The Sabbath in the Early Church | Jon English Lee | The Weekly Discourse
Jun 5, 2020
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Pastor Jon English Lee discusses the early church's observance of the Lord's Day and their shift from Sabbath to Sunday worship. Exploring historical evidence, he refutes claims of a later shift from Saturday worship, examines early evidence of regular worship in the second century church, and discusses Justin's defense of Christian worship. He also highlights the discontinuity with surrounding customs in the defense of Sunday worship and explores the temporary nature of Sabbath precepts in the early church.
The early church universally observed the Lord's Day for their gatherings, establishing a weekly rhythm of worship on the Lord's Day.
The shift from Sabbath observance to worship on the Lord's Day was supported by historical evidence and emphasized the theological significance of Jesus' resurrection.
Deep dives
Early Church's Observance of Lord's Day
The early church universally observed the Lord's Day for their gatherings, contrary to the idea that they continued to worship on Saturdays until Jerusalem burned in 135 AD. Historical evidence, such as Pliny the Younger's letter and the Didache, confirms the regularity of weekly worship on the Lord's Day in the early church. The Didache, an early church manual, instructs believers to gather and break bread on the Lord's own day, signaling the establishment of a weekly rhythm of worship. This evidence suggests that the early church had convictions regarding the importance of weekly worship on the Lord's Day.
Ignatius of Antioch's Perspective
Ignatius of Antioch, in one of his letters, highlights the shift from Sabbath observance to worship on the Lord's Day. He urges believers to no longer keep the Sabbath but to live in accordance with the Lord's Day, connecting the change to the newness of hope found in Christ's resurrection. Ignatius emphasizes that worshiping on the Lord's Day is not about convenience or cultural accommodation, but about the theological significance of Jesus' resurrection and the distinction between Judaism and Christianity.
Justin Martyr and Tertullian's Defense
Justin Martyr defends the practice of gathering on Sundays, the Lord's Day, and condemns weekly Sabbath worship. He explains that Christians gather on Sunday to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus, grounding Lord's Day observance in the themes of creation and recreation. Tertullian acknowledges that the Jewish Sabbath was temporary and replaced in the new covenant, but he highlights the ethical constraints and proper behavior expected on the Lord's Day. Both Justin Martyr and Tertullian contribute to the growing understanding and theology of the Lord's Day in the early church.
Have you ever wondered what the early church taught and practiced concerning the 4th commandment? Dr. Jon English Lee answers in this lecture which was delivered in his course on The Decalogue and Sabbath in Redemptive History.
Dr. Jon English Lee is Pastor at Morningview Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. https://morningview.org/
The Weekly Discourse features a lecture which has been taken from a course at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.