Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: st0o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Steven Timm) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Sabbath change and History (was a question for those in love ...) Message-ID: Date: 3 Jun 91 04:58:12 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 59 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu A few points on James Quilty's lengthy treatise on the history of the Sabbath change: He quotes Justin Martyr as one of the more prominent sources in the mid 100's AD pointing out that Sunday observance had already commenced by that time. Scholarly SDA sources such as Bacchiochi _From Sabbath To Sunday_ also detail the sources (though Bacchiocchi's claim is that this is indeed when the change began to occur). The two days, as I understand it, were kept in parallel for some time, and by early 300's AD most people had moved to Sunday. Adventists do claim that "the Lord's Day" is Saturday, mainly because Jesus said "The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath", thus claiming it as his day. Adventist scholars such as Bacchiocchi, however realize that this use of the term "Lord's Day" is similar to usages of 2nd century church fathers who meant Sunday thereby. He suggests that this reference may refer to "the day of the Lord" and the end-times, certainly apropos to the vision he received. In the second century, it's clear that there was indeed no "papacy" as we know it today (though there certainly was a Bishop of Rome.) The claims which Rome makes to have changed the Sabbath derive not from any actions they may have done in the second century but that denominations which claim to be Protestant and follow the Bible and Bible only instead keep Sunday only out of tradition. As to Gentiles worshipping on Sabbath in the New Testament, I offer the following: Acts 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." Acts 13:44 "And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God." Also Acts 16:13,14. If people wish to learn about SDA belief, they are welcome to ask questions on SDAnet, and I will be glad to send the Fundamental Beliefs to anyone who asks. If anyone wishes to bash SDA belief, it would seem appropriate to consult more recent sources and not push dated private interpretations as official and exclusive SDA theology. Steve Timm P.S. You don't disagree with us as much as you think you do. [Your comments on Acts 13 don't match any translation I can find. RSV and TEV both say that they were preaching in a synagogue to Jews and God-fearers (presumably Gentiles who admired Judaism and participated in the Jewish community peripherally, although they were not circumcized). Not surprisingly, this synagogue service was on the Sabbath. They were invited back to speak on the next Sabbath. 13:42-43 say (in NRSV) "As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next sabbath. When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed ..." The difference between this and your translation appears to be textual, i.e. mention of Jews and Gentiles occurs in 13:42 in manuscripts that are not normally considered as good. (Neither NRSV nor TEV think the alternative is even worth a footnote.) --clh]