The Sunday Law Edict of Constantine 321 AD

[Lewis]

Until this man did this, there was no church on Sunday.
On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed."

The Edict of Constantine
321 AD

Constantine was, like Aurelian and Diocletian before him, a worshiper of the sun. He was also the first Emperor to profess belief in Christianity. Historians debate whether or not his conversion was genuine, since he maintained his pagan superstitions throughout much of his reign.

It seems that Constantine’s personal religion was a mixture of Mithraic sun worship and Christianity. According to his Christian biographer, Eusebius, he taught all his armies to zealously honor the Lord’s day—Sunday—referring to it as “the day of light and of the sun.†This was distinctly pagan terminology.

For Christians today it may seem ironic that the first Sunday law—the famous Edict of Constantine—uses the language of sun worshipers rather than Christian expressions. The first day of the week is exalted as “the venerable day of the sun.†There is no mention of Christ or of celebrating His resurrection. That first Sunday law had no Christian flavor whatsoever.

 

[Lewis]

You really should check this out.

Tract 22b
The Story of Constantine - The Man who Changed the Christian Church
- Supplement to Lesson 22
http://www.pathlights.com/theselastdays ... ct_22b.htm

 

[WordSwordsman]

The Bible's reference to calendar days of the week was based on the Jewish system, the first day of the week being Yom Rishon, the last Yom Shabbat. But notice Hebrew wasn't transliterated in most Bible versions. Instead, we find the Gregorian "Sunday" as the first day of the Jewish week. The writers of the New Testament wrote to a mostly Gentile believer audience which recognized the Roman system.

The early Church was 100% of saved Jews for the first seven years after Jesus ascended. We find that when referencing which day certain important Church events, the first day of the Jewish week contrasted against the most important Jewish day, "Saturday" by the world system. On Sunday, not Saturday, Jesus arose from the grave. On the first day (Sunday) the disciples met to break bread in Acts 20. 1 Cor. 16:2 "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." Sunday was the designated day for Christians to congregate.

History affirms that the early Church continued to keep the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday, but then met in homes on Sundays.

The Emperor seems oddly vilified by many Christians, but he was the one who ended a long and bloody persecution of people professing Christ, issuing the Edict of Milan, which also restored confiscated property of liberated Christians. His rule style was not foreign to the attitude of the USA, the President not favoring or establishing his own religion over others, but respecting all. However, he did much to advance Christianity nonetheless, giving full credit to the Christian God for his successes. He never required worship on Sunday, but did allow that one day to be set aside as a non-working day. Sunday worship began on Resurrection Day.