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The Significance of Sunday

With today being Good Friday, I want to discuss a growing issue in contemporary Christian circles regarding the historical position of Christians. This issue revolves around the belief that Jesus’ resurrection should be observed on Sunday, and that the pattern of weekly worship on Sunday resulted from this resurrection event. In recent times, there has been a challenge to this historic Christian belief, with some individuals seeking to undermine it by positing that Sunday worship is unwarranted, inaccurate, and was invented by later figures in history, such as Constantine. 

In this discussion, we will very briefly defend the biblical, historical, and theological position of gathering with the saints on the first day of the week. This should be seen as a summary of the data that demonstrates that the first day of the week, not the Sabbath, is the pattern for Christian worship and the recognized observance of the Resurrection and Lord’s Supper.

A Note on the Death of Christ and Calendars

Many times, this debate revolves around the timing of Jesus’ death in relation to the day of his resurrection. Positions on this issue range from Jesus dying on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. It’s important to note that most individuals who hold these various positions still recognize that the resurrection occurred on Sunday. However, some who challenge the idea of a Sunday resurrection often rely on these differences in opinion to give weight to their case.

The debate often centers around the question of how Jesus could have been in the grave for “three days and three nights,” as mentioned in Matthew 12:40, if he died on Friday. Some argue that this must mean Jesus was in the grave for precisely 72 hours and then insist that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred on Wednesday, but this interpretation is – as far as I can tell – anachronistic, as it imposes modern standards of precise timekeeping on the ancient era. Nonetheless, Jesus indicated that he would be killed and would rise from the dead on the third day as mentioned in Matthew 16:21, Luke 9:22, Luke 24:7, and Acts 10:39-41. The Scriptures denote “the first day of the week” [Sunday] as the “third day since these things happened (Luke 24:1, 19-21). Regardless of whether or not we can debate a Thursday or Friday crucifixion, the New Testament’s emphasis is on the “first day” in regards to the resurrection (see below). 

While we aren’t defending a particular position on the crucifixion in this article, it’s important to understand that in Jewish culture, a part of a day was often counted as a whole day. Jesus was using a common figure of speech to emphasize the length of time he would be in the tomb, rather than making a literal calculation of days and nights. This figure of speech can be found in other parts of the Bible as well, such as in Esther 4:16 and 1 Samuel 30:12-13 (see Chad Bird’s article on the topic). Therefore, Jesus’ statement about being in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights does not necessarily require a Saturday resurrection or even a precise 72-hour period, but rather emphasizes the significance of his death and burial. Yet, much confusion comes from the differences in how days were reckoned overall. Wesley Huff presents us with a graphic which can help demonstrate these differences:

Figure 1 from Wesleyhuff.com/infographics

Here we see that “Friday” begins on “Thursday” when using our contemporary naming of the days to understand the passion narrative. The color coding of Wesley’s graphic is particularly helpful on this point. Further we see that “Sunday” begins at Sundown on Saturday. As confusing as it may be, this means that even if we have a “Saturday Evening Resurrection,” it was “Sunday” [17^th day of Nissan] according to Jewish reckonings of the week. In other words, even if the resurrection of Jesus occurred on what would be considered Saturday evening in the Gregorian calendar, it would be considered as “Sunday” in the Jewish calendar, based on the evening that starts the day according to Jewish reckoning. Simply put, “Sunday” in Jewish reckoning begins at sundown on Saturday, and therefore, even if the resurrection were to occur on Saturday evening, it would still be considered “Sunday” according to Jewish timekeeping, that is, the ‘first day of the week’ of the Jewish week. What we’ll observe is that the New Testament places emphasis on Sunday and that the observance of Sunday gatherings is not just linked to the resurrection event, but also the first meal of Jesus with the disciple’s post-resurrection. 

The Biblical Data

The Gospel accounts provide us with crucial insights into the timing of Jesus’ resurrection. According to the Gospel of Matthew, after the Sabbath, which was the seventh day of the week (Matthew 28:1), Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb early on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1). The Gospel of Mark also confirms that the women went to the tomb “when the Sabbath was past” (Mark 16:1) and it was “very early on the first day of the week” (Mark 16:2). Similarly, the Gospel of Luke affirms that the women went to the tomb “on the first day of the week, at early dawn” (Luke 24:1). These biblical accounts all point to the fact that Jesus’ resurrection took place on the first day of the week – Sunday. See below (my emphasis):

Now, some, specifically those who hold to a Sabbath Resurrection theory, may argue that the references to “the first day of the week” in the Gospel accounts do not necessarily indicate the day of Jesus’ resurrection, but rather the day when the women visited the tomb. They may propose alternative explanations for the phrasing used in the Gospel accounts, leading to a different understanding of the timing of Jesus’ resurrection. However, upon closer examination, this objection lacks a solid foundation and must be added into the text.

The consistent language of timing in the Gospels, along with the reference to the Sabbath being over, strongly suggests that the first day of the week, which is Sunday, was indeed the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Even if we consider that the resurrection did not occur on “Sunday proper” (that is, Saturday evening by Gregorian reckoning), it occurred on the first day of the week according to the Jewish Calendar, that is, after the Sabbath. 

Furthermore, Luke in his gospel records the two disciples traveling to Emmaus (24:13-35) which he says occurred on the same day as the resurrection (v. 1; 13). When arriving at the village, we find Jesus appearing, breaking bread, blessing it, and giving it to the disciples (Luke 24:30). This wording harks back to Luke 22:19, the Lord’s Supper, to which Luke makes a connection to the celebration of the Supper on the day of the resurrection “on the first day of the week.” While the text doesn’t expand beyond that, in Luke’s account of the Acts of the Apostles in 20:7, we find this notion repeated with the expressions Luke uses, “the first day of the week” with a “gathering” and “breaking bread.” Further, these will be repeated in other early Christian literature (see below) and show convergence. While this does not prove a weekly pattern of gathering on the first day of the week, the significance of “the first day of the week” becomes clearer. Furthermore the practice of meeting for communion on Sundays is linked tightly with Jesus meeting with the disciples and breaking bread with them on “the first day of the week.”

In John’s Gospel, both in 20:1 and 20:19, we see another mention of “the first day of the week.” In 20:19, it is described as the evening of “that day, the first day of the week,” and Jesus appears to his gathered disciples. Furthermore, in John 20:26, one week later, Jesus appears again, setting yet another precedent for a gathering on the first day of the week. This finding aligns with the understanding of “The Lord’s Day” and how it came to be understood as Sunday. The term is mentioned in Revelation 1:10, which scholars have debated to mean either 1) the eschatological “day of the Lord,” 2) an annual gathering for the resurrection (Easter), or 3) the first day of the week. Early Christian literature (discussed below) shows an understanding of the phrase to indicate either 2 or 3, with many scholars seeing more warrant for position 3 (for a detailed discussion on the phrase, see Richard Bauckham’s contribution “The Lord’s Day” in “From Sabbath to Lord’s Day,” edited by Carson).While some have argued for the position of the eschatological “day of the Lord,” the context of Revelation does not support this idea, even without mentioning the specific phrase used in the Greek text. The eschatological position makes little sense as Revelation is not exclusively focused on the Day of the Lord, and it would be strange to read into the verse that it was the coming of Jesus when John had his vision. 

As we have seen, the New Testament portrays Sunday, “the first day of the week,” as a special day for early Christians and gives special attention to it. The gospel writers seem emphatic to share this detail and interjecting a ‘Sabbath’ resurrection into the text is not only unwarranted but strange given this emphasis. Another consideration is 1 Corinthians 16:2, where the Apostle Paul instructs the Corinthians to set aside their contributions on the first day of the week, with this instruction also applying to those in Galatia (v. 1). As argued historically, there is no reason for Paul to specify “the first day of the week” and assume a gathering unless it was normative. To dismiss this in light of what has been mentioned thus far would be hasty, to say the least. 

Lastly, when it comes to the Resurrection, there is another point to consider. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, referred to Jesus as the “first fruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23), drawing from the Old Testament concept of the offering of the first fruits in Leviticus 23:10–14. This powerful imagery provides a compelling argument for a Sunday resurrection, in line with the Gospel accounts. In Leviticus 23:10–14, the offering of the first fruits was a significant event in the Jewish religious calendar. It was to be presented on the day after the Sabbath, specifically on the day after the Passover Sabbath, which was the first day of the week. This offering was a symbol of thanksgiving and consecration, signifying the beginning of the harvest and the anticipation of God’s blessing upon the rest of the harvest to come.

Paul, by referring to Jesus as the “first fruits,” was drawing a parallel between the Old Testament offering and Jesus’ resurrection. Just as the offering of the first fruits occurred on the day after the Sabbath, so did Jesus’ resurrection take place on the first day of the week – Sunday. Paul’s use of this imagery highlights the significance of Jesus’ resurrection as the first and foremost event in God’s redemptive plan, signifying the beginning of a new era and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. By calling Jesus the “first fruits,” Paul was affirming that Jesus’ resurrection on Sunday, the day after the Sabbath, was not only historically accurate, but also theologically significant. It fulfilled the Old Testament type of the offering of the first fruits and established Jesus as the preeminent one who conquered death and paved the way for the future resurrection of all believers.

The Historical Data

To add to this, historically, the early Christian Church also embraced Sunday as the day of worship and celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. While many conspiracies abound regarding Constantine and “the institution of Sunday as a day of worship,” the reality is that we have evidence of Sunday gatherings that predate Constantine and the Council of Nicaea. Early Christian writings, such as the “Didache,” an end of the first-century Christian document (see Holmes, Apostolic Fathers), and the writings of early Christians like Ignatius of Antioch and Justin Martyr, all highlight the significance of Sunday as the “Lord’s Day” and the day of worship for Christians.

Let us first turn our attention to the “Didache,” also known as “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” which is believed to have been written in the late first or early second century, making it one of the earliest Christian writings outside of the New Testament. In chapter 14 of the Didache, it is stated: “On the Lord’s own day gather together and break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure.” Here we simply see the reference to the Lord’s day, gathering, and breaking bread. 

Similarly, the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, an early Christian and martyr who lived in the late first and early second centuries, also emphasize the significance of Sunday as the “Lord’s Day.” Ignatius is significant as he is understood to be discipled by Peter and to have had some association with John the Apostle and John’s disciple, Polycarp. In Ignatius’ letter to the Magnesians, written around AD 110, Ignatius is writing to Christians who are being pressured to observe the Sabbath. He exhorts the Christians to “no longer observe the Sabbath, but live in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life sprang up again by Him and His death” (Magnesians 9.1). Here, Ignatius clearly distinguishes between the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian observance of the “Lord’s Day,” which he associates with the resurrection of Jesus and the new life that Christians have in Him. Ignatius’ letter reflects or corroborates the early Christian practice of regarding Sunday as a day of worship and commemoration of Christ’s resurrection and places it in juxtaposition to the Jewish Sabbath.

Furthermore, in the writings of Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist who lived in the second century, we also find references to Sunday as the “Lord’s Day” and the day of worship for Christians. In his “First Apology” written around AD 155, Justin Martyr explains the Christian worship practices and states: “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read” (First Apology 67). Justin Martyr’s description of Christian worship on Sunday reflects the early Christian practice of gathering for worship on the first day of the week, which was regarded as the “Lord’s Day.” He also mentions the reading of the Scriptures during Sunday worship, indicating the significance of the day for the study and proclamation of Christian teachings. He continues, “But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our savior on the same day rose from the dead. For he was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to his apostles and disciples, he taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.” 

In addition, the so-called Epistle of Barnabas, dated sometime between AD 70-135 (Holmes), writes against Judaizers and frames Sunday as “the eighth day.” For the author, Christians have their own legitimate weekly observance, that is a celebration of eschatological hope. The letter says, “You see what he means: it is not the present sabbaths that are acceptable to me, but the one that I have made; on that sabbath, after I have set everything at rest, I will create the beginning of an eighth day, which is the beginning of another world. This is why we spend the eighth day in celebration, the day on which Jesus both arose from the dead and, after appearing again, ascended into heaven.” (15:8-9). Here the author connects Sunday as the “eighth day,” the beginning of the new creation (in a similar fashion as Justin above), “the day on which Jesus both arose from the dead and after appearing again ascended into heaven.” 

Lastly, Eusebius, the early church historian, further notes in his work (HE 3.27) that there were two groups of Ebionites (heretical groups that denied the deity of Christ), one of which kept not only “the Sabbath and the rest of the discipline of the Jews” but also “The Lord’s Day as a memorial of the resurrection of the Savior.” The other group, apparently, did not keep the Lord’s Day, but what is of significance here is that the Ebionites had in common a strict observance of the Mosaic law, and a rejection of the Apostle Paul as an apostate of the faith because of his position on the Mosaic Law and ‘fraternization’ with Gentiles. Why this is significant is found in that while they rejected Paul, and held the Law, this sect, according to Eusebius also viewed Sunday worship as legitimate because of the resurrection. 

Conclusion:

To conclude, I’ll quote A.T. Lincoln’s discussion on the Lord’s Day in “From Sabbath to Lord’s Day,” 

“The first day of the week is the only day, apart from the Sabbath, to receive explicit attention in the New Testament. It figures prominently, of course, in the Resurrection narratives of all four gospels. The terminology of ‘the first day of the week’ occurs in Matthew 28:1, emphatically in Mark 16:2, where the narrative had already begun with “and when the sabbath was past” in 16:1 but then begins again with “and very early on the first day of the week.” It is used also in Luke 24:1 and John 20:1 to introduce the account of the Resurrection. In addition, Luke wants to make clear that the appearances to the two on the road to Emmaus and to the eleven were on that same day. John underlines that Jesus’ appearance to the gathered disciples was “on the evening of that day, the first day of the week” (20:19), and that another appearance to the disciples, with Thomas present, took place on the first day of the following week, “eight days later” (20:26)… The New Testament evidence for the prominence of the first day in connection with Christian worship (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2 and Rev. 1:10) is scanty but, when taken together with that of the postapostolic period, it points us clearly in one direction. Acts 20:7 with its mention of the gathering to break bread on the first day of the week, is a reference to a Sunday and not a Saturday assembly. Luke’s account makes only this passing reference, but the specific mention of the first day together with the purpose of the evening meeting being to break bread suggests that this was a regular occurrence in the church at Troas, and the narrative with its talk of staying for seven days in Troas and of Paul’s intention to depart the next morning reads as though Paul deliberately planned to address all believers when they assembled for their weekly meeting.”

As we reflect on the significance of the resurrection this upcoming Sunday, we are reminded of the timeless truths rooted in Scripture, history, and tradition. The brief summary of evidence presented in this article has shown that the early Christians, following the example of the apostles, observed the Lord’s Day as a day of worship and remembrance of Christ’s resurrection. Despite challenges and misconceptions, the historical position of Christians meeting on Sundays is firmly grounded in the Word of God and the early practices of the Church. Let us not be swayed by unfounded claims, conspiracies, or revisionist theories, but rather hold fast to the faithful testimony of our forefathers in the faith. As we approach Easter Sunday, may we be renewed in our commitment to gather with fellow believers, offer our praises to the risen Savior, and partake in the Lord’s Supper as a cherished tradition of our Christian heritage. May the significance of Sunday continue to inspire us to live out our faith with reverence, joy, and devotion. To Him who conquered death and rose on the first day of the week, be all honor, glory, and praise, now and forevermore. Amen.