Posted on 04/19/2002 6:00:46 AM PDT by DouglasKC
by Gary Petty
The Gospel writers record numerous confrontations between Jesus and religious leaders concerning the Sabbath. His healings on the Sabbath and teachings about Sabbath observance stirred frequent controversy in His day-disputes that have continued down to our time.
Did Jesus, through His teachings and actions, abrogate, annul or abolish the Fourth Commandment?
Those who argue against Sabbath observance claim that the Sabbath was a cultic law given under the Sinai covenant that has since been "fulfilled in Christ." Citing Paul's writings to show that the Sabbath is a "shadow" of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:16, 17), they reason that Christians no longer need to observe the shadow because the reality has come.
On the other hand, Sabbath-keepers see the Sabbath as an aspect of God's will, as expressed to mankind, which transcends the Sinai covenant and has great importance for Christians.
Let's explore the biblical examples showing what Jesus taught about the Sabbath. A brief overview of these passages makes clear which view accurately reflects His actions and teachings.
Sabbatarians believe that Jesus set an example for His followers (1 Peter 2:21-25), and it is clear in Scripture that He was a Sabbath-keeper. While it is true that many aspects of the Sinai covenant are no longer in effect (circumcision, animal sacrifices, civil laws, etc.), Christ's instructions about the Sabbath are explanations of how to observe it, not claims that He was abolishing it. The Gospel accounts were written many years after Christ's death and served as instructions to the New Testament Church on how to observe the Sabbath.
The passage Jesus quotes in Luke 4:16-30 is from Isaiah 61:1 and 2. Most commentators agree that the context is the jubilee year. The Sabbath, annual Holy Days and jubilee year were all types of the messianic age. In Luke's account, on the Sabbath day Jesus declares His Messiahship by using a passage concerning the jubilee. Notice Luke 4:21 where Jesus said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Messiah, yet the fullness of His kingdom will not be established until His second coming. That is why He omitted the end of the passage when quoting from Isaiah: ". . . And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn . . ." The rest of Isaiah 61 proclaims the work of the Messiah when He will reign on earth.
From this example, we see that the Sabbath not only points Christians to Jesus as the Savior, but its continual observance gives them the hope of His future reign. The Sabbath is a reminder of the gospel in its past, present and future fulfillment.
In Jesus, the "Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28), we see the concepts of God as Creator and Redeemer perfectly joined together. Since the Sabbath reflects both of these truths, Christians should observe the Sabbath in celebration of both, faithfully following Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath.
Jesus' teaching in these verses is capsulated in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Volume 5, "Sabbath," Doubleday, edited by David Noel Freedman, pp. 855, 856:
"At times Jesus is interpreted to have abrogated or suspended the Sabbath commandment on the basis of controversies brought about by Sabbath healings and other acts. Careful analysis of the respective passages does not seem to give credence to this interpretation. The action of plucking ears of grain on the Sabbath by the disciples is particularly important in this matter. Jesus makes a foundational pronouncement . . . `The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath' (Mark 2:27). The disciples' act of plucking grain infringed against the rabbinic halakhah of minute casuistry in which it was forbidden to reap, thresh, winnow, and grind on the Sabbath.
". . . Jesus reforms the Sabbath and restores it to its rightful place as designed in creation, where the Sabbath is made for all mankind and not specifically for Israel, as claimed by normative Judaism . . . It was God's will at creation that the Sabbath have the purpose of serving mankind for rest and [to] bring blessing."
Why did Jesus Christ perform miraculous healings on the Sabbath day, knowing that it conflicted with the narrow, restrictive views of Sabbath observance held by many of His fellow Jews?
The Sabbath in the New Testament, by Samuele Bacchiocchi (Biblical Perspectives, 1990, p. 68), explains:
"Christ's proclamation of lordship over the Sabbath is followed immediately by a second episode about the healing of the man with the withered hand . . . It is noteworthy that all of the seven Sabbath healings reported in the gospels are performed by Christ on behalf of chronically sick persons. These intentional healing acts by Christ on the Sabbath on behalf of incurable persons serve to demonstrate how Jesus fulfilled Messianic expectations nourished by the celebration of the Sabbath."
It is important to note Jesus' instructions concerning Sabbath observance in Matthew 12:11, 12 and Mark 3:4. The Fourth Commandment instructed that the seventh day was set apart by God and that people were not to do their normal work on that day. The commandment didn't instruct people on what they were to do on that day, just what they were not to do.
Jewish legalism had created a plethora of laws restricting even the very basics of human activity. Yet, even their regulations gave way to emergencies like getting a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. Jesus declared that the Sabbath was a day in which good should be done.
Christ is the great Liberator! This verse is important in understanding God's intent for Sabbath observance. Even the strict Jewish regulations allowed for the feeding and watering of animals on the Sabbath. If caring for the basic life needs of animals wasn't breaking the Fourth Commandment, then how much more is "loosing" by healing appropriate on the Sabbath.
Jesus' example reminds us that the Sabbath is an appropriate time to visit the sick and elderly, helping them celebrate the day of renewal.
"Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Jesus pointedly asked the lawyers and Pharisees. "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"
They couldn't answer Him. Questions such as these had been debated among the Jewish teachers for years, and even they recognized that the command to rest didn't include ignoring emergency situations where life and limb were at stake.
For the Sabbath-keeper, every day is to be lived as a Christian. But God has set aside one day when mankind is to renew the relationship of the created with the Creator; the redeemed with the Redeemer.
Those who oppose Sabbath observance view Christ's statement that "it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" as ending any distinction of days for worship or other religious purposes.
But there is a huge flaw in that reasoning. To conclude that by teaching that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath we negate its distinctive nature, requires the assumption that it was originally unlawful to do good on that day. The NIV Life Application Bible (Tyndale/Zondervan, 1991, p. 1883) comments on that view regarding these verses:
"If God stopped every kind of work on the Sabbath, nature would fall into chaos, and sin would overrun the world. Genesis 2:2 says that God rested on the seventh day but this can't mean that He stopped doing good. Jesus wanted to teach that when the opportunity to do good presents itself, it should not be ignored, even on the Sabbath."
Some argue that since circumcision, a sign of the old covenant, was permissible on the Sabbath, which was also a sign of the old covenant, then circumcision must have been more important than the Sabbath. Thus, they reason, once the sign of circumcision was "done away in Christ," then the Sabbath was also nullified.
Samuele Bacchiocchi, in his book From Sabbath to Sunday (Pontifical Gregorian University Press, 1977), answers this argument on pages 46 and 47:
"Why was it legitimate to circumcise a child on the Sabbath when the eighth day (Leviticus 12:3) after his birth fell on that day? No explanation was given since it was well understood. The circumcision was regarded as a redemptive act which mediated the salvation of the covenant. It was lawful, therefore, on the Sabbath to mutilate one of the 248 parts of the human body (that was the Jewish reckoning) in order to save the whole person. On the basis of this premise Christ argues that there is no reason to be `angry' with Him for restoring on that day the `whole man' . . .
"His opponents cannot perceive the redemptive nature of Christ's Sabbath ministry because they `judge by appearances' (John 7:24). They regard the pallet which the paralytic carried on the Sabbath as more important than the physical restoration and social reunification which the object symbolized (John 6:10-11), more significant than the restoration of sight to the blind mind (John 9:14-15, 26)."
The context of this passage is Jesus' declaration of His messiahship. As Messiah, He is also Lord of the Sabbath. Here Jesus continues to teach, as He does so many times on the Sabbath, of His redemptive work for mankind.
When asked, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered: "The first of all the commandments is: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment" (Mark 12:28-30).
Here Jesus restated the greatest commandment of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:4, 5). Those who observe the biblical Sabbath strive to put God first in their lives and follow Jesus' instruction: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me" (John 14:21).
Sabbath-keepers see Jesus as their Lord and Master. And, since Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, they follow His example in observing the Sabbath in the way that He taught and lived.
"The absolute truth. That they are holidays that are not biblically supported and have their roots in paganism. Like I said, it doesn't take rocket scientist to figure this out. I figured it out 20 years ago before I ever heard of the United Church of God."
Noooooo kidding? Didn't you just tell us that you weren't even "religious" until about 6 months ago? LOL!!!
One of the things that is quite characteristic of those who get involved with cults is that the cult they are attracted to is teaching a lot of the kooky stuff that they already believe. LOL!!!
Well, sticking to the subject... :-)
Is it your opinion that Jesus and the apostles celebrated Christmas and Easter? Is it also your opinion that Christmas and Easter do not have their roots in paganism?
On the upside... (and there is one) churches are usually very crowded on these holidays, and the fact that the Gospel is preached is a good thing.
2 Thessalonians 2
Stand Fast
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Traditions
3862 paradosis {par-ad'-os-is}
from 3860; TDNT - 2:172,166; n f
AV - tradition 12, ordinance 1; 13
1) giving up, giving over
1a) the act of giving up
1b) the surrender of cities
2) a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing, i.e. tradition by instruction, narrative, precept, etc.
2a) objectively, that which is delivered, the substance of a teaching
2b) of the body of precepts, esp. ritual, which in the opinion of the later Jews were orally delivered by Moses and orally transmitted in unbroken succession to subsequent generations, which precepts, both illustrating and expanding the written law, as they did were to be obeyed with equal reverence
TRADITION!
Matthew 5:17-19
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:4
Jeremiah 6:16-
...and it goes on and on and...
That's true. The Catholic church tried long ago to ascribe religious meaning to pagan holidays, it seems that the paganism is once again winning out.
On the upside... (and there is one) churches are usually very crowded on these holidays, and the fact that the Gospel is preached is a good thing.
Well...yes and no in my view. In my view we should be celebrating and attending services on the days ordained to do so by God in the bible...and one day we all will. But in the meantime some gospel is better than none I guess.
Thank you for your post. You opened up my eyes to some truths I hadn't realized. Certain groups will often quote 2 Thessolonians to justify whatever tradition has been developed over the years and centuries. You made it clear that Paul meant that we should STAND FAST to the traditions that Christ and he held, or as Paul again put it:
1Co 11:1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1Co 11:2 But I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and you keep the doctrines as I delivered them to you.
On the contrary. Things changed when Jesus died on The Cross which ended the Old Covenant and ushered in the New Covenant. The Old Testament "Sabbath Rest" (part of the Law of Moses) was a shadow of the the future reality. That reality is Christ -- our true "Sabbath Rest".
As long as Jesus was still alive the Old Covenant was still in effect -- that's why he went to the synogog on the 7th day.
It was some of the Jewish Christians in Galatia who were resisting the New Covenant freedoms wherein Christ set us free, and were attempting to Judaize Christianity, and some of the Gentile Christians were paying them heed. Paul had to set them straight, he said, "...how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you." [Gal4:9-11] And:
"...Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery. .. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace ... [and are thus] obligated to obey the whole law." [The whole O.T. Law of Moses]. [Gal.5]
You wrote: "Concering the epistle of Barnabas. Scholars think this letter was written anywhere in between 74 AD (the low end figure used in the quote you provided) and 134 AD. Most scholars don't think this was written by Barnabas, Pauls companion in the new testament."
And "most" of the "scientists" that the environmentalist wackos cite to prove their latest religious doctrine of "Global Warming", agree with them, too. What about the ones that don't agree with them? Cite their words.
And why did you just pick the "Barnbas quote" out of all the other quotes I cited from the early "Christians"? For instance, this little goodie:
Thank you very much also for posting these links. I had avoided going to them because I knew that these sites are run by people who have no love for anything that even resembles "armstrongism"...but that being said I must say I was pleasantly surprised."
I said go there to see the writings of those whose lives were really "messed up". You didn't explore the links at those web sites very much. The ex-WCGers who had hang-ups about "authority in Armstrong's church" merely like the UCG set-up a little better. If you have to grasp at that straw as proof they aren't screwed up, you are deluding yourself.
That's fine, because I'm not spending my time on this thread trying to change your mind, so relax. I'm just making sure you aren't able to influence some of the unwary lurkers into your Armstrong-spin-off cult if I can do it. If not, it's no skin off my teeth.
You wrote: "Here we see that United, while respecting much of Armstrongs doctrinal approach, made sure that they weeded out Armstrongs personal opinion from what is biblically AND scholarly tenable."
Interpretation: "We are embarrassed that his prophecies didn't come to pass, so we want to distance ourselves from them".
You wrote: "Of course there are lies, or at least distortions, on the links you posted, such as this one: There's just an underlying culture that says we don't want things to be open, and we don't want it to be something that everybody can be involved in."
"Or how about this one: When is it appropriate to invite someone to church or a Bible study? ... it's inappropriate for someone to invite United Church of God members to Bible studies or church services that are not approved by UCG. These type of invitations are divisive and lead to confusion."
You respond: "...What's it talking about? It's talking about when it's appropriate to "evangelize". ... you should only bible study with those who share your view." What the website sees as sinister and controlling most people would see as good manners."
"Good manners"!! LOL!!!!!! You're a riot! In reality, in varying degrees, the spin-offs are just continuing the cultic practices of the Armstrongism.
In the old WCG (Armstrong's church), a person usually had to request a visit in his home from a "minister" who interrogated him to see if he understood the basic doctrines of Armstrongism (false god and false gospel) and agreed with them, before he was even permitted to attend WCG "services".
At a later date, if he requested to be baptised into Armstrong's "one true church", he was interrogated quite throughly over a period of days, weeks or months, to make sure he was in agreement with the cult's doctrines, before they would (according to their false doctrine) "lay hands on him so that he could receive the Holy Spirit".
What about "people"? Don't Christians have their "roots in paganism"??? LOL!!! Aren't people themselves known as "pagans" before God makes them regenerate?
Guess what that means. God took what was "pagan" and made it "holy". He converted what was pagan to a holy use. LOL!!!
I had a friend that liked Armstrong's TV program she wrote the National headquarters to locate a church..they told her it was " by invitation only" She was aghast :>)) I did not tell her my cousin attended..she need Christ not Armstrong!
I asked you before to post the Armstrong doctrines that UCG (Armstrong cult spin-off) changed. You have refused to do that. They kept his false god and his false gospel, so what (of any importance) did the UCG change?
Which you have conveniently avoided:
Did you, or did you not, tell us in an earlier post that you weren't even "religious" until about 6 months ago yet now you claim to have "figured out" religious questions "20 years ago"?
You won't find your picture under the definition of "credible" in the dictionary.
God took what was "pagan" and made it "holy". He converted what was pagan to a holy use. LOL!!!
If you say so...
A brilliant tactic! What man intends for evil, God turns to good. LOL!!!!
Yes you are correct Carton..those were Pagan holidays that the church adopted in an attempt to get converts..What that means today ?? I do not know. We "celebrate Easter with no eggs or chicks or bunnies..Christmas we celebrate as a secular /religious day..no santa..etc..
But we need to remember that the God that can save us while we are yet sinners can used even those days for His glory...He is after all God...
Act 10:15 And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common.
I agree, but the sabbath also foreshadows God's coming milleniel kingdom, which hasn't arrived yet. The author of the Barnabas letter spells that out. It also marks the creator of the world as the true God who rested on the 7th day of creation and blessed and sanctified the day. So since the sabbath isn't fulfilled, it's still in effect. Paul, writing to the jews in Hebrews, confirms this: Hebrews 4:9 So, then, there remains a sabbath rest to the people of God.
It was some of the Jewish Christians in Galatia who were resisting the New Covenant freedoms wherein Christ set us free, and were attempting to Judaize Christianity, and some of the Gentile Christians were paying them heed. Paul had to set them straight, he said, "...how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you." [Gal4:9-11] And:
Two things about this verse: the greek words for "sabbath" and the Jewish Holy days are not used in the entire chapter of Galatians. When it comes to the bible, you have to let it interpet itself. The greek word for the Sabbath is "Sabbaton". It's Strong number 4521. It's used consistently in the new testament and always means the 7th day sabbath. In the same way, God's holy days and feasts are always called "heorte" (Strongs Number 1859). Throughout the new testament this word is used to denote the Jewish feast and holy days.
As I said, these words are not used in Galatians. Paul certainly knew the proper words because he used them in 2 Colossians. Therefore Paul can't be referring to the sabbath or holy days at all in Galatians. He is referring to something else.
Also, another point. Since he is writing the letters to Gentile Christians, how could he be telling them that they're weak for TURNING BACK to something they supposedly never kept, the Jewish sabbath and holy days?
I think that you have the general thrust of Galatians correct in the sense that there were those converted jews that insisted that circumcision was a requirement for salvation. The whole theme seems to be one of circumcision. Paul sets the gentile believers straight by letting them know that Christ has fulfilled that requirement and others, BUT before they became Christians, they were Gentiles, not jews. They were in bondage to weak elements of the world, sin. Paul is telling them that if they think that good works can save them, it's just the same as coming back under sin.
You wrote: "Concering the epistle of Barnabas. Scholars think this letter was written anywhere in between 74 AD (the low end figure used in the quote you provided) and 134 AD. Most scholars don't think this was written by Barnabas, Pauls companion in the new testament."
And "most" of the "scientists" that the environmentalist wackos cite to prove their latest religious doctrine of "Global Warming", agree with them, too. What about the ones that don't agree with them? Cite their words.
Hey, I put a caveat in there. I even gave you a scenario for what it could mean if it were the Barnabas from the bible, and that was that they were ALSO STILL observing the sabbath. I don't think it was Barnabas from the bible based on my research though.
And why did you just pick the "Barnbas quote" out of all the other quotes I cited from the early "Christians"? For instance, this little goodie:
Because that was the only one you attempted to link to scripture. The other ones you quoted are clearly outside of scripture. I don't dispute the fact that people attempted to change the sabbath, it's clear they did.
Now, I'm not against Christmas and Easter since I celebrate them much like you.
I'm just going to get into a public brawl about them. DouglasKC stated that these holidays found their roots in paganism. He is correct. Whether one feels God has cleansed them or not is up to the person... a wholesale announcement that God has cleansed these two days does not make them true... Not everything man does in the name of God finds its root in God.
Yea I do not think they are worth a dispute over eithor..I think alot depends on if you see yourself as still under the Old Covenant and bound by those laws.
I have Christian friends that believe they are ingrafted Jews and therefore are called to keep the OT laws..me I think I am under God's grace..and that I am under the New Covenant..
I believe we are called to be holy and set apart as His people..but that He has set us free from the law.. (me I pray to be holy:>)
Be blessed
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