Expert: Brenda Martin - 6/21/2004

Question
Hi Brenda,

I've been studying my Church History Book. Do you know why the early Christians started worshipping on Sunday instead of continuing the Jewish tradition of worshipping on the Sabbath, ie Saturday?

Roman Emperor Constantine changed it to Sunday. However, from what I've read Christians worshipped on Sundays even before Constantine chaned it. I understand Jesus rose on a Sunday, but was that a good reason to switch to Sunday when the 10 Commandments clearly says to Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy (Sabbath can only mean Saturday)? I don't understand why Churches today have decided to violate the 4th Commandment? Do you?  

Answer
Hi Brad, you asked--"WHY THE EARLY CHRISTIANS STARTED WORSHIPPING ON SUNDAY INSTEAD OF CONTINUING THE JEWISH TRADITION OF WORSHIPPING ON THE SABBATH, IE SATURDAY?"

You are correct, the ancient Jews did keep Saturday as their Sabbath as this was a requirement for Jews living under the old law covenant, this law is no longer in operation (my belief)

The sabbatical system prescribed in the Mosaic Law included a weekly Sabbath day, a number of additional specified days throughout each year, the seventh year, and the fiftieth year. The weekly Sabbath of the Jews, the seventh day of their calendar week, was from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday.

Rom. 10:4: “CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW, so that everyone exercising faith may have righteousness.” (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)

Now why the change in day—

“The retention of the old Pagan name of ‘Dies Solis,' or ‘Sunday,' for the weekly Christian festival, is, in great measure, owing to the union of Pagan and [so-called] Christian sentiment with which the first day of the week was recommended by Constantine [in an edict in 321 C.E.] to his subjects, Pagan and Christian alike, as the ‘venerable day of the Sun.' . . . It was his mode of harmonizing the discordant religions of the Empire under one common institution.”—Lectures on the History of the Eastern Church (New York, 1871), A. P. Stanley, p. 291.

"CHRISTIANS WORSHIPPED ON SUNDAYS EVEN BEFORE CONSTANTINE CHANGED IT.?"

After Jesus' death, his apostles at no time commanded Sabbath observance. The Sabbath was not included as a Christian requirement at Acts 15:28, 29, or later.

Apostate Christians however in later centuries adopted the Sabbath observance again, and as far as I know changed it to Sunday after Constantine.

"JESUS ROSE ON A SUNDAY?"

Although Christ was resurrected on the first day of the week (now called Sunday), the Bible contains no instruction to set aside that day of the week as sacred.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CHURCHES TODAY HAVE DECIDED TO VIOLATE THE 4TH COMMANDMENT? DO YOU?"

What the Bible says at Galatians 4:8-11 and Colossians 2:16, 17 shows that Christians are not under God's law given to the Israelites, with its requirement to keep the weekly Sabbath and to observe other special days in the year. That keeping a weekly Sabbath is not a Christian requirement can also be seen from Romans 14:5.

I understand your concern that the churches have changed the day for celebrating the Sabbath, my beliefs are, the Sabbath observance was for the Jews and the Jews only, it began in Ex. 16:1, 23-29:and ended with Jesus death and resurrection; Col. 2:13-16:

Rom. 7:6, 7: “Now we have been discharged from the Law"

So I don't believe in observing the Sabbath on either day. Although Christians are not obliged to observe a weekly day of rest, they are nevertheless invited to observe rest of another kind. Paul explains this to his fellow Jewish Christians, saying: “So there remains a sabbath resting for the people of God. . . . Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest.” (Hebrews 4:4-11)

These Jews, before becoming Christians, had previously followed the Mosaic Law as scrupulously as they could. Now Paul was no longer encouraging them to seek salvation through works but instead to “rest” from their dead works. Henceforth, they were to have faith in Jesus' sacrifice, which was the only means by which mankind could be righteous in God's eyes.

All the best
Brenda