Should a "Christian" faith observe the Sabbath?

[Rakhel]

how is it viewed todayl, are there still many rules governing how the sabbath is to be celebrated?

how do you celebrate it today??

It's still being debated.

 

[Desert Snake]

It's still being debated.

Hi.
Couldn't you give a general idea, though?

 

[JacobEzra.]

I don't see why Christians should bother keeping the sabbath when (a) they never do it according to the law anyhow-- their sabbath observance follows none of the rules and laws for keeping shabbat anyhow; and (b) they don't keep any of the other commandments...so why this one?

Either the commandments are kept, or they are not. If not, fine: Christians aren't Jewish anyhow, they are under no obligation to keep any of the commandments. But if they're going to keep the commandments, as if they were somehow Jews, then they ought to be keeping them all, since there is no partial binding oneself to the yoke of the commandments.

With (a)

Do you mean the commandments in scripture, or the oral law?

 

[JacobEzra.]

Except Jesus said not one letter of the law would be done away with and whoever didn't follow it would be considered the least in Heaven. I think your understand of what he meant by fulfillment isn't what you think it is.

Also, why would God make this rule up about not doing anything on Sunday under the penalty of murder only to go, well, maybe that was dumb, ill take it away now. Makes no sense yes?

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.


Whenever I am confused, I usually go to someone who is much smarter and knowledgeable. Instead of making up accusations.

Ver. 17. Not to destroy the law, &c. It is true, by Christ's coming, a multitude of ceremonies and sacrifices, and circumcision, were to cease; but the moral precepts were to continue, and to be complied with, even with greater perfection. (Witham) --- To fulfil. By accomplishing all the figures and prophecies, and perfecting all that was imperfect. (Challoner) --- Our Saviour speaks in this manner, to prepare the minds of the Jews for his new instructions. For although they were not very solicitous about fulfilling the law, still they were extremely jealous of any change being made in the letter of the law; more particularly, if the proposed change exacted a more perfect morality. Our Lord fulfilled the law three several ways: 1. By his obedience to the prescribed rites; therefore he says, it behoveth us to fulfil all justice: and who shall accuse me of sin? 2. He observes the law, not only by his own observance of it, but likewise by enabling us to fulfil it. It was the wish of the law to make man just, but found itself too weak; Christ therefore came justifying man, and accomplished the will of the law. 3. He fulfilled the law, by reducing all the precepts of the old law to a more strict and powerful morality. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xvi.)

I do believe they give a better explanation

 

[Katzpur]

Sure. And are you going to post a list of what is "o.k." to do on the sabbath?

Hadn't planned to. Why?

 

[Desert Snake]

Hadn't planned to. Why?

To get an idea about what is "o.k." to do on the sabbath. Never mind, I'm going to make a new thread about it anyway.

 

[Levite]

With (a)

Do you mean the commandments in scripture, or the oral law?

Yes. One cannot interpret the scripture properly without the Oral Torah, so the two function as one.

the Jews had turned the sabbath into a burden...they developed a great multitude of rules that had to be strictly adhered to on the sabbath.

some of the rules included not being allowed to tie ones shoe lace...or if you had a toothache, you could not try and sooth it with vinegar because that was considered a type of 'work'

Wow, is that ever a bleak way to look at Shabbat. It's not one shared by observant Jews, I can tell you that.

The point of Shabbat is not the stuff you can't do, it's all the stuff you can do. Shabbat is celebrated in Jewish households as a wonderful time for relaxing, for sharing good food with family and friends, for singing traditional songs together, for enjoying long walks, naps, and learning Torah together; a chance for couples to make love; and the opportunity to go to shul (synagogue) and enjoy a leisurely service with song and words of Torah.

So one day a week you don't do stuff that you would normally do during the rest of the week. Shabbat is like having one day a week that takes you out of the stress and the overstimulation and the worry of life, and lets you enjoy the peace and tranquility and simple good things you have underneath it all. If one is accustomed to the rules, one rarely even notices them. They don't feel confining, but freeing.

And it is also true that there is some flexibility of interpretation and observance regarding some of the rules, and that such things are always in process. For example, while a strict, technical reading of the law does prohibit tying one's shoes or compounding a tooth-ache cure (the work is not in rinsing the mouth but in compounding the mixture), examination of later legal responsa by rabbis shows that one may tie one's shoes if one fears that the loose shoe-lace might cause one to trip, and that medicine may be compounded to relieve pain, if no previously compounded medicine is readily available.

I suggest you read The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel. He does a lovely job of depicting the wonderful nature of Shabbat-- a day which, by the way, we have always said was God's greatest gift to the Jews. As much as Jews keep Shabbat (it is said), Shabbat keeps the Jews.

 

[Pegg]

The point of Shabbat is not the stuff you can't do, it's all the stuff you can do. Shabbat is celebrated in Jewish households as a wonderful time for relaxing, for sharing good food with family and friends, for singing traditional songs together, for enjoying long walks, naps, and learning Torah together; a chance for couples to make love; and the opportunity to go to shul (synagogue) and enjoy a leisurely service with song and words of Torah.

that sounds wonderful and it is good to know that it is celebrated in such a way today.

but back in the 1st century the religious leaders had been over zealous in celebrating the Sabbath and the rules they created were a burden...that is what Jesus spoke about.

 

[balasta boy]

You strip a sentence from a paragraph and quote it out of context, after I explained the concept you are questioning a few paragraphs later? Not playing nice 9-10



I'm glad you agree.



I agree again...wait a minute...aren't you suppose to be refuting my statements? (This is what happens when you strip away a few words and quote someone out of context) Frustrating isn't it?



Did Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, say the Sabbath was made for the Jews? (Mark 2:27-28)



The laws regarding sacrifices, circumcision, ceremonial washings, were done away through Christ's sacrifice. Jesus denounced the unauthorized addition (Deut 12:32) of the 60+ requirements the Pharisees added to the Law of Moses. But the Sabbath as well as other laws remain. See post #37 on this thread for a more detailed explanation.



Lets discuss them..Show me the mone...eerhhh.....I mean scripture...



I'm not judging them, God is (1 Peter 4:17)



Apparently so did Paul....It's not in the original Greek. Here's Col 2:17 in the KJV:

"Which G3739 are G2076 a shadow G4639 of things to come;G3195 but G1161 the G3588 body G4983 is of Christ.G5547

No "mere" here...hey that rhymes ...In the KJV version and other versions, the verb "is" is italicized which indicates it was not in the original Greek.

Let's kick it up a notch to the original Greek:

Which 3739 (Hos) oèv hos are 2076 (Esti) eiÎmið es-tee' a shadow 4639 (Skia) skia/ skee'-ah of things to come 3195 (Mello) meÑllw mel'-lo but 1161 (De) deÑ deh the body 4983 (Soma) swÜma so'-mah [is] of Christ 5547 (Christos) Xristo/v khris-tos'

No mere here either. Notice the linking verb "is" is in brackets. Why do you think that is? If it was correctly translated, this verse should read:
"Which are a shadow of things to come but the body of Christ!"

If we read it in context with verse 16, the exegesis becomes very clear. Here's an accurate paraphrase: "Don't let others judge you on what you should eat, drink, and which sabbaths and festivals you should keep, but only allow the church to judge you on how to observe these things."

KJV Copyright © 2001-2010, StudyLight.org



When and how often we fast are between the individual and God. God was very specific on when and how to observe the Sabbath.



Quite the rebuttal to a few obscure verses, especially coming from a person who rejects the very existence of the One who inspired them. I'm beginning to believe there are a few ounces left of "Christian Soup In Your Soul"... 9-10

i am happy too say that you must study on it because you don't understand waht you are saying friend there is not only one sabbath you might just confuse i do believe in that verse but there is remaining sabbath Hebrews 4:9-11
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience

 

[balasta boy]

Yes. One cannot interpret the scripture properly without the Oral Torah, so the two function as one.



Wow, is that ever a bleak way to look at Shabbat. It's not one shared by observant Jews, I can tell you that.

The point of Shabbat is not the stuff you can't do, it's all the stuff you can do. Shabbat is celebrated in Jewish households as a wonderful time for relaxing, for sharing good food with family and friends, for singing traditional songs together, for enjoying long walks, naps, and learning Torah together; a chance for couples to make love; and the opportunity to go to shul (synagogue) and enjoy a leisurely service with song and words of Torah.

So one day a week you don't do stuff that you would normally do during the rest of the week. Shabbat is like having one day a week that takes you out of the stress and the overstimulation and the worry of life, and lets you enjoy the peace and tranquility and simple good things you have underneath it all. If one is accustomed to the rules, one rarely even notices them. They don't feel confining, but freeing.

And it is also true that there is some flexibility of interpretation and observance regarding some of the rules, and that such things are always in process. For example, while a strict, technical reading of the law does prohibit tying one's shoes or compounding a tooth-ache cure (the work is not in rinsing the mouth but in compounding the mixture), examination of later legal responsa by rabbis shows that one may tie one's shoes if one fears that the loose shoe-lace might cause one to trip, and that medicine may be compounded to relieve pain, if no previously compounded medicine is readily available.

I suggest you read The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel. He does a lovely job of depicting the wonderful nature of Shabbat-- a day which, by the way, we have always said was God's greatest gift to the Jews. As much as Jews keep Shabbat (it is said), Shabbat keeps the Jews.

it is not only for the Jew its for the people who accept Jesus Ephesians 2:13-22
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

acts 18:4, 17:2 in their time they go to church on sabbath not on Sunday and even Jesus always to church on sabbath Luke 4:16
how can you explain that? pagans is the only worshipers of sun which is sunday

 

[Levite]

that sounds wonderful and it is good to know that it is celebrated in such a way today.

but back in the 1st century the religious leaders had been over zealous in celebrating the Sabbath and the rules they created were a burden...that is what Jesus spoke about.

That's not how it looks from the Talmud. The Rabbis speak about the delights of Shabbat, and enumerate with care how to observe the rules, yet also how to enjoy Shabbat within the guidelines of the law.

In any case, Jesus was a spiritual charismatic. It seems like, for him (at least as he is portrayed in Pauline scripture), most rules are too confining. He makes a lot of recommendations about behavior, but is supremely unconcerned with establishing any kind of social structuring that will actually encourage and sustain those kinds of behavior.

Personally, I am deeply skeptical that this was, indeed, the attitude of the historical Jesus, as it would have run very much counter to the worldview and lifestyle of Rabbinic Jews, who seem to have been Jesus' primary target audience. It seems to me far more likely that such strong anti-nomianism is more reflective of the apostate Paul, who is primarily responsible for de-Judaizing Christianity.