The Disciples and the Sabbath

LESSON 4

THE DISCIPLES AND THE SABBATH

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on The Sabbath Question. The topic for this study is: The Disciples and the Sabbath. In this study, I will want us to consider the attitude of the disciples in relation to the Sabbath after Christ had ascended to heaven.

From our previous study, we noted that if there was any group of people who had the right to disregard the Seventh-day Sabbath because Christ had given them a new commandment to make them do so, it certainly should have been the disciples of our Lord. However, we found out that immediately after the death of Christ, the women who had followed after Him from Jerusalem kept the Seventh-day Sabbath according to the commandment (see Luke 23:50-56).

Beloved, before Christ ascended to heaven, He gave the disciples the commission to proclaim the gospel to the entire world (see Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15). In pursuing this commission, the disciples continued to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath whether at home in Israel or when they travelled to Gentile territories. We find records of the apostle Paul and others participating in several Sabbath meetings in the book of Acts. Let us consider a few of such biblical accounts:

1) PAUL AND SILAS KEPT THE SABBATH IN THESSALONICA

As we follow the story of the early disciples of Jesus, one fact we cannot overlook is how they kept on keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath. Contrary to popular opinion, even the apostle Paul kept the Seventh-day Sabbath on his missionary journeys in various Gentile lands. Friends, even as Christ had a custom of attending church every Sabbath (see Luke 4:16), so was the apostle Paul. From Acts 17:1-4, we read about the attitude of Paul in regard to the Seventh-day Sabbath: "17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

17:2 AND PAUL, AS HIS MANNER WAS, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures"

17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

17:4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few."

(Acts 17:1-4; Capital Emphasis Added) Beloved, in the passage above, we learn about how Paul and Silas followed the explicit example of Christ in regard to the keeping of the Seventh-day Sabbath. In fact, in other places in the book of Acts, we find Paul and his missionary companions honouring the Sabbath commandment of God.

2) PAUL AND BARNABAS KEPT THE SABBATH AT ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA

As an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul travelled extensively in various Gentile lands, opening unto them the mystery of salvation for mankind through Jesus Christ. From Acts 13, we learn about how the apostle Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch in Pisidia to proclaim the good news of Jesus. When the Sabbath day came, Paul and his missionary companion went into the synagogue and sat down (see Acts 13:14). As we follow the story in Acts 13, we learn about how Paul and Barnabas were given the opportunity to present words of exhortation to the congregation during the Sabbath service. And the apostle Paul used this opportunity to preach Christ to the congregation. The result of Paul's preaching was amazing. Many in the congregation, especially the Gentiles, were amazed when they heard the beautiful message of salvation through the only begotten Son of God. I want us to read for ourselves what happened after Paul brought his sermon to a close: "13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God."

(Acts 13:42-44) Beloved, the message in the passage above is clear. In the same synagogue, we find Jews and Gentiles worshiping God on the Seventh-day Sabbath. THE POINT I WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND HERE IS THAT THERE WAS NO CONTENTION BETWEEN THE JEWS AND GENTILES IN RELATION TO THE KEEPING OF THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. The Gentiles gladly joined the Jews in keeping holy the fourth commandment of the Decalogue. Moreover, it is very clear from the context in Acts 13 that the apostle Paul did not see any problem in regard to the Gentiles joining their fellow Jews to worship on the Seventh-day Sabbath even though Christ had come to die (review Acts 13:42, 44).

3) PAUL KEPT THE SABBATH IN CORINTH

Friends, Thessalonica and Antioch were not the only places where the apostle Paul kept the Sabbath. In the city of Corinth, we learn how the apostle Paul "reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks" (Acts 18:4). In this text, we find the same scenario of Jews and Gentiles worshipping in the same synagogue on the Sabbath day. The point I want to emphasize here is that the act of worshipping on the Seventh-day Sabbath was not an issue of contention between the Jews and Gentiles.

4) PAUL, SILAS, TIMOTHY AND LUKE KEPT THE SABBATH IN PHILIPPI

Despite the various evidences from Scripture in relation to how the Sabbath was clearly honoured by both Jews and Gentiles after Christ, many in Christendom will still want to further arguments to the contrary. One point that is often raised by such people is that the Gentiles as well as Paul and his companions had no option but to join the Jews for worship on the Sabbath, as the Sabbath day was the Jews’ customary day of worship. But friends, a closer look at the book of Acts proves otherwise. In Acts 16, we learn about how Paul is given a vision in Troas to send the gospel to Macedonia. After receiving this vision, Paul and his missionary companions travelled from Troas to Philippi, a colony of Macedonia. In this Gentile city, there seemed to be no synagogue of the Jews where Paul and his friends could worship on the Sabbath. Now, let's see how Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke reacted when the Sabbath came around: "16:11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

16:12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither."

(Acts 16:11-13) From this passage we learn that in the city of Philippi, where there seemed to be no synagogue of the Jews, Paul and other disciples found an appropriate place for worship during the Sabbath. From this passage, we learn clearly that Paul did not visit the synagogues in Gentile lands only to preach Christ to the Jews and religious proselytes. He also, as his custom was (review Acts 17:2), went to the synagogues on the Sabbath day to worship the Creator God as the Moral Law required of him (see Exodus 20:8-11).

Beloved, from the scriptural passages we have reviewed so far in this study, it is clear that the Disciples of Christ continued to keep the Sabbath even after their Lord's ascension. This practice of the disciples was in conformity with the example of Christ (see Luke 4:16), and what He expected from them even after His ascension (see Matthew 24:20). With this important background, I believe we are now ready to delve into some of the controversial texts of the apostle Paul in relation to the Sabbath.

Exhortation: "The Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28).

In our next study, we will consider the topic: "Let no man therefore judge you ...": an exposition on Paul's words in Colossians 2:16. The Bible Study references for this study are Colossians 2:14-16, Hebrews 9:1-12, Leviticus 23, 1 Chronicles 23:31, Matthew 27:50-51 and Exodus 20:8-11. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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