This article shows that at least as early as the 4th century AD some major church leaders considered the day we know as Saturday to be the biblical Sabbath.
Christianity largely considers Sabbath Day as Old Covenant and Lord’s Day as New Covenant. In this regard, Sabbath refers to Saturday and Lord’s Day refers to Sunday.
Many but not all churches associated with Christianity consider Sunday as the primary day or worship and rest.
Roman Emperor Constantine issued an Edict in AD 321 in which he declared Sunday to be a day of rest for some but not all.
Constantine’s Edict of 321 says:
“On the venerable day of the sun let the magistrate and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however, persons engaged in agricultural work may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain growing or for vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.”
In the Edict the phrase “venerable day of the sun” refers to Sunday. The Edict only applied to those living in the cities. It did not apply to those engaged in agricultural work. Moreover. Constantine did NOT use the word Sabbath but did use Sunday in the Edict.
Sunday worship as the Lord’s Day can be traced back at least to the 4th century at the council of Laodicea.
However, it may be traceable back to the 2nd Century for it is reported that in AD 107 St. Ignatius declared the Lord’s Day to be observed by Christians instead of the Sabbath.
Additionally a church leader named Justin reportedly between AD 155-157 wrote that Christians commonly met for worship on Sunday.
Also a church leader named Tertullian reportedly said in AD 200 that the Lord’s Day is Sunday.
My purpose in mentioning them is not to say whether they were right or not in their doctrine.
My purpose is to note that is what reportedly historically happened in the church.
It is noteworthy that all of this regarding St. Ignatius, Justin and Tertullian happened before Roman Emperor Constantine Edict in AD 321.
So it seems that Constantine made that practice at least more official within the Roman Empire.
It seems that the church influenced Constantine rather than Constantine influencing the church with respect to Sunday as the day of rest.
In the 4th century AD the Synod or Council of Laodicea was held; it is believed to have taken place around 363-365 AD.
This council of then church leaders discussed a number of matters.
One of them was the contrast between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day.
We generally think of that council as being the forerunner of what we know today as the Roman Catholic Church.
The council issued a number of canons to govern their members. Let us look at the ones that have to do with Sabbath and Lord’s Day.
The Synod of Laodicea Canons 16, 29, and 49 address the Lord’s Day and the Sabbath, collectively. Canons 16 and 49 say worship may take place on either day. Canon 29 says any Catholic caught resting on the Sabbath would be excommunicated.
Thus, they effectively transferred the functionality of the Sabbath to the Lord’s Day, effectively leaving Saturday as the Sabbath in name only from their perspective. Although Saturday retained the name Sabbath, it did not retain the functionality of a Sabbath Day. The requirement to not work on Saturday was considered non-binding. In fact, the Synod of Laodicea essentially said it was heretical to not work on Saturday; and members of the church were excommunicated for viewing Saturday as a day to not work for Sabbath reasons. However, the heretical claim was later lifted as shall be discussed later.
They seemingly did and do so because they believe at least Gentile Christians are not bound to the sabbath ordinances. Thus, they hold that the church has the liberty and right to choose another day for sabbath purposes and to combine it with honoring Christ resurrection on the first day of the week, that is what we know as Sunday. They seemingly took and take this principle from the Acts 15 treatment of circumcision which teaches against Judaizing.
Let’s look at those Laodicea canons of the 4th century
Canon 16 says “The Gospels are to be read on the Sabbath [i.e. Saturday], with the other Scriptures.”
Canon 29 says “Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema (cursed; excommunicated) from Christ”.
Canon 49 says “During Lent the Bread must not be offered except on the Sabbath Day and on the Lord’s Day only.”
So Synod of Laodicea recognized Sabbath but placed the Lord’s Day above Sabbath. It forbade any activities that promoted the law of Moses (Judaism) including resting on Sabbath (Saturday).
This was apparently changed at least as early as 1983 which is many years after the 4th century.
For in the 1983 Catholic Code of Canon Law there is no mention of Sabbath at all. Canons 16, 29, and 49 deal with other church matters. Thus, the Roman Catholic church stopped recognizing and regulating the Sabbath for any purpose. Instead, the focus shifted solely to the Lord’s Day for the primary day of restful worship although the church tends to meet multiple times during the week including the Sabbath. So then its members are free to follow the Sabbath if they choose and to do so without excommunication. Thus, the claim to be heretical for not working on Saturday for Sabbath reasons was lifted.
Of course, the Roman Catholic Church still encourages regular worship on the Lord’s Day as the primary day for worship though they tend to be open most days of the week.
This view of Sunday as the Lord’s Day and Saturday as the Sabbath is still held by the Roman Catholic Church, including the lifting of the heretical claim. Most though not all Protestant churches have a similar view. Seventh Day Baptist and Seventh Day Adventist are example exceptions for their primary day of worship and rest is Saturday.
In my view given the recognition of Saturday as the Sabbath at least as early as the 4th Century AD, it would have been better if all the church had kept Saturday as the primary day of worship and rest for the church world could have still honored Jesus resurrection on Saturday Sabbath regardless of the actual day of resurrection. After all, Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5).
However, Colossians 2:14-17 (especially Colossians 2:16) does seem to give liberty and right to not so do on Saturday but do so do on Sunday.
Colossians 2:16 certainly forbids us from judging or requiring others to choose the day we choose.
This is supported by scriptures such as 2 Corinthians 3:6 where the spirit rather than the letter is seen as more important.
So though I think the better way was to choose Saturday in the early days of Christianity, I do hold the Bible gives the church the liberty and right to choose either Saturday of Sunday as the preferred day of rest and holy convocation.
References:
Synod of Laodicea (4th Century)!
Current Catholic Code of Canon Law (See Book IV, Part III for Sacred Times)!
History of the Christian Church!
