3rd Century Sabbath Observance
EGYPT (OXYRHYNCHUS PAPYRUS) (200-250 A.D.)
"Except ye make the sabbath a real
sabbath (sabbatize the Sabbath," Greek), ye shall not see the
Father." "The oxyrhynchus
Papyri," pt,1, p.3, Logion 2, verso 4-11 (London Offices of the
Egypt Exploration Fund, 1898).
EARLY CHRISTIANS-C 3rd
"Thou shalt observe the Sabbath, on account of Him who
ceased from His work of creation, but ceased not from His work of
providence: it is a rest for meditation of the law, not for idleness
of the hands." "The
Anti-Nicene Fathers," Vol 7,p. 413. From "Constitutions of
the Holy Apostles," a document of the 3rd and 4th Centuries.
AFRICA (ALEXANDRIA) ORIGEN
"After the festival of the unceasing sacrifice (the
crucifixion) is put the second festival of the Sabbath, and it is
fitting for whoever is righteous among the saints to keep also the
festival of the Sabbath. There remaineth therefore a sabbatismus,
that is, a keeping of the Sabbath, to the people of God (Hebrews
4:9)." "Homily on Numbers
23," par.4, in Migne, "Patrologia Graeca," Vol.
12,cols. 749, 750.
PALESTINE TO INDIA (CHURCH OF THE EAST)
As early as A.D. 225 there existed large bishoprics or
conferences of the Church of the East (Sabbath-keeping) stretching
from Palestine to India. Mingana,
"Early Spread of Christianity." Vol.10, p. 460.
INDIA (BUDDHIST CONTROVERSY), 220 A.D.)
The Kushan Dynasty of North India called a famous council of
Buddhist priests at Vaisalia to bring uniformity among the Buddhist
monks on the observance of their weekly Sabbath. Some had been so
impressed by the writings of the Old Testament that they had begun
to keep holy the Sabbath. Lloyd,
"The Creed of Half Japan," p. 23.
EARLY CHRISTIANS
"The seventh-day Sabbath was...solemnised by Christ, the
Apostles, and primitive Christians, till the Laodicean Council did
in manner quite abolish the observations of it." "Dissertation
on the Lord's Day," pp. 33, 34
