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QUESTION 10:
Was Christ's resurrection on the Sabbath, and would that be on Saturday? Is it a pagan custom to celebrate Christ's resurrection on Sunday?

ANSWER:
There is not a shred of evidence to support Saturday as the resurrection day of Christ. This is only taught by Sabbatarians. That the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is the Sabbath is clear from many scriptures. The commandment alone is enough. Deuteronomy 5:14. "But the SEVENTH day is the Sabbath..."

As to it being a "pagan custom" to celebrate His resurrection on Sunday is absurd. They never celebrated it at all. They did not believe it. This is another tactic of certain teachers to support there views on the Sabbath and law.

Looking at the scriptures about His resurrection it is very clear that He arose on the first day of the week our Sunday, but not our Sabbath. Matthew 28:1. "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,.." You will note here that the end of the Sabbath would be six o'clock on Saturday night, the dawn of the first day of the week would be near six the next morning, they came and He was risen. It doesn't sound like He arose Saturday before six to me. Mark 16:1-2 says the "Sabbath" was PAST and very early on THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK they found Him risen. Luke 23:56 and Luke 24:1 says "They rested on the sabbath but came on the first day of the week and found Him risen." In John 20:1 and John 20:19, "it was the first day of the week. His resurrection, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 was witnessed by many, including 500 at once. The only biblical account of it was on the first day of the week.

The celebrating of His death or resurrection this was never recorded in the Book of Acts or the history of the early church on the Sabbath day. All the references to the Sabbath and the Christians being in the synagogues in the Book of Acts, is in connection with their principle of taking the gospel to the Jew first. They never went into any temple or synagogue to worship or celebrate His resurrection but to preach the gospel only. Acts 5:42, Acts 17:1-3. In contrast to this we are told that they "broke bread" (Lord's Supper) on the first day of the week, Acts 20:7. They did their giving on the same day, 1 Corinthians 16:2. He is a resurrected living Saviour. The all important thing is to know Him as such. Do you know Him? Have you trusted Him?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen