24-HOUR SABBATH?
Is Matthew 28:1 speaking of a 24 hour Sabbath that starts in the morning and ends in the morning or starts in the evening and ends in the evening? This article is in response to a message I received abut the verse and realize that his may be the verse that some people use to say the Sabbath is 24 hours. Here is the verse:
Matthew 28:1
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
TWO OR THREE WITNESSES
Before we examine that verse, we first have to lay a foundation on how to find truth in scripture. We cannot take a one verse alone to make doctrine. That is the “trademark” of babies. The verse must have 2 or three witness.
Matthew 18:16
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Now what verse witnesses Matthew 28:1 telling us that there is a 24 hour Sabbath?I have not seen any. Maybe someone can leave that verse in the comments.
PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT
Indeed let us see how we are told to get truth from the scripture…
Isaiah 28:9-10
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
In other words, unless we are using precept upon precept, then we will not grow up to maturity, and we will be like babies, unable to understand the word. So, to the Sabbath command…
Exodus 20:8
Remember the sabbath (H7676) day (H3117), to keep it holy.
Notice I left in Strong’s numbers? That is because the command is specific: remember the Sabbath Day. It did not say the sabbath only or Sabbath day and night. So let us look at the meaning of the words Sabbath and day…
Sabbath
Hebrew: שׁבּת
Transliteration: shabbâth
Pronunciation: shab-bawth’
Definition: Intensive from H7673; {intermission} that {is} (specifically) the Sabbath: – (+ every) sabbath.Day
Hebrew: יום
Transliteration: yôm
Pronunciation: yome
Definition: From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm {hours}) whether literally (from sunrise to {sunset} or from one sunset to the {next}) or figuratively (a space of time defined by an associated {term}) (often used adverbially): – {age} + {always} + {chronicles} continually ({-ance}) {daily} ({[birth-]} {each} to) {day} (now {a} two) days ({agone}) + {elder} X {end} + {evening} + (for) ever ({-lasting} {-more}) X {full} {life} as (so) long as (. . . {live}) (even) {now} + {old} + {outlived} + {perpetually} {presently} + {remaineth} X {required} {season} X {since} {space} {then} (process of) {time} + as at other {times} + in {trouble} {weather} (as) {when} ({a} {the} within a) while ({that}) X whole (+ {age}) (full) year ({-ly}) + younger
Now we have already shown here on Just a Word, that a day begins at dawn, so we can see above from the meanings of both names, that the Sabbath day that we are told to remember is the warm hours, literally from sunrise to sunset!
But let’s get the witness to that:
John 11:9 Yahusha answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
There are 12 hours in a day, and remember, the command is specifically to remember the Sabbath day. Here is the witness to this fact (that Sabbath is a day):
Exodus 16:26
Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.Exodus 31:15
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to YAHUAH: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.Exodus 16:25-26
And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto yahuah: to day ye shall not find it in the field.Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
The Sabbath is DAY!
MESSIAH SHOWING SABBATH WAS DAY, NOT NIGHT
Let us use an account of the Messiah to show the Sabbath ended at evening.
Mark 1:21
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
So that day was a Sabbath. Now we know that when the Messiah healed anyone on the Sabbath, it was not a mass healing, so as not to disrupt the holy day. He would not be healing a whole city! So in the synagogue, he cast out an unclean spirit and his fame spread…
Mark 1:21,23-28
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Yahusha of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of Aluah.
And Yahusha rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
Continuing…then still in the Sabbath day, he left the synagogue and went to the house of his disciples and…
Mark 1:29-31
And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Another person healed. So let us see what happened in that same evening…
Mark 1:32
And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
Why did it state that it is when the sun was set? Sabbath day was over! How do we know that? It would have been illegal to have the following type of gathering on The Sabbath day!
Mark 1:33
And all the city was gathered together at the door.
That would be an unlawful assembly on the sabbath. They waited until sabbath was over to do all of this.
Mark 1:34
And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
He healed one man on the sabbath and it caused a huge problem with the pharisees (Matthew 12). Imagine a whole city! If after the sun was set was still the Sabbath, there could not have been such a gathering.
IN THE END OF THE SABBATH (MATTHEW 28:1)
So let us get now to Matthew 28.
Matthew 28:1
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
In the end of the sabbath there can only refer to the Sabbath being done. It is referring to the 7th day as the sabbath and not referring to the SABBATH DAY. Witness?
WHEN THE SABBATH WAS PAST
When we look at the account of the same incident in the book of Mark. This gives even more striking evidence that the Sabbath day ends in the evening. Take a look…
Mark 16:1
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
When the sabbath was over, they went to buy spices to go and anoint the Messiah. Now when did they go to anoint the Messiah?
Mark 16:2
And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
They bought the spices when the sabbath was over to anoint the Messiah and came to anoint him very early in the morning at the rising of the sun. Now tell me, if the Sabbath ended in the morning, what time would they have to buy spices very early in the morning when the sun was rising?
The sabbath ended in the evening so they had time to buy sweet spices, so very early in the morning the next day, they could go to the sepulcre!
CONCLUSION
Sabbath day is from sunrise to sunset, a 12-hour sabbath. That was how it was observed in scripture. Anything else is the tradition of man. And what did he say about that?
Matthew 15:9
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Got it?
All praises to the Most High.
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