Posted on 04/10/2009 10:32:45 AM PDT by DouglasKC
Consider these important facts. First, Easter Sunday is traditionally revered as the day of Jesus' resurrection—although the Bible clearly states that He had already risen before Sunday dawned in the city of Jerusalem.
Second, even though Good Friday is generally observed as the traditional day of His crucifixion, Christ Himself told the disciples that He would be in the grave for all of three days and three nights. How can three days and three nights possibly fit between a Friday-afternoon crucifixion and a Sunday-morning resurrection?
Third, the word Easter is not found in the Greek New Testament. Nor is there biblical mention of or instruction to observe Lent.
Finally, unlike the specific instruction to commemorate Christ's death, there is absolutely no commandment in the New Testament to observe the date of Jesus' resurrection. Yet today's religious customs are so ingrained in the church calendar that many would consider it heretical to question them.
Most of the world is scarcely aware that the original apostles did not institute or keep these customs, nor were they observed by the early Christian Church. Try as you might to find them, Lent, Good Friday and Easter are not so much as mentioned in the original Greek wording of the New Testament. (The word Easter appears only once in the King James Version of the Bible—in Acts 12:4—where it is flagrantly mistranslated from the Greek word pascha, which should be translated "Passover," as most versions render it.)
The justification for the Lenten 40-day preparation for Easter is traditionally based on Jesus' 40-day wilderness fast before His temptation by Satan (Harper's Bible Dictionary, "Lent"; Matthew 4:1-2; Mark 1:13). The problem with this explanation is that this incident is not connected in any way with Jesus' supposed observance of Easter. The 40-day pre-Easter practice of fasting and penance did not originate in the Bible.
Many people still follow such practices, assuming that such activities honor God and are approved by Him. But, we should ask, how does God regard such extrabiblical customs? Consider God's instructions to those who would worship Him:
"Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:30-32, emphasis added throughout).
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia notes: "The term Easter was derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'Eostre,' the name of the goddess of spring. In her honor sacrifices were offered at the time of the vernal [spring] equinox" (1982, Vol. 2, "Easter").
Many battles were fought over its observance date, but the Council of Nicea finally fixed the date of Easter in A.D. 325 to fall on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox (March 21).
Not generally known is that "the preparation for Easter season, beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing for a week after Easter Day, was filled with pagan customs that had been revised in the light
of Christianity. Germanic nations, for example, set bonfires in spring. This custom was frowned on by the Church, which tried to suppress it . . . In the sixth and seventh centuries [monks] came to Germany, [bringing] their earlier pagan rites[,] and would bless bonfires outside the church building on Holy Saturday. The custom spread to France, and eventually it was incorporated into the Easter liturgy of Rome in the ninth century. Even today the blessing of the new fire is part of the Vigil of Easter.
"Medieval celebrations of Easter began at dawn. According to one old legend, the sun dances on Easter morning, or makes three jumps at the moment of its rising, in honor of Christ's resurrection. The rays of light penetrating the clouds were believed to be angels dancing for joy.
"Some Easter folk traditions that have survived today are the Easter egg, rabbit and lamb. During medieval times it was a tradition to give eggs at Easter to servants. King Edward I of England had 450 eggs boiled before Easter and dyed or covered with gold leaf. He then gave them to members of the royal household on Easter day. The egg was an earlier pagan symbol of rebirth and was presented at the spring equinox, the beginning of the pagan new year.
"The Easter rabbit is mentioned in a German book of 1572 and also was a pagan fertility symbol. The Easter lamb goes back to the Middle Ages; the lamb, holding a flag with a red cross on a white field, represented the resurrected Christ [rather than the sacrifice of His life, as a fulfillment of the Passover lamb, that paid for the sins of the world (John 1:29)]" (Anthony Mercatante, Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, 1988, "Easter").
Easter traditions are embraced by many who profess Christianity. Yet none of these practices are found in the Bible or the customs of the early Church. Jesus and His apostles did not establish or perpetuate such practices, which obscure the true biblical meanings and observances of this time of year. In fact, a fourth-century church historian, Socrates Scholasticus, wrote in his Ecclesiastical History that neither the apostles nor the Gospels taught the observance of Easter, nor did they or Jesus give a law requiring the keeping of this feast. Instead, "the observance originated not by legislation, but as a custom" (chapter 22, emphasis added).
Even as early as the close of the second century, the theologian Irenaeus bore witness in his letter to Victor, bishop of Rome, that some early Roman bishops forbade the observance of Passover on the 14th of Nisan. This was the date of the biblical observance practiced each spring by Jesus and the apostles. At the time that the Nisan 14 Passover observance was banned, ecclesiastical authorities introduced Lent and Easter into Christian practice.
A century later the Syriac Didascalia recorded the attempts of teachers in Rome to reconcile Jesus' words that He would be entombed "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40) with a Friday-afternoon crucifixion and a Sunday-morning resurrection. According to their reasoning, Jesus' sufferings were part of the three days and three nights of Scripture. Friday morning from 9 to noon was counted as the first day, and noon to 3 p.m. (which was darkened) was considered the first night. Three in the afternoon to sunset was reckoned as the second day, whereas Friday night to Saturday morning constituted the second night. The daylight part of Saturday was the third day, and the night portion to Sunday morning was the third night.
In other words, the three days and three nights in the grave that Jesus said would be the sign that He was indeed sent from God were transformed into a period of two days and two nights, or a total of no more than 48 hours. This has subsequently been reduced even further in modern times by figuring from late afternoon Friday to early Sunday morning, which takes away another 12 hours or more. Such reasoning has to discount or somehow explain away Jesus' clear promise that He would be entombed three days and three nights.
Easter and Lent are nonbiblical and were not observed by the apostles or the first-century Church. The biblical record shows, however, that the early Church diligently kept other observances, the New Testament Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, just as Jesus and the apostles had done (Matthew 26:17-19; Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:8; 11:23-26). These were supplanted in later years by the customs and practices of Easter and Lent.
Passover is an annual reminder of Jesus' sacrificial death to pay the penalty for our sins (Matthew 26:26-28). The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a celebration that focuses on a Christian's need to live in sincerity, truth and purity (1 Corinthians 5:8). The nonbiblical festivals of Lent and Easter, added decades after the time of Jesus Christ and the apostles, only cloud the true significance of Christ's life, death and resurrection and the purpose of His coming.
The Passover, instituted in Exodus 12, continues by Jesus Christ's example and command—but with a change of symbols. Jesus' death fulfilled the symbolism of the sacrificial Passover lamb (Matthew 26:17-28; John 1:29). However, the New Testament Passover has been improperly replaced as an annual memorial of the death of Christ by Easter. We are commanded to commemorate Christ's death, not His resurrection (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
Jesus Christ's promise was fulfilled exactly as He said, a fact that is made clear when we study and compare the Gospel accounts. These records give a clear, logical explanation that is perfectly consistent with Christ's words. Let's focus on Jesus' last days on earth to gain the proper perspective and understanding of how and when these events occurred.
Jesus said that, like the prophet Jonah, He would be entombed three days and three nights and that He would be raised up the third day after His crucifixion and death (Matthew 12:39-40; 17:23; 20:19). Putting these scriptures together, we see that He was resurrected at the end of the third day after His death. Luke 23:44 shows that He died around the ninth hour (Jewish reckoning), or 3 p.m. He would have been buried within the next few hours so that His body could be entombed before the approaching Sabbath (John 19:31).
Jesus' resurrection could not have been
on a Sunday morning because John 20:1-2 shows that He had already risen before Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, arriving "while it was still dark." Therefore, neither could His death have occurred Friday afternoon, since that would not allow for His body to be in the grave three days and three nights. Clearly, the Good Friday-Easter Sunday explanation and tradition is without scriptural foundation.
Notice also that John 19:31 mentions that the Sabbath immediately after Jesus' death was "a high day"—not the weekly seventh-day Sabbath (from Friday evening to Saturday evening), but one of the annual Sabbaths, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Leviticus 23:6-7), which can fall on any day of the week.
In fact, two Sabbaths—first an annual Holy Day and then the regular weekly Sabbath—are mentioned in the Gospel accounts, a detail overlooked by most people. This can be proven by comparing Mark 16:1 with Luke 23:56.
Mark's account tells us, "Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him" (Mark 16:1). However, Luke's account describes how the women who followed Jesus saw how His body was laid in the tomb. "Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils" for the final preparation of the body. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment" (Luke 23:56).
Mark tells us that the women bought the spices after the Sabbath, "when the Sabbath was past." Luke, however, tells us that they prepared the spices and oils, "and they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment." How could the women have bought spices after the Sabbath, yet then prepared them and rested on the same Sabbath?
That is obviously impossible—unless two Sabbaths are involved, with a day between them. Once we realize this, the two accounts become clear (see "The Chronology of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection," p. 18). Christ died near 3 p.m. and was placed in the tomb near sunset that day—a Wednesday in the year 31. That evening began the "high day" Sabbath, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which fell on Thursday that year. The women rested on that day, then on Friday purchased and prepared the spices and oils for Jesus' body, which could not be done on either the Holy Day or the weekly Sabbath. They then rested again on the weekly Sabbath before going to the tomb before daybreak on Sunday morning, at which time they discovered that Christ had already been resurrected.
The fact that two Sabbaths are involved is confirmed by Matthew 28:1, where the women went to the tomb "after the Sabbath." The Sabbath mentioned here is actually plural in the original Greek and should be translated "Sabbaths." Some Bible versions, including Alfred Marshall's Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, Ferrar Fenton's translation, Green's Literal Translation and Young's Literal Translation, make this clear.
Once we realize that two Sabbaths were involved—first an annual Holy Day, which was observed from Wednesday evening until Thursday evening, and the normal weekly Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening, the fulfillment of Christ's words becomes clear.
The Savior of all humanity died near 3 p.m. on Wednesday and was buried shortly before sunset that day. From Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset is one day and one night; from then until Friday sunset is two days and two nights; and from then until Saturday sunset is three days and three nights. Jesus Christ was resurrected at the end of this three-day and three-night period, near sunset on Saturday. Thus He was already risen long before the women came to the tomb before daylight on Sunday morning.
Jesus Christ's words were thus perfectly fulfilled, as verified by the Gospel accounts. He was not crucified on Friday afternoon, nor was He resurrected on a Sunday morning. The biblical evidence shows the Good Friday-Easter Sunday tradition to be a fabrication.
A correct harmonization of all the facts demonstrates that Jesus died near 3 p.m. that Wednesday afternoon, was entombed near sunset and was resurrected near sunset on Saturday, exactly three days and three nights later—just as He had stated. These are the facts, the correct biblical chronology that verifies the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
The chart on page 18 gives a day-by-day chronology of these events as described in the Gospel accounts.
Actually, the principal festivals and holidays observed by mainstream Christendom are a poor and pale reflection of true biblical teachings. Easter and Lent are a poor substitute for the wondrous truths revealed by keeping God's feasts.
The New Testament Church continued to observe the annual Passover to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ, but used the new symbols of bread and wine that He instituted (1 Corinthians 11:23-28). Today the members of the United Church of God commemorate this eminently important event in the same manner, in accordance with Christ's instructions. Again, the Bible contains no record of the Church observing Easter or Lent during the time of the apostles, nor any biblical command to observe Good Friday or Easter Sunday, especially since Christ did not die on Good Friday and was not resurrected on Easter Sunday. Instead, the apostles faithfully followed Christ's instructions to observe the biblical Passover "in remembrance" of Him (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). GN
Was the "church" started at the YHvH commanded or Did the "church" exist earlier ? Using the LXX as a guide we see that the EkklesiaA study of the word "church", in the Koine Greek : Ekklesia.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Feast day of Shavuot (pentecost) as some say ?
is first used in Deuteronomy 4:10 NAsbU Deuteronomy 4:10 "Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God
Also see : Deu 4:10, Deu 9:10, Deu 18:16, Deu 23:3, Deu 23:4, Deu 23:9, Deu 31:30,
at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Assemble the people to Me, that I may let
them hear My words so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on
the earth, and that they may teach their children.'
Jos 9:2, Jda 20.2, Jda 21:5, Jda 21:8, Jdg 20:2 Jdg 21:5, Jdg 21:8, 1 Sa 17:47,
1 Sa 19:20, 1 Ki 8:14, 1 Ki 8:22, 1 Ki 8:55, 1 Ki 8:65, 1 Ch 13:2, 1 Ch 13:4, 1 Ch 28:2,
1 Ch 28:8
Diego cited Acts 13:1,42-44 to support his claim that,
Paul celebrated all the Festivals [Acts 13:14][13:42-44][Acts 18:21][Acts 20:7][Acts 20:16][I Corinthians 16:8]. If you check the Greek you will see that these passages all refer to SABBATWN, God's Festival days or days of The Omer.
There is nothing in Acts 13:1, 42-44 that supports Diego's claim that Paul celebrated "all the Festivals". The plural "Sabbatwn" is not used in these verses, and "God's Festival days" and "days of the Omer" are not mentioned either in these passages that Diego cited to support his claim.
There was NO other day that a God fearing person WOULD assemble with other God fearing believers BUT the sabbath.
Besides being irrelevant to Diego's initial claim that Paul celebrated all the Festivals it is not historically true that early Jews and Christians assembled only on standard Sabbaths.
Perhaps you are unaware of my disussion with Diego regarding MIA SABBATWN, the "Eighth Day", and "The Lord's Day"? Here is some background info:
The Christian use of a Pentecontad Calendar is further manifest from subsequently produced Christian documents--where a number of early Christian writers unilaterally refer to the date of the resurrection of Jesus as having occurred upon an Eighth Day amid the weekly cycle.Some of the passages--now attributed to early writers may not be completely authentic (having been embellished or altered by subsequent writers). In spite of questionable alteration, the surviving texts contain a clearly identifiable referral to an original sequence of weeks (a sequence which almost unquestionably contained a very special singular date which stood out from the cycle of weeks).The following passages represent this unusual referral to an Eighth Day (a unique day which stood-out from a cycle of weeks). This date is consistently noted in association with the date of the resurrection of Jesus (a referral prevalently made by many of the early writers):130AD BARNABAS: "Moreover God says…. The Sabbath which I have made in which, when I have rested from all things, I will make the beginning of the Eighth Day which is the beginning of another world.' Wherefore we Christians keep the Eighth Day for joy, on which also Jesus arose from the dead and when he appeared ascended into heaven." (15:8f, The Epistle of Barnabas, 100 AD, Ante-Nicene Fathers , vol. 1, pg. 147).150AD JUSTIN: "The commandment of circumcision, requiring them always to circumcise the children on the eighth day, was a type of the true circumcision by which we are circumcised from error and evil through the resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week of Jesus Christ our Lord. For the first day of the week, although it is the first of all days, yet according to the number of the days in a cycle is called the eighth (while still remaining the first)." (Dialogue 41:4).150AD EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES.-- "I [Christ] have come into being on the Eighth Day which is the day of the Lord. " (18).190AD CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: "Plato prophetically speaks of the Lord's Day in the tenth book of the Republic, in these words: 'And when seven days have passed to each of them in the meadow, on the Eighth they must go on." (Miscellanies V.xiv.106.2).190AD CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: "The seventh day is proclaimed a day of rest, preparing by abstention from evil for the Primal Day, our true rest." (Ibid. VII. Xvi. 138.1).250AD CYPRIAN: "The Eight Day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, and the Lord's Day." (Epistle 58, Sec 4).Notice from the cited passages that early writers referred to an Eighth Day or a ONE Day as being synonymous with the Lord's Day.The term, the Lord's Day, or sometimes Sun's Day, survives from many of the early accounts.Based upon the early prevalent use of these terms (on the part of early Christians), it seems pertinent to at least consider that the date of the resurrection occurred in association with a special ONE-WHOLE-DAY or a 50th DAY.If the Second Temple religiously observed a calendar containing Pentecost segments (as documented in Chapter Five), then the resurrection date may have occurred exactly in-line with a renewal of the seven-weeks harvest cycle (or at a seventh-week festival).As more fully shown in subsequent sections, the resurrection date can clearly be related to a hebdomadal count or cycle of seven-days. Essentially, the date occurred immediately after the 7th day of the weekly cycle.Thus, the alignment of this date with the weekly cycle is significant in the regard that the date appears to be unique. Christian history seems to indicate that this day (as a festival) stood completely-apart and out from the cycle of weeks!There is very little doubt that the Lord's Day Festival was unilaterally agreed upon as a time of special assembly by the early Christians.90AD DIDACHE: "And on the Day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the 'Lord's Day', meet more diligently, …. what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day to hear the saving word concerning the resurrection..." (Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Ante-Nicene Fathers, V7, pg. 423).90AD DIDACHE: "....every Lord's Day, hold your solemn assemblies, …for … the Lord's Day, being the Day of the resurrection.." (Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Ante-Nicene Fathers V7, pg. 449).90AD DIDACHE: "On the Day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord's Day, assemble yourselves together …" (Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. 7, pg. 471).107AD IGNATIUS: " ... let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's Day as 'a festival', the resurrection-day, the 'queen' and 'chief' of all the days of the week…" (Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians, chp 9. Ante-Nicene Fathers , vol. 1, pg. 62-63.).180AD GOSPEL OF PETER: "Early in the morning when the Sabbath dawned, a multitude from Jerusalem and the surrounding country came to see the sealed sepulchre. In the night in which the Lord's Day dawned, while the soldiers in pairs for each watch were keeping guard, a great voice came from heaven…Early in the morning of the Lord's Day Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord …. came to the sepulchre. " (9:34f.; 12:50f.).It is evident from composite early Christian records that a unanimous agreement --and a synonymous definition--of a unique Lord's Day Festival was in common. Here, it is very unusual that there is hardly any evidence that this assembly day was in any dispute, either among Jewish converts, or Gentile proselytes.From the composite content of early Christian sources (those written close to the time of the Second Temple) the following summary points ultimately seem clear:
- The date of the Lord's Day--may have been synonymous with a Pentecost event--and consequently the Lord's Day may have been counted in association with on ongoing seven-weeks cycle.
- The Lord's Day, as a unique 'Eighth Day', is indicated to have stood completely out of the weekly cycle.
- The Lord's Day (as a renewal date amid the ongoing seven-weeks cycle) was a date for special assembly by early Christians.
Clearly the 'Eighth Day' wasn't newly invented by the early Christians, but rather, the Lord's Day is synonymous to a special conjunction of the renewal interval (which periodically appears at seven-week intervals amid the Sabbath cycle. (Even in the New Testament, the Eighth Day is graphically recorded to have coincided with Mia Sabbatwn as further detailed below).[snip>
The following passages represent this unusual referral to an Eighth Day (a unique day which stood-out from a cycle of weeks). This date is consistently noted in association with the date of the resurrection of Jesus (a referral prevalently made by many of the early writers):130AD BARNABAS: "Moreover God says…. The Sabbath which I have made in which, when I have rested from all things, I will make the beginning of the Eighth Day which is the beginning of another world.' Wherefore we Christians keep the Eighth Day for joy, on which also Jesus arose from the dead and when he appeared ascended into heaven." (15:8f, The Epistle of Barnabas, 100 AD, Ante-Nicene Fathers , vol. 1, pg. 147).150AD JUSTIN: "The commandment of circumcision, requiring them always to circumcise the children on the eighth day, was a type of the true circumcision by which we are circumcised from error and evil through the resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week of Jesus Christ our Lord. For the first day of the week, although it is the first of all days, yet according to the number of the days in a cycle is called the eighth (while still remaining the first)." (Dialogue 41:4).150AD EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES.-- "I [Christ] have come into being on the Eighth Day which is the day of the Lord. " (18).190AD CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: "Plato prophetically speaks of the Lord's Day in the tenth book of the Republic, in these words: 'And when seven days have passed to each of them in the meadow, on the Eighth they must go on." (Miscellanies V.xiv.106.2).190AD CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: "The seventh day is proclaimed a day of rest, preparing by abstention from evil for the Primal Day, our true rest." (Ibid. VII. Xvi. 138.1).250AD CYPRIAN: "The Eight Day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, and the Lord's Day." (Epistle 58, Sec 4).Notice from the cited passages that early writers referred to an Eighth Day or a ONE Day as being synonymous with the Lord's Day.The term, the Lord's Day, or sometimes Sun's Day, survives from many of the early accounts.Based upon the early prevalent use of these terms (on the part of early Christians), it seems pertinent to at least consider that the date of the resurrection occurred in association with a special ONE-WHOLE-DAY or a 50th DAY.If the Second Temple religiously observed a calendar containing Pentecost segments (as documented in Chapter Five), then the resurrection date may have occurred exactly in-line with a renewal of the seven-weeks harvest cycle (or at a seventh-week festival).As more fully shown in subsequent sections, the resurrection date can clearly be related to a hebdomadal count or cycle of seven-days. Essentially, the date occurred immediately after the 7th day of the weekly cycle.Thus, the alignment of this date with the weekly cycle is significant in the regard that the date appears to be unique. Christian history seems to indicate that this day (as a festival) stood completely-apart and out from the cycle of weeks!There is very little doubt that the Lord's Day Festival was unilaterally agreed upon as a time of special assembly by the early Christians.90AD DIDACHE: "And on the Day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the 'Lord's Day', meet more diligently, …. what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day to hear the saving word concerning the resurrection..." (Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Ante-Nicene Fathers, V7, pg. 423).90AD DIDACHE: "....every Lord's Day, hold your solemn assemblies, …for … the Lord's Day, being the Day of the resurrection.." (Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Ante-Nicene Fathers V7, pg. 449).90AD DIDACHE: "On the Day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord's Day, assemble yourselves together …" (Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. 7, pg. 471).107AD IGNATIUS: " ... let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's Day as 'a festival', the resurrection-day, the 'queen' and 'chief' of all the days of the week…" (Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians, chp 9. Ante-Nicene Fathers , vol. 1, pg. 62-63.).180AD GOSPEL OF PETER: "Early in the morning when the Sabbath dawned, a multitude from Jerusalem and the surrounding country came to see the sealed sepulchre. In the night in which the Lord's Day dawned, while the soldiers in pairs for each watch were keeping guard, a great voice came from heaven…Early in the morning of the Lord's Day Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord …. came to the sepulchre. " (9:34f.; 12:50f.).It is evident from composite early Christian records that a unanimous agreement --and a synonymous definition--of a unique Lord's Day Festival was in common. Here, it is very unusual that there is hardly any evidence that this assembly day was in any dispute, either among Jewish converts, or Gentile proselytes.From the composite content of early Christian sources (those written close to the time of the Second Temple) the following summary points ultimately seem clear:
- The date of the Lord's Day--may have been synonymous with a Pentecost event--and consequently the Lord's Day may have been counted in association with on ongoing seven-weeks cycle.
- The Lord's Day, as a unique 'Eighth Day', is indicated to have stood completely out of the weekly cycle.
- The Lord's Day (as a renewal date amid the ongoing seven-weeks cycle) was a date for special assembly by early Christians.
Clearly the 'Eighth Day' wasn't newly invented by the early Christians, but rather, the Lord's Day is synonymous to a special conjunction of the renewal interval (which periodically appears at seven-week intervals amid the Sabbath cycle. (Even in the New Testament, the Eighth Day is graphically recorded to have coincided with Mia Sabbatwn as further detailed below).In summary to the above, it seems that in the historical context of the Second Temple, the recorded resurrection of Jesus is indicated to have occurred upon a renewal for the seven-weeks cycle. This special date occurred upon what must have been an Eighth Day (a festival day which immediately followed the seventh-day of a seventh week). Early Christians attributed special significance to this periodically reoccurring Eighth Day--which was routinely celebrated as a special assembly date, and at the frequency of each seven weeks.
http://www.hope-of-israel.org/crnotes.htm#apend
Here was the perfect opportunity for Paul to tell these gentiles that Christians don't worship on the sabbath. Yet he didn't correct them. No, just the opposite.
Again, irrlevant to Diego's original claim that Paul celebrated all the Festivals , and an argument from silence, to boot, which proves nothing. You are trying to prove something here from what Paul did NOT say or do, which doesn't make any sense.
Cordially,
See post 440Your Eighth Day theory is bogus Eisegesis.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Secondly, Jesus spent 40 of those 50 days teaching the disciples more. If you've studied biblical numerology you might notice the prominence the number 40 has throughout the bible. The number 40 is associated with judgment that leads to a new beginning. The remaining 10 days after Jesus' ascension, is typed by the number 10's association in the Bible signifies completeness and redemption that would never need to be repeated or added to. With Pentecost, the old covenant order officially came to an end. The formation of the church on the seventh-first day indicates a new beginning and the completed or final administrative form of the covenant grace. Finally, the fifty day period (forty plus ten) had to occur to prophetically fulfill the typological meaning of the old covenant public festivals of unleavened bread and the feast of weeks.
Secondly, there is the typology of the two wave offerings (which I'm sure you all do). Jeremiah 2:3 states: “Israel was holiness to the LORD, the firstfruits of His increase” Paul applies the term to the patriarchs: “For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy” (Rom. 11:16). James 1:18 tells the believers of his day that they are a “kind of the first fruits of His creatures” . The 'first fruits' in these passages do not refer to the wave sheaf Jesus, but the but to the “wave-loaves” of Pentecost. Israel was the first fruits of the larger harvest that includes the gentiles.
Then your study is incomplete :)
Eze 43:27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.
EIGHT: sh’moneh in Hebrew, from the root shah’meyn “to make fat” or “to cover with fat” which means to super-abound. The first of a new series: there are 7 days in a week; the 8th is the beginning of a new series of days. It is the number of salvation, resurrection, and new birth/regeneration.
Fascinating material Diamond. Interesting that the scriptures have to be twisted in such a manner to make them prove their doctrine, rather than their context defining their meaning.
Pentecost......"IS" a SABBATW! That was the point. The post was sure to mention this: If you check the Greek you will see that these passages all refer to SABBATWN, God's Festival days or days of The Omer. There were three choices and Pentecost is indeed a Festival day.
The rest of these cites do not support what you want to read into them.
Actually....I think the false reading is what we have been hearing from the mainstream church for the last 1700 years.
Acts 13:14 has 'Sabbaton' (singular) not SABBATWN. It says, "But when they departed (5631) from Perga, they came (5633) to Antioch in Pisidia, and went (5631) into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down (5656)." The context of Acts 13 indicates that they were "preaching the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews". Because Paul was preaching to the Jews he went to where the Jews were, in the synagogue on a regular Sabbath. There is absolutely nothing in this verse that proves that Paul "celebrated all the Festivals".
Are you sure you haven't looked at another verse instead? My sources show SABBATWN! [Acts 13:14] autoi de dielqonteV apo thV perghV paregenonto eiV antioceian ths pisidias kai eiselqontes eiV thn sunagwghn th hmera twn sabbatwn ekaqisan
Acts 13:42-44. Same story. In 42 the Greek is 'Sabbaton' (singular) not SABBATWN. In 44 it is SABBATW (singular) not SABBATWN. In either case there is nothing in their preaching of the Good News to the Jews and Gentiles in that city to indicate that Paul "celebrated all the Festivals".
You're right....my good FRiend. I think perhaps we're in agreement. [Acts 13:44] tw de ercomenw sabbatw scedon pasa h poliV sunhcqh akousai ton logon tou qeou This is my fault, though....I should not have included verses 42-43. [Acts 13:44] SABBATW, of course.....the singular form of SABBATWN.
As stated, Acts 18:21 doesn't have any version of the word, sabbath. Rather it refers to the uncontroversial fact of Paul's desire to observe Pentecost.
[Acts 18:21] all apetaxato autois eipwn dei me pantws thn "eorthn" thn ercomenhn poihsai eis ierosoluma palin de anakamyw proV umaV tou qeou qelontoV kai anhcqh apo thV efesou #1859. heorte (heh-or-tay') of uncertain affinity; a festival feast, holyday. This day....(EORTHN) also would be a SABBTW.
Act 20:7 contains the special phrase, discussed in other posts, ONE of the 'Sabbatwn'
The word MIA does not mean first the way it is commonly translated. It does mean one! It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word "Echad". Although, it can mean "first" sometimes, but not the way the translators use it to try and prove a Sunday resurrection. In order for MIA to mean SUNDAY it would also be used with HEMERA.....meaning "day". If it said MIA HEMERA it would be translated "first day" as in a sequence of numbered days.
The problem, although.....has always been, the word "day" has been added to the texts. When the Greek says "MIA TWN SABBATWN" or "MIA SABBATWN" {Matthew 287:1][Mark 16:2][Luke 24:1][John 20:1] it does not mean "DAY"....but the translators want us to believe that it does! The Greek "PROTOS" would mean first....as in a sequence of numbers. You do not see this word in the text. Instead of using PROTOS the Greek text says MIA which primarily means "One", not first.
Young's Literal Translation translates it as "first" because their Sunday bias comes through.....even as they attempt to translate literally! The word SABBATWN is plural and it had never made sense to try and translate it as a singular...as in "first day of the week".
Interesting perspective. I appreciate the appeal to the ante Nicene Fathers, since the Church was and is Patristic; I believe that you have followed the correct course and arrived at the inevitable conclusion.
Using the LXX as a guide we see that the word Ekklesia is first used in Deuteronomy 4:10.Using the new Testament as a guide, we can see that Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, founded the Catholic Church circa AD 33.
You seem to believe that Pentecost was created for "Christians".The descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was the moment the Catholic Church was born.
Then your study is incomplete :)
Eze 43:27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.
EIGHT: sh’moneh in Hebrew, from the root shah’meyn “to make fat” or “to cover with fat” which means to super-abound. The first of a new series: there are 7 days in a week; the 8th is the beginning of a new series of days. It is the number of salvation, resurrection, and new birth/regeneration.
It is not support for Eisegesis to support worship in the Day of the Sun. context context context. Ezekiel 43 is about the future temple. Some see a metaphor for the human body dimensions and the temple of 1 Cor 3:16. Or: You seem to cherry pick your verses.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Alleluia, alleluia! Thank you Lord for the gift of your Church to shepherd your people through the torment of heresy after heresy, especially the insidious protestant heresies!!
You're right........but the singular is there "SABBATW". [Acts 13:44] tw de ercomenw sabbatw scedon pasa h poliV sunhcqh akousai ton logon tou qeou SABBATW is the singular form of SABBATWN and is used here: [Matt 12:2], [Matt 24:20], [Luke 6:1], [Luke 6:6], [Luke 6:7], [Luke 13:14],[Luke 13:15], [Luke 14:1], [Luke 14:3], [John 5:16], [John 7:22], [John 7:23], [John 19:31], [Acts 13:44].
Probably the most pertinent of these verses is [John 19:31] The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away. John is here describing The First Sabbath of Unleavened Bread [Leviticus 23:6] and he calls it a SABBATW, (singular form)......a Feast Day commanded by The Lord for observance.
The claim is.....always has been.....why wouldn't Paul continue to observe and celebrate God's commanded Feast days and Sabbaths? Any scripture that is ever suggested as proof of this silly idea is easily taken apart by simply reading the Greek. This, unfortunately has been one of the reasons the church has been able to stifle this Biblical truth. Most folks don't read Greek!
I wonder if you could clarify some points that may not be clear to many readers.
First, Passover as the fifteenth day of Nisan would automatically fall on the day after the full moon as determined by the religious scholars. Presumably these calendars were issued months or years in advance even in Biblical times, such was the predictability of the lunar orbit even to sages of that era.
So, would the calendar year being used by the Jews at that time have a regular flow of weeks with seven days of which every seventh day was a sabbath? I think I understand that Passover would be “a sabbath” in addition to these regular sabbaths. But was the calendar somehow regulated from a starting point that would make Passover an automatic regular sabbath, if you follow my drift?
And if not, why (if for any reason) does the Christian church remember the Passover of the crucifixion as a Friday? If Passover was not automatically a Friday with a sabbath to follow, then how do we know what day of the week it fell in the year in question, because as I understand it, we don’t know the year in question with precision. I have read that it was probably 33 AD and possibly 30 AD. This would help to identify what day of the week Jesus was crucified. Then if we knew that, and we assumed that the Resurrection was on a Sunday (the day after the Jewish sabbath) then we would have some basis for assessing how long it was from death to resurrection. Otherwise, we are basing all this speculation on the unknown reason for locating the date of the crucifixion on a Friday. Is it not possible that in the year in question, it was on a Wednesday or Thursday, making this whole discussion unnecessary?
***Thank you Lord for the gift of your Church to shepherd your people through the torment of heresy after heresy, especially the insidious protestant heresies!!***
The Judaizers were the first great hurdle that the Church had to face, followed by the Gnostics. There were several dozen major ones and countless minor ones in the first millennium. The Protestant Reformation really didn’t come up with many new heresies; usualy they were recycled, given new life and combined with others in the mixing bowl of the lord of this world.
I'm certain the year was 30 A.D. Please see post # 446 & 448. Here is a calendar of 30 A.D.
As you can see, Passover [Leviticus 23:5] fell on a Wednesday (the 14th) and The First Sabbath of Unleavened [Leviticus 23:6] fell on Thursday (the 15th). The 16th was the non Sabbath day the women [Mark 16:1] purchased the spices on....and then after preparing [Luke 23:56] rested the Sabbath (another one) day (the 17th). This was also the day of resurrection [Matthew 12:40] being the third day from the sundown entombment on Wednesday [Matthew 27:57-60][Mark 15:42-46][Luke 23:50-55][John 19:31-42].
***I’m certain the year was 30 A.D. Please see post # 446 & 448. Here is a calendar of 30 A.D.
As you can see, Passover [Leviticus 23:5] fell on a Wednesday (the 14th) and The First Sabbath of Unleavened [Leviticus 23:6] fell on Thursday (the 15th). The 16th was the non Sabbath day the women [Mark 16:1] purchased the spices on....and then after preparing [Luke 23:56] rested the Sabbath (another one) day (the 17th). This was also the day of resurrection [Matthew 12:40] being the third day from the sundown entombment on Wednesday [Matthew 27:57-60][Mark 15:42-46][Luke 23:50-55][John 19:31-42].***
Fascinating; except that your calendar doesn’t show the holy days. Do you have a link to a site that shows the surrounding years’ Jewish holy days?
That Paul went to synagogues when he first came into a region is well known. Does that mean he taught believers that was the only day to gather and worship God - absolutely not - and citing these passages mean nothing to your assertions. Of course the Church would celebrate Pentecost - that feast was born again as the start of the church - the promised harvest.
The word MIA does not mean first the way it is commonly translated. It does mean one! It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word "Echad". Although, it can mean "first" sometimes, but not the way the translators use it to try and prove a Sunday resurrection. In order for MIA to mean SUNDAY it would also be used with HEMERA.....meaning "day". If it said MIA HEMERA it would be translated "first day" as in a sequence of numbered days.
You must never deal in a world of Hebraic idiomatic expressions Diego. "The first day of the month or week is designated in the NT as in the LXX, not by prote, but by mia...The model was Hebraic where all the days of the month are designated by cardinals." (Blass/Debrunner/Funk, topic 247, 'syntax of numerals").
Passover [Leviticus 23:5], itself....is the day of preparation [John 19:31] and the full moon occurs at sunset of the 14th (Passover). The Feast of Unleavened Bread (the 15th) begins at this sunset of the 14th and continues until the second Sabbath on the 21st [Leviticus 23:8].
Over time....and in particular, since the Babylonian captivity, the Jews have referred to the entire eight day observance as Passover and this is where some of the confusion lies.
Our Lord was crucified on the 14th, Passover.... as the lambs were being slaughtered in the temple between the evenings (Beyn ha Arbayim). [Exodus 12:6] And it hath become a charge to you, until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole assembly of the company of Israel have slaughtered it between the evenings.
As do you, my friend. However, through the New Covenant of the Blood of Jesus, these 'types' have been fulfilled and given their proper meanings. While you may be a little redundant with your terms, you continue to fail to prove that the church is required to observe sabbath either.
Ezekiel 43 is about the future temple. Some see a metaphor for the human body dimensions and the temple of 1 Cor 3:16.
See, I knew you had a grasp of Eisegesis :)
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