On what day of the week did the Crucifixion of Jesus take place?

[Wally]

Many/most say Good Friday.....but it seems to me that it was on a Wednesday? Why think so? I looked for some proof and I finally found a clip that makes the case better than I can put into words. ( I suggest you mute the audio as it is just "music".) You can skip to 12:00 to get the summary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acMHy_nwZI0

[1hole]

Much to my surprise, I've come to believe the crucifixion occurred on Wednesday too.

It's no contest, we have lots of historical reasons to believe resurrection day was indeed Sunday. The only remaining question is, when did the son of man/Jesus rise and how did we come to accept a confusing Friday crucifixion?

The Lord himself said he, like Jonah, would be in the grave for 3 days AND for 3 nights (Mat 12:39-40). The only way for that to work is for Jesus to have be entombed on Wednesday afternoon. Jesus had to be taken down before sundown Wednesday because sundown started the next day, which was "a" sabbath, i.e., the Passover. Passover Thursday would be followed by Friday when the "women" appear to have bought the normal burial ointments.

Then, after the normal weekly (Saturday) sabbath, the two women could have handled the dead body so they rose very early Sunday and went to the empty tomb.

Experts say Jesus died in 31 AD and Passover that year occurred on Thursday. So, if we make Messiah's midweek cut-off and crucifixion occur late Wednesday afternoon, everything falls into place for 3 full (24 hour) days and nights in the tomb and a very early Sunday resurrection.

Many know Easter and its eggs rise from legends of the death and resurrection of a pagan god. It would have been easy for "the church" leaders of the time to make a big show and present it as a valid Christian celebration. Thus, no matter its unquestioned pagan roots, Christians have slowly twisted Easter out of the claws of Satan (and a bunny!) and made it a time of rejoicing in the risen Lord; I like that.

So, how did Christians come to practice "Good Friday" as the day of crucifixion in the first place? Well, it came to us from traditions of the Roman Catholic Church; they have a lot of traditions that rise from, and are directly linked to, pagan practices of the period so ... ???

[Wally]

1hole....For many years I too wondered about the 3 days and 3 nights....Friday to Sunday doesn't work...so I "researched" it. The clip I offered was the best illustration that I ever found, although I have read many other articles basically saying the very same thing. We should be celebrating Good Wednesday.

Yes the Roman Catholic Church started the tradition inn the 4th century....but it is incorrect. Jesus wasn't born on Christmas December 25 either.

Then there is the which day is the true sabbath..it is not Sunday. It is and will always be sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday....I'll let you guess what church denomination changed that.

[1hole]

Then there is the which day is the true sabbath..it is not Sunday. It is and will always be sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday....I'll let you guess what church denomination changed that.

Well, yeah, there is that. But the proper Mosaic Law Sabbath "day" (sundown Friday until sundown Saturday) rule for Old Testament Hebrews and a day of church meetings for study, fellowship and worship by Christians under New Testament rules is a whole different issue that needs to be carefully examined lest we get tangled up in legalism.

Read Paul's excellent letter to the Galatians to see what I mean about the potential spiritual hazards of even well intended legalism.

[redhawk0]

Ya know...I really don't care what day of the week it was. But...the scripture says it was just before the day that Sabbath began...which starts Friday at sundown to the Jews....Saturday being the Sabbath.

The day of the week is meaningless to me.....What is meaningful is the fact that Christ was crucified for MY sins...and rose again the third day that I can be called redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. God raised him up on that third day we call Easter.

Nothing else matters.

redhawk

[1hole]

Ya know...I really don't care what day of the week it was. But...the scripture says it was just before the day that Sabbath began...which starts Friday at sundown to the Jews....Saturday being the Sabbath.

Thing is, there was a Passover that week and it too was a Sabbath.


The day of the week is meaningless to me.....What is meaningful is the fact that Christ was crucified for MY sins...and rose again the third day that I can be called redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. God raised him up on that third day we call Easter.

Nothing else matters. redhawk

Well, this study and discussion is of an interesting but harmless interest but it's not keeping any of us from doing God's works.

Fact is, if our idea of the day of crucifixion is right or wrong, nothing about it matters unless we are indeed born again believers. But, learning of salvation is just the newborns "milk" of scripture and we are expected to mature and grow passed a child's foundational level of knowledge (1 Pet 2:2). We should strive to grow in Godly knowledge and wisdom every day.

I'm 80 and I've been a Christian for 65 or so years. I know that eventually there's little to grow on just by continuing everyday along the same well trodden paths around the fundamental principles of Christianity (1 Cor 3:2).

[a danl]

Ya know...I really don't care what day of the week it was. But...the scripture says it was just before the day that Sabbath began...which starts Friday at sundown to the Jews....Saturday being the Sabbath.

The day of the week is meaningless to me.....What is meaningful is the fact that Christ was crucified for MY sins...and rose again the third day that I can be called redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. God raised him up on that third day we call Easter.

Nothing else matters.

redhawk

exactly, that's what i say

[Der Gebirgsjager]

And where did "Easter" come from? What is the connection between eggs and rabbits and the Resurrection? Where is its observance commanded in the Bible? Where does it say that the generations after the Resurrection observed it? On the other hand, the Passover was commanded as an eternal observance. Who do you make happy by observing the counterfeit and ignoring the commanded day?

DG

[ioon44]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSRy1iGIBc


No egg laying rabbits here.

[Wally]

Just Google Easter...it is of a pagan origin. The early Christian Church took the holiday and made it into a religious one, commemorating the crucifixion & resurrection of Jesus....IMHO, a wonderful thing. Christmas was the pagan Saturnalia that was changed into the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Jesus was most likely born in September or October. None of the Apostles including Paul celebrated either holiday.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

....IMHO, a wonderful thing.

Why? Instead of persuading pagans to observed Biblical Holy Days, "Christians" now observe pagan holy days. Wonderful to you, perhaps, but likely not pleasing to God, since He listed the days to be observed.

[Wally]

It is because these pagan days now have Christian religious meanings. The Holy Days in the Old Testament were for the Israelites. I am not all that sure that many would like to move to a tent for the Feast of Booths for a week as found in Leviticus 23

23 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+23&version=NIV

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Mt. 15:9 But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of man.
Are the pagan days and their symbols of God or man?
Mal. 3:6 For I, the Lord, do not change;
By His testimony, it would seem than He hasn't changed his mind about Leviticus 23 (or a lot of other things!).
Zch. 14:16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go p from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. (Future)
There are groups of Christians who continue to celebrate The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), their thinking being that if it was commanded in the past, and will again be observed after the return of Christ, it should be observed now. Some camp, but most avail themselves of vacation rentals. The modern equivalent of tents are camping trailers and motorhomes. Odd that this should come up, since it is a Fall festival, and the Passover and Easter are in the Spring. The idea of the F.O.B. is to occupy a temporary dwelling.

[kungfustyle]

Friday, he was crucified on Friday. They had to get him down from the cross before the sabbath. That begins on Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown. Strange but that's what the bible says:
John 11:9

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

[Wally]

You make a good point..Mal 3:6 is quite explicit. As I recall this is what The Armstrong Church preaches as well as all their offshoots. The Catholics and Protestants don't follow Leviticus 23.

[Wally]

There was a special Sabbath on the same week...you have to watch the clip that explains it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acMHy_nwZI0



Friday, he was crucified on Friday. They had to get him down from the cross before the sabbath. That begins on Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown. Strange but that's what the bible says:
John 11:9

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Christ was asked by the Pharisees, "Are you the Messiah?" His answer was that the only answer they would receive was "The sign of Jonah." Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for 3 days and 3 nights.

Christ observed the 7th day Sabbath. If he was taken down from the cross in the late afternoon of Wednesday and placed in the tomb, then Wed. night was 1 night. Thursday was 1 day. Thursday night was 2 nights. Friday was day 2. Friday night was the 3rd night. Saturday was the 3rd day. He arose near the end of the Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath, 3 days and 3 nights, completing the Sabbath day of rest. The ladies went to the tomb early on Sunday morning looking for him and found that he had risen, and did in fact see him but thought him to be a gardener. This was after the fact, the resurrection having occurred at or just before sundown the previous evening.

The crucifixion occurred on the day of Passover. The next day was a High Day (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) and so they hastened to get him into the tomb as work on that day was/is forbidden. Christ was the Passover Lamb for all of mankind, and at the moment of His death the curtain separating the Temple Courtyard from the Holy of Holies, where only certain priests could go to intervene with God for man, was rent in two, symbolizing that man could now directly access God. Priests became obsolete, and are no longer necessary. Pastors are acceptable if they follow the Scriptures and don't become filled with themselves. A Pastor should be a guide, not a ruler or demi-god. This is all indisputable Bible history and verse, and logical, but the majority of Christians refuse to believe it. Easter has nothing to do with Christ except by the precepts of man. It has everything to do with paganism, fertility symbols, and the Roman Catholic Church which incorporated it into their doctrine. As the Protestants "came out of" the Catholic Church via Martin Luther they all trace their beliefs to the mother church. The Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to Sunday. For confirmation, consult articles on the Sabbath in the Catholic Encyclopedia. Man does not have the authority to change God's commandments or Sabbaths. There are many places in the Old Testament where God (or the Lord) said that a law or commandment would be a law forever. "The Sabbath shall be a sign between me and my people forever." Forever has not happened.

Some things were modified with the New Covenant, such as blood sacrifices (lambs) being done away with by the blood of Christ, but although we are no longer required to sacrifice animals on these days, the requirement to observe the days have not changed. 1 Co. 5: 7-8 Paul said, "For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast...... There is another verse in a subsequent scripture where Paul said that he couldn't stop by to visit with a certain congregation because he had to be in Jerusalem to keep the Feast. So, it can not be said that observance of the Feasts/Holy Days ended with the death of Christ.

At about this point in this type of thread someone will jump in with a condemnation of "Legalism" and tell us how all of the Old Testament's requirements were washed away by the blood of Christ and the New Covenant and Grace. I think it's just laziness, both spiritual and physical, that they don't want to dig a little deeper and think it out. God, to my way of thinking, makes it pretty clear that he has rules, and the basics don't change. Where Grace comes into play is, being human, we fail and can be forgiven. But the rules remain. Pagan rituals and observances, no matter how modified or by whom, are an offense to God who strictly prohibits them. We can be joyful about the Resurrection at any time, and I am, but it is a "tradition of man" to observe Easter instead of the Passover.

Did you (well, maybe not because of coronavirus) attend a Sunrise Service? Another incorporation into "Christian Doctrine" by the Roman Catholic Church. The Romans worshiped Solis Invictus, the Unconquerable Sun. But, Christ did not arise at sunrise, but rather at sunset.

The Armstrong Church was mentioned in an earlier post. I, early in life in California, and by coincidence my wife in Louisiana and Arkansas, were both raised as Southern Baptists. But both of us, as young people will do, drifted away from our beliefs. At one time I even questioned the existence of God. We were both baptized as youngsters, and were married in a Baptist Church (because, where else were we to go?) but it wasn't for several years after we were married that we began to wonder and search. We attended a Southern Baptist service or two, but found that somehow it just didn't ring true. My wife began listening to Herbert Armstrong on the radio, and after a couple of years joined a local congregation of the Worldwide Church of God. I attended a few times, but it just sounded so strange and different from everything that I'd been taught (perhaps not taught well, as I'd drifted away), but my wife was deeply committed. We had some screaming arguments, and things were looking dim for our future relationship. So, I decided that I'd either have to reconcile my beliefs to hers, or lose a beautiful wife. She challenged me, as did Armstrong regularly on his radio program, to disprove their church's doctrines. I could not do so. However, I never joined that church. This reminds me of the movie "Scent of a Woman", where Lt. Col. Slade (Ret.) is giving his defense of Charlie in front of the large congregation of impressionable but intelligent boys. I am Slade, and you my fellow forum members, are the audience. Slade said, "I always knew the right road to take. Without exception, I knew the right road. But I never took it. You know why? Because it was too damn hard." Well, as applied to me and my life, I knew that I should keep the 7th day Sabbath. I told the Lord, "I just can't do it. It was very hard to get this job, it's the only thing I'm suited for, and I have to work or Saturday." My answer came just a couple of years later when I was injured and retired. No obstacle then to keeping the Sabbath. Then, I found another occupation where I could set my own days and hours. But, about that same time the "Armstrong Church" disintegrated. Like a dandelion, the wind (Satan) blew the seeds in all directions, and today there are many sprouts of various sizes. Their take on things vary a little from one to another. I have no secrets (anymore!) and since you're curious I'll say that I have one foot each in the Church of God International, and the United Church of God. Due to the circumstances of life in which I find myself, I am not the best of observers of Holy Days, and I'll hope for Grace to cover that. If not, I've got it coming.

Now I know none of this has made a dent in the breastplates of those who have put on the whole armor of paganism, but eggs, rabbits, mistletoe, evergreen trees and Santa Claus have nothing to do with Christ.

I think I've exhausted the subject from my perspective. We all go on a journey in life, searching for God and what truth may be revealed to us. I am not too far from the end of my journey. I wish you who are interested in the truth a good journey. We won't know everything until we meet our Creator. Blessings to you.

DG

[1hole]

DG, ref. the Mosaic Law (it was God's Law really), every facet of the Ten Commandments save one is restated in the New Testament. The specific exception is Sabbath day so this is not a new question. Biblically, it seems the day we want to call holy is rightly our's to prayerfully choose.

Paul suggests in Rom 14:2-6 that one man may hold to one Sabbath day, others to another. In Col 2:8-18 Paul actually says for us to not to let others judge us about things like Sabbaths. Luke, in Acts 20:7, specifically tells us the first day of the week was when early Jewish Christians met for communion and Bible study.

So, from all that, my easily chosen Sabbath is Sunday. But I sure won't judge that anyone else is "wrong" about choosing Saturday or Tuesday, etc.

(May God forgive Armstrong for his many bad teachings.)

[kungfustyle]

There was a special Sabbath on the same week...you have to watch the clip that explains it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acMHy_nwZI0

Wednesday it is, I stand corrected, Thank you and great video. Never knew about the special Sabbath, but was always curious about the time-line.

[Wally]

DG you make many good points...I admire your stating what you have. My original intent of this thread was to offer a discussion as to whether Jesus was crucified on a Friday....it has drifted to a discussion about Christians not following the originally ordained Holy Days. IMHO I think that you are correct, we as Christians should be doing so. So how was it that the church changed from them to the current ones? Rather than me putting them in a long, detailed post I offer an explanation that I feel succinctly explains it all, for anyone interested. I think it is a good read and something to think about.

https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/why-does-christianity-reject-christs-own-holy-days


Christ was asked by the Pharisees, "Are you the Messiah?" His answer was that the only answer they would receive was "The sign of Jonah." Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for 3 days and 3 nights.

Christ observed the 7th day Sabbath. If he was taken down from the cross in the late afternoon of Wednesday and placed in the tomb, then Wed. night was 1 night. Thursday was 1 day. Thursday night was 2 nights. Friday was day 2. Friday night was the 3rd night. Saturday was the 3rd day. He arose near the end of the Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath, 3 days and 3 nights, completing the Sabbath day of rest. The ladies went to the tomb early on Sunday morning looking for him and found that he had risen, and did in fact see him but thought him to be a gardener. This was after the fact, the resurrection having occurred at or just before sundown the previous evening.

The crucifixion occurred on the day of Passover. The next day was a High Day (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) and so they hastened to get him into the tomb as work on that day was/is forbidden. Christ was the Passover Lamb for all of mankind, and at the moment of His death the curtain separating the Temple Courtyard from the Holy of Holies, where only certain priests could go to intervene with God for man, was rent in two, symbolizing that man could now directly access God. Priests became obsolete, and are no longer necessary. Pastors are acceptable if they follow the Scriptures and don't become filled with themselves. A Pastor should be a guide, not a ruler or demi-god. This is all indisputable Bible history and verse, and logical, but the majority of Christians refuse to believe it. Easter has nothing to do with Christ except by the precepts of man. It has everything to do with paganism, fertility symbols, and the Roman Catholic Church which incorporated it into their doctrine. As the Protestants "came out of" the Catholic Church via Martin Luther they all trace their beliefs to the mother church. The Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to Sunday. For confirmation, consult articles on the Sabbath in the Catholic Encyclopedia. Man does not have the authority to change God's commandments or Sabbaths. There are many places in the Old Testament where God (or the Lord) said that a law or commandment would be a law forever. "The Sabbath shall be a sign between me and my people forever." Forever has not happened.

Some things were modified with the New Covenant, such as blood sacrifices (lambs) being done away with by the blood of Christ, but although we are no longer required to sacrifice animals on these days, the requirement to observe the days have not changed. 1 Co. 5: 7-8 Paul said, "For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast...... There is another verse in a subsequent scripture where Paul said that he couldn't stop by to visit with a certain congregation because he had to be in Jerusalem to keep the Feast. So, it can not be said that observance of the Feasts/Holy Days ended with the death of Christ.

At about this point in this type of thread someone will jump in with a condemnation of "Legalism" and tell us how all of the Old Testament's requirements were washed away by the blood of Christ and the New Covenant and Grace. I think it's just laziness, both spiritual and physical, that they don't want to dig a little deeper and think it out. God, to my way of thinking, makes it pretty clear that he has rules, and the basics don't change. Where Grace comes into play is, being human, we fail and can be forgiven. But the rules remain. Pagan rituals and observances, no matter how modified or by whom, are an offense to God who strictly prohibits them. We can be joyful about the Resurrection at any time, and I am, but it is a "tradition of man" to observe Easter instead of the Passover.

Did you (well, maybe not because of coronavirus) attend a Sunrise Service? Another incorporation into "Christian Doctrine" by the Roman Catholic Church. The Romans worshiped Solis Invictus, the Unconquerable Sun. But, Christ did not arise at sunrise, but rather at sunset.

The Armstrong Church was mentioned in an earlier post. I, early in life in California, and by coincidence my wife in Louisiana and Arkansas, were both raised as Southern Baptists. But both of us, as young people will do, drifted away from our beliefs. At one time I even questioned the existence of God. We were both baptized as youngsters, and were married in a Baptist Church (because, where else were we to go?) but it wasn't for several years after we were married that we began to wonder and search. We attended a Southern Baptist service or two, but found that somehow it just didn't ring true. My wife began listening to Herbert Armstrong on the radio, and after a couple of years joined a local congregation of the Worldwide Church of God. I attended a few times, but it just sounded so strange and different from everything that I'd been taught (perhaps not taught well, as I'd drifted away), but my wife was deeply committed. We had some screaming arguments, and things were looking dim for our future relationship. So, I decided that I'd either have to reconcile my beliefs to hers, or lose a beautiful wife. She challenged me, as did Armstrong regularly on his radio program, to disprove their church's doctrines. I could not do so. However, I never joined that church. This reminds me of the movie "Scent of a Woman", where Lt. Col. Slade (Ret.) is giving his defense of Charlie in front of the large congregation of impressionable but intelligent boys. I am Slade, and you my fellow forum members, are the audience. Slade said, "I always knew the right road to take. Without exception, I knew the right road. But I never took it. You know why? Because it was too damn hard." Well, as applied to me and my life, I knew that I should keep the 7th day Sabbath. I told the Lord, "I just can't do it. It was very hard to get this job, it's the only thing I'm suited for, and I have to work or Saturday." My answer came just a couple of years later when I was injured and retired. No obstacle then to keeping the Sabbath. Then, I found another occupation where I could set my own days and hours. But, about that same time the "Armstrong Church" disintegrated. Like a dandelion, the wind (Satan) blew the seeds in all directions, and today there are many sprouts of various sizes. Their take on things vary a little from one to another. I have no secrets (anymore!) and since you're curious I'll say that I have one foot each in the Church of God International, and the United Church of God. Due to the circumstances of life in which I find myself, I am not the best of observers of Holy Days, and I'll hope for Grace to cover that. If not, I've got it coming.

Now I know none of this has made a dent in the breastplates of those who have put on the whole armor of paganism, but eggs, rabbits, mistletoe, evergreen trees and Santa Claus have nothing to do with Christ.

I think I've exhausted the subject from my perspective. We all go on a journey in life, searching for God and what truth may be revealed to us. I am not too far from the end of my journey. I wish you who are interested in the truth a good journey. We won't know everything until we meet our Creator. Blessings to you.

DG

[BamaNapper]

The question never occurred to me and I admit ignorance of most of the finer details surrounding the crucifixion. So I started looking at the question from the very basics. One answer leads to 3 more questions, which lead to a feast of information. Before long my head is filled with more information than it can sort out.

It seems much of the Roman Empire used an 8-day week (the nundinae) around the time of the crucifixion. The 7-day week wasn't really nailed down (no crucifixion pun intended) across the Roman empire until almost 300 years later. With the Romans controlling Jerusalem, did they impose an 8-day week on the land? Or were the Jews in charge of the calendar and observing a 7-day week? If both, would you state the day of the week as the officially recognized by the government, or use a religious calendar? To complicate things further, between the last century BC and maybe the 4th century AD, calendars everywhere were in a constant state of flux (no boolit casting pun intended). I'm not totally convinced there even was a Wednesday that year.

I don't envy scholars one little bit. The details are too intense. I agree with the sentiment that it's the events of the day, not the exact day of the week, that's important.

[1hole]

Bama, there was a "Wednesday" for sure, we just don't have any idea what it was called at the time and place of the crucifiction. You put your finger squarely on how and why our present conflicts on which day is "the sabbath" are foolish.

There were many calendars then - and now. That may be why God gives us the freedom to pick which day we choose as our sabbath. So far as we know, Adam had no calendar at all and a 6th or 7th day sabbath didn't matter to anyone until Moses came down the hill with those stone tablets! I'm quite sure what matters to God is the heart of those who sometimes bitterly squabble about what no man can know. (I wonder, do we have any 7th Day Adventists here?)

[Blackwater]

This is one of those questions that I personally, intentionally pass over, because to me, it doesn't really matter what day of the week it was. What matters is that He DID die, and that He WAS resurrected, providing me and millions of others with a way of atonement, simply by accepting Him and His sacrifice, and following in His ways. I am so grateful for that, I have no time to spend on such inconsequential questions. I need to focus on more relevant and consequential issues and questions. I do not want to lose what I've at long last found, and getting tangled up in these type discussions refocuses my attention on things that are not edifying nor enriching my knowledge of Him and all that He gave us to consider. Just my view, of course, but that's what it is.

[1hole]

Black, I understand you. I appreciate where you're coming from on this and that you are indeed marvelling at how much the Lord has done for us. But, on this question, - as you say - it's YOUR position. I will respectfully add to what you say - "... at this point in your life".

Discussions such as this don't take an inordinate amount of time or energy and hardly hampers our works, prayers or other studies. And, at least for some of us, it's interesting to study and meditate on the crucifiction day even tho no Christian doctrine hangs on the answer.

I'm sure if you (and those who agree with you on this issue) actually study, not just read, the scriptures you'll eventually find deep answers to many of your present larger questions. Then, as you too age and slow down a bit, even you may come to enjoy investigating some of the lighter Biblical topics you now consider meaningless. Bottom line, I believe if people are in the Book and not out in cultish/pagan space, it's all good. I think. ???


Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

DG, ref. the Mosaic Law (it was God's Law really), every facet of the Ten Commandments save one is restated in the New Testament. The specific exception is Sabbath day so this is not a new question. Biblically, it seems the day we want to call holy is rightly our's to prayerfully choose.

Paul suggests in Rom 14:2-6 that one man may hold to one Sabbath day, others to another. In Col 2:8-18 Paul actually says for us to not to let others judge us about things like Sabbaths. Luke, in Acts 20:7, specifically tells us the first day of the week was when early Jewish Christians met for communion and Bible study.

So, from all that, my easily chosen Sabbath is Sunday. But I sure won't judge that anyone else is "wrong" about choosing Saturday or Tuesday, etc.

(May God forgive Armstrong for his many bad teachings.)

I'm inclined to let this go.......and have for a couple of days now. But, it's eating on me. Not the error of my ways, but yours. Acts 20:7 is what most of Sunday-keeping Christendom hang their hats on to justify Sunday observance. It says absolutely nothing about bible study or communion, just that they met to take up a collection for the saints. It could probably be equated to a Methodist Church having a business meeting on Tuesday to discuss the building fund. There is no indication that worship was held at all. Further, that is the only scripture that mentions the first day of the week in any aspect at all. There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, that refer to the Sabbath as the 7th day. A couple of them refer to it as an ordinance to be kept forever. Much more persuasive than your one thin verse. Perhaps (well, obviously) you have prayerfully chosen to observe Sunday. Your choice. But if you're basing your choice on that lone scripture you're hanging over the cliff and holding on by your fingernails. Most Sunday-keeping Christians freely admit that they observe Sunday because it's traditional. And, of course, we know that God admonishes against placing one's faith in the traditions of men. Do as you please, we're all creatures of free will and choice. But, like the old crusader said in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "Choose wisely." Your statement, "(it was God's law really)" is correct, and something to ponder. If the Sabbath was not restated in the New Testament, perhaps it was because its keeping is obvious it was felt to be unnecessary since it had already been in effect for thousands of years. But, it does not say, "Hey--listen up! The new Sabbath is now Sunday!"

Next, the admonition of Paul to not let others judge you concerning your keeping of the Sabbath or what you eat, etc. This was written by Paul during his lifetime following the death of Christ. To whom was he talking? Not to you, but to the very early Christians. What day did they observe as the Sabbath, and what meats did they eat? Perhaps the Romans were trying to get them to observe the Day of the Sun, and the Romans were great pig eaters, but whomever it was, if it was at that time and not a caution against the future, then it was actually an admonition not to feel pressured to change the ways that they had already been keeping, and not an invitation to observe a different Sabbath and eat foods that were taboo. This wasn't given in 500 A.D., but rather perhaps 15 or 20 A.D. There were no Sunday-keeping Christians at that time. As stated in a previous post, the Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to Sunday. Hundreds of years after the fact, and being a scion of generations of Sunday-keepers, it is no wonder that you have chosen to follow that path. Again, your choice, and not criticism here, but an attempt at clarification. Like you said, I'm not wanting to condemn anyone for their choice of what day they observe. There is someone who cares, but it's above my pay grade. Peter said that the writings of Paul were often difficult to understand, so examine this closely.

Then, there is the Armstrong thing. He used to offer $1,000 (a lot of money way back then) to anyone who could disprove the Sabbath. No one ever collected. Yes, he did have some errors in his teachings, most of which were later corrected, mostly technical that didn't effect the basic teachings. My objection was to the authoritarianism of the clergy, so I never put myself under their heel. This is no longer the case among the 2nd and 3rd generation offspring of his ministry. Yes, he was a bit of a tyrant, and his son a bit of a scoundrel. But, one doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Whatever church you belong to, or if you're a freethinker of some sort, I'll bet you wouldn't like for us to go over your doctrines with a microscope. Nobody, and no church, is perfect. May God forgive the Inquisitors of the Catholic Church, etc. Again--that's not my call.

Lastly, Mr. Blackwater, whom I consider to be a friend, was just trying to restore a little peace through his ecumenical opinion. Having known, followed, communicated with him over the years I would not want to confront him with an "I'm never wrong" ego and "less adroit than his" command of the language. He and I are not on the same page religiously, but I respect him. Nothing is worse or more bitter than religious arguments, and I won't be back to help turn this thread into one. Peace. Please. We've stated our opinions.

[.429&H110]

About a decade ago on a sub-zero night in No. Pole, my Pastor popped this very question at Wednesday night prayers. I had never given it a thought. When the shouting died down and the room paused for breath, Pastor reminded us that Major Robert saw the need for Robert's Rules of Order at a Baptist prayer meeting in 1876, wrote the book.
Motion to adjourn?