The Disciples Kept the Sabbath After the Resurrection
The Bible affirms that the disciples of Jesus Christ did keep the Sabbath after the Resurrection. Let’s read the Scriptural evidences:
Antioch
Paul “went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day” (Acts 13:14). Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism worshiped there (verses 16 and 26). After preaching the gospel, “the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath” (verse 42). Then, “the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God” (Verse 44).
Philippi
Luke wrote, “on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side” (Acts 16:13). There was no synagogue there, but the disciples still gathered to worship on the Sabbath.
Thessalonica
Paul preached on the Sabbath and for “three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead” (Acts 17:1-3).
Corinth
Paul “came to Corinth” and “reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks” (Acts 18:1, 4).
Ephesus
Paul, “went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). This was obviously on the Sabbath days, as in Antioch, Corinth and Thessalonica.
Paul Was NEVER Accused of Sabbath-Breaking by the Jews
Paul was arrested in the Temple in Jerusalem (Acts 21). At his trial before the Sanhedrin, even the Pharisees admitted, “we find no evil in this man” (Acts 23:9). Before Felix, Paul testified, “so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets” (Acts 24:14). And Paul declared before Festus, “to the Jews have I done no wrong” (Acts 25:10). Also, before Agrippa the apostle said, “I continue to this day … saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come” (Acts 26:22).
Finally, Paul spoke to the Jews in Rome, “persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening” (Acts 28:23). During all of his trials, the Jews never once accused Paul of breaking the Sabbath simply because he never did.
The Jerusalem Council
This council led by the apostles was organized to discuss “this question … this matter” of “circumcision” and “the law of Moses” (Acts 15:1, 2, 5). The Sabbath itself was not debated or even discussed. The Church decided that the Gentiles were “saved … through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 11). And thus they did not need to be circumcised. At this early date in Church history, believing Gentiles were still worshiping with the Jews in their synagogues “every Sabbath day” (verse 21). Thus, verse 21 proves that the “Sabbath day” was not changed to Sunday by the Jerusalem Council of the early Apostolic Church.
There is no suggestion anywhere in the Scriptures that Jesus, His Father, or the disciples ever—at any time changed the holy seventh day Sabbath to any other day. About 300 years after the resurrection, people changed God’s holy day of worship from the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) to the first day of the week (Sunday). And this mistake was passed on to our time as fact.
It is impossible for any of God’s moral law to change (Matthew 5:18). All Ten Commandments are still binding today. God blessed the seventh day Sabbath (Genesis 2:2,3; Exodus 20:8-11), and when God blesses, no man can “reverse it” (Numbers 23:20).
For more on the Sabbath, please check (Lessons 91-102) of the Bible Lessons.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
