This post is not so much to prove the Sabbath should be kept but rather effectual Bible based proof that using Colossians 2:16 to say the 7th day Sabbath is done away with or changed is unfounded.
The first premise is that Paul is teaching truth and that His truth is based in the Old Testament. Thus to properly understand what Paul is teaching here we must examine the source of His material. for this purpose let's look as scriptures where these things happen together. Here is the text in question:
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
So we have: meat and drink, holy day the word used here refers to feast days.:
ἑορτή
heortē
heh-or-tay'
Of uncertain affinity; a festival: - feast, holyday.
meat and drink:
Exo_29:41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev_23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
and many other such scriptures show that the meat and drink were offerings this is why Paul mentions them together and they all revolve around the sacrificial system.
What about the other things mentioned by Paul? lets take a look:
1Ch 23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:
2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
2Ch 31:3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.
Neh 10:33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
Eze 46:4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
Eze 46:5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.
Eze 46:6 And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish.
Eze 46:7 And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah.
So we note that all five things mentioned by Paul are all mentioned in connection the the sacrificial offerings for sins.
now here is a scripture that mentions all of the things Paul mentioned and in the same order:
Eze 45:17 And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
note:
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
All of these were connected to Sacrifices which had to do with an offering for sin. clearly Paul is deriving his point from the scriptures of the time/Old Testament. you can also find all these things connected by reading Numbers 28 and 29.
Now Paul does not use the words, offerings when he speaks, but any person familiar with that time and with the Old Testament would have known exactly to what He was referring to.
Note also that as we have seen that all these things are connected with the sacrificial system for sin. see the context also of Pauls writing here.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
notice that Jesus death blotted out what? The handwriting of ordinances, what are these?
Well The 10 commandments were written by the finger of God so unlikely that they are here being referred to. But there was a book of the law written by Moses. So lets examine other scriptures that speak of these things.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
notice again the same context, Jesus dies for us and thus the law of commandments contained in ordinances. again these ordinances come up.
notice this text connection the law of priesthood to a law of carnal commandment:
Heb 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
again the written law of Moses is likened to a carnal commandment in reference to the priesthood which preformed the sacrifices.
notice this then:
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
speaking of the sacrificial system it is said they are carnal ordinances imposed till when?
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
notice also in the Old testament:
Neh 10:32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
Neh 10:33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
So notice that they made ordinances to provide for the sacrificial system. I hope you are seeing that scripture is unified on this point. the ordinances are the laws written by Moses in connection with the sacrificial system.
Why does Christ put an end to these things? well Hebrews just told us, Jesus is our true offering for sin.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
And thus Paul says:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
The sacrificial system were only a shadow of the true sacrifice of Jesus Christ, thus when Christ had died and lived again there is not more need for sacrificial ordinances. carnal sacrifices are replaced with the spiritual sacrifice Jesus.
Once more it is evident that while the sacrifices themselves pointed forward to Christ, thus a shadow. The Sabbath commandment itself points back to a finished work:
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Blessings.
The first premise is that Paul is teaching truth and that His truth is based in the Old Testament. Thus to properly understand what Paul is teaching here we must examine the source of His material. for this purpose let's look as scriptures where these things happen together. Here is the text in question:
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
So we have: meat and drink, holy day the word used here refers to feast days.:
ἑορτή
heortē
heh-or-tay'
Of uncertain affinity; a festival: - feast, holyday.
meat and drink:
Exo_29:41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev_23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
and many other such scriptures show that the meat and drink were offerings this is why Paul mentions them together and they all revolve around the sacrificial system.
What about the other things mentioned by Paul? lets take a look:
1Ch 23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:
2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
2Ch 31:3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.
Neh 10:33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
Eze 46:4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
Eze 46:5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.
Eze 46:6 And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish.
Eze 46:7 And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah.
So we note that all five things mentioned by Paul are all mentioned in connection the the sacrificial offerings for sins.
now here is a scripture that mentions all of the things Paul mentioned and in the same order:
Eze 45:17 And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
note:
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
All of these were connected to Sacrifices which had to do with an offering for sin. clearly Paul is deriving his point from the scriptures of the time/Old Testament. you can also find all these things connected by reading Numbers 28 and 29.
Now Paul does not use the words, offerings when he speaks, but any person familiar with that time and with the Old Testament would have known exactly to what He was referring to.
Note also that as we have seen that all these things are connected with the sacrificial system for sin. see the context also of Pauls writing here.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
notice that Jesus death blotted out what? The handwriting of ordinances, what are these?
Well The 10 commandments were written by the finger of God so unlikely that they are here being referred to. But there was a book of the law written by Moses. So lets examine other scriptures that speak of these things.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
notice again the same context, Jesus dies for us and thus the law of commandments contained in ordinances. again these ordinances come up.
notice this text connection the law of priesthood to a law of carnal commandment:
Heb 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
again the written law of Moses is likened to a carnal commandment in reference to the priesthood which preformed the sacrifices.
notice this then:
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
speaking of the sacrificial system it is said they are carnal ordinances imposed till when?
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
notice also in the Old testament:
Neh 10:32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
Neh 10:33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
So notice that they made ordinances to provide for the sacrificial system. I hope you are seeing that scripture is unified on this point. the ordinances are the laws written by Moses in connection with the sacrificial system.
Why does Christ put an end to these things? well Hebrews just told us, Jesus is our true offering for sin.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
And thus Paul says:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
The sacrificial system were only a shadow of the true sacrifice of Jesus Christ, thus when Christ had died and lived again there is not more need for sacrificial ordinances. carnal sacrifices are replaced with the spiritual sacrifice Jesus.
Once more it is evident that while the sacrifices themselves pointed forward to Christ, thus a shadow. The Sabbath commandment itself points back to a finished work:
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Blessings.
