The Sabbath: A Day of Rest
The Sabbath, a day of rest and restoration, has been a cornerstone of religious observance for thousands of years. In the Bible, God commands us to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). However, over time, the day of observance has shifted from Saturday to Sunday, leading to confusion and debate among Christians.
Constantine’s Edict and the Rise of Sunday Worship
In 313 AD, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, allowing citizens to practice their chosen religion, including Christianity. Later, in 321 AD, Constantine decreed Sunday as a day of rest, which was confirmed by the Roman Papacy (Charles J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church, 2 [Edinburgh, 1876] 316). This marked the beginning of the shift from Saturday to Sunday worship.
The Council of Laodicea and the Lord’s Day
In 364 AD, the Council of Laodicea decreed that Christians should not observe the Sabbath on Saturday but rather honor the Lord’s Day on Sunday (Strand, op. cit., citing Charles J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church, 2 [Edinburgh, 1876] 316). This decision was based on a misinterpretation of Revelation 1:10, which refers to the Day of the Lord or the day of judgment, not Sunday (Isaiah 13:9-11, Ezekiel 30:3-4, Joel 3:18, Malachi 4:1-2).
The Biblical Sabbath
Despite the shift to Sunday worship, the biblical Sabbath remains unchanged. Exodus 20:8-10 commands us to observe the Sabbath on the seventh day, Saturday. Jesus himself observed the Sabbath (Luke 4:16) and declared that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). In fact, Jesus said, “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). God had no need to
The Resurrection and the Lord’s Day
Contrary to popular belief, Jesus did not rise from the dead on Sunday morning but rather on Saturday evening, making Saturday the true “Lord’s Day“. The Gospel accounts describe the women finding the empty tomb on Sunday morning, but Jesus had already risen before sunset on Saturday (John 20:17; 1 Corinthians 15:20). As the Hebrew biblical culture reckons a day from sunset to sunset (Genesis 1:5, John 11:9), Jesus’ resurrection occurred on the Sabbath, not Sunday.
Acts 20:7 and the Saturday Gathering
Acts 20:7 describes a gathering on Saturday evening that continued into Sunday rather than a Sunday morning gathering. A biblical day started at sunset and ended at the following sunset – so this means they were gathered together on the Saturday and as the sun sets on Sabbath (and first day of the week starts), Paul starts to speak and speaks for 4 hours straight until midnight. During this long sermon, a young man named Eutychus falls out of a window from exhaustion, but is miraculously revived (Acts 20:9-12). This is a better scenario than if he starts speaking at 10:00 on a Sunday morning and speaks for 14 hours until midnight. No one can speak for 14 hours – not even Paul!
Conclusion
The shift from Saturday to Sunday rest was not biblically justified and was instead a result of human authority and pagan influences. As Christians, we have the freedom to worship God on any day of the week, but we should also embrace the biblical Sabbath, setting aside Saturday as a day of rest and devotion, aligning ourselves with God’s original design and rhythm. By doing so, we can experience the peace and blessings of God’s Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-11).
God saw no need to modify the Sabbath’s original purpose, which remains a beautiful gift: to invite humanity into His eternal rest (Shalom). This day of rest allows us to cease from our labors and toils, acknowledging our limitations and dependence on Him. The Sabbath is more than a command; it’s a gracious provision that reminds us we cannot sustain ourselves, and that He is our ultimate source of provision and peace. In observing the Sabbath, we embrace our need for Him and find rest in His sufficiency.
