Still the absence of Scriptural authority for Sundaykeeping occasioned no little embarrassment. The people questioned the right of their teachers to set aside the positive declaration of Jehovah, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” in order to honor the day of the sun. To supply the lack of Bible testimony, other expedients were necessary. A zealous advocate of Sunday, who about the close of the twelfth century visited the churches of England, was resisted by faithful witnesses for the truth; and so fruitless were his efforts that he departed from the country for a season and cast about him for some means to enforce his teachings. When he returned, the lack was supplied, and in his after labors he met with greater success. He brought with him a roll purporting to be from God Himself, which contained the needed command for Sunday observance, with awful threats to terrify the disobedient. This precious document—as base a counterfeit as the institution it supported— was …
"But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:"
The EGW passage explicitly references the lack of Scriptural authority for Sunday keeping and directly quotes Exodus 20:10 ('The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God') to highlight the contrast between God's command and the practice of Sunday observance. This is a clear and direct allusion.
"But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"
The EGW quote describes a situation where tradition is used to override God's commandments, which is the same principle Jesus addresses in Matthew 15:3.
The roll forbade labor from the ninth hour, three o'clock, on Saturday afternoon, till sunrise on Monday; and its authority was declared to be confirmed by many miracles. It was reported that persons laboring beyond the appointed hour were stricken with paralysis. A Miller who attempted to grind his corn, saw, instead of flour, a torrent of blood come forth, and the mill wheel stood still, notwithstanding the strong rush of water. A woman who placed dough in the oven found it raw when taken out, though the oven was very hot. Another who had dough prepared for baking at the ninth hour, but determined to set it aside till Monday, found, the next day, that it had been made into loaves and baked by divine power. A man who baked bread after the ninth hour on Saturday found, when he broke it the next morning, that blood started therefrom. By such absurd and superstitious fabrications did the advocates of Sunday endeavor to establish its sacredness. (See Roger de Hoveden, Annals, vol. 2, pp. …
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Both passages address the issue of religious practices based on human traditions rather than divine commandments. Matthew 15:9 directly condemns 'teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,' while the EGW passage describes absurd and superstitious fabrications used to establish the sacredness of Sunday. The connection is strong and relevant to the overall theme of the Great Controversy.