SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ANSWERED VERSE-BY-VERSE ON ACTS 13:42, 44: "THE NEXT SABBATH ALMOST THE WHOLE CITY GATHERED TO HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD"

 

Acts 13:42, 44 (ESV) 

"As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath...The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord." 

SDA Argument:

"Christians continued to observe the Sabbath even long after Jesus ascended to heaven. Even the Apostle Paul continued to worship on the Sabbath day. If Sunday had become the new day of worship, they should have asked Paul to return on Sunday instead of the next Sabbath to hear God's words from his preaching."

Answer:

Acts mentions the sabbath in the following places: 

Acts 1:12; 13:27; 13:42, 44; 15:21; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4. 

This was part of the transition period when early Christians had not yet fully understood the significance of the Christ event. Christians should be cautious about using this transitional period as a basis for doctrines, especially regarding Sabbath observance.

Most of these texts depict the apostles initiating the proclamation of the gospel within Jewish synagogues, addressing both Jewish congregants and assembled Gentiles. It seems likely that Jewish Christians continued to participate in synagogue life until external pressures eventually led to their departure, possibly toward the close of the first century.

Seventh-day Adventists frequently cite passages in Acts to illustrate that Paul regularly attended synagogue worship every Sabbath. However, these instances are not particularly effective in resolving debates, as they have been interpreted both as evidence of significant missionary work and as support for the Seventh-day Adventist practice of observing the Sabbath on the seventh day. Acts suggests that Jewish Christians likely continued to observe the Sabbath, as there is no mention of disputes regarding the day. Although no persecution is documented in this account, the Sabbath was such a fundamental institution to Judaism that changing it would have likely provoked significant hostility and violence. 

During the first century, it was recognized by Jews that Gentiles did not have to observe the Sabbath unless they converted to Judaism and became part of the Sinai Covenant. Consequently, there was minimal debate concerning the Sabbath within the early Christian community. It was widely acknowledged that since uncircumcised Gentiles were not commanded by God to keep the Sabbath, they were not expected to adhere to this practice. Most Jewish leaders believe that God’s command to observe the Sabbath was meant only for the Israelites. This view is explained in a document written in the 2nd century B.C.

"The Creator of all blessed it, but he did not sanctify any people or nations to keep the Sabbath thereon with the sole exception of Israel. He granted to them alone that they might eat and drink and keep the Sabbath thereon upon the earth."[1] 

The Sabbath was one of the laws that set Jews apart from Gentiles. The rabbis taught that Gentiles should follow laws originating from Noah, which did not include observing the Sabbath.

During this moment of transition, what would motivate Jewish Christians to keep the Sabbath on the seventh day? Our examination of Acts thus far indicates that the early Christian community did not see a clear contradiction between proclaiming the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus and maintaining the law's validity during the period between Pentecost and the events detailed in Acts 10.

The scholarly book "From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A Biblical, Historical and Theological Investigation" provides some compelling reasons why the early Christian community continued to observe the Sabbath even after the Christ event.

1. Habit and Religious Conservatism [2]

The psychological impact significantly shaped people’s behavior. In regions where Christianity was preached, adherence to the Jewish Sabbath persisted as a cultural tradition among early Christians, driven more by habit than profound devotion.

2. Social Pressure

The pressure faced by Christians came from their own Jewish community, including friends and family. The Bible warns about the dangers of this pressure (Luke 14:26; 18:29) , and describes how difficult it could be (Rom. 9:3). Pressure from people who were not Christians was not very influential and could be damaging if the church acted like a closed group. 

3. Fear of stronger Forms of Sanction

If Christians in Palestine did not observe the Sabbath, a day meant for rest, they risked harsh punishment, including the possibility of being killed by stoning. Although this was rare, it was still a danger. Jewish Christians who ignored the Sabbath were viewed as lawbreakers and could be targeted by aggressive people. In the Jewish faith, actions were considered more important than beliefs. Therefore, not keeping the Sabbath could result in increased hostility and suffering, much like what Jesus experienced.

4. Missionary Policy

This means that they had to be careful not to upset the Jewish people while also seeing the Sabbath services at the synagogue as a chance to share their faith with others. It was a balance between respecting Jewish traditions and using the time to spread their own Christian faith.

There is no evidence that Paul took a rest or stopped working on the Sabbath. Instead, he viewed it as an opportunity to spread his religious message, which he did daily. Paul's actions suggest a sense of freedom rather than adherence to strict rules. Paul aimed to teach Jews that Jesus fulfilled their sacred laws and prophecies. He used synagogues as his platform because Jews met there on the Sabbath to discuss their holy texts. Paul’s visits to synagogues on the Sabbath were part of his successful teaching strategy.While Paul’s adherence to old covenant laws and his Sabbath practices served a historical purpose, they are not directives for Christians today. Christians are not obligated to observe these old covenant laws or to follow Paul’s example of attending synagogues on the Sabbath.

Paul did not explicitly teach his converts to observe the Sabbath. Instead, he emphasized that Christians should not be judged based on special days (Colossians 2:16). Additionally, he encouraged tolerance among Roman Christians regarding differences in worship practices related to food and days (Romans 14:5).

5. Strong Conservative Leadership at Jerusalem

The Sabbath was probably still observed in Jerusalem and nearby churches due to James’ dedication and the traditional beliefs of the priests and Pharisees. While the extent of this practice’s influence beyond Palestine is uncertain, James’ impact was significant in Antioch and known in Galatia, as mentioned by Paul. Luke held James in high regard, and James presided over a council that issued directives to churches in Cilicia and Syria.

Acts 15:21 notes that Moses' teachings have been shared in synagogues every Sabbath. James mentioned this tradition but wasn't advising Gentiles to attend. New believers needed to learn about Jesus, not just Moses. The synagogues stressed strict practices like circumcision, which weren't required for Gentile believers. At a key meeting in Jerusalem, only four simple rules were set for Gentiles in Acts 15:28-29:

Acts 15:28-29 (ESV) "For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

The rules they agreed upon were like the Noachian laws, which didn’t include the Sabbath. According to Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews (1.3.8), after the Flood, God asked Noah to follow these requirements.”

"However, I require you to abstain from shedding the blood of men, and to keep yourselves pure from murder; and to punish those that commit any such thing. I permit you to make use of all the other living creatures at your pleasure, and as your appetites lead you; for I have made you lords of them all, both of those that walk on the land, and those that swim in the waters, and of those that fly in the regions of the air on high--excepting their blood, for therein is the life."

The Jerusalem decree's mention of adultery might have originated from Lev's prohibited marriages. 18:6–18, and the mention of abstaining from blood has its roots in Leviticus. 17:10–14.

Thus, it is evident that prior to the existence of Jews and Gentiles, neither the sabbath nor the dietary regulations pertained to individuals living after the Flood. The sabbath was later set off for the Jews alone, when God declared them to be his chosen people.

Psalms 147:19-20 (BBE) "He makes his word clear to Jacob, teaching Israel his laws and his decisions. He has not done these things for any other nation: and as for his laws, they have no knowledge of them. Let the Lord be praised."

6. Theological Conviction.

Luke’s writing suggests that the Pharisees (Acts 15:5) were dedicated to observing the Sabbath and the law. Acts 15:1 hints at another group with similar beliefs. Peter’s hesitation to accept his vision (Acts 10:10-16), which was repeated three times, indicates that he valued the law. Luke implies that before Peter’s vision the law was still widely respected and its importance was not broadly questioned, even with Jesus establishing a new covenant.

Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi, a Seventh-day Adventist scholar, conducted extensive research on the topic of Sabbath-keeping in early Christianity. 

His book "Sabbath Under Crossfire" page 162 provides an accurate account of how the early Church observed the Sabbath and its connection to the Jewish synagogue:

"How did New Testament believers observe the Sabbath in the light of its expanded redemptive meaning derived from Christ’s ministry? Initially, most Christians attended Sabbath services at the Jewish synagogue (Acts 13:14, 43, 44; 17:2; 18:4). Gradually, however, Christians established their own places of worship. Matthew suggests that the process of separation had already begun at the time of his writing, because he speaks of Christ entering “their synagogue” (Matt 12:9). The pronoun “their” suggests that the Matthean community as a whole no longer shared in Sabbath services at the Jewish synagogue by the time the Gospel was written. Presumably, they had organized their own meeting places of worship by then."[3] 

This contradicts the interpretation of many SDAs using the book of Acts as evidence that Sabbath observance continued even after Christ was crucified and died on the cross even today. As an SDA church historian, Dr. Bacchiocchi refuted this by pointing out that Christians "initially" worshiped on the Sabbath, meaning it was only in the beginning and not a permanent practice. According to Dr. Bacchiocchi, there came a time when they separated from the Jewish synagogue and established "their own meeting place for worship."

When Christians separated from the synagogue, their place of worship became the homes of believers, which is why we sometimes read "the church in their house" (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2). 

However, the key question remains: were they still observing the seventh-day Sabbath?

It is noticeable that Luke’s record in the book of Acts does not mention that after the Christians separated from worshipping in the Synagogue of the Jews every Sabbath, they continued to observe the Sabbath in their weekly gatherings “as a church.” I have long been asking any SDAs if the early Christians were truly Sabbath keepers, to provide even just one verse that mentions the early Christians observing the Sabbath every Saturday in their Christian church gatherings, not in the Jewish synagogue. Unfortunately, none of them have been able to answer this very important question. What does this only mean? It simply means that the Bible does not teach that Christians gather every Sabbath weekly!

Conclusion:

The early Christians initially continued to observe the weekly Sabbath in Jewish synagogues. We’ve identified six factors that may explain why they did this. Interestingly, five of these reasons were unrelated to the belief that the Sabbath remained a command for Christians.

The theological conviction alone cannot be relied upon because of the extreme views held by its proponents. The main issue with their perspective is that it is considered heretical. According to them, faith in Jesus alone is insufficient for salvation; they believe it is necessary to undergo circumcision and follow the entire Mosaic law (Acts 15:1). Interestingly, many of these individuals were formerly Pharisees and Priests who, after conversion, became even more zealous for the law (Acts 21:20).

In the New Testament, a significant concern was the danger that Jewish Christians might not fully appreciate the significance of Jesus’ life, which transcended the law, and His sacrificial death. The risk of reverting to Judaism seems to have influenced the Epistle to the Hebrews.

In the book of Acts, some Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) claim that early Christians observed the Sabbath. However, this perspective may be premature because the early church was still transitioning to understand that Jesus supersedes the law. The law, in comparison to Christ, is like a shadow—a mere reflection of the true fulfillment found in Him. It’s interesting to note that the faith of SDAs mirrors the immaturity seen in early Jewish Christians who struggled to fully grasp the concept. Despite Jesus having completed salvation, some SDAs continue to live under the law and its curses (Galatians 3:8-10).

References:

[1] Jubilees 2:31, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, [Doubleday, 1985], vol. 2, p. 58

[2] Carson, Donald A., ed. From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A biblical, historical and theological investigation. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1999 124-126

[3] Bacchiocchi, Samuele. "The Sabbath Under Crossfire." Berrien Springs, MI: Biblical Perspectives (1999) 162