What day is the Lord’s Day?

In Revelation, John said he was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day.

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea" (Revelation 1:9-11).

What day is the Lord’s Day? I have always been told the Lord’s Day is Sunday, the day of the week in which Jesus was resurrected.  However, in these last days, I am learning to test everything, even teachings that have been around for a long time.  After all, God instructs us to, “Test everything. Hold on to the good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

First, let’s examine Scripture to see what written regarding the Lord’s resurrection. The passages below have been used to support the belief that first day of the week (Sunday) was the day when Jesus was resurrected.  But, let's read for ourselves, what is written.

So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee (Matthew 27:66-28:7).

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! (Mark 16:2-6)

The wording in this next verse is challenging, therefore, three translations are provided for our examination.

Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons (NRSV Mark 16:9).

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils (KJV Mark 16:9).

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons (NIV Mark 16:9).

On careful review, this verse does not say anything different from the other Gospel accounts.   By the time the women arrived on the first day of the week, the Lord had already risen.  In this verse, above, we are told that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene.

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! (Luke 24:1-6)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" (John 20:1-2)

From a carefully reading of these resurrection passages we see that Scripture does not state the day of Jesus’ resurrection.  We only know that Jesus had already risen before the women arrived.  He could have risen on the Sabbath or on Sunday, the first day of the week, before their arrival.

For additional perspective see: Crucifixion Passover Date

Therefore, if the Lord’s Day is the day of His resurrection, it could be either the Sabbath or Sunday.

Another way to investigate which day, is the Lord’s Day is to analyze the title itself.  The title "the Lord’s Day" indicates that the day is possessive, a “Day of the Lord” or a day which the Lord possess.  In this context, two things come to mind.

First, Scripture speaks often about "the Day of the Lord.”  The Day of the Lord is that time when Jesus returns from heaven to earth and establishes His Kingdom reign for 1,000 years, a Sabbath-rest.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief (2 Peter 3:8-10).

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his (Hebrews 4:8-10).

Secondly, there is a day of which Jesus is Lord.

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8).

Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" (Luke 6:5).

Both, ideas reference a day which belongs to the Lord. They also reference the Sabbath.  Therefore, it is most likely that the Lord’s Day is the Sabbath. So, when John said, “On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit,” (Revelation 1:10). John was most likely saying, “On the Sabbath I was in the Spirit.”

From what is written, there appears to be no scriptural support for the idea that “The Lord’s Day” is Sunday.

On the contrary, the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, is the Lord’s Day.

Richard H Perry