Q. Did Catholics change the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday? 1. The first mention of the Sabbath's being kept by man is Ex. 16:23. The formal giving of this requirement is recorded in Ex. 20:8. This is further seen in Neh. 9:13,14. The Sabbath was a "sign" between God and Israel (Ex. 31:13,17). It was not given to other nations. It was never given to the church. 2. The Bible makes no distinction between the 10 commandments and the ceremonial law. The ten commandments were done away (2 Cor. 3:1-18; Col. 2:14-17. The Old Law itself foretold that it would be replaced by a "new covenant" (Jer. 31:31ff; Heb. 8:6ff.) Man is discharged from that law (Rom. 7:4,6). 3. NT passages: On the first day of the week, Christ rose from the dead (Jno. 20:1); on this day by the resurrection Jesus was declared to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4); appeared to His disciples that day (v. 19) and also on the following Sunday (v.26). The church was established on Pentecost (Acts 2:1ff.), which always came on the first day of the week (Lev. 23:16). Christians met to observe the Lord's Supper and engage in other activities of worship on Sunday (Acts 20:7). On that day they were commanded to give into the treasury of the local congregation; Grk text: "the first day of every week" (1 Cor. 16:1,2) (see rendering of NASB). The apostle John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10). 4. Early Christians Speak: "Incense is a vain abomination unto me, and your new moons and Sabbaths I cannot endure. He has, therefore, abolished these things." Wherefore, also, we keep the eight day with joyfulness, the day, also, on which Jesus rose again from the dead" (Barnabas-120 A.D.) "But every Lord's day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving" (Didache-125 A.D.). "And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place...But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly..." (Justin Martyr-140 A.D.). "We passed this holy Lord's day, in which we read your letter, from the constant reading of which we shall be able to draw admonition" (Dionysius-170 A.D.). "On one day, the first day of the week, we assembled ourselves together, and on the days of the readings we abstain from sustenance" (Bardesanes of Sayri-180 A.D.). "He, in fulfillment of the precept, keeps the Lord's day...glorifying the Lord's resurrection in himself" (Clement of Alexandria-194 A.D.). "The old law is demonstrated as having been consummated at its specific times, so also the observance of the Sabbath is demonstrated to have been temporary." "We neither accord with the Jews in their peculiarities in regard to food, nor in their sacred days" (Tertullian-200 A.D.). These, and other quotations (see Wayne Jackson, Courier XVIII.3.9.) certainly refute the assertion that the Pope changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Christians were worshipping God on Sunday, the first day of the week, for centuries before there was a Pope.---Leon Mauldin