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Does The New Testament Support A Dawn To Dawn Sabbath?
The following will show that, first of all, the scriptures posted have been improperly translated into English.
Secondly, I will show that these verses do not support a sunrise to sunrise sabbath. Almost all English translations render
the Greek phrases mian sabbaton, mias sabbaton, mia ton sabbaton, and prote sabbatou as "first
day of the week." However, none of these Greek phrases can literally be translated that way.
MATTHEW 28:1 Now
after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week [mian
sabbaton] began to dawn, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary came to see the tomb. (NKJV)
MARK 16:2 Very early
in the morning, on the first day of the week [mias
sabbaton], they came to the tomb
when the sun had risen. (NKJV)
MARK 16:2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week
[mias sabbaton], they came to the tomb
when the sun had risen. (NKJV)
LUKE 24:1 Now on
the first day of the week [mia ton sabbaton], very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with
them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. (NKJV)
JOHN 20:1 On the first day of the week [mia ton sabbaton] Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,
and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (NKJV)
In Greek, the phrase "first day of the week" is properly rendered protes hemeras tes hebdomados. Interestingly, the Greek word for "day" does not appear in any of the
"first day of the week" verses in the New Testament.
If we look at a literal rendering of these phrases, we see that they would be better translated as "one of the Sabbaths" (mian sabbaton, mias sabbaton, and mia
ton sabbaton), or "First Sabbath" (prote sabbatou).
In 1926, Greek scholar A.E. Knoch first published his Concordant Literal New Testament. The goal of
Knoch's work was to eliminate doctrinal bias from the translation of the Greek New Testament into English. Let's see how he
translated these same resurrection verses:
MATTHEW 28:1 Now
it is the evening of the Sabbaths. At the lighting up into one of the Sabbaths [mian sabbaton] came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to behold
the sepulcher. (CLNT)
MARK 16:2 And, very
early in the morning on one of the Sabbaths [mias sabbaton], they are coming to the tomb at
the rising of the sun. (CLNT)
LUKE 24:1 Now in
the early depths of one of the Sabbaths [mia ton sabbaton], they, and certain others together with them, came to the tomb, bringing
the spices which they make ready. (CLNT)
JOHN 20:1 Now, on
one of the Sabbaths [mia ton sabbaton], Miriam Magdalene is coming to the tomb in the morning, there being still darkness, and is observing
the stone taken away from the door of the tomb. (CLNT)
Note: None of these verses when translated properly show a
sunrise to sunrise sabbath.
As you can see, in these Gospel accounts of the resurrection, Knoch ( who
was not a Sabbatarian) translated these passages to show that Yahusha was raised on "one of the Sabbaths," which Mark specifically called the "First Sabbath" (Mark 16:9). What would "one of the Sabbaths" or "First Sabbath"
have meant to a 1st-century Jew?
Was there such a thing that would have been understood by those living in Judea at that time?
Absolutely! As commanded by Yah in Leviticus 23:15-16, there were seven weekly Sabbaths between Passover and
Pentecost that were to be counted every year:
LEVITICUS 23:15 "And
you shall count for yourselves from the day after the [annual Passover] Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of
the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall
offer a new grain offering to the LORD. (NKJV)
At the time of Yahusha, the Jews counted seven weekly Sabbaths during a 50-day period starting from the 2nd
day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread to determine when to celebrate Pentecost. In fact, the Greek word Pentekoste literally means "50th."
To a religious 1st-century Jew, mention of "one of the Sabbaths" during this period of counting would have
automatically been understood as one of the seven weekly Sabbaths between Passover and Pentecost. In fact, the first weekly
Sabbath after the Passover high Sabbath was known to the Jews as the "First Sabbath," as Johnston M. Cheney noted in his harmony
of the Gospels:
Seven sabbaths were to be counted from the Feast of First-fruits or Passover. Consequently, these came to
be known as "First Sabbath," "Second Sabbath" etc., down to the seventh. And according to Julian Morgenstern, former President
of Hebrew University, this practice continued in Galilee till the time of Christ or the Common Era. It is still observed by
some groups in Palestine today. Thus, there was an annual date known as "First Sabbath," just after Passover. (p. 230, The
Life of Christ in Stereo)
"One of the Sabbaths," mentioned by all of the Gospel writers (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1,
19), refers to this "First Sabbath" (Mark 16:9), the first weekly Sabbath after Passover! In fact, when English translators
render the Greek phrases mian sabbaton, mias sabbaton, and mia ton sabbaton as "first day of the week," they do so without regard for proper Greek grammar.
Unfortunately, human tradition has generally overridden the literal meaning of these Greek words.
At this point I will establish when the messiah was crucified and then when he was buried and resurrected.
The available evidence, when viewed objectively, shows that Yahusha was buried late on Wednesday afternoon (Nisan 14) and
resurrected early on the morning of the weekly Sabbath (Nisan 17), before sunrise.
LUKE 23:50 Now behold,
there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was
from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down,
wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That
day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. 55 And the women who had
come with him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and
prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
LUKE 23:54 And the day was a preparation , and Sabbath was approaching, 55 and the women also who have come with him out of Galilee having followed
after, beheld the tomb, and how his body was placed, 56 and having turned back, they made ready spices and ointments . . . (YLT)
LUKE 23:56b . . .
And on the Sabbath, indeed, they rested, according to the command. 24:1 And on the first of the Sabbaths, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bearing the spices they made ready,
and certain {others} with them, (YLT)
LUKE 23:56b And on
the one hand, they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment; but on the other hand, on one
of the Sabbaths, at deep dawn, they came
to the tomb, bearing the spices which they prepared, and certain others with them, (literal translation)
Luke clearly states that the day on which Yahusha was buried was the Preparation, and the Sabbath was fast
approaching. We know that when Messiah was nailed to the tree, it was daylight about 3pm, just at the same time the Passover
lambs would have been being sacrificed.
Mat 27:45 Now from
the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
The sixth hour of the day was noon . The
ninth hour was 3pm. Notice that it was dark from
the 6th hour until the 9th hour.
The contrast Luke wanted to point out to his readers is that between the Passover Sabbath (on which the women
rested according to the commandment recorded in Lev. 23:6-7) and "one of the Sabbaths" (on which the women came to the tomb
before sunrise to anoint Yahusha's body with spices).
LEVITICUS 23:6 "On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD's Feast
of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly
and do no regular work." (NIV)
Understood properly, Luke 23:56b-24:1 tells us that there were two Sabbaths that week: the annual Passover Sabbath on
Nisan 15 and "one of the [weekly] Sabbaths" (the first one) in the count from Passover to Pentecost:
LEVITICUS 23:15 "And you shall count for yourselves from the day
after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count
fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD." (NKJV)
Conclusion:
The first day of the week is not mentioned in the New Testament and that Messiah was raised in the middle
of the weekly sabbath just before sunrise. After considering all the evidence presented here in this article, I believe we
have no choice but to acknowledge that the scriptures are in favor of the day starting in the evening. This is however, a
subject that will no doubt cause much disagreement among brethren in the future. May Yahuah give us all a heart to be obedient
to what he commands.
William M. Kimbrough
August 2, 2009
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