Why Should Christians Keep the Passover?

Good News Magazine ^ | March 1998 | Allen Stout

[vmatt]

Well I guess we'll just have to disagree then. I happen to think it wouldn't be preserved for future disciples unless Christ wanted us to do what he commanded.

Then for consitencies sake why didn't you do them all? I assume you didn't do any holy kissing because you separated the men from the women, if not, why using your logic? A holy kiss would have been between same sex and opposite sex but you separate sexes, why? Why did the sexes separate when a woman washed Christ's feet and there are other instances of foot washing of mixed sexes and nothing taught about it, fair question? Now I would have a big problem with another man washing my wife's feet or kissing her, granted?

[DouglasKC]

Then for consitencies sake why didn't you do them all? I assume you didn't do any holy kissing because you separated the men from the women, if not, why using your logic? A holy kiss would have been between same sex and opposite sex but you separate sexes, why? Why did the sexes separate when a woman washed Christ's feet and there are other instances of foot washing of mixed sexes and nothing taught about it, fair question? Now I would have a big problem with another man washing my wife's feet or kissing her, granted?

Where did Christ command a holy kiss?

[JohnnyM]

Hehe. Douglas you remind me of the disciples and I mean this in a light hearted way.

Matthew 16:4-12
4. So he left them and departed.
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.
6 Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
7 And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."
8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
10 Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
11 How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees.

The disciples always seemed to misunderstand what Jesus was talking about and take them ultra literally. So when he told them to beware the leaven of these men, they thought he was talking about bread. There are other examples of the disciples doing this, but I can't recall them right now. This is just like you with the washing of the feet. The lesson he was showing the disciples was one of service and humility as well as the need for spiritual washing, but you seem to take this foot washing as a command throughout the ages, which was not the intent. Just like the bread of the saduccess was not the intent of what He said concerning their teachings.

JM

[vmatt]

Where did Christ command a holy kiss?

Christ didn't, his apostles did.

Romans 16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

1 Corinthians 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

2 Corinthians 13:12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.

1 Thessalonians 5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

[skraeling]

> Footwashing certainly existed

I'm sure you mean well by all this, but all the sweaty hugging and handshaking and now footwashing and kissing is exactly what has driven so many good people away from the church over the last generation. It is this sort of Form over Substance that turns off sincere Christians who really have bigger concerns than being part of some humid touchy-feely sociological confrontation.

The very churches that spent time with guitar plucking "musicians", and little girls "ballet for Jesus" rather than studying the Word are those that have also lost their mainstream.

Think about it...

[Jeremiah Jr]

Acts 3:21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Restoration of all things

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

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

The Hebrew word for 'traditions' in this verse is Kuf, Beit, Lamed, Vav, Tav. Kabbalot. (see 2b)

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

The Hebrew word for 'commandments' (in this verse) is mitzvot.

Look it up...

And then...
Blow the shofar in Zion!

[DouglasKC]

The lesson he was showing the disciples was one of service and humility as well as the need for spiritual washing, but you seem to take this foot washing as a command throughout the ages, which was not the intent. Just like the bread of the saduccess was not the intent of what He said concerning their teachings.

Yeah, guess I'm just thickheaded because I can't read these verses without thinking that Jesus is giving some kind of command to his disciples... :-)

Joh 13:14 If then I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Truly, truly, I say to you, A servant is not greater than his master, neither is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
Joh 13:17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

To think that we would actually do what Jesus commanded us to do! Blasphemy! How dare we!

[DouglasKC]

Why did the sexes separate when a woman washed Christ's feet and there are other instances of foot washing of mixed sexes and nothing taught about it, fair question? Now I would have a big problem with another man washing my wife's feet or kissing her, granted?

Decorum for one thing, but also the disciples were all male, thus males washed male feet. Females washed females feet.

[Barnacle]

Now I'm supposed to keep Passover?

Listen, I don't exercise 30 minutes a day or always remember to floss either. I'm just glad to get Easter in. And, I'd venture a guess that most people who keep Passover, don't celebrate Easter. Life's got its limits.

Happy Easter.

[vmatt]

The Hebrew word for 'commandments' (in this verse) is mitzvot. Look it up...

Does that mean you believe foot washing is a commandment?

[vmatt]

Decorum for one thing, but also the disciples were all male, thus males washed male feet. Females washed females feet.

But there was no separation of sexes taught in the early church from which this act is patterned. If it is an important act where is the specific teaching of it in any letter to the churches? Is it something essential to salvation?

[aruanan]

Here is the Christian Passover:

1 Corinthians 5 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I Peter 1: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you....

[DouglasKC]

I'm sure you mean well by all this, but all the sweaty hugging and handshaking and now footwashing and kissing is exactly what has driven so many good people away from the church over the last generation. It is this sort of Form over Substance that turns off sincere Christians who really have bigger concerns than being part of some humid touchy-feely sociological confrontation.
The very churches that spent time with guitar plucking "musicians", and little girls "ballet for Jesus" rather than studying the Word are those that have also lost their mainstream.
Think about it

Thanks for your advice, but why are you so mean?

You don't know anything about the members of the church I attend services with. You don't anything about the services (except what little I've described). Yet you feel free to come on and attack us because we are performing an act that Jesus commanded.

Think about it... :-)

[DouglasKC]

Now I'm supposed to keep Passover? Listen, I don't exercise 30 minutes a day or always remember to floss either. I'm just glad to get Easter in. And, I'd venture a guess that most people who keep Passover, don't celebrate Easter. Life's got its limits. Happy Easter.

No, you were supposed to keep Passover in the first place...:-).

Good luck!

[DouglasKC]

Decorum for one thing, but also the disciples were all male, thus males washed male feet. Females washed females feet.
But there was no separation of sexes taught in the early church from which this act is patterned. If it is an important act where is the specific teaching of it in any letter to the churches? Is it something essential to salvation?

The actual procedure male/female, husband/wife probably doesn't matter. It is an important act, commanded by Jesus. There is no specific teaching in the epistles. I don't think it's essential to salvation because those who participate are already disciples of Christ. To me it's like baptism...do you absolutely need it to be saved? No...but you do it because you love the lord and want to do what he commands.

[Bobsat]

I'm pleased with how well you've managed this thread. Good job!

...those who participate are already disciples of Christ

A disciple of Christ is a learner or pupil or student of Christ. Everybody who has participated on this thread is obviously one, but that doesn't mean they are Christians. A Christian is a follower of Christ! To follow Christ, you must do what he says and follow the example he set. For example, his custom was to teach on the Sabbath in the synagogue (the 7th day of the week, from our Friday at sunset to our Saturday at sunset) in the synagogue. How many disciples of Christ observe the Sabbath as commanded when Christ as the Word created it (cf John 1:1-14, then Genesis 2:2, and look it up yourself how Sabbath observance was designated as a sign between God and his people) and follow Christ's example? Not many, so how many "Christians" do? All Christians do, but not many "Christians" do.

[JohnnyM]

"To think that we would actually do what Jesus commanded us to do! Blasphemy! How dare we!"

Unless of course He tells you that the previously unclean animals are now clean, but He wasn't really saying that now was He???

Seems hypocritical to me.

JM

[JohnnyM]

"How many disciples of Christ observe the Sabbath as commanded when Christ as the Word created it "

I observe the Sabbath 7 days a week by abiding in Christ because He is my Sabbath rest as shown in Hebrews. Christ is my Sabbath, but it seems Saturday is yours.

JM

[DouglasKC]

A Christian is a follower of Christ! To follow Christ, you must do what he says and follow the example he set. For example, his custom was to teach on the Sabbath in the synagogue (the 7th day of the week, from our Friday at sunset to our Saturday at sunset) in the synagogue. How many disciples of Christ observe the Sabbath as commanded when Christ as the Word created it (cf John 1:1-14, then Genesis 2:2, and look it up yourself how Sabbath observance was designated as a sign between God and his people) and follow Christ's example? Not many, so how many "Christians" do? All Christians do, but not many "Christians" do.

I couldn't agree more, all true.

[Fiddlstix]

Bump