Hi all,

I’d appreciate any help with understanding the following passage in the ** you do not have permission to see this link **:

“Neither worship ye him as do the Jews, for they, who suppose that they alone know God, do not know him, serving angels and archangels, the month and the moon: and if no moon be seen, they do not celebrate what is called the first sabbath, nor keep the new moon, nor the days of unleavened bread, nor the feast (of tabernacles?), nor the great day (of atonement).”

I have two questions:

1. Is the PoP criticising Jews for keeping or not keeping certain Jewish festivals?

On the face of it, it appears the PoP is criticising certain Jews for “serving… the month and the moon” a tradition that restricted their worship of God, as they would refuse to attend certain Jewish pilgrimage festivals (Passover and Pentecost) unless they observed the moon. This would be a tacit criticism of Jews refusing to worship at the temple. On the other hand, it does appear to be wrapped in the same language Paul used to criticise certain Jewish Christians who insisted on worshipping Angels and “observing festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths.” (Col 2:16-19) Here Paul urged the Colossians to refrain from such activities, which appears to be at odds with PoP. Was PoP attempting to (cack-handily) reproduce Paul’s criticism of certain Jewish customs?

2. Regardless of the direction of PoP’s criticism, does this reference to temple worship suggest a pre 70 date for PoP?

Regardless of which direction this teaching goes in (forbidding or encouraging temple worship), surely this could not have been invented after the temple was destroyed in 70 as the teaching would be utterly redundant and nonsensical. Can anyone think of an incentive to invent a doctrine that could not be followed? If it is an authentic teaching of Peter, then this would automatically place the teaching pre-70, but it would allow the document’s composition to exceed 70. However, if it is an authentic teaching first recorded after 70, we must ask again, what the incentive would be to preserve it beyond the point where it could be observed?