Bible Handbook

Who Changed The Sabbath?

Since we have found that neither Christ nor His disciples changed the Sabbath day, and that the Bible does not record any change, we will have to look to history for the change of the Sabbath. BHB 83.1

The seventh day continued to be kept for several generations after Christ, but with a sacredness gradually decreasing in proportion to the rising influence of Sunday; until the church became so powerful that wherever it had sway, it put down the Sabbath, and exalted the first day of the week. This was a gradual work, taking several centuries for its accomplishment. BHB 83.2

In the year A.D. 321, Constantine issued the following edict: “Let all the judges and townspeople, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun; but let those who are situated in the country freely and at full liberty attend to the business of agriculture; because it often happens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines; lest, the critical moment being let slip, men should lose the commodities granted by heaven.” This is the first Sunday law. The Great Controversy, 53. BHB 83.3

The church favored the keeping of Sunday, and different edicts were issued from time to time; but, notwithstanding all this many Christians still kept the seventh-day Sabbath “according to the commandment.” BHB 83.4

Because the practice of keeping the seventh-day Sabbath was evidently gaining ground in the Eastern church, the following decree was passed in the council help in Laodicea (A.D. 364); “That members of the church should not rest from work on the Sabbath-day like the Jews, but should labor on that day, and preferring in honor the Lord’s day; then, if it be in their power, should rest from work as Christians.”-Sermons on the Sacrament and the Sabbath, pp. 122, 123. The Great Controversy, 65. BHB 83.5

“In Augsburg Confession, which was drawn up by Melancthon (and approved by Luther), to the question, “What ought we to think of the Lord’s day?” it is answered that the Lord’s day, Easter, Whitsuntide, and other such holy days, ought to be kept, because they are appointed by the church.” BHB 83.6

• Daniel 7:25. There is no account in the Bible of any Sabbath of the Lord, except the seventh-day Sabbath; but Daniel prophesied of a power that would think to change the law of God. Prophets and Kings, 179. BHB 84.1

• Ezekiel 22:26-28; 13:10-12. Ezekiel saw the law violated, Sabbath profaned, and those who should have led in right lines, using “untempered mortar,” or giving falsehood instead of God’s words. Patriarchs and Prophets, 477. BHB 84.2

The following is taken from the “Catholic Christian Instructed,” 17 th edition, revised and corrected, pp. 272, 273:- BHB 84.3

“Question: What warrant have you for keeping Sunday preferably to the ancient Sabbath which was Saturday? BHB 84.4

“Answer: We have for it the authority of the Catholic church, and apostolic tradition. BHB 84.5

“Question: Does the Scripture anywhere command the Sunday to be kept for the Sabbath? BHB 84.6

“Answer: The Scripture commands us to hear the church (St. Matthew 18:17; St. Luke 10:16), and to hold fast the traditions of the apostles, 2 Thessalonians 2:15. But the Scripture does not in particular mention this change of the Sabbath. BHB 84.7

“St. John speaks of the Lord’s day (Revelation 1:10); but he does not tell us what day of the week this was, much less does he tell us what day was to take the place of the Sabbath ordained in the commandments. St. Luke speaks of the disciples meeting together to break bread on the first day of the week. Acts 20:7. And St. Paul (1 Corinthians 16:2) orders that on the first day of the week the Corinthians should law by in store what they designated to bestow in charity on the faithful in Judea; but neither the one nor the other tells us that this first day of the week was to be henceforth a day of worship, and the Christian Sabbath; so that truly the best authority we have for this ancient custom is the testimony of the church. And therefore, those who pretend to such religious observers of Sunday, whilst they take no notice of other festivals ordained by the same church authority, show that they act more by humor, than by reason and religion; since Sundays and holidays all stand upon the same foundation namely, the ordinance of the church.” BHB 84.8

“The “Doctrinal Catechism,” pp. 174, 352, offers proof that Protestants are not guided by the Scriptures. We present two of the questions and answers:- BHB 85.1

“Question: Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept? BHB 85.2

“Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her,-she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority. BHB 85.3

“Question: When Protestants do profane work on Saturday, or the seventh day of the week, do they follow the Scriptures as their only rule of faith-do they find this permission clearly laid down in the Sacred Volume? BHB 85.4

“Answer: On the contrary, they have only the authority of tradition for this practice. In profaning Saturday, they violate one of God’s commandments, which He has never clearly abrogated,-’Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.’” The Great Controversy, 447. BHB 85.5