an extra "Sunday worship"

I have something that I thought might be fun to share:
For Bible interpreters one of the things they like to do is to go to the original language and expound how a word choice may or may not have been the best. This allows people to see first that the Bible was not written in English and there is a whole field of study that most people never embark on. It also allows for some honest discussion when you see a translation uses it’s bias to create something that is not there. Here is a case in point.
I have listed here what is called an “Expanded KJV translation with Strong’s notes” essentially it has the English passage of scripture and every word from the Greek is numbered so you can look it up and see what the original word is. IT isn’t perfect, but makes a lot of ugly work very easy.

Mat 28:1 In the end(G3796) of the sabbath,G4521 as it began to dawnG2020 towardG1519 the firstG3391 day of the week,G4521 cameG2064 MaryG3137 MagdaleneG3094 andG2532 theG3588 otherG243 MaryG3137 to seeG2334 theG3588 sepulchre.G5028

The first thing you may note is that the translator (if he is honest) will admit there is one word which is not in the original. It was added. This is not fatal, but sometimes helpful for the sake of honesty. I sincerely believe most translators have no axe to grind. They are trying to share sincerely what they have. That word is day.

The second thing you will notice is that the word for Sabbath in the Greek Strong’s dictionary is numbered G4521

The definition is as follows.

G4521
σάββατον
sabbaton
sab'-bat-on
Of Hebrew origin [H7676]; the Sabbath (that is, Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension a se'nnight, that is, the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications: - sabbath (day), week.

Please note, this is Dr. James Strong’s work, not mine.

Now in the same sentence this word “Sabbath” has been translated “day (not in the original) of the week.”

I think any honest person should suggest that the English translation knew what the right word to use was, and yet actually chose against it. Why?

The answer is easy. The translator could not permit himself to write what the sentence would really say which is:

Mat 28:1 οψεG3796 ADV δεG1161 CONJ σαββατωνG4521 N-GPN τηG3588 T-DSF επιφωσκουσηG2020 V-PAP-DSF ειςG1519 PREP μιανG1520 A-ASF σαββατωνG4521 N-GPN ηλθενG2064 V-2AAI-3S μαριαG3137 N-NSF ηG3588 T-NSF μαγδαληνηG3094 N-NSF καιG2532 CONJ ηG3588 T-NSF αλληG243 A-NSF μαριαG3137 N-NSF θεωρησαιG2334 V-AAN τονG3588 T-ASM ταφονG5028 N-ASM

Translation:
“In the end(G3796) of the sabbath,G4521 as it began to dawnG2020 towardG1519 the firstG3391 sabbath,G4521 cameG2064 …”

Perhaps such a translation can be justified, because who ever heard of the end of a Sabbath and then the start of another Sabbath? The answer is anyone who reads their Bible.

The Bible tells us that the Passover meal happens on the evening of the 14th of Nisan. Evening (in Hebrew and Biblical custom) is the start of a new day. Kinda weird to westerners, but you have to understand that the Bible could care less what your local tradition is. Their position stands. The evening of the Passover meal was not a Sabbath (Day of rest in the Bible). The next day was not a Sabbath (day of rest), but the next day was the start of a holiday called Unleaven Bread (Hag Ha Matzah). This day is a Sabbath. It is a Biblically commanded day of rest regardless where it falls on the weekly calendar.

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.
Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

This day is the Sabbath. So, when Joseph and Nicodemus are trying to get Jesus off the cross before the Sabbath, it was not the weekly Sabbath, but this 1st day of Unleaven bread. Then Jesus was in the ground that night (before Sabbath) and for the full day of Unleaven Bread, and then as the weekly Sabbath was coming up (likely not at night, but as the sun was rising the next day) the women went to the tomb to anoint the body. This would have been a weekly Sabbath. So, one Sabbath ends as the next Sabbath begins.

Whoa! I can hear someone say, isn’t anointing a body work? Yes. It is, but it is work that was permitted. There is an understanding even today among Jews that in the case of death there are things that have to be done. They ran out of time before the Sabbath, (or perhaps in the shock and mourning they didn’t think about it, or perhaps they thought Jesus would come off the cross. Who knows what they were thinking? But, to anoint a body was completely within their rights to do this on the Sabbath.

This immediately calls into question whether Christian believers established Sunday as their day of worship. This is a very good question. It is also beyond the scope of my study today.

However, another place where this “first day of the week” concept comes up is is 1 Cor 16:1-2, which reads:

1Co 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
1Co 16:2 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.

Immediately when you see this verse you should see that the word “day” is also added. Let’s put the Strong’s numbering in:

1Co 16:1 NowG1161 concerningG4012 theG3588 collectionG3048 forG1519 theG3588 saints,G40 asG5618 I have given orderG1299 to theG3588 churchesG1577 of Galatia,G1053 evenG2532 soG3779 doG4160 ye.G5210
1Co 16:2 Upon the firstG2596 G3391 day of the weekG4521 let every oneG1538 of youG5216 layG5087 byG3844 himG1438 in store,G2343 asG3748 G302 God hath prosperedG2137 him, thatG2443 there beG1096 noG3361 gatheringsG3048 when(G3752) I come.G2064

Is anyone surprised to see the First day of the week is again the “first Sabbath”? so, again the English fails us. What it should read is the first Sabbath. This is difficult for two reasons. First, it is one of the loan verses we hold onto for meeting on Sunday, and second it says the early church knew about Sabbath and even knew what the first Sabbath after Passover was. This changes perspective on the whole 1st century church.

Interestingly enough, Paul is not telling people to meet on this day. In fact, Christians in Acts met regularly on every day. There is no reason to believe they honoured Jesus’ resurrection by meeting on Sunday (esp. when we find he rose on the First Sabbath after Passover). But, Paul may have tied in this offering from the outside churches (gifts to the Jerusalem believers) to the annual memory of Jesus’ return to life.

Perhaps, in keeping with the ancient 1st century believers traditions we should put aside some of our own wealth to share with needy believers. I think an annual celebration of this would be well in order. It would certainly be more Biblically accurate then using this mistranslated verse to justify the Christian church needs to meet on Sunday. Just thought I would share. God’s grace to you and yours,
-Brother Bradley Avi