These verses are about what is the Sabbath of the New Testament based on a chain of verses that are referenced in a specific order to help give clarity and context.* It has very minimal commentary so that you can do your own self-reflection and discovery of the verses. Many times the Bible explains itself if you just know where to look.
With each group of verses, there are probing questions to help you consider what is being said. Each verse in the study is linked to an online Bible, should you want to check the context of the verses around it. Also, allowing verification of what scripture says, as well as purity of a study based only on the Bible.
1. When Jesus was here, did He keep the commandments of God?
- John 15:10 (KJV) — “”
John Wesley: “The moral law contained in the ten commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He did not take away. It was not the design of His coming to revoke any part of this. . . . Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages, as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstance
— “Bible Readings for the Home Circle,” p. 375.
liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other.”
2. Did He Observe the seventh-day Sabbath?
- Luke 4:16-31 (KJV) — “”
- Exodus 20:8-11 (KJV) — “”
Rev. William Prynne, D. D., says: ” It is certain that Christ Himself, His apostles, and the primitive Christians for some good space of time, did constantly observe the seventh-day Sabbath, . . . it being still solemnized by many Christians after the apostles’ times, even till the Council of Laodicea [A. D. 364].”
— “Dissertation on the Lord’s Day,” p. 33.
3. Is Jesus our example in all things?
- 1 Peter 2:21 (KJV) — “”
4. Does God expect us to follow His example?
- 1 John 2:6 (KJV) — “”
5. Does the New Testament mean the seventh day when it speaks of the Sabbath?
- Luke 23:52-56 (KJV) — “”
- Luke 24:1 (KJV) — “”
- Mark 15:42-47 (KJV) — “”
- Mark 16:1-2 (KJV) — “”
6. Which day is the Sabbath of the commandment and the Sabbath of the New Testament?
- The day just before the first day of the week.
- Matthew 28:1 (KJV) — “”
- Mark 16:1-2 (KJV) — “”
- Illustrated by the calendar week.
7. Which day did the women associated with Jesus observe?
- Luke 23:55-56 (KJV) — “”
8. Did the early Christian churches observe the Sabbath?
- For example, note
- Antioch, Acts 13:14, 44 (KJV) — “”
- Philippi, Acts 16:12-13 (KJV) — “”
- Thessalonica, Acts 17:1-2,4 (KJV) — “”
- Corinth, Acts 18:1-4 (KJV) — “”
Rev. Lyman Abbott says: “The current notion that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day of the week for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament.”
— Editorial in the Christian Union, Jan. 19, 1882.
9. How many Sabbath meetings are recorded in the above references?
- Total, 84 meetings.
10. Is there any commandment in the New Testament to observe the first day of the week?
- Read every verse where the first day is mentioned:
- Matthew 28:1 (KJV) — “”
- Luke 24:1 (KJV) — “”
- Mark 16:2,9 (KJV) — “”
- John 20:1,19 (KJV) — “”
- Acts 20:7 (KJV) — “”
- 1 Corinthians 16:2 (KJV) — “”
“Nor is there anywhere in the New Testament any express statement that the first day of the week was to be kept in place of the seventh, or was in any way the Sabbath.”
— Chambers’ Encyclopedia, art. “Sabbath.”
11. Where do we find the New Testament record of the only meetings held on the first day of the week?
- Held at Troas on a Saturday night. (Acts 20:5-12 KJV) — “”
- In accordance with the Bible plan of reckoning time, the first day of the week began at sundown, consequently the meeting held by Paul on Saturday evening was in the early or dark part of the first day of the week.
12. Which day of the week is the “Lord’s day”?
- Luke 6:5-11 (KJV) — “”
- Revelation 1:10 (KJV) — “”
This study guide was based on Reading No. 13, pages 106-107 from Brief Bible Readings for Busy People,
prepared by the Home Missionary Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Review and Herald Publishing. Published originally in 1930.
View the original study guide, which this guide is based on, as a scanned PDF. Full credit to them.
*A Bible chain reference is a system of cross-referencing between different passages or verses of the Bible to connect and relate different concepts, themes, or topics mentioned in different parts of the Bible. It helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the overall message and meaning of the text. To use it, readers start with a particular topic or theme and then look up the corresponding list of verses, paying attention to the connections and relationships between them. Studying them in a particular order, helps one understand the topic from beginning to end. Just like peeling the layers off of an onion. It’s a useful tool for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the Bible and its teachings.
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Home Missionary Department
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