Holy Saturday a Sermon by St. Peter

It was my first Easter outside of Adventism and everything was strange. Someone had invited me to Holy Saturday services. I thought that was going to be weird, "Sunday keepers" going to church on Sabbath. All things seemed topsy-turvy. But I went. It was an Episcopalian Church. Very beautiful, very old. In fact, our first president was said to have worshipped there when he was a 16-year-old surveyor for Virginia. But as I sat down among all the people, things were about to get older… much older. The Protestant pastor began to read an ancient sermon and the more he read, the more my mouth opened in shock. I almost wanted to shake my head and way myself up. The pastor claimed that this was one of the Apostle Peter's first sermons. And it was a doozy… actually, for a former Seventh-day Adventist, it was absolutely unbelievable.  A sermon of St. Peter that wasn't in the Bible? Could it be true? Why hadn't I heard of the sermon? I had to talk to the pastor about this. So I waited as he shook everyone's hand after church and then approached him with my questions. Sure enough, this sermon had been read in Christian Holy Saturday services for as long as the church has records. It was indeed the most ancient sermon we have outside of scripture. And all accounts are that Peter himself gave it on one of the early Holy Saturday services.  I still am awed by what the sermon actually says. I hope you will be just as moved as I was. The sermon is posted here: The Lord's descent into hell "What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled. Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.  He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam's son. The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: 'My Lord be with you all.' And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. ‘I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise. ‘I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person. ‘For you, I your God became your son; for you, I the Master took on your form; that of slave; for you, I who am above the heavens came on earth and under the earth; for you, man, I became as a man without help, free among the dead; for you, who left a garden, I was handed over to Jews from a garden and crucified in a garden. ‘Look at the spittle on my face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on my cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to my own image. 'See the scourging of my back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. See my hands nailed to the tree for a good purpose, for you, who stretched out your hand to the tree for an evil one. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side, for you, who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side healed the pain of your side; my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades; my sword has checked the sword which was turned against you. ‘But arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God. "The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages." A reading from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday Prayer Almighty, ever-living God, whose Only-begotten Son descended to the realm of the dead, and rose from there to glory, grant that your faithful people, who were buried with him in baptism, may, by his resurrection, obtain eternal life. (We make our prayer) through our Lord. (Through Christ our Lord.) Prepared by Pontifical University Saint Thomas Aquinas http://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20010414_omelia-sabato-santo_en.html

Sabbaths in Early Christian Literature

This is an excerpt from the book, Acts of Peter and Paul, the stories recorded between the second and fourth centuries. I stress this first thing, some of the stories in the book were rejected by the church as myth (none included in this passage). But, it does relate some fascinating true stories. The church teaches that the book factually records the deaths of the two Apostles. It also gives us a look into the struggles of the earliest Roman Jews and Gentiles had over circumcision, sabbaths and other Jewish regulations. I have included the context but bolded the parts Seventh-day Adventists will find interesting.


This particular story must have happened during the time of book of Acts before the Council of Jerusalem, for Paul is unsure about some Christian theology. So we place the date c. AD 40s before Paul began writing.

And a report went about in the city of Rome that Paul the brother of Peter was coming. And those that believed in God rejoiced with great joy. And there was great consternation among the Jews.... They came together therefore to him, and exhorted him, saying:Vindicate the faith in which you were born; for it is not right that you, being a Hebrew, and of the Hebrews, should call yourself teacher of Gentiles and vindicator of the uncircumcised; and, being yourself circumcised, that you should bring to nought the faith of the circumcision.

And when you see Peter, contend against his teaching, because he has destroyed all the bulwarks of our law; for he has prevented the keeping of Sabbaths and new moons, and the holidays appointed by the law. And Paul answering, said to them: That I am a true Jew, by this you can prove; because also you have been able to keep the Sabbath, and to observe the true circumcision; for assuredly on the day of the Sabbath God rested from all His works. We have fathers, and patriarchs, and the law. What, then, does Peter preach in the kingdom of the Gentiles? But if he shall wish to bring in any new teaching, without any tumult, and envy, and trouble, send him word, that we may see, and in your presence I shall convict him. But if his teaching be true, supported by the book and testimony of the Hebrews, it becomes all of us to submit to him.

Then Peter and Paul meet with tears in Rome....

At dawn, behold, Peter coming, finds a multitude of the Jews before Paul's door. And there was a great uproar between the Christian Jews and the Gentiles. For, on the one hand, the Jews said: We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, the friends of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, with whom God spoke, to whom He showed His own mysteries and His great wonders. But you of the Gentiles are no great thing in your lineage; if otherwise, you have become polluted and abominable by idols and graven images.

While the Jews were saying such things, and such-like, those of the Gentiles answered, saying: We, when we heard the truth, straightway followed it, having abandoned our errors. But you, both knowing the mighty deeds of your fathers, and seeing the signs of the prophets, and having received the law, and gone through the sea with dry feet, and seen your enemies sunk in its depths, and the pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day shining upon you, and manna having been given to you out of heaven, and water flowing to you out of a rock—after all these things you fashioned to yourselves the idol of a calf, and worshipped the graven image. But we, having seen none of the signs, believe to be a Saviour the God whom you have forsaken in unbelief.

While they were contending in these and such-like words, the Apostle Paul said that they ought not to make such attacks upon each other, but that they should rather give heed to this, that God had fulfilled His promises which He swore to Abraham our father, that in his seed he should inherit all the nations. For there is no respect of persons with God. ... And Paul having thus spoken, both the Jews and they of the Gentiles were appeased.

(For the full story, google Acts of Peter and Paul.)


From early on, the issue of circumcision and keeping the weekly, monthly and yearly Sabbath regulations was of great concern to the early church. This specific topic created hostility between Jews and Jewish converts to Christianity. Yet, at this early date we can see that Peter was teaching that these regulations were no longer a part of the New Covenant.