Adventist teaching: No
Biblical teaching: Yes
It’s no secret that seventh-day Sabbatarianism is part of the bedrock of Seventh-Day Adventism. This means it is one of their most hotly defended doctrines. This is because foundational to their identity is the belief that the Mark of the Beast will eventually be worshiping on Sunday (which they call the “papal sabbath”) after a national—turned international—Sunday Law is passed, mandating that everyone worship and rest on Sunday’s. This law will supposedly come at the behest of a “threefold union” between the Roman Catholic Papacy, Apostate Protestantism, and Spiritualism.
The theory is that, at the point of this law being enacted, Christians along with the whole world, will hunt down and kill Seventh-day Adventists for not submitting to it. Adventist’s will have to take a stand for the seventh-day Sabbath and will then be given the Seal of God in contrast to everyone else receiving the Mark of the Beast. Needless to say, this issue is very personal and deep-seated for Adventists.
With this comes the claim that the bible gives no support, mention, or implication of the day of worship changing, but is actually a doing of Satan, in opposition to God, setting up his false sabbath by means of the Papacy that changed God’s Sabbath. This is why it is necessary to understand the Great Controversy worldview to understand Adventist theology proper.
However, we will be demonstrating that this is shown in the Greek of the following verses and has nothing to do with conspiracy:
Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, Acts 20:7, Acts 13:14, 42 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
In Greek, all of these instances could most literally read “first day Sabbath.” Furthermore, Hebrews 4:1-11 also explains why this is the case as we have broken down here. But here we will focus strictly on verses using the same Greek phrase “first day Sabbath.” We recognize that some modern New Testament Greek scholars, such as William D. Mounce, disagree with this, and that’s okay. Mounce recognizes, though, that this Greek word is idiomatic which is why part of the meaning can get lost in translation.
Nevertheless, we believe there are multiple strong reasons for it to read “first day Sabbath” as have many other Greek translators through the centuries.
The phrases “first day Sabbath” and “eighth day Sabbath” also occur in the Hebrew of Leviticus 23:39, so if you are skeptical of the biblical legitimacy of the concept, it should be pointed out that the same language is repeatedly used in the Old Testament and none of it involves the Papacy.
Matthew 28:1
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek: Ὀψε δε σαββάτων τη ἐπιφωσκουση ἐις μιαν σαββάτων,
ESV: Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week,
Literal: Now after the Sabbath, as the first [day] Sabbath began to dawn.
Adventists will often try and argue this text has nothing to do with the day of worship, the day being set aside, etc. The Greek grammar itself refutes this. It calls the first-day a Sabbath. What may be lost in translation is seen when the original language is examined.
Dr. Philip Kayser notes in his book, Sunday as the First-Day Sabbath, that when the same word σαββάτων is used in the same context using the same grammar, it should have the same translation. It is arbitrary to translate it as “Sabbath” in the first instance and as “first day of the week” in the second.
In this case, the English sets up the Adventist to make the charge that all that is being said is that at the dawn of the first day Mary went to the tomb. But Dr. Kayser points out that the reason the English text is translated this way is because, in Greek, the standard use of the word “Sabbath” is “of rest,” (i.e. a day of rest).
He also notes that “first day Sabbath” is the most natural rendering of the Greek for a number of reasons:
- This was the way Jews translated the Hebrew for the Sabbath into Greek.
“Sabbath” is being used identically in this verse to mean the same thing it did to the Jews that translated the Hebrew into Greek. By using this word for both “Sabbath” and “first-day of the week,” this indicates the author is calling the first-day a Sabbath. - The grammar calls for it.
The Greek word μίαν, which means “first,” clearly does not modify “Sabbath” (σαββάτων), but rather it modifies the implied word “day.” This Greek construction occurs several times in the Septuagint—which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Therefore, it is grammatically impossible to translate it as “one of the sabbaths,” like many Adventist’s try and argue, it has to be “first day sabbath.” - Ancient translations also translate it as “first day Sabbath,” showing how this has been lost in translation to some degree.
Some of the ancient versions that translate it this way include the old latin, the Peshitta, and the Syriac copy of the Hebrew Bible. Other Bibles that translate it as “on the first Sabbath” or “first day Sabbath” are the 1535 Coverdale, the 1539 Great Bible, the Bishops Bible, the 1598 Theodore Beza translation, the Modern King James Bible, Martin Luther’s 1545 translation (“Auf je der Sabbate”), JBS, Vulgate, Clementine Vulgate, and others.
Mark 16:1-2, 9
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek: Και διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου, Μαρῖα,…και; λίαν πρωῖ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἐρχονται ἐπι; το; μνημεῖον, ἀνατέλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου…Ἀναστάς δε πρώ πρῶτη σαββάτου
ESV: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
Literal: Now when the Sabbath was past…Very early in the morning, on the first day Sabbath, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen…And rising early on the first day Sabbath.
We see the same Greek construction here using the exact same grammar in the exact same way, denoting the first day Sabbath—which was understood to be tied with worship.
Luke 24:1
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek: Τῆ δε μιᾶ τῶν σαββάτων, ὁφθρου βαθεος, ῆλθον ἐπι το μνῆμα
ESV: But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
Literal: Now on the first day Sabbath, at early dawn, they came to the tomb.
The day the women arrived to the tomb, the “first day of the week” to see Jesus, is called a “first-day sabbath” in the Greek.
John 20:1
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek: Τη δε μια τον σαββάτων, Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνη; ἐρχεται πρωί σκοτιας ἐτι οὐσης εἰς το μνεῖον
ESV: Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Literal: Now on the first day Sabbath Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark.
The exact same Greek construction is used in John’s gospel.
Interestingly, we find that Paul and Luke distinguish between the Sabbath and the “first-day Sabbath” such to keep the Greek reader from being confused regarding historical periods when both Sabbaths were being practiced—the seventh-day Sabbath by unbelieving Jews and the first-day Sabbath by the Christian church.
Acts 13:14, 42
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek | Acts 13:14: εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων, ἐκάθισαν
ESV: but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
Greek | Acts 13:42: Ἐξιόντων ˹ δὲ ˺ ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, παρεκάλουν τὰ ἔθνη εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ σάββατον λαληθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὰ ˹ ῥήματα.
ESV: As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.
When the Jews went out of the synagogue, we are told that the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them on the Sabbath in between (τὸ μεταξὺ). This is an example of something not being as clear in translation. The Greek differentiates the “Sabbath” when the Christ denying Jews were in the synagogue from the “Sabbath in between” the next Sabbath at the synagogue.
Acts 13:13-41 shows Paul reasoning with the Jews on their Sabbath day in their synagogue, not worshiping. They were not worshiping Jesus as a church service in the synagogue with Jews that rejected Jesus. Paul was there doing evangelism, not worship. When they rejected Paul’s message, Paul gave the same one on a Sabbath in between the Jewish Sabbaths. What is that “in between Sabbath”?
In his book, The Sabbath Transferred, Dr. Johns D. Parker comments on this by saying:
When Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch in Pisidia, on their first missionary tour, we have the most indisputable evidence of the transfer of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Paul first preached to the Jews in their synagogue on the (Jewish) Sabbath, and “when the Jews were gone out of their synagogue [Acts 13:42], the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath” (εἰς το μεταξυ σαββατον in the Sabbath in between), that is, the Sabbath between the (Jewish) Sabbaths. And the narrative continues (Acts 13:44), and the next Sabbath day (τό δε; ἐχομενω σαββατω σχεδον on the following Sabbath just at hand), came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God. When the participle ἐχομενος is used in reference to place it designates a place that is near or next, as in Mark 1:38 where Christ said “let us go into the next towns” (ἀγωμεν εἰς τας ἐχομενας κωμοπολεις). When the participle is used in reference to time it designates the next day, as in Acts 21:26, where “Paul took the men, and the next day [τη ἐξομενη ἡμερα] purifying himself with them entered into the temple.” The evangelist here says the following Sabbath, (on which the Gentiles would naturally hold religious service), was between the (Jewish) Sabbaths, and near at hand, that is, on Sunday. Can language be framed that would prove the transfer of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday more clearly and indisputably than this language of the inspired evangelist?
Johns D. Parker, The Sabbath Transferred, pg. 45-6
Dr. Kayser notes that, while Parker is much too dogmatic, his interpretation is at least possible.
Acts 20:7
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek: εἘν δε τή μια των σαββάτων, συνηγμενων των μαθητων του κλασσαι ἀρτον, ὁ Παυλος διελεγετο αὐτοις
ESV: On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
Literal: Now on the first day Sabbath, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul spoke to them.
Again, Adventist’s will assert this was merely a get together to hear Paul speak where they had a meal. This completely misses that the Greek reads that on the “first-day Sabbath” this took place. When the word itself entails the act of worship and it’s being applied to the “first-day,” that tells us that this was a church service, not just a generic get together. The fact that it was worship is entailed in the Greek word used for “first day Sabbath.”
Paul, arriving in Troas on Monday (Acts 20:6), delayed his rushed trip until the following Monday so that he could worship with the church on the “first-day Sabbath” (Acts 20:7). If, as the SDA Church asserts, there was no significance to his meeting on this day, then why does the passage not mention any other meetings in the previous seven days, such as on the seventh-day Sabbath? It was clearly Sunday, not Saturday on which the “disciples came together to break bread” and Paul was clearly delaying his rushed trip for a reason.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
First day Sabbath in Greek: σαββάτων
Greek: κατα μιαν σαββάτων ἐκαστος ὑμων…
ESV: On the first day of the week, each of you is to…
Literal: On the first day Sabbath, let each of you …
Contextually, Paul says:
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
It is in the present active imperative, which simply means it is a command (imperative) that is to be continuous (present). Paul is saying that this is to be a continuous practice within the Church, not just something for that time. And the time that is to be done is the “first day Sabbath.” This shows that the New Testament is not against day keeping as some have thought.
The establishment of this day is a command by the Apostle, something the Corinthians must do, and something that was universally mandated for all churches. Many people will use Romans 14, Galatians 4:9-10, and Colossians 2:16-17 to teach that there is no distinction of days in the New Covenant, but each of those passages are dealing with the issue of whether the Jewish Sabbath days continue. In this text, we have the “first day Sabbath” being referenced in the context of a command to the Christian church universal to practice such behavior on a specific day—the first day Sabbath.
Adventist apologists and pastors have sought to respond to this by claiming that this passage is only talking about setting aside some money in the home on each pay day, and that the first day of each week was more than likely pay day. Some even try and say it supports the Adventist teaching on tithe, not that there’s a first day Sabbath mentioned. They claim it is simply Paul giving instructions to the Corinthians on pay day to set aside some money for him to take an offering to the poor in Jerusalem. They will also claim it was to take place at home, not at church, therefore, it can’t be referring to a worship service.
The evidence for it being pay day lacks support, whereas, biblically, places like Leviticus 19:13 indicate that employers were not allowed to wait until the next day to make payments to laborers. This shows that, at least historically, there was a precedent for people being paid daily. With regards to it speaking about homes, that’s exactly what we would expect at the time of this letters writing. The Church was meeting in homes, not public buildings like today. Christianity was persecuted during this time.
There is no getting around the Greek grammar here regarding the word “first day Sabbath” and the present imperative command that Paul ties to the specific day, showing that this was in reference to the offerings taking place. The context indicates that Paul is giving instructions for Church order (1 Corinthians 16:1). This is church practice that is being addressed, not private charity.
In the other instances where Paul spoke of this same offering for Jerusalem, it was described in the language of worship and fellowship, not as private charity: “fellowship” (2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:13; Romans 15:26), “service” (2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1, 12-13), “grace” (2 Corinthians 8:4, 6-7, 9, 19), “blessing” (2 Corinthians 9:5), and “divine service” (2 Corinthians 9:12; Romans 15:27).
This was clearly an act of worship in the Church.
Even if the SDA Church wants to reject the Greek translation given, it is still clear that corporate worship was on Sunday (“first day Sabbath”) rather than on Saturday. This means that God not only approved of worship on the first day, He commands it.
Lastly, Adventist’s will try and assert that it was always Jesus’s habit to worship on the seventh-day Sabbath so it should be ours as well. While it is true that Christ’s habit was to meet corporately on Saturday, He changed that habit. The only records we have of His meeting corporately (at least that are dated) post His resurrection are on Sunday. And in these dated encounters, He is worshiped (Matthew 28:1, 9, John 20:26-9). Jews referred to a week with regards to eight days which is why the accounting in John uses that phrase (see also Luke 9:28).
Since Sunday is the Lord’s day, it was the day for meeting with Jesus in worship (Luke 24:13-35 compared with John 20:14-17, 19-23; Luke 24:36-49 compared with John 20:26-9). Pentecost was on a Sunday (compare Leviticus 23:15-16 with Acts 2:1) and therefore the disciples were “all with one accord in one place.” The apostles simply maintained the habit that the risen Christ left them with.
When the book of Acts references Paul at the Jewish synagogue (Acts 19:8), that is not to be confused with a Christian church service. Again, the Jews in the synagogue were not worshiping Jesus. They rejected the Messiah. Paul was there to evangelize his kinsmen, not worship. Which means that if that’s what He was doing on the Jewish, seventh-day Sabbath, when was he in church worshiping with Christians?
When the Adventist Church claims that the Christian church has no basis for worshiping corporately and universally on the first day, they have to ignore what the author originally intended to communicate in favor of filtering the English text through the Great Controversy Theme. Worship on Sunday has nothing to do with the Papacy or Roman Catholicism. It’s been the universal practice of the Church, from the beginning, and it’s because it was apostolic in practice in accordance with scripture.
Read more about how the Christian Sabbath differs from the Adventist Sabbath here.
