Temple of Zerubbabel (2) – the Period

This topic is the continuation and conclusion to “Temple of Zerubbabel (1) – the Building”.

The Temple of Zerubbabél in Jerusalem is also known as the Second Temple or Ezra’s Temple.  Part 1 traced the building of this 2^nd Temple, starting circa (c) 538 BC.  The historical timeline seen in Part 1 is from the book of Ezra chapters 1–6.  Prophecy from Haggai & Zechariah was interjected into the flow.

After 20 years, 2^nd temple construction was completed in 516 BC.  Ezr.6:15 in the 6^th year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.  Historians indicate he was Darius I the Great, 522–486 BC.

However, the timing of the Ezr.4:6-23 passage is debatable.  Bible commentators are divided in regards to dating it.  Discussion of that passage was postponed in Part 1; it is now addressed here in Part 2.

Ezr.4:1-5 during the reign of Cyrus II the Great of Persia, Samaritans living in the Holy Land wanted to join the Jews in building the (Second) Temple.  That was around 535–530 BC.  But the Jews rejected them.  As a result, Samaritans instead opposed the build.  The Jews feared to continue.  Construction was frustrated and halted.  It wouldn’t resume, Ezr.4:5 “until the reign of Darius king of Persia”.

There are basically two options of interpretation for the Ezr.4:6-23 passage.  Option #1 continues the chronological order.  Option #2 relates it to a later Samaritan opposition, after several decades passed.

Option #1: Ezr.4:6 Samaritans wrote a letter to King Ahásuerus, accusing the Jews.  Perhaps this king was Cámbyses II, 530–523 BC?  Ellicott Commentary Ezr.4:6 “This Ahasuerus, another name for Cambyses, reigned 7 years.”  Barnes Notes “Ahasuerus or Cambyses, son and successor of Cyrus [died 530 BC]. Persian kings had often two names.”  Cambyses II succeeded Cyrus II chronologically.

Ezr.4:7-22 Samaritan nobility also wrote to King Artaxérxes.  Gill Exposition Ezr.4:7 “Artaxerxes being a common name to the kings of Persia.”  cf. the titles Pharaoh & Caesar.  Was this Artaxerxes pseudo-Smérdis the magician posing as Cyrus’ younger son Bárdiya, 522 BC?  Ellicott Commentary Ezr.4:7 “Artaxerxes – This must be Gomates, the Mágian priest who personated Smerdis [Greek name], dead son of Cyrus, and reigned only 7 months.”  Pulpit Commentary “If Artaxerxes be the Pseudo-Smerdis…a usurper.”  The identity is uncertain.  Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 11:2:1 “To our Lord Cambyses [Ezr.4:11]…11:3:1 “The Mági, who, after the death of Cambyses, attained the government of the Persians for a year.”  The Magian pseudo-Smerdis briefly reigned after Cambyses II.

Persian support ceased.  Ezr.4:23-24 temple construction was stopped until the 2^nd year (520 BC) of Darius’ reign.  Ezr.6:15 building was then completed in Darius’ 6^th year (516 BC).

Eric Lyons Kingly Chronology in the Book of Ezra “Since Persian kings frequently had two or more names, it is not unfathomable to think that Cambyses and Smerdis also may have gone by the names of Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes.”  If that was the case, the king names in succession were: Cyrus II – Cambyses II/Ahasuerus – pseudo-Smerdis/Artaxerxes – Darius I.

Option #2: Ezr.4:6-23 isn’t in chronological order.  Rather, this passage is a parenthetical insert.  It flashes forward to times of opposition and work stoppage during the reigns of…Ahasuerus/Xérxes I 486–465 BC (Ezr.4:6), and Artaxerxes I/Longimánus 465-424 BC (Ezr.4:7-23).  In Ezr.4:7-23, the work at issue is the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls; work on a temple project isn’t mentioned.

JFB Commentary Ezr.4:6 “Ahasuerus… successor of Darius, the famous Xerxes.”  Gill Exposition Ezr.4:6 “According to Járchi, this was Ahasuerus the husband of Esther.”  Cambridge Bible Ezr.4:6 “Ahasuerus. The well-known Xerxes, the son of Darius [I], who reigned 20 years (485–465). He is generally identified with the Ahasuerus of Esther.”  Cambridge Bible Ezr.4:7 “Artaxerxes Longimanus succeeded his father Xerxes and reigned forty years (465–425). He is mentioned in Ezra 7:1, Neh.2:1.”

Lyons op. cit. “It is reasonable to conclude that…Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes (Ezr.4:6-7) are indeed the Ahasuerus (486–465) and Artaxerxes (465–424) of history (rather than the aforementioned Cambyses and Smerdis).”  John Oakes Evidence For Christianity “Ezra 4:6-23 is an interlude involving events which happened quite a bit later, during the reign of Artaxerxes and possibly Xerxes as well. If you don’t know the chronology of the kings, then Ezra 4:24 definitely could be confusing.”

The Persian or Achaeménid Empire lasted for 220 years (550–330 BC).  Following are its kings’ reigns: Cyrus II the Great (559–530 BC), Cambyses II (530–523 BC), pseudo-Smerdis/Bardiya (522 BC), Darius I the Great (522–486 BC), Ahasuerus/Xerxes I (486–465 BC), Artaxerxes I/Longimanus (465–424 BC), Xerxes II (424 BC), Darius II (423–404 BC), Artaxerxes II (403–359 BC), Artaxerxes III (359–338 BC), Árses (338–336 BC), Darius III (336–330 BC).  The Empire ends.

Most historians feel certain that Darius II and Artaxerxes II and their successors cannot be the kings in the book of Ezra…they lived too late.

Kings of Persia names in the KJV, Green’s Literal Translation, and the Jewish Tanakh: Ezr.4:5 Cyrus.  Ezr.4:6 Ahasuerus.  Ezr.4:7-23 Artaxerxes (as a common name for Persian kings?).  Ezr.4:24 Darius.  Ezr.7:1–8:1 Artaxerxes.  Ne.2:1 Artaxerxes.  Ne.5:14 Artaxerxes.  Est.1–10 Ahasuerus.

Kings of Persia names in the Greek Septúagint/LXX: Ezr.4:5 Cyrus.  Ezr.4:6 Assuérus.  Ezr.4:7-23 Árthasastha (as a common name for Persian kings?).  Ezr.4:24 Darius.  Ezr.7:1–8:1 Arthasastha.  Ne.2:1 Arthasastha.  Ne.5:14 Arthasastha.  Est.1–10 Artaxerxes.

Kings of Persia names in Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews 11:1–6: Ezr.4:5 Cyrus.  Ezr.4:6 the Magi?  Ezr.4:7-23 Cambyses.  Ezr.4:24 Darius.  Ezr.7:1–8:1 Xerxes.  Ne.2:1 Xerxes.  Ne.5:14 Xerxes.  Est.1–10 Artaxerxes.  (The ancient Greek historians Heródotus and Thúcydides also noted Persian kings.)

Wikipedia: Ezra “Josephus – He uses the name Xerxes for Artaxerxes I, reserving the name Artaxerxes for the later Artaxerxes II whom he identifies as the Ahasuerus of Esther, thus placing Ezra before the book of Esther. Josephus’ account of the deeds of Ezra derives entirely from 1Ésdras, which he cites as the ‘book of Ezra’. Contrariwise, Josephus does not appear to recognize Ezra–Nehemiah [then written as one scroll] as a biblical book, and relies on other traditions in his account of the deeds of Nehemiah.”

As we’ve seen, the Persian king names found in Bible versions and historical sources differ.

Option #1 and Option #2 for Ezr.4:6-23 both have their proponents.  I leave the choice to the reader.

The Temple of Zerubbabel, the 2^nd Temple, would stand for 500 years…until 20 BC!  Part 2 now continues to trace the period of its history.

Paul J. Bucknell Ezra Overview “There were at least three waves of returning [Jewish] exiles. Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah all led groups back. Ezra and Nehemiah then worked together. The book of Nehemiah focuses on the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall.”

The group of Jews led by Zerubbabel the governor returned c 538 BC. (see Part 1.)  After the Temple was completed (Ezr.6:15), most Bible historians say there is a 58-year gap between Ezra 6 and Ezra 7.

Ezra was a Levitical priest and a scribe (Ezr.7:1-6).  As a royal commissioner of the Persian Empire, he was sent to Judea with authority to administer God’s Law/Toráh to Jewish returnees.  Ezr.7–10 is about Ezra himself and the group he led back from Babylon.  Ezr.7:7-8 “They went up to Jerusalem in the 7^th year of King Artaxerxes [465–424 BC?].”  The date most historians give for this return is 458/457 BC (although a few disagree with this date).  Ezra led reforms, and established the ‘Men of the Great Assembly’ legislative body.  The synagogue system was eventually set up to teach the people.

Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer at the palace in Súsa, Persia (Ne.1:1, 11b).  The generally accepted date for the return of Nehemiah’s group is 445/444 BC.  Ne.2:1, 11 “In the 20^th year of King Artaxerxes (465–424 BC)….I came to Jerusalem.”  He joined Ezra there (ref Ne.8).  Nehemiah became governor of Judea (Ne.5:14), under Persian control.  During his tenure the walls of Jerusalem were repaired & built (Ne.2:12– 6:15), in spite of Samaritan opposition.  Nehemiah also abolished usury (Ne.5:1-13).  The final verse of his book, Ne.13:31b reads, “Remember me, O my God, for good”.

Jewish Encyclopedia: Temple, The Second “From the time of Zerubbabel to the time of Antíochus Epíphanes [160s BC] the history of the Temple was comparatively uneventful.”

Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) conquered the Persian Empire in 330 BC.  This began the Grecian or Macedonian Empire.  Ancient Greece was called Héllas.  The Hellenistic Period of Greek ideas and Greek way of life was 323 – 31 BC.  Hellenism spread into Judea and Jerusalem.

Upon Alexander’s death, the territory of his Empire divided into four kingdoms ruled by his four generals: Cassánder (Greece), Lysímachus (Asia Minor), Ptólemy (Egypt/Africa), Seleúcus (Syria/Near East).  In Daniel 11, Ptolemy is the “King of the South” and Seleucus is “King of the North”.

Wikipedia: Temple in Jerusalem “The Ptolemies came to rule over Judea and the Temple. The Jews were given many civil liberties and lived content. However, when the Ptolemáic army was defeated at Panium [near Mt. Hermon] by Antiochus III of the Seleucids in 198 BCE, this policy changed. Antiochus wanted to Hellenize the Jews, attempting to introduce the Greek Pantheon into the temple.”

Wikipedia: Second Temple “Following the conquest of Judea by Alexander the Great, it became part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt until 200 BCE, when the Seleucid king Antiochus III of Syria defeated Pharaoh Ptolemy V. Judea became at that moment part of the Seleucid Empire. When the Second Temple in Jerusalem was looted and its religious services stopped, Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. He also banned circumcision and ordered pigs to be sacrificed at the altar of the Temple. Following the [Jewish] Maccabéan Revolt [167–160 BC] against the Seleucid Empire, the Second Temple was rededicated and became the religious pillar of the Jewish Hasmónean Kingdom, as well as culturally associated with the Jewish holiday of Hánukkah.”  (Hanukkah was the “Feast of Dedication”, ref Jn.10:22-23.)

Antiochus IV defiled the 2^nd Temple with an “abomination of desolation” (Da.11:31)…he set up an altar to a heathen god and offered swine’s flesh!  The Jewish priest Judas Maccabéus (called ‘the Hammer’) cleansed the sanctuary in 164 AD, and the custom of Hanukkah became celebrated (ref 1Mac.4:36-61).  At that time he rebuilt the city with high walls and towers around the temple, a citadel.

The Roman Republic and Roman Empire would become dominant.  In 63 BC, Roman general Pómpey conquered Jerusalem and desecrated the temple by entering the Most Holy Place (though the temple remained intact).

Kevin J. Conner The Temple of Solomon, p.212 “The Temple [the 2^nd, Zerubbabel’s] was taken by Pompey on the Day of Atonement after a 3-month siege, and then later on by Herod the Great [37 BC].”  Rome appointed the Edomite Herod ‘King of Judea’, ending 100 years of Jewish Hasmonean rule (from 140 BC).  Herod himself had been raised as a Jew.

The Temple of Zerubbabel existed for 500 years, until 20 BC…when Herod tore it down and removed its foundation.  He proceeded to build a splendid new temple on an expanded Temple Mount (cf. Jn.2:20).

Back around 520 BC when God’s “house” or 2^nd Temple was being built, Haggai had prophesied about the Lord’s temple.  Hag.2:9 “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former.”  The splendor of Herod’s Temple (the “latter”) was even greater than that of Solomon’s Temple (the “former”, built c 990s BC).  But not only because of its magnificence and outward physical beauty….

Easton’s Bible Dictionary “The temple, during the different periods of its existence, is regarded as but one house, the one only house of God. The glory here predicted is spiritual glory and not material splendor. Christ Himself, present bodily.”  Haggai’s prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus’ incarnation in the Holy Land.

Missing from Zerubbabel’s Temple was the Shekínah glory Presence and the Ark of the Testimony.  (see Part 1 and the topic “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys”.)  But c 425 BC the prophet Malachi foretold that the Lord would indeed come to His temple (Mal.3:1)!

Christ, the Lord Himself, was present at Herod’s Temple (“the latter”) complex!  e.g. Lk.2:46, 21:37.  Jesus said of Himself in Mt.12:6 KJV, “In this place is one greater than the temple”.  Jesus is greater than Moses’ Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, Zerubbabel’s Temple, and Herod’s Temple!  The King is greater than His house.  And God is now rebuilding the…Tabernacle of David (Ac.15:16, Am.9:11.  see “Tent/Tabernacle of David”.)  To God, the Master Builder, be the glory!

Sabbath Day Became Sunday in Rome

This topic traces the church’s transition from meeting on the 7^th day sábbath to Sunday observance during the early centuries AD.  What factors led to the change?

Ge.2:1-3 “God blessed the 7^th day and made it holy.”  He sanctified His 7^th day cessation as holy time!  The vast majority of people today are unaware that since Creation a specific day of holy time comes & goes each week.  All things were created by Jesus the Word (Col.1:16, Jn.1:1-3, 14).  Jesus said the weekly sabbath was made for man, and He as Creator is Lord of the sabbath (Mk.2:27-28)!  Since Jesus said the sabbath rest was made for man, it is illogical to assume that God withheld knowledge of the sabbath day from man for millennia until the time of Moses!  (see the “Sabbath 7^th Day” series.)

We read in the New Testament (NT) that the saints of the apostolic church assembled together.  Originally the NT church was a gathering of people…it wasn’t the building where they met!  The Greek term rendered “church” is ekklésia, Strongs g1577; it occurs 118 times in the NT.

Lk.4:16 it was Jesus’ custom to attend the formal style of service of His day at synagogue (g4864) on the sabbath (g4521 sábbaton).  This custom resulted from the instruction God gave to Moses in Le.23:3. “On the 7^th day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. It is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings.”  “Sabbath” is a holy day/period of cessation from certain activities.

But Jesus said His followers would become persecuted in synagogues, and eventually would have to leave them to avoid persecution.  Jn.16:2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue.”

Mt.18:15-20 Jesus authorized His own future assemblies or messianic Beit Din (‘House of Judgment’) with elders overseeing decisions…to “bind and loose” (forbid and permit), Mt.16:19.  Two or three local elders helped resolve internal disputes and made legal decisions for each local congregation.  Jewish synagogues were lay institutions with unpaid elders (zakén h2205, Hebrew).  Some Jewish Christians would call their own assemblies “synagogues” g4864, as James wrote in Ja.2:2.

But Jesus said church leaders aren’t to be lords (Mt.20:25-28).  Jesus is Lord (2Jn.1:3).  He is the ‘architect’ of His assembly (Mt.16:18)!  He died and rose again, and His NT church began in Acts 2.

All the earliest converts were Jewish Christians/Messianic Jews.  Then Ac.8:1-5, there was persecution at Jerusalem and a scattering (to Judea & Samaria) in the aftermath of Stephen’s martyrdom.

Then in Acts 10, uncircumcised gentiles (Cornelius et al) received the Holy Spirit too.

In Acts 13, Paul (Saul) went out evangelizing with Barnábas.  They went first to synagogues.  Eight synagogues are named in the NT where Paul is at synagogue.  Ac.13:14, 43-48 nearly all the people (Jews and gentiles) at Pisidían Antioch in Galatia went to synagogue on the sabbath day to hear Paul speak.  Paul said the gospel should be preached to the Jew first (cf. Ac.1:8).  Paul’s custom (and Jesus’ custom) was to attend synagogue on the sabbath day, ref Ac.17:1-2, 18:1, 4.

In Phílippi of Macedonia there were few Jews and no synagogue.  Yet Paul and Luke still worshiped on the sabbath day by the riverside with a few people to whom they could share the gospel, Ac.16:12-15!

Again, Jesus Himself attended synagogue on the sabbath day.  Lk.23:55-56 a few hours after Jesus died, the loyal Galilean women who witnessed His crucifixion “rested on the sabbath according to the commandment” (ref Ex.20:8-11).  The Jewish people (including Paul) have perpetuated the sabbath time God ordained at Creation.  The church emerged from this sabbath and synagogue background.  see the topic “Synagogue Influence on the Church”.

The gospel is also for gentiles, non-Jews (e.g. Ac.15:7-8).  Early-on these gentiles were God-fearers who frequented the synagogues (periphery of) on the sabbath day, Ac.13:14-16.  These God-fearers had different social customs, but believed the God of the Jews really is God! (cf. Ac.10:1-2.)

Jesus said synagogue persecution would come.  As Jewish Christians were forced out of synagogues, and the gospel spread into gentile areas, local assemblies with Jewish & gentile Christians together were raised up.  For various reasons, many of them began meeting after the sabbath day ended at sunset (Saturday evening), or on Sunday.  The reasons follow:

Earliest Christianity was viewed as another sect of Judaism.  Ac.24:5 Paul was a leader in the sect of the Nazarenes, Jewish Christians.  (see “Jewish Sects of the 1^st Century”.)

But near the end of the 1^st century, disbelieving Jews added a synagogue curse, the Bírkat HaMinim, upon Jewish Christian ‘heretics’ (so-called) in synagogues.  Everett Ferguson Backgrounds of Early Christianity “Gamaliél’s grandson Gamaliel II (active 80–120 AD) introduced into the Eighteen Benedictions the curse, ‘Let the Nazarenes and the heretics perish as in a moment, let them be blotted out of the book of the living’, which effectively excommunicated Christians from synagogues and formalized the break.”  Gary Morton Theological Vignettes “Around 100 years after the death of Christ, rabbis excommunicated the Christians, leaving them out of the synagogue and the Sabbath.”

Jewish Christians refused to recite the curse (against themselves), and quit the synagogues.  Marriage and forms of commerce with Christians became prohibited by Jews!

After the Jerusalem temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the Jewish temple tax was replaced by the fiscus judaicus tax of Emperor Vespasian (69–79 AD).  Jews paid it to the heathen temple of Jupiter Capitolinus!  Emperor Domitian (81–96 AD) broadened the levy to include other people who observed Jewish customs or lived like Jews.  (The tax continued until 360 AD.)

But if Christianity became a separate religion from Judaism…it wouldn’t be subject to the tax!  That’s what occurred.  Christianity became separate, no longer considered a sect of Judaism.

Lawrence Schiffman Christianity Parting of the Ways “The emperor Nerva (96–98 CE) freed the Christians (probably including the Jewish Christians) from paying the fiscus judaicus, the tax decreed as a punishment in the aftermath of the [Jewish] revolt of 66–73 CE. The Romans now regarded the Christians in general as a separate group.”

This discriminatory tax, paid to a pagan god, motivated gentile Christians to quit Jewish customs.  The customs included meeting on God’s 7^th day sabbath.  Historically, there was racial bias & animosity between Jews and gentiles anyway (ref Ac.11:2, 21:28).  Ingrained differences existed.  In any event….

Jewish and gentile Christians began the practice of meeting after the sabbath ended at sunset, or on Sunday…distinguishing them from hostile disbelieving Jews who met in synagogues on the 7^th day!

Also a factor in Sun-day meetings was the association of Jesus with the sun.  In scripture, Jesus is the prophesied “Sun of Righteousness” (Mal.4:2), and the symbolic “Sunrise from on high” (Lk.1:78).  Furthermore, Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday.  Commemorating the day of the week on which Jesus was resurrected became a primary reason for traditional Sunday observance over the centuries.

However, the 1^st day/Sunday isn’t referred to as ‘Resurrection Day’ in scripture.  That doesn’t appear until later writings.  Jesus didn’t designate worship of Him or rest on a Resurrection Day or Sundays!  Rather, that’s man’s tradition.  God never commanded in scripture Sunday/1^st day observance as a sabbath.  The leading NT apostles, Peter-John-Paul, didn’t try to change 7^th day holy time to Sunday!  Of note, Sunday isn’t mentioned in 1Clement, written from Rome to Corinth in the late 1^st century.

The Epistle of Barnabas, of uncertain authorship, is dated ca 100 AD.  It posits that the 7^th millennium fulfills God’s 7^th day sabbath rest.  Barn.15:9-10 “The 8^th day, that is, the beginning of the other world. In which cause we observe the 8^th day with gladness, in which Jesus rose from the dead.”  It advocates commemorating the eschatological 8^th day on the 1^st day of each week.  However, this epistle contains bias against Jews.  Graham Harter The ‘Letter of Barnabas’ “There is a definite undercurrent of hostility towards the Jewish people.”  Joe Watts Thoughts on Barnabas’s Epistle “Barnabas is stating that everything from Moses to Jesus is simply wrong. Barnabas several times says the covenant is ours (i.e. Christians) and not the Jews.”  Barnabas’ error contradicts Je.31:31 & He.8:8, which clearly states the New Covenant is with Israel/Judah.  Regardless of bias, Barnabas indicates Sunday meetings had begun.

The gentile Justin Martyr (100–165 AD) noted to a Jew in Dialogue With Tryphon XVI, “Cursing in your synagogues them that believe in Christ”.  Justin First Apology, Ch 68 (ca 150 AD) “But Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day of the week and Jesus our savior on the same day rose from the dead.”  Sunday meetings were becoming widespread by 150 AD.

Also Sun–day meetings attracted heathens from old sun–worship (ref Ezk.8:16, Jb.31:26-28, 2Ki.23:5, 11, De.4:19) and from Míthraism.  Usage of the 7-day planetary week grew in the 1^st century.  (However, ancient Israelites and the Jews based their 7-day week on Ge.1:1–2:3 & Ex.16:22-30, and the Assyrians also had a 7-day week.)  The good news that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (Jn.4:42) was accepted by non-Godfearers who’d viewed blood sacrifices as pleasing to their many heathen gods, 1Co.8:5 & 10:20.  (also see “Evangelism in the Apostolic Church”.)

The desire to attract pagans to Jesus led to more Sunday worship.  But this isn’t to say that all heathen gentiles as Christians worshiped the sun on Sun-day.  However, as these pagans came into the church, some of their past festive practices and art became assimilated…e.g. sun-disks, mistletoe, wass-ale-ing.

Pagan practices added to tensions between Jewish and gentile Christians, past idolators.  Gentiles BC had been viewed as outsiders, distinct from Jews.  (see “Gentiles’ in the Bible”.)  Racism existed.  The church gradually split into Jewish and gentile factions.  Gentiles began to outnumber Jews in the church.

In addition to persecution from disbelieving Jews (in and out of synagogues), Christians suffered persecutions from the heathen Roman Empire on-and-off for approximately 300 years.

In 274 AD, Roman Emperor Aurélian made the ‘Invincible Sun’ the official protector of the Empire!

Then in 312 AD, Emperor Constantine accepted a form of Christianity!  Christianity was formally recognized as a religion in 313 AD at Milan.  As a political move, Constantine instituted Sunday rest in his edict of 321 AD. “On the venerable day of the sun let the magistrates and people in cities rest.”  Although he was supposedly converted in 312 AD, Constantine still venerated the Sun/Sol in 321 AD.  Wikipedia: Sol Invictus “Constantine’s official coinage continues to bear images of Sol until 325 AD. His triumphal arch was carefully positioned to align with the colossal statue of Sol by the Colosseum.”

Sylvester I was Pope (314–335 AD) during Constantine’s reign.  “The same pope [Sylvester I] decreed that the rest of the sabbath should be transferred to the Lord’s Day [Sunday].”  Quoted by Rábanus Máurus (776–856 AD), archbishop of Mainz, Germany in De Clericorum Institutione (On the Institution of the Clergy), bk. 2, chap. 46, in MPL, Vol. 107, col 361. Trans. from the Latin.

Eusebius (264–340 AD), bishop of Caesárea and court theologian for Constantine, wrote in his 338 AD Commentary on the Psalms, (Ps.92) Vol. 23, cols 1171-2. “All things whatsoever that it was the duty to do on the Sabbath, we have transferred to the Lord’s Day.”  Rome and the church…men…made this change.  Not God!  Pressure from Rome and ‘the Church’ led to increased Sunday observance.

At the 363 AD Council of Laodicea, sabbath observance was officially banned. “Christians shall not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day, resting then.”  To an increasing extent, the 7^th day sabbath had become changed to Sunday!

In the Edict of Thessalonica of 380 AD, Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire.

Later, Pope Gregory 1 even associated sabbath day rest with Antichrist!  He wrote in 597 AD, Letters 13:1 “It has come to my ears that certain men of perverse spirit have sown among you some things that are wrong and opposed to the holy faith, so as to forbid any work being done on the Sabbath day. What else can I call these [men] but preachers of Antichrist.”

And yet it was Christ…not Anti-christ…who’d revealed His 7^th day sabbath rest to Moses/Israel!  e.g. Ex.16:11-30 manna, 20:8-11 keep the sabbath day holy.  (see “Jesus Was The Old Testament God”.)

{Sidelight: It appears the NT church government was more an oligarchy, not a hierarchy.  As Peter, John & James went to the physically circumcised, Barnabas & Paul went to the uncircumcised gentiles (Ga.2:7-9).  Php.1:1 this letter was addressed also to the overseers/bishops (plural) and deacons in Philippi.  Plural bishops in one city.  In the apostolic church, there was no Pope!  The Holy Spirit is the ‘vicar of Christ’, so to speak.  The apostolic church wasn’t an indolent, immoral, corrupt monopoly.} 

But many Christians disregarded man’s attempt to change or ban meetings on God’s sabbath.  The 5^th century church historian Scholásticus wrote in Ecclesiastical History, Bk 5, Ch 22. “Although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries [of the Lord’s Supper] on the sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome have ceased to do this.”  Bk 6, Ch 8 “I mean Saturday and Lord’s Day of each week, on which assemblies are usually held in the churches.”

Furthermore, his contemporary Salmínius Sozómen wrote in Ecclesiastical History, Bk 7, Ch 19. “The people of Constantinople, and almost everywhere, assemble together on the sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria.”  Rome essentially changed the sabbath to Sunday!  Others have followed suit.

Peter Heylyn, The History of the Sabbath, 1613 “Ambrose, the celebrated bishop of Milan, said that when he was in Milan he observed Saturday, but when in Rome observed Sunday. This gave rise to the proverb ‘When you are in Rome, do as Rome does.”  (Ambrose lived in the latter 300s AD.)

History indicates that some Christian masters in the Roman Empire gave their slaves both Saturday and Sunday off from work.  The late 4^th century Apostolic Constitutions, Bk 8, Ch 33. “Let the slaves work five days; but on the Sabbath Day and the Lord’s day let them have leisure to go to church for instruction in piety….The Sabbath is on account of the creation, and the Lord’s day of the resurrection.”

Yet the 7^th day as holy time/rest remains unchanged in scripture, regardless of other meeting days!  Roman Catholic Archbishop James Gibbons admitted in The Faith of Our Fathers (1876). “You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”  Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replied for the cardinal in a letter of Feb 10, 1920. “If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day, that is, Saturday. In keeping Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church.”  Not a law of God.  (I’m not 7^th Day Adventist.)  Again, ref the “Sabbath 7^th Day” series.

To recap, the main reasons behind the change from the 7^th day sabbath rest/observance to Sunday:

#1 Jewish Christians were forced out of synagogues which kept the sabbath; the synagogue curse was added.  #2 Rome levied the fiscus judaicus tax against those who observed Jewish customs (such as the sabbath).  #3 Prejudice between Jews and gentiles.  #4 Sunday meetings distinguished Christians from disbelieving Jews who met in synagogues on the 7^th day.  #5 Since Jesus rose on a Sunday, men began the tradition of observing Sundays.  #6 Heathens accustomed to pagan sun-worship were attracted to Christianity by Sun-day meetings.  #7 Roman Emperor Aurelius made the ‘Invincible Sun’ the official protector of the Empire; Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity and mandated “rest on the venerable day of the sun” in cities.  #8 The institutional church council outlawed 7^th day sabbath rest.

Thus Sunday meetings became prominent over the centuries, and through Roman Catholic Church influence.  Yet man cannot change the actual 7^th day holy time sanctified by God from the beginning!  God’s word in the scriptures is authoritative, regardless of man’s traditional practices or decrees.

However, the word ‘sabbath’ means ‘cessation’…not ‘worship’, not ‘go to church’.  (Though worship and church are done on the sabbath.)  We may worship the Lord and attend church gatherings/events any or every day.  But only the 7^th day sabbath is holy time, ordained by God for man at Creation.

Evangelism in the Apostolic Church

Very few scriptures in the Old Testament (OT) directly refer to God as a Father, except metaphorically as one of many titles.  The God Being instructed Moses to tell the Israelites His Name in Ex.3:13-15. “I AM who I AM…this is My Name forever.”  Who is this God, this I AM?

In Jn.8:56-58 & Jn.18:2-8, Jesus identified Himself as I AM (and His hearers fell to the ground)!  Furthermore, in the song of Moses, De.32:3-4 “Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect!”  In 1Co.10:1-4, the apostle Paul identified the Rock. “That Rock was Christ.”  (see the topic “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.)

Without citing more passages here to that effect, the executive spokesman God of the OT, the great I AM and ‘Rock Of Ages’…was God the primordial Word (Jn.1:1).  Later, ancient Israel’s God became Jesus Christ in the flesh (Jn.1:14).  We don’t directly know Jesus’ Father God from reading the OT.  Rather, when the Word came to earth as Jesus, He revealed the Father (Jn.1:18).

But the disbelieving Jewish religious leaders indicted their God come in the flesh, and Roman soldiers crucified Him.  Yet Father God resurrected Jesus/the Word from the dead.  Now Jesus rules eternally beside His Father (Ep.1:20-22) in the Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God (KOG).

The Lord destined for humanity to receive salvation, to learn of and become part of that KOG.  That is God’s grand purpose for which we were born.  How does humanity learn of His purpose?

One primary means is through Christian evangelism.  The gospel (euangélion Strongs g2098, Greek noun) about His Kingdom will grow to eventually encompass the earth.  Is.9:7 “There will be no end to the increase of His government and peace…over His Kingdom to establish it and uphold it.”

The New Testament (NT) begins with Jesus’ ancestry and His human birth.  Later is the account of His adult water baptism by John the Baptizer (Lk.3:16, 21-22).  After that we read where Jesus went about teaching, healing, delivering from demons, and preaching the KOG in Galilee…Mk.1:14-15, 32-34, Lk.4:31-37.  The gospel or good news began in Galilee.  And on into Judea, Lk.4:43-44.

Lk.6:12-19 contains the names of the first 12 disciples (apostles) who Jesus chose, as He spent all night in prayer.  Perhaps He spent one hour praying for each (cf. Jn.11:9)?  A significant parallel…there had originally been 12 tribes of Israel.  In Re.21:10-14, the names of the 12 tribes of Israel and the names of the 12 apostles are written on the gates and foundation stones of the holy city New Jerusalem.

The 12 disciples/apostles were all Galileans except for Judas Iscariot, likely from Cariot in Judea.  Although all 12 were Jewish, they had their differences.  Several were fishermen.  Matthew the Levite was a government tax collector (Mt.9:9).  Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus.  (see “Jesus’ Twelve Apostles”.)

Then in Lk.9:1-2, Christ sent forth the 12 to heal, deliver and proclaim the KOG.  Jesus Himself continued to do the same.  Lk.9:6 they went among the villages preaching the gospel.  This resulted in more disciples for Jesus.  The Kingdom was beginning to slowly increase, as a mustard seed, Mt.13:31-32.  (A mustard seed is smaller and hotter than other seeds.)  also see “Kingdom of God”.

Lk.10:1-11 Jesus then sent out 70 others as missionaries to heal, deliver, and advance the Kingdom.  In Nu.11:16, Moses had selected 70 elders from among the Israelites to assist him.  (Jesus was a Prophet like unto Moses, De.18:15 & Ac.7:37-38.)  Jn.4:1-2 Jesus’ disciples water baptized more than John did.

Luke wrote in a beautiful Greek to Theóphilus, a Greek-speaker (Lk.1:3).  Luke quotes the Jewish old Greek version of the OT (as did the other NT writers).  The old Greek became the Septúagint.  It made God’s word readable and understandable in the Grecian and Roman Empires.  Not coincidentally, the Septuagint is also known as the LXX.  In Roman numerals, LXX = 70.

Lk.10:17 the 70 missionaries were given power over demons in Jesus’ Name.  They were to travel along (v.4), living at the same standard as those who housed them, and weren’t to keep seeking better accommodations (v.7-8).  These 70 prepared the way in towns Jesus would Himself visit.

Mt.4:23-25 as the 70 prepared the way for His visits, multitudes from all over the Holy Land came to hear Jesus.  The good news about Jesus and His healings & miracles spread beyond the Jordan River, to the Decápolis and into Syria!  Also into Samaria (Jn.4:39-42).

Again, this Jesus, the great I AM/the Rock of OT Israel come in the flesh, was indicted by the rulers of His own people.  Around 30 AD or so, the Jewish religious leaders set Him up for crucifixion in Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans.  Jesus died.

But Father God raised Him from the dead (Ac.2:24)!  After Jesus rose, His disciples saw Him alive.  They knew He was risen!  In Jn.20:20-22, Jesus gave them a foretaste of the Holy Spirit (HS) to come.

After Christ’s resurrection, in Mk.16:15-19 He commissioned His apostles to go preach the good news to all the known inhabited earth.  Attesting miracles would accompany true believers.  Also Mt.28:18-20 records where Jesus commissioned them to go teach and make other disciples in all nations.  Jesus said in Mt.16:18, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it”.  (also see “Church Structure and Member Functions”.)  This is to be done without Jesus physically on earth.

Initially they were comparatively powerless without Jesus on earth.  But during the 40 days while Jesus was appearing to them after His resurrection…Jesus promised they would soon be baptized with the HS, Ac.1:1-5.  Ac.1:8-9 the HS would empower them to be Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and far distant areas (in that order).  Jesus Himself appeared to over 500 people post-resurrection, mostly during the 40-day period (1Co.15:6).  Ac.1:15 Peter is with 120 believers in Jerusalem before Péntecost.

Ac.2:1-12 then they were filled with the HS (as tongues of fire)!  They suddenly received spiritual power & gifts, and boldness.  (see “Spiritual Gifts and Tongues”.)  This wonder was a great sign to the many Jews from near and far who’d come to Jerusalem for Pentecost!  v.14 Peter stood up boldly with the 11 disciples/apostles.  v.38 then Peter proclaimed, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.  3,000 persons were baptized that day, v.41!  (see “Baptisms and Washings”.)

So the gospel/good news was proclaimed in Jerusalem.  Ac.6:7 “A great many [Levitical] priests became obedient to the faith.”  Also those pilgrim Jews who’d come to Jerusalem for Pentecost returned to their respective lands and told of what they’d seen & heard!

In Ac.8:1-5, the gospel spread to Judea and Samaria (initially not by the first apostles, v.1.)  The Samaritan people practiced physical circumcision, ate clean, and kept the 7^th day sabbath (as did Jews).  Phillip too had been empowered by the HS, and many Samaritans believed and received the Spirit when Peter & John came to them (v.12-17).  Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian Jew or proselyte who’d been appointed a court eunuch, and water baptized him (v.34-40).  Philip continued to preach the gospel from Ázotus (the OT Ashdód) to Caesárea, 60 miles north of Jerusalem.

Then in Acts 10, God revealed to Peter in a vision that the gospel of Christ is also for uncircumcised gentiles.  They too can be saved, in their respective countries!

The inclusion of gentiles opened the door for tremendous growth for the KOG (e.g. Ac.28:28-31).  Many converted gentiles had been God-fearers (e.g. Ac.10:2) who’d frequented the periphery of synagogues on the sabbath…believing the God of the Jews truly is God.

Ac.11:19-21 in Antioch of Syria, a large number of Jews and gentiles believed and turned to the Lord in that ‘3^rd city of the Empire’.  Ac.15:35 Paul, Barnábas and many others taught & preached the word of the Lord in Antioch.

The gospel spread to other cities throughout the Roman Empire, as the KOG kept increasing (Is.9:7).

Php.1:14 in the Roman garrison of Phílippi, many brethren boldly spoke the word of God without fear.  In 2Ti.2:2, Paul exhorted Timothy who was at Ephesus. “The things which you heard from me, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  Teaching the Lord’s salvation, His way of life, and how to love God and one’s neighbor.  The gospel of the Kingdom as a mustard seed was taken to the nations by believing individuals whom the HS gifted.

Personal evangelism (as done by those who have that gift) is a key to a living and growing church.

Col.1:18-23 Paul wrote, that by the mid-60s AD “The hope of the gospel was proclaimed in all creation under heaven”.  It had been preached throughout the Roman Empire and much of the known world.  To both Jews and gentiles.  God was reconciling to Himself people from all nations and cultures, as they became believers in salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus the Son of God.

Over the centuries AD, the gospel has continued to be preached to the nations, on all continents.  In the nearly 2,000 years since the Apostolic Age of the church and the Bible canon ended (latter 1^st century), Christianity has grown astonishingly!  Of the estimated 7.0 billion people on earth today, 2.2 billion believe Jesus is the Lord and Savior of their life.  It is estimated that there are approximately 160 million Christians in China; most are in the tens of thousands of house churches not registered with the Chinese government TSPM.  God’s Kingdom government is increasing greatly!

As part of His ‘body’ and church at large, Christians become willing to prioritize Kingdom values above all nationalism of men.  And above cultural traditions and even religious traditions (not in God’s word) which may retard Kingdom growth and peace (Is.9:7).  (also see “Governmental Loyalty for Christians” and “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism”.)

The first disciples/apostles saw the risen Lord with their own eyes.  They believed…and became personal witnesses of His resurrection!  However, Jesus said to Thomas and those disciples in Jn.20:29-31, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who didn’t see, and yet believed.”

Those things about Jesus, what He said and what He did, were recorded in the NT by the apostles John & Matthew, and others.  So that we who didn’t see the resurrected Jesus, and the whole world since then…may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God…and receive eternal life in His Name!  Jesus is Lord (Ac.2:36)!  Do you too believe?