IS SUNDAY REALLY SACRED (Part Two) Resurrection on (Sunday): Lets begin with the first gospel. Matthew writes, In the end of the (Sabbath), as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre (Matthew 28:1). Here we have some very interesting proof that the (Sabbath) could not possibly the first day of the week. According to this record the (Sabbath) was ending when the first day was beginning. They are two succesive days. Based on Scripture no one could truthfully call (Sunday) the (Sabbath). It would be both confusing and unbiblical. The substance of Matthews testimony is simply that the women came at dawn on the day following the (Sabbath) and found that Jesus was already risen. This harmonizes perfectly with the next Gospel, which adds a few more details. Notice that Mark equates the dawn with the rising of the sun He wrote, And when the (Sabbath) was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? (Mark 16:1-3). These parallel Gospel accounts clear up a common misconception that has arisen over meaning of Matthews words as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week. Some have interpreted this to be just before sundown on Saturday evening. Since the Hebrew reckoning would establish the end of the (Sabbath) at sunset, they assume that the women came just before the first day was ushered in at sundown. Here we see the value of comparing text with text. Marks words make it imposible to hold the view that the women came Saturday night and found the tomb empty. He lists the very same women as coming at sunrise (Sunday) morning, but they were asking the question, Who shall roll us away the stone? Obviously, if they had been there the night before and descovered an empty tomb, they would have known that the stone was already removed from the door. Thus we can understand clearly that Matthews dawn is referring to the early morning visit at sunrise on (Sunday) morning. The third New Testament reference to the first day is a simple narrative statement in (Mark 16:9), Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Little comment is needed here, because the verse is only repeating the same story of the resurrection early on (Sunday) morning. The important thing to note is that nothing is said in any of these texts about the first day of the week being holy. There is no intimation of anyone observing the day in honor of the resurrection. LOCATING THE TRUE SABBATH: One of the most complete word pictures of resurrection events is found in the Gospel of Luke, and here we read the fourth reference to the first day of the week. This man (Joseph of Arimathaea) went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the (Sabbath) drew on (Luke 23:52-54). Before reading further, let us carefully examine the inspired description of this crucifixion day. The vast Christian majority agrees that these events transpired on the day we now call Good Friday. Here it is called the preparation day because it was a time for making special arrangements for the approaching (Sabbath). In fact, the text states very simple the (Sabbath) drew on. This means that it was coming up next. What else happened on that day Jesus died? And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how His body was laid. And they retirned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the (Sabbath) day according to the commandment (verses 55,56). During the rest of that fateful Friday, the devoted women bought the the ointing materials and made further preparation for their (Sunday) morning visit to the tomb. Then, as the (Sabbath) was ushered in at sunset, they rested the (Sabbath) day according to the commandment. This identifies that holy day as the specific weekly (Sabbath) of the Ten commandments and not the Passover or some other (feast-sabbath) that could have fallen on any day of the week. The next verse tells what the women did on the day following the (Sabbath). Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre (Luke 24:1-2). First we notice that the women came to do their regular labor on the day of the resurrection. Modern churches refer to that particular first day of the week as Easter Sunday. There can be no doubt that Jesus was raised sometime during the dark hours of that early morning. In none of the Gospel recitals do we have any evidence that the women or anyone else attached any sacredness to the day on which the the resurrection took place. Lukes account of that eventful weekend. Proves beyond any question that the true seventh day Sabbath can still be precisely located. He describes the sequence of events over three successive days-Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Jesus died on the preparation day, and the (Sabbath) was approaching. Christians now refer to it as Good Friday. The next day was the (Sabbath) according to the commandment plainly designates that the seventh day is the (Sabbath) of Lord, that Sabbath had to be Saturday. It very interesting to note that Jesus rested in the tomb on the Sabbath from His work of redemption, just as He had rested from His work of creation on the (Sabbath). On the day following the (Sabbath), Jesus rose. Today it is referred to as Easter Sunday, but the bible designates it the first day of the week. In the light of these indispited, historical facts to which all Christianity subscribes, no one can plead ignorance of the true (Sabbath). It is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Lukes record is such a perfect chronogical account of those three days that even the most simple and uneducted can locate the biblical seventh day on our modern calendar. Now we are prepared to examine the fifth New Testament statement concerning (Sunday). The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre (John 20:1). There is very little new imformation in Johns description of the resurrection. Like all the other writers he gives no indication whatsoever that the first day of the week was ever counted holy or kept holy by anyone. So far, the significant common thread in all the Gospel stories has been a total absence of such evidence.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Jun 2014 21:10:38 +0000
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