Sabbath Sunday or the Sabbath of the Lord thy God

[LifeHiscost]

Here is found one of the most even minded journalistic articles I've ever found on the Sabbath from a non-Adventist source of any recent vintage. It even caused me to consider some changes in my conclusions about the specific times Jesus spent in the tomb, although I would need further concrete evidence before admitting any time changed re: resting in the tomb over the Sabbath and rising on the first day of the week.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57978

Does it matter to my salvation? Certainly not any more than this Word of counsel.

" If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." John 14:15 NASB

Regards!

[John317]

Is the following portion from the article the part you are referring to as possibly convincing you to change your viewpoint of the time Jesus was in the tomb? If so, what part of it do you find the most compelling or persuasive?

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The idea Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday is not universal.

The Bible is actually silent on the precise moment of resurrection. Jesus' followers came to His tomb before dawn on the first day of the week (Sunday), but they did not witness Him coming back to life. They merely found an empty tomb.

A tomb with a view

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen," is what an angel told the women. (Luke 24:5-6)

John Pinkston, Congregation of God Seventh Day

"Christ was already gone!" exclaims John Pinkston, a retired Air Force navigator who is founder and president of the Congregation of God Seventh Day in Kennesaw, Ga. "So that shoots in the foot the belief that He was raised on Sunday."

Pinkston is typical of many Sabbath-keepers, believing Jesus was neither killed on a Friday, nor raised on Sunday. He believes Jesus was actually put to death on a Wednesday, and remained in the grave 72 hours until Saturday evening. When the women came to the tomb early Sunday, they found it empty, indicating Jesus arose prior to their arrival.

Even the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, a Sunday-keeper and chancellor of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., agreed with that timetable, telling WND in 2001, "I personally believe He was crucified on Wednesday evening ... and rose after 6 p.m. Saturday evening."

Most Christians today think Jesus died on a Friday and rose on Sunday. They point to Scriptures indicating a Sabbath day followed Jesus' execution. But Sabbath-keepers claim it was not the weekly Sabbath of Saturday approaching. Rather, they say it was an annual Sabbath, a "high" holy day in the Hebrew calendar known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which supposedly occurred on a Thursday the week Jesus was killed. The Gospel of John mentions that Sabbath was the annual type.

"The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) ... ." (John 19:31)

In other words, Sabbatarians say there was more than one day of rest that week. Their timeline has Jesus slain on Wednesday – the day before the "high day" annual Sabbath on Thursday. They believe Jesus was in the grave for a full three days and three nights, finally arising Saturday evening, the second Sabbath of the week.

The mention of "three days and three nights" is important for many, as Jesus used that phrase to prove His divine identity:

"For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights." (Matthew 12:40, New Living Translation)

There's disagreement if that phrase means a full three days and three nights – 72 hours – or merely parts of three days and three nights, leading many to stick with the Friday-evening-to-Sunday-morning timeline.

[LifeHiscost]

The mention of "three days and three nights" is important for many, as Jesus used that phrase to prove His divine identity:

"For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights." (Matthew 12:40, New Living Translation)

There's disagreement if that phrase means a full three days and three nights – 72 hours – or merely parts of three days and three nights, leading many to stick with the Friday-evening-to-Sunday-morning timeline.

This would probably be the most compelling. If Jesus died at the latter end of Friday, that would include Fri afternoon, Sabbath

eve and the remainder of the 24 hour Sabbath period plus at least

Sunday Eve and Sunday morn. That"s only two nights as the Bible reckoning is from sundown to sundown. The Scripture above calls for three days and three nights.

I'm not really sure the different times considered in amount is as important as the fact that the Sabbath was strictly adhered to, despite the disciple's recognition it was the Lord of their hopes Who lay in the grave.

Regards!