Is Matthew 28:1 Telling Us Of a 24 Hour Sabbath? Conclusive Breakdown

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.

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IN THE END OF THE SABBATH (MATTHEW 28:1)

So let us look more closely at Matthew 28:1.

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.

We first have to look at the meaning of “in  the end.”

in the end
G3796
ὀψέ
opse
op-seh’
From the same as G3694 (through the idea of backwardness); (adverbially) late in the day; by extension after the close of the day: – (at) even, in the end.
Total KJV occurrences: 3

In the end of the sabbath there can only refer to the Sabbath being done: after the close of the day! It could not be referring to late in the day, as it says as it begins to dawn toward the first day of the week.

In fact, we can see from a more detailed meaning of “opse” that it actually means long after the Sabbath had passed. Look…

The “at evening” deduction simply comes from the tradition of evening to evening that we now have. It does not mean the Shabbath began at evening at the time being spoken about in the account in Matthew 28:1.

More 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 anoint HaMashaich with spices they had bought on the evening he died.

Luk 23:55  And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
Luk 23:56  And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

So they bought the spices before the Shabbath, rested on the Shabbath day. Then 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.

Now one can say the Shabbat day ended the evening before, or even in the morning! There is nothing conclusive here to tell us when the Sabbath ended. So guess what, Christians who do not use the formula given to unravel these discrepancies usually just run with whatever suits their desire.

But we have to follow the formulas that we were given by the Most High.

TWO OR THREE WITNESSES

Here is one of the foundations 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

But just as compelling, we cannot get knowledge of the scriptures unless we use this strategy in the book of Isaiah 28. 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

12 HOURS IN A DAY

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

Now we have laid that foundation, 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.

When Does The Sabbath Begin?

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.

A 24 hour Sabbath is not evident in the scriptures. Matthew 28:1 was therefore not speaking of it. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, a matter is established. Precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line upon line, here a little, there a little.

Got it?

All praises to the Most High.