Expert: Brenda Martin - 6/11/2005

Question
Hi Brenda,
Any idea why the word Sabbath is plural (in Greek) in this verse-- Matt, 28:1? Does this verse imply that the traditional Sabbath day ended and now we worship God on the first day of the week? Frankly I am not fully convinced that we should be worshipping on Sunday rather than Saturday. I would appreciate your insight.

Answer
HI there, you asked--"ANY IDEA WHY THE WORD SABBATH IS PLURAL (IN GREEK) IN THIS VERSE-- MATT, 28:1?"

let me explain a little about when Jesus died first, okay--

John 19:31 proves that Jesus must have died on a Friday. It mentions that the Sabbath that began three hours after Jesus' death (he died at about 3 p.m.) was not just an ordinary weekly Sabbath that begins Friday 6 p.m. and extends to Saturday 6 p.m.

Biblical days begin at 6 p.m., not at midnight as we now reckon days. John says “the day of that Sabbath was a great one.” In other words, two legal Sabbath days fell together during the same twenty-four-hour period, hence a double Sabbath.

According to the Law of Moses Nisan 15 every year must be a Sabbath day regardless of what day in the week it falls. (Lev. 23:6, 7) So it was A.D. 33 that Nisan 15 coincided with the weekly Sabbath.

Jesus died on Friday afternoon and was buried before the Sabbath began. This being the case, the weekly Sabbath coincided with the first day of the Festival of Unfermented Cakes, which was also a Sabbath. It is logical, then, that this is why the Bible calls the day following Jesus' death a “great” Sabbath. (John 19:31, 42; Mark 15:42, 43; Luke 23:54)

However as to the usage of plural—

According to respected authorities,such as  A Greek-English Lexicon by H. G. Liddell and Robert Scott, the plural form frequently refers to just one day. Also, the plural “Sabbaths” is used in the Bible to designate a week. (Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7) That is why Rotherham renders Matthew 28:1: “And late in the week when it was on the point of dawning into the first of the week.”

DOES THIS VERSE IMPLY THAT THE TRADITIONAL SABBATH DAY ENDED AND NOW WE WORSHIP GOD ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK?

No, but keeping the Sabbath was part of the Mosaic Law and that law was done away with at Jesus death. We as Christians are not under the law and so not obligated to keep the Sabbath on any day.

Rom. 10:4: (Sabbath keeping was a part of that Law. God used Christ to bring that Law to its end. Our having a righteous standing with God depends on faith in Christ, not on keeping a weekly sabbath.) (Also Galatians 4:9-11; Ephesians 2:13-16)

I AM NOT FULLY CONVINCED THAT WE SHOULD BE WORSHIPPING ON SUNDAY RATHER THAN SATURDAY

You are correct, however the scriptures show we are not to set aside any day, whether that is Saturday or Sunday, we are to worship God every day.

Col. 2:13-16;- As shown in the scripture, an approved standing with God no longer requires observance of the sabbath requirement given to Israel.

Many of the moral standards set out in the Ten Commandments were restated in the inspired books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. There was, however, no restating of the Sabbath law.

All the best
Brenda