by Uriah Smith
1. WHAT day of the week is next after the Sabbath?
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary to see the sepulcher." Matt.28:1.
2. Was the Sabbath made for the Jews alone?
"The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath." Mark 2:27
3. What day was past when the first day dawned?
"And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun." Mark 16:1,2.
4. Did the disciples keep the Sabbath according to the commandment after the crucifixion of Christ?
"And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Luke 23:55,56.
5. Did they keep the next day, the first day of the week?
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared." Luke 24:1.
6. They had their spices prepared; why did they not bring them the day before? - Because it was the Sabbath day.
7. We suppose the women were ignorant of the change of the day; but when was this account written?
About 28 years after the resurrection.
8. How was it written?
By inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
9. If the Spirit called these two days "The Sabbath" and "the first day of the week," respectively, twenty-eight years this side of the cross, what ought we to call them now?
10. In the apostolic council, A.D. 51, did James say that Moses was read in the synagogues every Sabbath day?
"For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." Acts 15:21.
11. On what day did Paul preach at Antioch in Pisidia?
"But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down." Acts 13:14.
12. Did he say that the prophets were read in the synagogues every Sabbath day?
"They knew him not, nor yet voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath day." Acts 13:27
13. Did the apostle preach in other places besides the synagogues on the Sabbath?
"And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." Acts 16:13.
14. Was it his custom to preach on the Sabbath?
"And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." Acts 17:2
15. In doing so did the follow the example of Jesus?
"And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, . . . and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read." Luke 4:16
16. When Paul worked at tent-making during the week, did he reason in the synagogue "every Sabbath"?
"After these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth; and found a certain Jew named Aquila . . . with his wife Priscilla: . . . and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought, for by their occupation they were tent-makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath." Acts 18:1-4.
17. Did the term "every Sabbath" include or exclude every first day of the week?
18. How long did Paul continue his teaching in that place? - Seventy-eight Sabbaths.
"And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." Acts 18:11.
19. Is there any record of a religious meeting on the first of the week? - Barely one.
"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart of the morrow." Acts 20:7
20. Was this a night meeting?
"And (Paul) continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed." Acts 20:7,8,11.
21. According to the Bible reckoning, which comes first, the dark or the light part of the day?
"And the evening and the morning were the first day," etc. Gen.1:5,8,13,19,23,31.
22. How did the Jews observe their Sabbaths?
"It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Lev.23:32.
23. What did the apostle do at daybreak Sunday morning? - He started on his journey from Troas to Assos, which is 19 1/2 miles.
"When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed ." Acts 20:11.
(Had this meeting been held on what we call Sunday evening, it would have been on the second, and not on the first, day of the week).
24. Did Paul's companions leave Troas before he did?
"And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul," Acts 20:13.
25. The first day of the week is mentioned eight times only in the New Testament. How many times does it refer to a single day, the day of the resurrection of Christ? - Six times.
"In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene," etc. Matt.28:1.
"And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher," etc. Mark 16:2.
"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared," etc. Mark 16:9.
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher," etc. Luke 24:1.
"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher." John 20:1.
"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst." John 20:19.
26. Did the disciples believe the Lord was risen before the following evening?
"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. . . . And she went and told them that had been with him as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:9-14.
27. When the Lord met with them that evening, what did he do to convince them of his resurrection?
He showed unto them his hands and his feet." John 20:20
28. Did he upbraid them for their unbelief?
"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:14.
29. Had the disciples met to honor the day of their Lord's resurrection, and celebrate that event, before they believed he had risen?
30. One other mention, only, of the first day of the week is found.
"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come." 1Cor.16:2.
31. Were the Corinthians directed to meet on that day?
"Lay by him" - at home. Verse 2.
32. Now we have read all that the New Testament says about the first day. Is it honored by the term "Sabbath," or by any other sacred title?
33. Is Sunday called the Lord's day in Rev.1:10?
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice."
34. What day has the Lord always claimed as his?
"But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20:10
35. What does the Lord say of his holy day, by the prophet?
"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord," etc. Isa. 58:13,14.
36. Of what did Jesus say he was Lord?
"Therefore the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28.
37. Did Jesus recognize the Sabbath as still existing at the time of Jerusalem's destruction, about A. D. 70.?
"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day." Matt.24:20.
38. Remembering this injunction of their Lord, and acting upon it for nearly forty years, would the disciples forget the Sabbath day?
39. Is God particular to have his word obeyed to the letter?
"And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." Ex.23:13.
40, Will he accept a substitute for what he has commanded?
"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord." Lev. 10:1,2.
41. Will voluntary offerings be accepted when the word of God is not obeyed?
"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1Sam.15:22.
42. Will he condemn so slight a deviation as the change of the time of an appointed festival?
"So he [Jeroboam] offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense. And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah, by the word of the Lord. . . . And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee." 1Kings 12:33; 13:1,2.
43. What said Jesus on the subject of substitution?
"But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matt.15:7-9.
{ND UrS, GRFA 24.21} by Uriah Smith
May God bless you as you study into these things. 2Tim 2:15
Elias
www.returnofelias.org