sunday became the seventh day of the week and the sabbath in the second century.
when did sunday became the seventh day of the week and the sabbath?
second century
early christians continued to pray and rest on the seventh day. by the 2nd century ad some christians also observed sunday, the day of the week on which jesus had risen from the dead and on which the holy spirit had come to the apostles. paul the apostle and the christians of troas, for example, gathered on sunday "to break bread". soon some christians were observing only sunday and not the sabbath. patristic writings attest that by the second century, it had become commonplace to celebrate the eucharist in a corporate day of worship on the first day. a church father, eusebius, stated that for christians, "the sabbath had been transferred to sunday".
sabbath in christianity
reading "and on the seventh day god finished his work," the pirke de-rabbi eliezer taught that god created seven dedications (for the creation of each of the seven days). god expressed six of them, and reserved one for future generations. thus, when god created the first day and finished all god's work on it, god dedicated it, as says, "and it was evening, and it was morning, one day." when god created the second day and finished all god's work in it, god dedicated it, as says, "and it was evening, and it was morning, a second day." similar language appears through the six days of creation. god created the seventh day, but not for work, because genesis does not say in connection the seventh day, "and it was evening and it was morning." that is because god reserved the dedication of the seventh day for the generations to come, as says, speaking of the sabbath, "and there shall be one day which is known to the lord; not day, and not night." the pirke de-rabbi eliezer compared this to a man who had precious utensils that he did not want to leave as an inheritance to anyone but to his son. the pirke de-rabbi eliezer taught that it is likewise with god. god did not want to give the day of blessing and holiness that was before god as an inheritance to anyone but israel. for when the israelites left egypt, before god gave them the torah, god gave them the sabbath as an inheritance (as reported in ). before god gave israel the torah, they kept two sabbaths, as says first, "and you made known to them your holy sabbath." and only afterwards did god give them the torah, as says as it continues, "and commanded them commandments, and statutes, and torah by the hand of moses, your servant." god observed and sanctified the sabbath, and israel is obliged only to observe and sanctify the sabbath. for when god gave the israelites manna, all through the 40 years in the wilderness, god gave it during on the six days during which god had created the world, sunday through friday, but on the sabbath, god did not give them manna. of course, god had power enough to give them manna every day. but the sabbath was before god, so god gave the israelites bread for two days on friday, as says, "see, for the lord has given you the sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days." when the people saw that god observed the sabbath, they also rested, as says, "so the people rested on the seventh day." reading "and god blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it," the pirke de-rabbi eliezer taught that god "blessed" and hallowed the sabbath day, and israel is bound only to "keep" and to hallow the sabbath day. hence the sages said that those who says the benediction and sanctification over the wine on friday evenings will have their days increased in this world, and in the world to come. for says, "for by me your days shall be multiplied," signifying in this world. and continues, "and the years of your life shall be increased," signifying in the world to come.
bereshit (parashah)