The fourth commandment of the “Ten Commandments” reads as follows;

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of Yahweh thy mighty one: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Yahweh blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Ex.20:8-11).

Yahweh blessed only the seventh day of the week (Saturday). He set it apart from the other six days as a day of rest from labor. The only person that has the authority to change one of the Ten Commandments, written on tables of stone as a sign of their immutability, is the writer himself, Yahweh. No such command from Yahweh, His Son Yeshua, or the Apostles, exists in the Old or New Testament to either change the Sabbath to Sunday (the first day of the week) or to abolish the Sabbath altogether.

Why, then, do the majority of Christians worship on Sunday? Most do so because the Messiah rose from the dead on that day. That, however, is not a valid reason. It is a man-made tradition that causes people to break the commandments of Yahweh and therefore worship Him in vain. “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” “And he said unto them, ‘Full well ye reject the commandment of [Yahweh], that ye may keep your own tradition.’” (Mk.7:7,9).

There are those who believe they have scriptural grounds for no longer keeping the Sabbath. They use three “Proof texts” to support their belief; Galatians 4:10, Colossians 2:14-17, and Ephesians 2:15. Following is a true explanation of the meaning and intent of the Apostle Paul’s writings which, incidentally, the Apostle Peter said are sometimes difficult to be understood. Many people wrestle with them unto their own destruction (2 Pe. 3:16).

Galatians 4:10

Paul was writing to the Galatians who had been heathen worshipers of pagan deities before their conversion to Yeshua. He says in verse 8,” . . .when you knew not God [Yahweh], you did service unto them which by nature are no gods.” In other words they were idolaters who neither served Yahweh nor walked in His laws. They knew nothing of His commandments and laws except what they had heard from Israelites living in their city. Verse 9 states that after they were converted they began to be known of Yahweh, which prompted Paul’s question, which I interpret to mean, “Why do you want to return to the way you were before you were converted? Why do you continue to observe days, months, times, and years that were ordained by pagans? Why do you wish to be slaves to the weak and beggarly elements of pagan so-called holy days?

It would be equivalent to a Muslim converting to Christianity and yet, continuing to observe Rammadan or make pilgrimages to Mecca. The holy days that the Galatians were returning to are comparable to the false holy days we have today such as Sunday, Easter, Lent, Christmas, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Ash Wednesday, all of which were declared holy by the “mother church” in Rome and not by Yahweh. Yahweh declared in Lev 23 which days were His holy days.

Think about it; Why would Paul tell us to keep the Feast of Unleavened in I Cor.5:7,8 and then tell us not to keep any days in Gal.4:10? Why did he desire to keep the upcoming feast in Jerusalem in Acts 18:21(the Aramaic Peshitta has this verse) and then tell the Galatians that they were not permitted to keep any feasts? Why were the disciples gathered together on the day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) in Acts 2 if that annual Sabbath had been abolished? Consider also 1 Cor.16:8; Acts 20:6,16; and Acts 27:9 (the fast was on the Day of Atonement, an annual Sabbath). Paul’s custom was to obey all of Yahweh’s laws because he knew the law was not made void through faith (Rom.3:31).

Colossians 2:14-23

These verses are used to prove that the weekly Sabbath as well as annual Sabbaths have been nailed to the cross. This view is incorrect and is based on several mistranslations, added words not found in any Greek texts, and poor Bible exegesis.

Let’s first determine the context of chapter two. In verses 4 and 8 Paul warns the Colossians about deceivers. Then again, in verse 18, Paul gives his final warning about these same deceivers. In what way were they trying to deceive the Colossians? Verse 8 tells us that they were trying to exalt the traditions of men over the Messiah (verses 8 & 19).

Notice carefully the context; the traditions of men in verse 8, 18, and 22. The verses that occur between 8 and 22 must be understood based on the context of the traditions of men.

Now we can understand the key word in Col.2:14, “ordinances.” The Greek word for ordinances here is a form of the root word “dogma” which means man-made rules, laws, commandments, precepts, etc. Paul is not talking about Yahweh’s ordinances in this verse. He is talking about man’s ordinances or traditions. This same word is used in Col.2:20 pertaining to the doctrines and commandments of men; in Lu.2:1 pertaining to a decree from Caesar Augustus; in Acts 17:7 pertaining to a decree from Caesar; and in Eph.2:15, which we will look at later. It always pertains to man’s commandments, not Yahweh’s. Compare the word dogma with the Greek word that pertains to Yahweh’s ordinances, “dikaioma.”

This word dikaioma was used in Lu.1:6 pertaining to the ordinances of Yahweh and in Heb.9:1,10 pertaining once again to Yahweh’s ordinances. Therefore, Paul is saying in verse 14 that the traditions and commandments of men are the issue, not Yahweh’s laws. But what was nailed to the cross? The Greek construction shows that the “handwriting” was nailed, not the ordinances. The handwriting or, in Greek, the “cheirographon” was a certificate of debt. Whenever a man sins against Yahweh his sin is imputed against him (Rom.4:7,8). When men exalt the traditions of men over the commandments of Yahweh, as the Pharisees did, for example, they sin against Yahweh. The Messiah became sin for us and when He was nailed to the tree so were the sins that were imputed against us. Yahweh’s holy ordinances were not nailed to the tree, the certificate of debt resulting in our death sentence was nailed to the tree. That is why Paul said the Colossians were “dead in your sins” in verse 13. The principalities and powers of verse 15 caused the people to sin by their man-made laws but Messiah was victorious over them.

This brings us to the crucial verse 16. It was the deceivers of verses 4,8, and 18 that were judging the Colossians regarding the things mentioned in verse 16. They had been imposing their man-made commandments and traditions upon the Colossians. Paul told them not to allow anyone to judge them concerning those matters. An important addition was made in the KJV that does not appear in any Greek manuscript. The word “is ” in verse 17 was added, which changes the meaning of Paul’s statement. That is why it is written in italics. Retaining the word “is” implies the thought of shadow vs. reality. In other words, Messiah fulfilled the shadow of the things mentioned in verse 16. However, if you remove the added word “is”, it implies that we should not let any man outside the body of Messiah judge us in respect to these things. Indeed that is in line with the context of Paul’s previous statements. Notice Col.1:18 & 24 and Col.2:19, all of which teach us that the body of Messiah is the church or all true believers.

There are several other points worthy of mention concerning verses 16 & 17. Verse 17 states that these things “are” a shadow of things “to come” not that they “were” a shadow that was now fulfilled. Paul wrote this epistle approximately 30 years after
Messiah’s death and resurrection and yet he still spoke of them as unfulfilled shadows of something in the future.

Ephesians 2:15

The final “proof text” to be considered is Eph.2:15. Again we see the Greek word “dogma” (ordinances) meaning man-made commandments. Having that in mind let’s begin in verses 11-13. Paul explains that before one accepts Messiah as his Savior he is separated from the commonwealth of Israel, he is without Yahweh, and he is uncircumcised. However, once he accepts Messiah he becomes an Israelite, circumcised in the heart, and at one with Yahweh. Notice what is abolished in verse 15. It is the enmity or the hatred between the Israelite and the Gentile that was abolished. This hatred was caused by the commandments and traditions of men. For example, Paul alludes to a “middle wall of partition” between Jew and Gentile. This was a literal wall that Paul uses in a figurative sense to make his point. The Jews decreed,( they made a dogma), which stated that if a Gentile crossed over the wall separating the Court of the Jews from the Court of the Gentiles surrounding the temple, that they would be immediately killed. This was not a commandment of Yahweh. In fact, Yahweh never even commanded such a wall to exist. That dogma created a hatred between the two peoples which Messiah destroyed creating one new man and so, making peace.

I cannot impress upon you enough the importance Yahweh places on the observance of all His Holy days. Each has a very special meaning, for example, not only does the Feast of Unleavened picture the putting away of sin (leaven) from our lives, but it is also a memorial of Yahweh’s great deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Can we, with a clear conscience, say that such a great event no longer needs to be memorialized by observing it in honor of Yahweh’s great mercy? Do we no longer need to memorialize the creation of the heavens and the earth by resting on the seventh day as the Creator gave us example?

The Sabbaths of Yahweh were given as a perpetual covenant and are a sign between Him and His people so that they will know who it is that sanctifies them (Ex.31:13-17). They will continue to be observed after the new heavens and the new earth are created (Is.66:22,23), so why not begin now?

The Scriptures also say that it was Paul’s manner to attend synagogue services on Sabbath (Acts 17:2). Many Christians assume that he did this to witness rather than to worship. They also use the same assumption to say that the only reason Paul attended the Feasts in Jerusalem was to witness. Acts 20:16 says, “For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.” Without deeper study, one can assume he went to witness. However, Acts 24:11,12 refers to that very trip. It says, “Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship . And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:”

Peter went to Jerusalem to worship on the annual sabbath called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost as well. He and about 119 other brethren were also worshiping Yahweh on this same day (Pentecost) in Acts 2:1. Had they not been obedient to Yahweh’s command to have a holy convocation on that day (Lev.23:15,16,21 – a statute forever), they would not have received the Holy Spirit.

Please take note of the following verses:

In Acts 13:14 Paul and his company sat down in the synagogue on Sabbath. After the service, the Gentiles wanted Paul to preach to them the next Sabbath (vs.42)! Why did they wait an entire week if Paul was going to preach again the next day, Sunday? Verse 44 tells us the whole city came to hear Paul the next Sabbath day.

When Paul and company arrived in the next city, Iconium, again they went into the synagogue on Sabbath. Both Jews and Greeks were there to hear the word. If the disciples were worshiping on Sunday as well, surely the Greeks would have rather attended that service. But we find no mention of Sunday.

Acts 18:1-4 is very interesting. Paul moved in with a Jewish couple in Corinth. Verse 4 says, “he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath , and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks .” He did this for “a year and six months, teaching the word of Yahweh among them.” That is about 78 Sabbath days in a row. Again, no mention of Sunday. Again, teaching both Jews and Gentiles.

After spending some time in Ephesus, again attending synagogue services (Acts 18:19,20), he had to leave because he “must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem” (vs.21). This most likely referred to the Feast of Tabernacles, the first day of which was another annual sabbath.

We also see Paul fasting with his shipmates in Acts 27:9. The margin of the KJV says, “The fast was on the tenth day of the seventh month, [Le.23:27].” Again, another annual sabbath, the Day of Atonement. Verses 33 & 34 confirm the fact that they were fasting.

Throughout the Book of Acts, which comprises about 32 years of “church” history, we see only weekly and annual Sabbath observance. Absolutely nothing on Sunday, the first day of the week, except Acts 20:7.

We can also see Yeshua’s followers continuing to observe the weekly Sabbath in Lk.23:56 after Yeshua’s death and burial. And we have Yeshua’s own admonition to his disciples of the continued existence of the Sabbath. In Mt 24, the Messiah is prophesying of end-time events. In verse 20 he says to his disciples , “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day .

With all these witnesses to the weekly and annual Sabbaths, how can Christian preachers teach that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath? It is a common teaching that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday in honor of the Savior’s resurrection on that day. Since there is no command in the Bible, from either the Father, Son, Apostles, or disciples, to authorize such a change, their only proof lies in the “first day of the week” verses, of which there are only eight. So let’s look at them.

Mt.28:1 - The only thing we can learn by this verse is that the first day of the week is not the Sabbath. Why doesn’t this verse say, “In the end of the seventh day, as it began to dawn toward the Christian Sabbath . . .?”

Mk.16:2 - Same event. Nothing about a new day of worship.

Mk.16:9 - Vss. 11-14 tell us the disciples “believed not” that Yeshua resurrected. This proves that none of the verses that refer to the resurrection day are proofs that Sunday day was honored as the new Christian Sabbath.

Lk.24:1 - Same as Mt.28:1 & Mk.16:2. Nothing about a new day of worship.

Jn.20:1 - Same as Mt.28:1; Mk.16:2; Lk.24:1.

Jn.20:19 - This would be equivalent to our Sunday night or the second day of the week to the disciples. Notice they were “assembled for fear of the Jews,” not to worship & fellowship. They were hiding. According to Mk.16:11-14, they didn’t believe Yeshua had resurrected so they certainly could not honor that day as the new Sabbath at that point in time.

Jn.20:26 - This does not refer to Sunday. Eight days after a Sunday night is a Monday night or the start of the third day of the week for the disciples.

Acts 20:7 - What does it mean to “break bread”? Does it mean to take “the Lord’s supper” on Sunday? According to Acts 2:42-46, “breaking bread” was done daily. It simply means to have a meal. In Acts 20:7, the disciples finished Sabbath services on Saturday. After the sun set ending Sabbath and beginning the first day of the week, they had a meal together followed by Paul’s preaching until midnight Sunday (our Saturday night). The disciples held this special gathering because their beloved Paul was to leave the next morning (vs. 7). In the morning, he had planned to walk approx. 10 miles to Assos. Notice he would not take this strenuous, tiring trip on Sabbath, but waited instead until Sunday, another work day.

1 Cor.16:2 - Does this refer to collecting offerings during a Sunday service? No. If you check Acts 11:27-30 & Rom.15:25-28 you will see that there was a great famine that especially caused hardship for the brethren in Judea and Jerusalem. Paul requested offerings from the Galatian, Corinthian, Macedonian, and Achaian brethren. He told them to gather the goods (food, clothing, etc.) prior to his arrival. He did not want to have to wait for the offerings to be gathered when he came. He then took all the relief items to Jerusalem to disperse to the needy saints. There is nothing in these verses to indicate a typical Sunday collection. It was a one time special collection because of the famine. And it was done on Sunday because of the tremendous amount of work involved in loading all the goods, something they would never have done on Sabbath.

Rev.1:10 - Is the “Lord’s day” a new name for Sunday, a reference to the weekly Sabbath, or a reference to “The Day of the LORD,” “The Day of Yahweh”? The latter could be true since John was transported in the spirit to the prophetic time known as “The Day of Yahweh.” It seems more likely, however, that John was referring to the weekly Sabbath. Yeshua, in referring to himself, said, “…the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath” (Mk.2:28). In other words, since Yeshua is the Lord or Master of that day, then the weekly Saturday Sabbath is the Lord’s day or Yeshua’s day. To say that it means Sunday is pure assumption without fact or Scripture to back it up.

So what can we conclude?

In review;

1) Yeshua kept the Sabbath on Saturday and we are to follow the example he set for us, especially since he is the Master of that day and not Sunday.

2) The Jews, Gentiles, and disciples continually gathered in the synagogue on the Sabbath day to read, worship, teach, preach, and reason together.

3) Not one of the 8 references to the first day of the week support a Sunday worship service.

4) The fourth commandment, written on tables of stone as a sign of its immutability (unchangeable nature), declares the seventh day as the day of rest, not the first day.

Add to that the fact that;

1) Only the seventh day was blessed and sanctified (Ge.2:1-3), not Sunday.

2) We follow the Creator’s example of resting as He did.

3) We memorialize Yahweh’s great creation by resting as He did.

4) We acknowledge the only sign ever given to Yahweh’s people that informs us of who it is that sanctifies us (Ex.31:13).

5) The Sabbath is a “perpetual (everlasting) covenant” that is separate and distinct from the old covenant (Ex.31:16; 24:8).

6) There are great blessings in store for those who keep the Sabbath holy (Is.58:13,14).

7) The redeemed will worship Yahweh on the Sabbath days and New Moon days during the millennium (Is.66:22,23).

One more point before I close. I call your attention to Heb.9:16-17, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” A will or testament can be altered only as long as the one making the will is alive. In addition, it can only be altered by that same person. Once the testator dies, the will cannot be changed. Once Yeshua died, no changes could be made to his will or testament. Therefore, the Sabbath could only be changed to Sunday by Yeshua prior to his death. Any changes made by anyone except Yeshua are unauthorized changes. Since there is no such authorization in the Bible, the seventh day Sabbath remains a holy day of rest for Yahweh’s obedient children.

There are many more facts too numerous to mention, all of which establish beyond a shadow of a doubt the truth that the seventh day of the week is the true Sabbath. To exalt Sunday over the commanded seventh day Sabbath is to exalt tradition over the commandment of Almighty Yahweh. Yeshua the Messiah rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for doing that in Mt.15:1-9. In that case, the fifth commandment was being transgressed. He even went so far as to say that the scribes and Pharisees were worshiping in vain because of their exaltation of tradition over the commandments of Yahweh (vs.9).

My prayer is that you will be among the faithful who keep the commandments of Almighty Yahweh, for that is the fruit of true holiness.

A common teaching among Christians today is that “Jesus is our Sabbath rest.” From this premise it is concluded that a literal keeping of the seventh day Sabbath is not necessary. This study is written to help you understand the truth about a believer’s rest so that you may walk in it and be blessed by it.

Let me begin by clearly stating that true Sabbath observance is not a work that is done in the flesh in order to be justified or saved. It is a work done through the leading of the Holy Spirit because a person has already been justified or saved. Sabbath keeping, as well as obedience to all of Almighty Yahweh’s New Covenant commandments, is a fruit of our salvation or justification. Obedience to the commandments are good works that we have been created to walk in (Eph.2:10). Sabbath keepers firmly believe all Ten Commandments are written on our hearts as part of the New Covenant spoken of by Jeremiah (31:33).

Having said that, let’s begin by addressing Hebrews chapter 4 and the “true rest of the soul.” The original account from which Hebrews 4:1-11 is taken is found in Numbers 14:22-24, 28-30, and Deuteronomy 1:30-40. In both passages it was the “land” (of Canaan) that was being withheld because of unbelief. The children of Israel were on their wilderness journey to the “promised land,” which was a type of the “rest” to come. Joshua brought them into that land or the typical “rest” (Josh 1:13-15; 21:44; 22:4), yet the Almighty again spoke through David concerning this greater rest. In Psalm 95:11, David uses the phrase “my rest” instead of “the land” as in the original promise. Why? Because “the land” was only a type of the future rest to come when true believers enter into the true promised land, the “heavenly country” that the patriarchs of old saw from afar (Heb 11:13-16).

We are currently on our wilderness journey as well. We are heading for the heavenly country promised us. Just as the Israelites continued keeping the Sabbath rest throughout their wilderness journey, so, too, must we continue to keep the Sabbath rest. In fact, the Israelites continued to keep the Sabbath even after entering the typical promised land of Canaan. We, too, will continue in the Sabbath rest as prophesied by Isaiah (66:22,23) even after the new heaven and new earth come.

If the common Christian view of Heb 4:10 is correct, that the Sabbath is abolished because we have entered the true rest, then, to be consistent, it must also be true that all work is abolished since we have ceased from our own works. In other words, if the physical rest is done away with, then the physical labor should also be done away with. However, since believers continue to do physical labors like farming, construction work, etc., they should also continue to rest from such labor as it is written. Additionally, the Sabbath rest is commanded for the sake of animals as well. Is it now permissible for farmers to work their animals seven days a week? Do animals somehow enter into the true rest as well?

Hebrews 4:11 talks about laboring to enter into that rest. It is not something we automatically receive upon accepting Yeshua as our Savior except by faith. That rest will become a reality upon our resurrection unto eternal life. That is why we see the saints of Revelation 14:12,13 laboring right up until death. It is only after death that the ultimate rest can literally begin. Note, also, that those saints “keep the commandments of God” (KJV), among which is the Sabbath.

We certainly can find rest for our souls in Messiah (Matthew 11:28,29), but he does not give our bodies rest, nor does he give animals rest. That kind of rest is only available through the Sabbath rest. Jeremiah 6:16 reads, “Thus saith Yahweh, ‘Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk therein.’ ” The “old paths” and the “good way” that provides a “rest for the soul” includes the keeping of Yahweh’s Sabbaths. Notice the similar wording found in Isaiah 58:12,13. The rest we have in Yeshua is only a foretaste of the rest to come at his second coming when we will be dwelling in the presence of the Father and the Son in the glorious “heavenly country”.

Deuteronomy 5:15 reads, “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that Yahweh thy Elohim brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore Yahweh thy Elohim commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.” It is then said that this verse shows, “the very type and shadow of our deliverance from sin and bondage into the glorious rest of Christ our Sabbath by faith.” This is true. However, notice the keeping of the Sabbath rest followed the Israelite redemption from slavery and bondage. How much more should we keep the Sabbath with joy overflowing after our greater redemption from sin and death? Why? Because every time we keep the Sabbath holy; we remember and proclaim who it is that provided this great deliverance for us (Deut 5:15); we remember and proclaim who it is that sanctifies us (Ex 31:13); we remember and proclaim who it is that created us and all things (Ex 20:11); and we delight in both the Sabbath and Yahweh Himself, and honor Yahweh by doing His will and good pleasure (Is 58:13,14). The Sabbath is truly holy, sanctified, blessed, delightful, and honorable.

Most people who reject the Sabbath and Law saying they are fulfilled in Messiah and therefore abolished will readily admit that they are not free to steal, dishonor parents, commit adultery, covet, etc. They will endeavor to keep from transgressing the other nine commandments, yet they refuse to keep the fourth commandment. Most Sabbath opponents will not: commit beastiality; get tattooed; have relations with close relatives; use unjust weights and measures; charge what they consider usury; etc. So when they say they are “free from the law”, or “not under the law”, etc., they are really trying to justify their supposed freedom from Sabbath-keeping in a most inconsistent manner. The reality is, we must obey our Heavenly Father’s commandments if they are among the laws written on our hearts as part of the New Covenant (Heb 8:8-10).

Not Under the Law 

When the Word says, “we are not under the law”, it means we are not under the oppressive condemnation of death that results from sin, or transgression of the law. It does not mean we don’t have to obey any laws. The purpose of the law is to point out sin; “By the law is the knowledge of sin”, and “I had not known sin but by the law” (Rom 3:20; 7:7). Therefore, the only thing that abolishing the law does is to remove that which tells us we are sinning. So if the commandment to not commit adultery is abolished, we will have no conviction of that sin, for sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4). If we abolish “Thou shalt not commit adultery”, then adultery can be freely practiced without conviction of sin. Now we begin treading on very dangerous ground. The same is true of saying the Sabbath is abolished. Sabbath opponents assuage their conscience with the thought of freedom from the Sabbath, yet the Sabbath remains and they are oblivious to it. Paul could have easily used the fourth commandment instead of the tenth commandment in his example of Romans 7:7.

The Law Magnified 

Isaiah said, “Yahweh is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify the law and make it honourable” (Is 42:21). This speaks of a future time in Israel’s history, a time which came to fulfillment in Messiah’s words in Mt 5:17-48. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” has been magnified to include even the act of looking upon a woman with lust in the heart. Does this magnified “spirit of the law” cause the letter of the law to be abolished? No. Even though we are living under the new “ministration of the spirit”, we must continue to obey the letter by not committing the actual act of adultery.

The Old Covenant law said, “Thou shalt not kill (murder).” The New Covenant law (which is the Old Covenant law magnified and written in our hearts) says to not even be angry with your brother without a cause. Under this new ministration of the spirit, the letter of the law is still applicable, yet intensified or magnified to include the spiritual intent. The same is true of the Sabbath. The letter says to not do any work on the seventh day. The spiritual intent of the new magnified law written in our hearts says, “. . . call the Sabbath a delight . . . honor (Yahweh) by not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words” (Is 58:13).

The Ministration of the Spirit 

In II Cor 3:1-18, Paul writes of “the ministration of the spirit” and “the ministration of death”. Paul is speaking of the two covenants; the Old Covenant (the ministration of death and condemnation – verses 7 & 9) and the New Covenant (the ministration of the spirit and righteousness – verses 8 & 9). Do not be misled in believing Paul is speaking specifically of the Ten Commandments when he says, “the ministration of death, written and engraven on stone.” He is speaking of the Old Covenant as a whole, including the way in which it was administered. The Old Covenant was administered by putting to death those who transgressed its law. The law merely pointed out the transgression. At that point, a second aspect of the Old Covenant would take over; the condemnation or punishment phase of its administration. Now, under the New Covenant, the Ten Commandments are written on the fleshly tables of our hearts, rather than on stone. They still function to point out our transgressions. Now, however, the new ministration of the spirit takes over in which there is no condemnation. That aspect of administration is done away, being replaced by grace, mercy, forgiveness, etc.

We are no longer ministers of the letter of the law which kills, but of its spirit which gives life. How does that work? Let’s use the sixth commandment as an example once again. The letter says, “Thou shalt not kill (murder).” What does the spirit of the law say? Perhaps you might say, “Don’t even be angry with your brother without a cause.” Perhaps you might answer another way. It really doesn’t matter. Whatever the spirit of the law is concerning the sixth commandment, it does not change the fact that we may not murder. The letter still remains, but we are not to live our lives in fear of the letter of that law.

If we walk in the Spirit and in love, we will automatically fulfill that law and need not be concerned with the letter of it. The same holds true for all Ten Commandments; the letter of each one remains so that it can carry out its function to point out our sin and get us back on the path of righteousness by driving us to the Savior for forgiveness.

As long as we love Yahweh with all our heart, we will fulfill the first four commandments; and as long as we love our neighbor as ourselves, we will fulfill the last six commandments. If we transgress any of these commandments, we are not walking in true love.

The Sabbath: Moral or Ceremonial? 

When Paul speaks of “the works of the law written on our hearts”, he is not referring to specific laws or commandments, but rather to eternal principals inherent in the law such as justice, mercy, love, etc., all of which are inherent in the Sabbath commandment.

This brings us to the question of whether or not the Sabbath is moral or ceremonial. First, who is to say what commandments are moral and which are ceremonial? If I decide the commandment to baptize new converts is ceremonial, does that give me grounds to abolish baptism? Just as baptism goes so much deeper than a mere outward physical ceremony, so, too, the Sabbath goes so much deeper than a mere day of rest.

Love is the highest type of morality. Yeshua said the two greatest commandments were to love Yahweh with all your heart . . . and to love your neighbor as yourself. “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Mt 22:36-40). Obedience to whatever Yahweh commands is an expression of love; “For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous” (1 Jn 5:3). So if love of Yahweh and our neighbors is the framework upon which all the law and prophets hang, then love is the underlying reason for every prophecy, every law, every commandment, etc. Every bit of instruction ever issued by Yahweh has love as its motivational beginning, including the Sabbath. Obedience to the Sabbath is not only an expression of love towards our Heavenly Father, but His giving of the Sabbath to man is an expression of love and mercy towards man. In His mercy and love towards us, He knew man would need a day of rest. He also knew animals would need rest and so He provided it. When we follow His example of resting on the seventh day, we demonstrate our love and mercy towards those under our control; our sons and daughters, our servants, and our animals (Ex 23:12). (See also Ex 20:11).

Mercy is one of the weightier matters of the law (Mt 23:23). Mercy is also one of the greatest expressions of love and morality. Since mercy and love are intrinsically tied into the Sabbath, Yahweh included it among the other nine commandments which are rightly called ‘Yahweh’s moral law’.

Esteeming Every Day Alike 

Many Sabbath opponents misunderstand Paul’s writing to the Romans (14:5). “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” First, the word “alike” is in italics because it is not in the Greek. There is nothing wrong with esteeming every day, after all, Yahweh made them all. If we choose to worship Him seven days a week, so be it and halleluyah! However, that does not change the fact that as we worship Him every day we must also rest from labor on one day, the Sabbath. It is a mistake to read the Sabbath into this verse. Nowhere is the Sabbath mentioned. Nor can we read any of Yahweh’s annual sabbaths or feast days into this verse. There were many other “days” that the Jews highly esteemed besides the Sabbath and feasts. For example, most Jews at that time fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12 and Talmudic writings). The Jews also kept fast days throughout the year as mentioned in Zech 8:19. Then there was the Feast of Purim (Esther 9:28), and the Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah (John 10:22).

The Jewish converts would have probably continued esteeming these days whereas the Gentile converts would probably not, especially since they were not commanded by Yahweh to be kept. However, all men knew the Sabbath was commanded and so there was no question about its observance as seen in such verses as Acts 18:4 and Acts 13:42-44; 14:1.

Although there is undoubtedly much more to be said, the Sabbath is one of our Heavenly Father’s greatest blessings to mankind, to those who would embrace it out of love for and obedience to Him. My prayer is that you will not forget His Sabbath despite His commandment to “remember” it in Exodus 20:8. Harden not your heart in unbelief and accept the blessing of the Sabbath rest for it is truly a delight. Let us enjoy the rest we have in our Savior Yeshua as well as the rest we have been given every seventh day.

This study is a refutation to the key points used to support that belief. It will also address the use of “deductive reasoning” which the author heavily relies upon to prove his point.

A Sunset Sabbath is Rooted in Paganism? 

The author begins by quoting Unger’s Bible Dictionary, “Day”, page 1098, which states;

“From a very early period the time of reckoning the day was from sunset to sunset, and this BECAME THE JEWISH METHOD. . . The Phoenicians, Numidians, and other nations of the East are said to have followed the same custom, if it was not indeed the custom generally followed in remote antiquity. . .” [Emphasis author's]

He also quotes two other sources to establish the fact that the Babylonians observed days from evening to evening with divisions of the day into twelve hours.

This is not much evidence to prove the Jews adopted the Babylonian way of reckoning days. Consider the following quote from the jewishencyclopedia.com under the heading, “Eve of Holidays”.

“Unlike the early Babylonians, whose day began with sunrise, the Jews began theirs with sunset.” [Emphasis mine]

Assuming, however, that it is true that the Jews adopted that Babylonian practice, let’s use that same logic concerning days beginning at dawn. A note in the NIV Bible for Neh.13:19 says,

“When evening shadows fell on the gates. Before sunset, when the Sabbath began. The Israelites, like the Babylonians, counted their days from sunset to sunset (the Egyptians reckoned theirs from dawn to dawn).” [Emphasis mine]

What do we do now? If a day beginning at sunset is pagan and a day beginning at dawn is pagan, does a day really begin at noon or midnight?

The author quotes the following;

“So far as we know, the Babylonian calendar was at ALL PERIODS truly lunar, . . .the month BEGAN with the EVENING when the new crescent was for the first time again visible shortly after sunset. Consequently, theBABYLONIAN DAY ALSO BEGAN IN THE EVENING. . .” (The Exact Sciences in Antiquity, O. Neugebauer, 1957; Brown University Press;1969 Dover Publications, Inc.; New York; p.106;” [Emphasis author's]

In other words, from Babylon’s foundation they began months and days with the evening. When was Babylon founded? It was founded by Nimrod in Gen 10:10 (“Babel” in the Greek Septuagint is “Babylon”). Nimrod was the son of Cush who was the son of Ham who was the son of Noah. Did Noah know when to begin a day? Did he teach Ham when days begin? Since Nimrod was such a close relative of Noah, it is very likely he kept days just as his great grandfather did. In Gen 11:1-5, we are told the earth was still of one language when the tower of Babel was being built. They were most likely of one calendar as well.

If it is true that Babylon reckoned days from evening, then the most likely scenario is that Babylon and Israel used the same calendar from their earliest history. However, since there are sources that say Babylon reckoned days from evening and others that say they reckoned days from sunrise, it would profit us to seek the truth in Scripture only.

Deductive Reasoning 

The author then tries to prove his belief using deductive reasoning. He uses the following example;

This example is true, if one uses the narrow definition of “day” as only the light portion. If, however, we use a broader definition of “day” (a 24 hour period including night), we can prove a day consists of night as well.

It is not uncommon for a Hebrew word to have two or more definitions. For example, “pesach” (Passover) can mean the lamb, the day or the entire festival of seven days. Can we insist that Passover is a specific day of only 12 or 24 hours when Ezekiel tells us the broader definition of it being the entire seven day festival (Ezek.45:21)? So, too, “yom” (day) has a broader definition. This does not contradict Gen.1:5 just as Ezekiel’s broader definition of pesach contradicts Lev.23:5.

For a broader definition of “day”, consider Yeshua’s words in Mark 14:30,

“And Yeshua said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

Here Yeshua includes the night as part of the day in which Peter would deny him. It was night when Yeshua spoke these words, yet he called it “day”.

According to Mt.27:1 and Mk.15:1, “morning” began AFTER Peter’s denial. Lu.22:66 says the “day” began AFTER Peter’s denial. Therefore, Peter’s denial took place at night, prior to morning or day, and yet, Yeshua called it “this day”. Why? Because there is a broader definition of “day” which includes the night portion.

Now let’s prove this by deductive reasoning.

As you can see by this example of deductive reasoning, the Scriptures teach both a narrow and a broad definition of “day”. Gen 1:5 is very narrow and Mk.14:30 is broad. As with all Holy Days (including the Day of Atonement which I deal with later), the broader definition which includes the night is the proper understanding.

Those who do not believe the concept of a 24 hour day reject my use of Mk.14:30 to support it. They say the word “day” is not in the Greek text. Let’s look into this a little closer.

The common Greek word for “day” is “hemera” (Strong’s #2250). Strong’s definition is as follows; ” . . .mean. tame, ie. gentle, day, ie. (lit.) The time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours . . .”

The Greek word for “this day” in Mk.14:30 KJV is “semeron”. (Strong’s #4594). Strong’s definition is as follows; “neut. (as adv.) of a presumed comp. of the art.3588 . . .and 2250; on the (ie. this) day (or night current or just passed); gen. now (ie. at present, hitherto)”

Thayer’s Lexicon says, “also where the speaker refers to the night just passed, Mt.xxvii.19; equiv. to this night (now current), Lk.ii.11.”

Therefore, we have the Greek word for “day” as the root of the Greek word for “this day” in Mk.14:30. A prefix was added to “hemera” to denote a specific “day”, that is, “this day” or “today”.

Now let’s see some examples of how “semeron” (in bold) was used in the Bible.

Luke 2:11 reads;

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Messiah the Master.”

When was our Savior born? At night (vs.8). The night in which Yeshua was born is called “this day” in verse 11. He wasn’t born on just any “day”, but on the specific “day” in which the angel was speaking. That “day” includes night.

Matthew 27:19 reads;

“When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.”

Pilate’s wife spoke these words in the morning (vs.1) and was referring to a dream she had the night that just ended. She wasn’t referring to a dream she had two days ago, but the one she had “this day”.

Ex.13:4 in the Greek Septuagint reads;

“This day came ye out in the month Abib.”

When did they come out? At night (Deut.16:1). “This day” = night.

More importantly, however, is that the Septuagint uses “semeron” here whereas the Hebrew uses “ha yom”. “Yom” is the Hebrew word translated “day” concerning all Sabbaths and feasts. If those promoting a weekly Sabbath from dawn to dark insist that “yom” only means the daylight portion of a day, they must also accept the fact that “semeron” is interchangeable with “ha yom” as the Septuagint proves. Is “ha Yom” the same as “yom”? No. “Yom” means “day” whereas “ha yom” means “this day”. In the Hebrew of Ex.13:4, a “yom” (day) is being referred to, but the prefix “ha” is added to specify a specific “yom”.

Recall that dawn proponents reject Mk.14:30 because they say “day” is not in the Greek. Not only is “day” (hemera) a root of “semeron” and therefore in the Greek, yet veiled as a root, but “day” (yom) is in the Hebrew as well.

Let’s look at one more Old Testament example as it relates to Sabbath. Ex.16:25 in the Septuagint reads;

“And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto [Yahweh]: ye shall not find it in the field.”

Both uses of “to day” are “ha yom” in Hebrew; not just any “yom” (day), but the “yom” Moses was speaking on in verse 25. In this verse, “ha yom” and “semeron” mean the same thing (a specific day or yom, this day, to day).

So when Yeshua said, “Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice,” he is including the night as part of “this day”, “this” specific “day” (or “yom” since he was probably speaking Hebrew) on which he was speaking.

Consider, also, Acts 27:20;

“And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

Stars in the day? Yes, if the broader definition is used.

So when this author says,

“The Biblical day cannot include night,” (p.19)

you know he is incorrect.

On page 13 of the publication in question, the author digresses by falsely teaching that Yeshua was the “Elohim” of Gen.1:1. This concept is soundly refuted in other studies on this blog. Click here for one.

He goes on to give us a false interpretation of John 1:1,3. Click here for the historic rendering of John 1:1-3.

On page 20, he writes;

“And in verse 8: “And when Aaron lighteth the lamps AT EVEN [the time from sunset to dark], he shall burn incense upon it . . .,”

The Hebrew for the phrase “at even” actually means “between the evenings” and is a time period prior to sunset. Click here for a study on this phrase.

Leviticus 23:32 

On pages 32-36, the author tries to show how the Day of Atonement is a special Sabbath that is not to be kept from dawn to dark as the weekly Sabbath would. He says people are using “inductive reasoning” to conclude that since the Day of Atonement Sabbath is from even to even, then so must the weekly Sabbath. While it is true that such an assumption is unreasonable, we can still use deductive reasoning in this case.

Lev.23:27-32 clearly teach the “DAY” of Atonement begins at even (sundown) and ends at the next even. Therefore, the “DAY” of Atonement includes the night.

Now, this entire doctrine of when a Scriptural day begins, especially as it relates to Holy Days or annual Sabbaths, is open to interpretation. One can choose to apply a narrow or a broad definition to the phrase “Sabbath Day.” Since the Jews have historically began Sabbath at sundown, including the time period encompassing Yeshua’s life on earth, and since it is unclear how the Jews reckoned days prior to their Babylonian captivity, to try and prove a dawn to dark Sabbath is fruitless.

Mark 1:32 

On page 37, the author tries to show that this verse cannot be used as evidence to support a Sabbath ending at sundown, Mark 1:32 reads;

“And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.”

The people were well aware of the teachings of the Pharisees concerning healing on the Sabbath. Luke 13:14 reads;

“And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Yeshua had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.”

This was the common teaching of the Jewish leaders. This is what all the people were taught all their lives and that is what the people obeyed. Therefore, they waited until the Sabbath Day had ended at sunset to come and get healed. They waited for the first work day to begin at sunset. At that point it was safe to resume work (including healing). Little did they know they were being taught falsely that being healed on Sabbath was forbidden by the fourth commandment.

Yeshua was definitely not intimidated by Jewish leaders. Had the people come to him on the Sabbath Day he would have healed them. The people, however, feared the rulers and would not defy their commands.

Nehemiah 13:19 

On pages 43-45, the author appeals to Neh 13:19 to verify that the Sabbath does not begin at sunset. Neh 13:19 reads,

“And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: . . .”

The author mentions several translations that use the word “dark” (Strong’s # 6751) or “darkness” and then says,

“Clearly these agree it began to be a time of very little or practically no light, i.e. darkness. Darkness is not light.”

By this, the author concludes the gates were shut after sunset, sometime during twilight, yet before Sabbath.

A look into the Hebrew will help us to understand what is being said.

Compare Strong’s # 6751 with # 2822. The latter refers to darkness without light. Consider these verses;

Jos 2:5;

“And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.”

Job 12:25;

“They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.”

Job 18:6;

“The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.”

These verses refer to a different kind of darkness than Neh.13:19. Notice Jos. 2:5 in which the gates were shut when it was dark (without light). This, no doubt, refers to shutting the gates at night whereas Neh.13:19 refers to shutting the gates at sundown when twilight was about to begin. As soon as the shadows were gone, that was Nehemiah’s signal to close the gates. Shadows disappear the moment the sun sets. Nehemiah closed the gates the moment the Sabbath began.

Another “dawn Sabbath” proponent wrote;

“Since the gates of Yerusalem were shut during All the Nights (Nehemyah 7:3), the order was to keep them shut during All the Sabbath, otherwise, as they did before (Nehemyah 13:15-18), the traders and merchandisers would continue to enter in Yerusalem, bringing in their loads, From The Next Morning, during The Sabbath, to sell, buy, trade products on The Sabbath Day, as we can Clearly read that they still tried to do,sleeping outside the wall the night before The Sabbath Day, even after the order of Nehemyah, until he threathened them to use force against them (Nehemyah 13:20-21)!”

To which I respond; The traders were conducting business on the Sabbath (after sundown). Nehemiah gave a new command to shut the gates at sundown to guard the Sabbath. If it was a common practice to shut the gates every day at evening or at night, there would be no need for such a command to close the gates. All he needed to do was command them not to open the gates at sunrise Sabbath morning. Verse 21 makes it clear that they were coming on the Sabbath and lodging (sleeping) outside the walls. Once Nehemiah threatened them, they no longer came on Sabbath to try and sell or to lodge outside the walls.

Another point to consider is this; why command them to shut the gates at sunset (or even twilight) if the Sabbath wasn’t going to start until dawn? They still had plenty of time to buy and sell even until the stars came out; even until midnight if they so chose. The fact of the matter is, Sabbath would begin at sunset and that is the exact time Nehemiah commanded the gates to be shut.

The Evening and the Morning 

Gen.1:5 reads;

“. . .And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

The Hebrew reads;

“And was evening (ereb) and was morning day one.”

The author says,

” . . .the word order does not here signify a time order of occurrence in which day begins in the evening . . .”

He tries to prove “evening” is at the end of a day by once again holding to a narrow definition of “day”.

He writes on page 25,26;

“Now we know that evening is a period of light. But is it a period of light at the end of the day or the beginning of the day? It is definitely at the end of a day. . .

First recall that light is Day. Now, since Night is darkness, it cannot be Day, For darkness was separated from the light (Gen.1:4). So when night starts, day or the light period must end since they are separate from each other. Consequently, when one starts the other must end.

Second, the Bible tells us evening starts at sunset: . . .” [Emphasis author's]

Keep in mind that our Savior Yeshua believed night was part of a 24 hour day (Mark 14:30). This directly contradicts the author’s statements above that “light is Day” and that “Night . . . cannot be day”. Yeshua understood the broad definition of day whereas this author doesn’t.

Concerning the word order of Gen.1:5, Yahweh does not do things haphazardly. He is very orderly and precise. Why would He call only twilight and dawn “day one”? Is that all there is to day one? What happened to the period between dawn and evening? He does not say, “and was evening and was morning and was daytime.” Obviously, He intended “evening” (beginning at sunset) as the starting point of day one and meant it in a broader sense than just twilight.

Consider the following two verses as using “ereb” (evening) in a broad sense.

Job 7:4 – “When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night (ereb) be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.”

Did he mean twilight would be gone when he arose or night would be gone? He was having restless nights and couldn’t wait for them to end.

Ps 30:5 – “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night (ereb), but joy cometh in the morning.”

Weeping may endure throughout all of twilight, a whole hour or so? I would not call that enduring, but to weep all night, that is enduring.

Once again, let’s address this concept of the “evening” being the “twilight” at the end of a day. If that is the case, why would the Day of Atonement begin with the evening of the previous day? Yahweh commanded Israel to begin the Sabbath of Atonement with the evening between the ninth and tenth days of the month. Why not begin Atonement with the night following day nine rather than the evening? Why didn’t He say to keep it from dawn on the tenth day to dawn on the eleventh day? Why end the Day of Atonement prior to day eleven?

All these questions are answered by the simple fact that Yahweh chose evening to evening (sunset to sunset) because He was starting at one day and ending at the next day. If evening is at the end a day, then the Day of Atonement should really be the “DAYS” of Atonement since it includes part of the ninth day (evening) and part of the tenth day (dawn to evening)!

Acts 27:9 reads;

“Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,”

This is a reference to the Day of Atonement fast which most margins reference. That fast began at even when the actual “Day” of Atonement began (Lev.23:32).

Acts 27:27 then says;

“But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;”

This refers to the 14th night of fasting which began the evening preceding the daylight portion of the 10th day of the 7th month when the “Day” of Atonement began.

Acts 27:33 reads;

“And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.”

Here we see “this day” (semeron) is the 14th “day” (hemera) that they were fasting.

Notice what is happening here. Since the “Day” of Atonement began on the evening preceding the daylight portion of the 10th day of the 7th month, all ensuing days are kept the same way, that is, the night precedes the day. Also, all days preceding the 10th would be kept the same way, the night preceding the day.

If this were not the case, then somewhere a change would have to be made. Either the 9th day lost its night or the 11th day gained a night. This, of course, is problematic only for those that believe the day comes first, then the night. For those who believe the Genesis account of “the evening and the morning” occurring in that order, there is harmony.

Some Things To Consider 

I would like to mention a few more points before I conclude this study.

Lev 15:19 reads,

“And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.”

If the woman’s flow began at 8:00 pm (night), according to this “day begins at dawn” theory, this woman could still be touched and even had relations with prior to the next “day” beginning. Then, after that first “day” ended, she could again be touched that night until the next “day” and so on. It is obvious that these seven days must include the seven nights as well.

Also, whoever touched the woman would be unclean until “even” (sunset). The publication I am refuting agrees that “even” = sunset. On page 26, the author writes;

“Second, the Bible tells us the evening starts at sunset.”

That being the case, why would a person become clean at sunset rather than dark? The simple answer is because a day ends at sunset. Once a new day begins, a new, clean beginning starts for the person that was unclean.

Consider the following as well;

Josh.8:29;

“And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down , Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.”

Josh.10:26,27;

“… and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.”

The underlined words in both verses are the equivalent Hebrew of “at the going down” in Deut.16:6. Notice one verse says the sun was already down and the other verse says it was going down. To understand what the status of the sun really was, we must look at the commandment that led Joshua to order the king’s body taken down. It is found in Deut.21:22,23;

“And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day ; (for he that is hanged is accursed of Elohim;) that thy land be not defiled, which Yahweh thy Elohim giveth thee for an inheritance.”

Yahweh commanded the body to be removed and buried the same day . To accomplish that, the body had to be removed before sunset . After sunset would have been a new day. Josh.8:29 should have been translated “at the going down of the sun” just as Deut.16:6 and Josh.10:27 were.

Yeshua was also hung on a tree. Here is how the non-canonical Gospel of Peter describes the account.

Gospel of Peter – Fragment 1

03, 04] Now there stood there Joseph the friend of Pilate and of [Yeshua], and he, knowing that they were about to crucify him, came unto Pilate and begged the body of [Yeshua] for burial. And Pilate sending unto Herod, begged His body. 05] And Herod said: Brother Pilate, even if none had begged for Him, we should have buried Him, since also the Sabbath dawneth; for it is written in the law that the sun should not set upon one that hath been slain (as per Dt. 21:23). 06] And he delivered him unto the people before the first day of unleavened bread, even their feast. 15] Now it was noonday, and darkness prevailed over all Judaea: and they were troubled and in an agony lest the sun should have set, for that he yet lived: for it is written for them that the sun should not set upon him that hath been 16] slain (as per Dt.21:23).

How clear this entire passage is!!! “for it is written in the law that the sun should not set upon one that hath been slain.” That is the interpretation of Dt.21:23. In order to be buried the same day, he had to be buried by SUNSET, not sunrise. Notice they were in “agony” because they were afraid the sun would SET before they buried Messiah. If they had all night to bury him there would be no agonizing rush to bury him.

 
Conclusion

The word “day” can narrowly apply to only the daylight portion of a day or can broadly apply to a period of time from even to even (sunset to sunset).

Yeshua included the night in the “day” in Mark 14:30.

Two annual Sabbaths (Passover and Atonement) include the night as part of the “day”.

The Jews have historically kept Sabbath from sunset to sunset.

Pagans keep days beginning with sunset or beginning with dawn. Therefore, to claim a sunset Sabbath is pagan is to also claim a dawn Sabbath is pagan. Relying on pagan practices to determine the truth is useless.

Dawn proponents claim sunset proponents are breaking the Sabbath if they work during the twilight after the sun sets ending Sabbath. If this a concern to anyone who is unsure which view is correct, you can always end Sabbath at dark. It is a Jewish practice to build fences around the Sabbath to protect its pollution. They will begin Sabbath prior to sunset and end it when three stars are seen.

On the other hand, if a sunset Sabbath is correct, anyone who works from sunset to dawn will be breaking the Sabbath.

Based on these points, it would be rather absurd to abandon a sunset to sunset Sabbath belief for something so foreign and so unsubstantiated as a dawn to dark Sabbath.