In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul seems to be saying his followers don’t need to worry about keeping food laws or the sabbath (NRSV):
16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
So I’m curious why Christians gave up the kosher food laws, but still felt compelled to observe the sabbath, even though they didn’t follow all the same sabbath customs that the Jews did.
Good question. I have also thought about this one a fair bit. Here are a few things I can offer.
The 10 commandments are the moral basis for all other laws for Jews and they retained this significance for Christians with the potential complication that Sabbath observance might still be required of Christians. Because Paul’s letters are so early we can conclude that Jesus’ resurrection on Sunday was something early followers of Jesus believed. Sunday is also referred to as the Lord’s Day in Revelation and the Didache. I think early Jesus followers gave Sunday the same religious significance that Jews had always given their Sabbath. I see it as a transfer. Which is why Christians today have no problem proclaiming belief in the 10 commandments, assured they are not breaching the sabbath requirements.
Adding to this complexity I would also point out that although Paul told his communities that Torah observance was not needed, Jesus did not. I still find it interesting that Christians look to Paul to understand how Torah and Judaism should be understood, but not so much to Jesus who had a lot to say about Torah.
Yeah I can remember arguments in the fundamentalist church I grew up in as to whether or not one should work on Sunday. And of course most of the stores in my little town were closed.
It is interesting how believers ignore Matthew when he has Jesus clearly say that his followers must obey the Law. But the vast majority of the sermons I ever heard growing up were from Paul and Acts. How very little I ever heard from Jesus’ actual quotes and teachings!
God made the sabbath for us so why shouldn’t we keep it?
It seemed to me Paul was often addressing the very strict literalistic readings of that time. The same ones that the gospels show Jesus also addressing.
Jesus’s teaching in the gospels is to try to understand the basis for the rules and focus on that rather than legalistic understandings. I think Paul was also addressing many legalistic view of “the law” and “works.”
godspell said
No offense, joe, but you’re spamming the forum, and I’m not reading another post of yours, ever again.
What do you mean when you say “No offense”? Do you mean I shouldn’t take offense to your false accusation that I am spamming the forum or your announcement that you will not read another post from me ever again?
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