The Change of the Sabbath

Acts 17:1, 2

“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” ChSa 72.1

Twenty years after the resurrection we have another in stance, in a Gentile city, of Paul’s using the ancient Sabbath as a day for religious meetings, and of Luke’s declaring to the Christian world that the day in which the Jews met in their synagogues was still the Sabbath day of Holy Writ. ChSa 72.2

Another very significant remark made by the historian is that it was “Paul’s manner” thus to use the Sabbath day for religious teaching. In this respect he followed Christ’s example perfectly. The same writer declares that it was our Savior’s “custom” to do the same thing. Luke 4:16. All agree that our Lord in doing this was keeping the Sabbath commandment, and showing proper respect for the worship of God on that day. The Sabbath was ordained for that purpose, as a day for religious worship. It would be impossible to show a particle of difference between Paul’s “manner” of treating the Sabbath and Christ’s “custom.” They pursued the same course toward the Sabbath, because their relation to Jehovah’s rest-day was just the same. It was the day appointed for religious instruction. It was obligatory in both cases. ChSa 72.3

Another very significant point in connection with this text of scripture, is the fact that here we have an account of the origin of the Thessalonian church, to which Paul addressed one of his epistles. We cannot question but that the members of this church were observers of the seventh day Sabbath. Paul, in his letter to them, uses this language: “You, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus.” “You became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that you were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.” 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 1:6, 7. Jesus declared, “I have kept my Father’s commandments.” St. Paul, when he arrived in Rome AD. 62, called the “chief of the Jews together,” and said unto them, “I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers.” Acts 28:17. None will deny that the observance of the Sabbath was one of these “customs.” Hence we are forced to conclude that Paul kept the Sabbath. ChSa 72.4

These Thessalonian brethren followed Paul and Christ; therefore they also were observers of the Sabbath. The brethren of Macedonia and Achaia followed the same example. The churches of Judea even, according to the admission of many first-day commentators, still kept the Sabbath. We see, therefore, that the early Gentile Christians imitated them in this practice. We note, also, this fact, which is brought to view in the text we are considering: here were three more Sabbath days in which Paul held religious meetings, making six, with the three previously mentioned. ChSa 73.1