiah 56:4; Ezekiel 20:12; 20:13; 20:16; 20:20; 20:21; 20:24; 22:8; 22:26; 23:38; 44:24).
Did God ever refer to "my Sundays"? No!
Did God ever call the Sabbath "honourable"? Yes! (Isaiah 58:13).
Did God ever call Sunday "honourable"? No!
Did God tell us to keep the Sabbath holy? Yes! (Exodus 20:8).
Did God tell us to keep Sunday holy? No!
Did God tell us to sanctify the Sabbath? Yes! (Deuteronomy 5:12).
Did God tell us to sanctify Sunday? No!
Did God command us not to do secular work on the Sabbath? Yes! (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14).
Did God command us not to do secular work on Sunday? No! (Exodus 20:9; Leviticus 23:3; Deuteronomy 5:13).
Did God command the death penalty for working on the Sabbath? Yes! (Exodus 31:14-15; 35:2; Numbers 15:35).
Did God command the death penalty for working on Sunday? No!
Did God tell us to have a "holy convocation" every Sabbath? Yes! (Leviticus 23:3).
Did God tell us to have a "holy convocation" every Sunday? No!
Does God offer a reward to you for keeping the Sabbath holy? Yes! (Leviticus 26:2-9; Isaiah 56:4-5; 58:13-14).
Does God offer a reward for keeping Sunday holy? No!
Does God say that all flesh will one day worship him "from one Sabbath to another"? Yes (Isaiah 66:23).
Does God say that all flesh will one day worship him "from one Sunday to another"? No!
Did Jesus tell us to keep the Sabbath? Yes! (Matthew 5:19; 19:17; 23:1-3).
Did Jesus tell us to keep Sunday? No!
Did Jesus customarily go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day? Yes! (Luke 4:16).
Did Jesus customarily go to the synagogue on Sunday? No!
Did Jesus habitually teach in the synagogues on the Sabbath? Yes! (Mark 6:2; Luke 6:6; 13:10).
Did Jesus habitually teach in the synagogues on Sunday? No!
Did Jesus tell us to pray about the Sabbath? Yes (Matthew 24:20).
Did Jesus tell us to pray about Sunday? No!

It is a disgraceful reflection on modern Christianity, that with all these references and commands concerning the Sabbath day, the church has allowed itself to be deceived by the Devil into following man's tradition, namely substituting Sunday worship for Sabbath worship, for which there is not even one command or reference anywhere in the whole bible for us to observe it.
Jesus is coming back for a perfect church (Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:28; Revelation 19:7), but it won't be one which rejects the Sabbath.
Dear reader the choice is yours, "to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey;" (Romans 6:16), so "choose you this day whom you will serve;" (Joshua 24:14), "if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal (in this case we could say man, or the Devil), then follow him." (1 Kings 18:21).

(Ecclesiastes 12:13) "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

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RP 208 THE SIN OF BREAKING THE SABBATH DAY COMMANDMENT

INTRODUCTION

#1. REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD OBSERVE THE SABBATH

#1.02 BECAUSE GOD ORDAINED THE SABBATH

#1.021 God gave us an example from the beginning

#1.022 God wrote the Sabbath commandment himself on a tablet of stone

#1.023 God gave the Sabbath commandment to his chosen people

#1.04 BECAUSE JESUS CONFIRMED THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT

#1.041 Jesus himself made the Sabbath day for man

#1.042 Jesus himself kept the Sabbath day

#1.043 Jesus taught us to keep the commandments

#1.044 Jesus came to fulfil the law

#1.045 Jesus taught us to fulfil the law by love

#1.08 BECAUSE PAUL OBSERVED THE SABBATH DAY

#1.081 Paul habitually taught in the synagogues on the Sabbath day

#1.082 Paul went to places of prayer on the Sabbath day

#1.083 Paul offended nothing against the law of the Jews

#1.084 Paul taught us to fulfil the righteousness of the law

#1.085 Paul taught us that faith establishes the law

#1.10 BECAUSE THE EARLY CHRISTIANS OBSERVED THE SABBATH DAY

#1.101 Saul found Christians in the synagogues

#1.102 The early Jewish Christians were "zealous of the law"

#1.103 Ananias was "a devout man according to the law"

#1.104 James wrote to Jewish believers who met in the synagogue on the Sabbath day

#1.12 BECAUSE THE GENTILES OBSERVED THE SABBATH DAY

#1.14 BECAUSE JAMES TAUGHT US TO KEEP THE WHOLE LAW

#1.16 BECAUSE THE NEW COVENANT HAS NOT ALTERED THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT

#1.18 BECAUSE THE SABBATH WILL BE KEPT BY THE JEWS IN THE LAST DAYS

#1.20 BECAUSE THE SABBATH WILL BE KEPT DURING THE MILLENNIUM

#1.22 BECAUSE WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS WILL BE LOST

#1.24 JESUS WORDS TO ALL THOSE WHO BREAK GOD'S COMMANDMENTS

#2. THE TIMING OF THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

#2.1 THE FEASTS OF YHVH ARE SPECIAL SABBATHS

#2.11 The day of atonement

#2.12 The feast of trumpets

#2.13 The feast of tabernacles

#2.14 The Passover

#2.15 The feast of unleavened bread

A Diagrammatic Representation of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread

#2.16 The timing of the days

#2.2 JESUS WAS LITERALLY THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE GRAVE

#2.21 He was raised on the third day

#2.22 He was raised in three days

#2.23 He was raised during three days?

#2.24 He was raised after three days

#2.25 He was raised after three days and three nights

#2.26 Conclusion concerning the time of the resurrection of Jesus

#2.3 JESUS' FIRST APPEARANCES TO HIS DISCIPLES AFTER HE WAS RAISED

Introduction 2.3

#2.31 Mary Magdalene went to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to John

#2.32 The women disciples came to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to Luke

#2.33 The women disciples came to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to Mark

#2.34 The two Marys came to the tomb on the Sunday morning according to Matthew

#2.35 Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene on Sunday Morning

#2.36 Jesus appeared to two disciples on the Emmaus road on Sunday according to Luke

#2.37 Jesus appeared to his other disciples on the Sunday evening according to John

#2.38 Conclusion on Jesus' first appearances to his disciples after he was raised

#3. THE SPIRITUAL FULFILMENT OF THE SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3

#3.1 WHAT NOT TO DO ON THE OLD TESTAMENT WEEKLY SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3.1

#3.11 Do not do our own work

#3.12 Do not cook or gather food

#3.13 Do not gather sticks or make a fire

#3.14 Do not pluck the ears of corn?

#3.15 Do not carry any burden

#3.16 Do not buy or sell

#3.17 Do not do our own ways, or seek our own pleasure

#3.18 Do not speak our own words

#3.2 WHAT TO DO ON THE OLD TESTAMENT WEEKLY SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3.2

#3.21 Rest

#3.22 Have a Holy Convocation

#3.23 Keep the Gates of the City Closed

#3.24 Worship God at the Gate of the Temple

#3.25 The prince shall offer burnt offerings

#3.26 Remain in Your Place

#3.3 THE NEW TESTAMENT WORKS FOR THE SABBATH DAY

Introduction 3.3

#3.31 Teach in the church or synagogue