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4. Note the following observations:
a. The Law of Moses was still in effect prior to the death of Christ
b. As an Israelite, Jesus kept the Law (along with the Sabbath)
c. He displayed authority to forgive sin and interpret the Law - Mt 9:6; 12:8
-- There is nothing to indicate that Jesus extended the Sabbath to all nations
Mark A. Copeland
B. THE APOSTLES AND THE SABBATH...
1. The apostles were to pray that their flight from tribulation not be on the Sabbath - Mt 24:20
a. A reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70
b. For in Judea the Jews would still be observing the Sabbath, closing the gates and thereby
hindering flight - cf. Mt 24:15-19
c. This does not indicate whether or not the Sabbath was still bound by God
2. Paul utilized the Sabbath during his evangelistic efforts - Ac 13:14,42,44; 16:13; 18:4
a. It was his custom whenever he came to a new city - Ac 17:1-3
b. He knew the Jews would be there, and he sought to teach them about Jesus
c. Just like he went to the market place to reach others - Ac 17:17
3. Paul taught that the Law of Moses, including the Sabbath, had come to an end
a. That Jews died to the Law when they became Christians - Ro 7:4-7
b. That Jesus ended the Law with its ordinances through His death - Ep 2:13-16; Co 2:14
c. That the Law and ordinances like the Sabbath and circumcision should not be bound on
others, especially Gentiles - Co 2:16-17; Ga 5:1-4
d. That a new, superior covenant had replaced the old - 2 Co 3:6-11; cf. He 8:6-13; 9:15
4. They taught observing the Sabbath was no longer necessary
a. Jewish Christians continued to observe elements of the Law - cf. Ac 21:18-20
b. Paul himself did so on occasion - cf. Ac 18:18,21; 21:21-26
c. But Paul (and the rest of the apostles) drew a clear line:
1) The Law could not be bound on Gentiles - Ac 15:1-2,19-29; cf. Ga 2:3-5; 5:1
2) The Law could not serve as a basis for their salvation - Ga 5:4; cf. Ro 3:28
d. But if an individual desired to keep one day above another (e.g., the Sabbath), that was
between the individual and his Lord - cf. Ro 14:5-6
-- There is nothing in the apostolic practice and writings to suggest that the Sabbath was
made a part of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ
[If our reading of the New Testament regarding the Sabbath is correct, then we should not be surprised
by what we learn...]
III. IN CHURCH HISTORY
A. CHRISTIANS ASSEMBLED ON THE FIRST DAY...
1. Expressed both explicitly and implicitly in the NT - Ac 20:7; 1 Co 16:1-2
2. As per early “church fathers”; a sampling:
a. “We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose
again from the dead” - The Epistle of Barnabas, 15:6-8, 100 AD
b. “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to
one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as
long as time permits...” - First Apology of Justin, Weekly Worship of the Christians,
Ch. 68, 150 AD
c. “But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first
day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world;
Topical Sermons 310