SUNDAY PRE-EMINENCE

THE RISE OF SUNDAY

THE FIRST SUNDAY LAW BY EMPEROR CONSTANTINE IN 321 AD

As the Bible nowhere commands anyone to observe Sunday how did it start? Non-biblical evidence for Sunday observance appears soon after ~ AD100. However this does not mean that Sabbath- keeping changed abruptly.

For centuries most of the church continued to observe the Sabbath:

“Although almost all the churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this.” Socrates, Ecclesiastical History, book 5, chap. 22, trans. in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd series (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979), Vol. 2, p. 132.

“The people of Constantinople, and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria.” Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History, book 7, chap. 19, trans. in Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers, 2nd series, Vol. 2, p. 390.

By the 4th century most Christians had begun to observe both Sabbath and Sunday:

Three factors led to Sunday observance:

1. Anti-Judaism

2. Sun worship

3. The church of Rome

1. Anti-Judaism A Jewish revolt in AD135, led to the Roman Emperor Hadrian outlawing Judaism throughout the Roman Empire. This caused Christian leaders to distance themselves from the Jews to avoid persecution.

2. Sun worship In the early part of the second century the Sun worship cult, Sol Invictus (the Invincible Sun) became dominant in Rome. Sun-worship influenced Christian thought as is seen in art and literature, the birthday of the Sun became Christmas, and churches were orientated toward the sunrise in the East. In view of Sundayʼs popularity among pagan Sun worshipers, and the esteem with which many Christians regarded Sunday, the Roman emperor Constantine issued the first civil Sunday law on March 7, AD321. Constantine hoped that, by making Sunday a holiday, he would ensure the support of both groups.

“On the venerable day of the Sun [venerabili die Solis] let the magistrates and people residing in the cities rest, and let all work- shops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits.” Codex Justinianus, book 3, title 12, 3, trans. in Schaff, History of the Christian Church 5th ed. (New York: Charles Scribner, 1902), Vol. 3, p. 380, note 1.

3. The church at Rome The church at Rome was the most powerful in the world and was comprised primarily of Gentiles which contributed to the differentiation from the Jews. In the late second century Sunday was established as the day to celebrate Jesusʼ death & resurrection rather than on the Jewish Passover (14th of the Jewish month Nisan). This added to Sundayʼs significance and further distanced the church from its Jewish roots. Several decades after Constantineʼs civil law the church of Rome at the Council of Laodicea (c. AD364), issued the first ecclesiastical Sunday law stipulating that Christians should honour Sunday, and, “...if possible, do no work on that day.” It also denounced the practice of resting on the Sabbath, instructing that Christians should “not Judaize and be idle on Saturday [Gr. sabbaton, “the Sabbath”], but shall work on that day.” Council of Laodicea, Canon 29, in C. J. Hefele, A His- tory of the Christian Councils, trans. and ed. by Henry N. Oxenham (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1896), p. 316.

In AD538, the year which marked the beginning of the Papacyʼs 1260 year reign (See on Daniel 7:25), the Roman Catholic Third Council of Orleans issued a law against even agricultural labour on Sundays. Canon 28 of that council states:

“...agricultural labor ought to be laid aside, in order that the people may not be prevented from attending church.” Giovanni Domenico Mansi, ed., Sacrorum Conciliorum, Vol. 9, col. 919, as quoted by Maxwell, God Cares, Vol. 1, p. 129.

Though Constantine had issued Sunday laws (AD321) it was Papal Rome which eventually claimed to have transferred the Sabbath to Sunday as evidence of her authority.

Papal Rome

Catholic Catechisms (Official books of Roman Catholic doctrine) state:

“Q. Have you any other way of proving that the Church [Catholic] has power to institute festivals of precept?

A. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her;- she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” S. Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, (3rd American ed., rev.; New York: T. W. Strong, late Edward Dunigan & Bro., 1876), p 174.

"It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church." — Priest Brady, in an address, reported in the Elizabeth, NJ ‘News’ on March 18, 1903.

Q. In what manner can we show a Protestant, that he speaks unreasonably against fasts and abstinences?

A. Ask him why he keeps Sunday, and not Saturday, as his day of rest, since he is unwilling either to fast or to abstain. If he reply, that the Scripture orders him to keep the Sunday, but says nothing as to fasting and abstinence, tell him the Scripture speaks of Saturday or the Sabbath, but gives no command anywhere regarding Sunday or the first day of the week.

If, then he neglects Saturday as a day of rest and holiness, and substitutes Sunday in its place, and this merely because such was the usage of the ancient Church, should he not, if he wishes to act consistently, observe fasting and abstinence, because the ancient Church so ordained? — Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism; New York in 1857, page 181

"The [Roman Catholic] Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh-day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant." — The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p. 4.

"... you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify." — The Faith of Our Fathers, by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, 88th edition, page 89. 1876

"All of us believe many things in regard to religion that we do not find in the Bible. For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church outside the Bible." —The Catholic Virginian, To Tell You The Truth,” Vol. 22, No. 49 (Oct. 3, 1947).

"The Sun was a foremost god with heathen-dom…The sun has worshippers at this hour in Persia and other lands…. There is, in truth, something royal, kingly about the sun, making it a fit emblem of Jesus, the Sun of Justice. Hence the church in these countries would seem to have said, to 'Keep that old pagan name [Sunday]. It shall remain consecrated, sanctified.' And thus the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Balder, became the Christian Sunday, sacred to Jesus." William Gildea, Doctor of Divinity, The Catholic World, March, 1894, p. 809

Lutheran

“The observance of the Lordʼs day [he means Sunday] is founded not on any command of God, but on the authority of the church.” Augsburg Confession of Faith, (Lutheran), quoted in Catholic Sabbath Manual, part 2. chap. 1, sec. 10.

Congregationalist

“It is quite clear that, however rigidly or devoutly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath...The Sabbath was founded on a specific command. We can plead no such command for the observance of Sunday...There is not a single sentence in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty for violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday.” R. W. Dale, D.D., (Congregationalist) The Ten Commandments. pp. 106, 107.

Anglican (Church of England)

“And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day… The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the Church, has enjoined it.” Isaac Williams, B.D. (Church of England), Plain Sermons on the Catechism, Vol 1 pages 334, 336.

The choice for Christians today is between being Biblically-based and obeying God or keeping the unbiblical tradition and commandments of the Roman Church. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve...” Josh 24:15.

The Seventh Day, Saturday, is the Sabbath worship day of the Lord thy God. The Jews know it and the serious ones keep it to this day. Jesus said he was Lord of the Sabbath Day NOT Sunday:

"For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day." Matthew 12:1-8

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." Mark 2:27,28

Jesus said: "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:10

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11

May God bless you as you study to show thyself approved unto God - 2Timothy 2:15

The Sunday Times Team