These four Gospel writers penned their narratives anywhere from twenty or thirty years up to nearly seventy years after the ascension of Christ.
These and other New Testament writers all speak of the seventh day as “the Sabbath,” with no suggestion that this weekly holy day had been abolished or was in process of being abolished.
From a study of the six texts before us the following facts come to light:
1. Each time Sunday is called simply “the first day of the week.” No title of holiness or other indication of sanctity or holiness is employed or hinted at.
2. There is no statement by Christ in connection with His meetings with the disciples, either in these texts or in their surrounding context, that even suggests that special significance should henceforth be attached to the first day of the week.
3. The reason why the disciples were all in one place on the resurrection day was not because they were holding a religious service to institute Sunday worship but because they were in “fear of the Jews.” (John 20:19)
4. Three of the four Gospel writers plainly state that the Sabbath had ended when the first day of the week began.
5. The true significance of the mention of the first day of the week is evidently merely the desire of the Gospel writers to give an accurate history of the events surrounding the crucifixion, and to show that Christ's declaration that He would be raised on the third day was fulfilled.
In addition to His meetings with the disciples and certain women on the resurrection day, as mentioned in the six “first day” texts, what other visits, which state the time of His visit, are recorded? There are two:
1. The day of the ascension (when Christ was taken up into heaven), which occurred forty days after the resurrection (See Acts 1:3-9). By counting off cycles of seven, we can determine that since the.jpg)
Resurrection was on Sunday, Ascension Day, 40 days later, must have been a Thursday. Those churches that honor Ascension Day do so on a Thursday, the 40th day after Easter Sunday.
2. A meeting held a week after the resurrection day. The time is thus given: “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace be unto you.’” John 20:26. “After eight days” is a Hebrew idiom for one week [see, e.g., the NIV translation]. Thus, this took place a week later.
Hence, Christ met with His disciples the first two Sundays after the Resurrection. The first Sunday meeting proves nothing except that Christ would not want to delay the encouragement of His disciples provided by the fact of His resurrection from the dead.
So let us examine the account of the third time Christ met His disciples after His resurrection. (See John 21:1-14).jpg)
The disciples were fishing! Evidently they considered fishing proper on that day, and there is no suggestion that Christ rebuked them for it. Instead, He instructed them how to catch fish!
From a study of the six texts before us the following facts come to light:
1. Each time Sunday is called simply “the first day of the week.” No title of holiness or other indication of sanctity or holiness is employed or hinted at.
3. The reason why the disciples were all in one place on the resurrection day was not because they were holding a religious service to institute Sunday worship but because they were in “fear of the Jews.” (John 20:19)
4. Three of the four Gospel writers plainly state that the Sabbath had ended when the first day of the week began.
5. The true significance of the mention of the first day of the week is evidently merely the desire of the Gospel writers to give an accurate history of the events surrounding the crucifixion, and to show that Christ's declaration that He would be raised on the third day was fulfilled.
In addition to His meetings with the disciples and certain women on the resurrection day, as mentioned in the six “first day” texts, what other visits, which state the time of His visit, are recorded? There are two:
1. The day of the ascension (when Christ was taken up into heaven), which occurred forty days after the resurrection (See Acts 1:3-9). By counting off cycles of seven, we can determine that since the
.jpg)
2. A meeting held a week after the resurrection day. The time is thus given: “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace be unto you.’” John 20:26. “After eight days” is a Hebrew idiom for one week [see, e.g., the NIV translation]. Thus, this took place a week later.
Hence, Christ met with His disciples the first two Sundays after the Resurrection. The first Sunday meeting proves nothing except that Christ would not want to delay the encouragement of His disciples provided by the fact of His resurrection from the dead.
So let us examine the account of the third time Christ met His disciples after His resurrection. (See John 21:1-14)
.jpg)
Q: If this was Sunday, and the solemnity of the Sabbath Day had been transferred to Sunday at the Resurrection, wouldn’t Jesus have scolded them for working on Sunday?
Sunday advocates tend not to talk about this occasion."
F.D. Nichol
