continued...
“Would you explain Matthew 28:1, ‘In the end of the Sabbath’ (KJV), or ‘Late on the Sabbath’ (ASV)? This seems to say that the women came to the tomb and found it empty on the evening of the Sabbath, which would indicate that Jesus was raised on Saturday, not Sunday.”
No, this does not mean that Jesus was raised from the grave on Saturday. The problem is one of translation from the original Greek language into English.
First, the other Gospel accounts clearly show that this visit occurred upon the first day of the week (Mark 16:1-2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
Second, the rendition of Matthew 28:1 should be as follows: “After the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week . . .” The Sabbath ended at 6:00 the previous evening, and the dawn of Sunday morning was approaching. The Greek of the passage is opse sabbaton, meaning “after the Sabbath” (Arndt and Gingrich 1967, 606). The Revised Standard Version thus correctly translates, “Now after the sabbath . . .” The New American Standard Bible renders the verse in the same way.
Third, it is the universal testimony of both Scripture and church history that the early Christians regarded Sunday as Christ’s resurrection day. The disciples met together on resurrection Sunday (John 20:19), then on Sunday a week later (20:26). The church was established on Pentecost, which always came on Sunday (Leviticus 23:15-16; Acts 2:1). The early Christians, under the leadership of inspired men, worshipped on Sunday (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). That day was later designated as “the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10). To all of this evidence agree the testimonies of the writers in the post-apostolic age, i.e., from A.D. 100 to A.D. 325. Sunday was the resurrection day.
The Lord came forth from the dead not on Saturday, but on Sunday morning.
Galatians 2:11-20 (NAS)
But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
"We are Jews by nature, and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.
"But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!
"For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
"For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live to God.
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.
Romans 2:25-29
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
There is no Saturday Sabbath Day. Colossians 2:14-16 tells us that the ceremonials laws were nailed to the cross, including the Sabbath Day. Jesus became the fulfillment of what the Sabbath represented in the Old Testament. The Sabbath Day was a ceremonial Law, only for the Jews in the Old Testament. It pictured resting in Jesus Christ for salvation. This is plainly taught in Hebrews 4:1-5...
"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest."