Sabbath Keepers
Q: Show me where Scripture says we are free from worship on Sabbath (Saturday)?
"Even looking at Acts 13:42
42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
Why if worship were not on the sabbath why did the gentiles not ask to be taught the next day? Rather, they asked to be taught the following sabbath…. gentiles were asking to be taught on the sabbath and not Sunday."
A: sure would be happy to:
There are many variations of “sabbath keepers”. Today, we have Seventh Day Adventists, Hebrew Roots, Worldwide Church of God, and more. They are following false teaching. It is nothing new. This goes all the way back to New Testament times. The book of Galatians was written against them.
I am going to answer the questions as if you are actually seeking to be educated, because that is my hope.
There are times Scripture doesnt say "why" for something-- You cant make a doctrine out of silence.
The Temple was the only worship place in Israel. Rabbis were in the inner court teaching each their own follower-students daily. Jesus was also daily teaching in the Temple grounds. Anyone who wanted to hear could go listen, and did.
The main thing you are missing here is that these things happened in Israel. In the OT times.
Jesus said believe me there is coming a time when people will not worship in the Temple.
John 4:4-24:
Now Jesus .... had to go through Samaria. and talked to a Samaritian woman at the well
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem...Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Jesus was under the Old Covenant, and in general He was reaching Jews at the Temple. Because thats where people went "to learn" and worship.
The Temple was the only worship place. Two million people could not fit in the Temple every Sabbath day.(1) That would be Impossible. Instead, various Israli's and Jewish converts went there every day. Not just for learning, and worship, but sacrifices too.
The Temple was the only worship place. Prior to the Cross, there were Gentiles becoming Jewish converts. Where did they go to convert and learn? At the Temple.
The resurrection happened and bam the Apostles began worshipping on Sunday. Jesus received worship from them on Sundays. He was there 40 days after the resurrection. The church began worship on Sunday and they did so to celebrate the Resurrection. It is why Sunday is called by them "the Lord's Day".
When were most people at the Temple? Saturday was the only day the Jews had off of work. So obviously "many many" would be there that day of the week, during day light.
In Acts 13:14, Paul went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. Why? Because many many people were there.
The gentiles in Acts 13:42 are in the process of converting to Judaism. So they would be at the Synagogue That's why Paul always went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. The other days, "everyone" was working to make a living.
Resurrection happened, the church began worshipping on a work day and these Christians reorganized their lives to honor the day Jesus resurrected at great cost to themselves. They worked on Sunday, and after a long day of work they gathered in homes [until buildings were built in later times]. Most of the time into the night.
Acts 20:9
As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below.
They met, ate, fellowshipped and learned the Word. At first by the Apostles teaching/preaching as the Apostles traveled, and then later [when churches formed] by pastors following what the Apostles taught and by the written word as the NT was disseminated to the churches, one after another. They continued to meet on Sunday.
Scripture is clear about them beginning to Worship God and Christ on Sunday since Resurrection day. I am not saying all Christians must meet on Sunday to worship. But by tradition we do since we have the Lord's Day off. We have freedom and tend to meet 4 or 5x a week both at church and at home fellowship meetings; [Sunday School early am, Worship Sunday am, Worship Sunday eve, Worship Wed night, home meetings on Friday]. We can do that because of Freedom. What we are free from is the Sabbath law requirement. It was for the Jews and only until the Messiah brought salvation and freedom. Now we can even worship at home, in the car, at the beach. And we pray without ceasing because we worship God, Love Him and are in a personal relationship with Him.
To point #11 click here
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Footnotes
(1) Josephus also said that there were 2,700,000 people within the walls of Jerusalem when the Romans, under Titus, besieged it in 70 AD.
Before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., Jerusalem was home to numerous Diaspora Jewish communities. Evidence of these communities abounds. Texts, such as the New Testament, Mishnah, and Josephus’ writings, help us reconstruct who they were. Additionally, burials and inscriptions serve as major sources for understanding the population of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time.
The tombs and synagogue inscription show that Jews traveled from diverse locations—from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and even Italy—to visit and sometimes move to Jerusalem.
Biblical Archeology.org 2022 article
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