Understanding Colossians 2:16, ceremonial sabbaths and the Sabbath

[Reddogs]

Many Christians quote this text and fail to understand its meaning.

Colossians 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:

AI almost got this right.. 'A "ceremonial Sabbath" refers to the special, annual holy days in the Old Testament (like the first and last days of Unleavened Bread or Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, Feast of Trumpets) which were distinct from the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, serving as foreshadows of Christ's work, fulfilled at His cross, while the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is seen by many Christians as a moral, perpetual command established at creation, separate from those ceremonial laws.'

I came across a good sermon from Pastor Doug Batchelor he gave a good answer on what these ceremonial sabbaths are versus the Sabbath.

We see it in Leviticus 23, which starts with the Sabbath then goes into the ceremonial sabbaths.
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.
13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.
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.
19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.
21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.
23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
26 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
28 ;And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God.
29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
33 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.
35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
37 These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
38 Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.
39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.
41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.

We see that what it does, is it simply itemizes all of the days, both the annual and the weekly sabbath, that were to be recognized. At the beginning of the list, it talks about the seventh day Sabbath, beginning with verse three: '...Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation.' That means we are to convene and come together. You'll do no work on that day.

It is going through a litany of all of the sacred days, including the weekly Sabbath. That doesn't mean they are all the same or of the same nature. Right on the surface, we see there's a major difference. There's only one that was a weekly Sabbath. The others were annual feast days.

The weekly Sabbath was given at creation and the Bible tells us that the Sabbath was made for man. Well that would obviously be back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis.
Genesis 2:3
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

And beyond that, even before they get to Mount Sinai, God calls the seventh day Sabbath His Law.
Exodus 16:23
And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

The other ceremonial sabbaths came afterward and they were shadows of the plan of salvation. Now our coming together for corporate worship and our need for a day of rest did not cease with the sacrifice of Jesus. We see that Isaiah 66 says even in Heaven all flesh will come to worship before him on the Sabbath.
Isaiah 66:23
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

So just because it's in the list with the other ceremonial sabbaths doesn't mean that it was a ceremonial sabbath.

 

[Dino246]

Many Christians quote this text and fail to understand its meaning.

I came across a good sermon from Pastor Doug Batchelor he gave a good answer on what these ceremonial sabbaths are versus the Sabbath.

Doug Batchelor is a Seventh-Day Adventist. Of course his sermon is going to support an old-covenant view of Sabbath.

 

[Reddogs]

Doug Batchelor is a Seventh-Day Adventist. Of course his sermon is going to support an old-covenant view of Sabbath.

Read your bible my brother and see what it says...

 

[Reddogs]

Here is an even more expansive explanation..

"Writing to the believers in Colossae, Paul cautioned, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ" (Col. 2:16, 17).

Many have concluded that the "sabbath" in this passage refers to the seventh day and that this day is no longer binding upon Christians.2 More recently, those promoting the Levitical festivals have similarly claimed that Colossians 2:16 deals with the weekly Sabbath, but that it should be observed together with the feasts and new moons. Seventh-day Adventists, however, have generally maintained that the context shows that this refers to the ceremonial sabbaths. In the landmark Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, Professor Kenneth Strand hinted at a structural approach to the "feast, new moon, sabbath" trilogy: "It is also possible that Paul was using the common literary device of inverted parallelism [i.e., a chiasm], thus moving from annual to monthly and then back again to annual festivals"3—thus affirming the ceremonial sabbath view of Adventism. Where does the weight of biblical evidence lie?

Apparently, while Paul was in prison in Rome,4 Epaphras visited him (Philem. 23), informing him of the spiritual growth of the Colossian church (Col. 1:3–8; 2:5) as well as of the heretical teachings making inroads there (Col. 2:1–23).

This heresy is nowhere identified, so dozens of theories regarding it have been proposed.5 However, since at least 1966, scholars have concluded that "it is no longer fitting to discuss a possible influence of 'Gnosticism' upon the Colossian Religion or its refutation."6 In recent decades, serious Bible scholars, focusing on the scriptural text, have concluded that the challenge in Colossae had to do with "thought patterns with which Paul was very much at home—that is, some form of Jewish spirituality rather than Gnostic speculation or mystery cult initiation."7

The major theological thrust of this epistle is a correct view of Christ—"the visible manifestation of the invisible God"8 (Col. 1:15)—a Christology cogently related to salvation (Col. 1:13, 14; cf. 2:11–15), with profound implications for ethical living (Col. 3:4–4:6). The single great message of Colossians may thus be summed up in the declaration, "Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us" (Col. 3:11, NLT).9 Astutely, Charles Talbert noted that "it is against the background of this salvific narrative that the arguments of the Colossian letter unfold."10

Analyzing the structure of Colossians 2
Colossians 2:16 begins with "therefore" (KJV, RSV), indicating that the caution being sounded arises from what has been outlined earlier;11 and that, as commentators acknowledge, "verses 12 and 13 are central to the appeal of the letter."12

Ian Thomson has demonstrated that these two verses are the peak of a chiasm that extends throughout most of Colossians 2 (see figure 1).

Figure 1: Colossians 2 Chiasm

Introduction: 2:6 "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him"

A 2:7 "Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith"

B 2:8 "Beware lest anyone cheat you . . . not according to Christ"

C 2:9 "In Him dwells . . . the Godhead bodily;" 10a "You are complete in Him"

D. 2:10b "Who is the head of all principality and power"

E 2:11 "Circumcised with the circumcision made without hands"

F 2:12 "Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised"

F1 2:13 "Dead in your transgressions . . . He made you alive together with Him"13

E1 2:14 "Wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us"

D1 2:15 "Having disarmed principalities and powers"

C1 2:16 "Let no one pass judgment;" 17 "But the body is Christ's"14

B1 2:18 "Let no one cheat you;" 19a "Not holding fast to the Head"

A1 2:19b "Nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows"15

By recognizing "that chiasmus pervades Colossians"16 and "by appreciating the divisions and development of these thoughts within this significant letter, one may follow Paul's thought with added clarity."17....

 

[Reddogs]

...Interpreting the cheirographon tois dogmasin

The above chiastic structure reveals that "the handwriting of requirements" (of v. 14, NKJV) corresponds linguistically to "the circumcision made without hands" (of v. 11).18 Thus, it is preferable to formally translate cheirographon as a literal "handwriting" or its equivalent;19 and that structurally and contextually, this "written code, with its regulations" (NIV) echoes the ceremonial regulation of circumcision.

This unique term cheirographon is immediately qualified by tois dogmasin. Since written by the same author, covering similar issues, and sent to recipients of the same region, some have concluded that the "dogmasin" in Ephesians 2:15 sheds light on Colossians 2:14,20 thus making "reference to the Mosaic Law."21 Contemporaneously, Josephus and Philo likewise used dogma for Mosaic Law.22 Several scholars concur,23 noting that this is supported by most of the Greek church fathers and "is grammatically without problems."24

Though he frequently employed nomos for Old Testament law, Paul apparently did not use it here, so as (a) to avoid the impression that the entire Mosaic Law had been abrogated; and (b) to focus attention directly on the ceremonial law25—elements of which are listed in 2:16.26 As David Pao concludes in his 2012 exegetical commentary, "Even though a strict identification with the Mosaic Torah cannot be made," the cheirographon "should be understood in relation to the Mosaic law."27

Colossians 2:14 has been recently recognized as "one of the most vivid descriptions in the New Testament of what happened when Jesus died."28 "He [i.e., Christ] forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross" (Col. 2:13b, 14, NIV). John Heil observed that "the metaphor is convoluted, but presumably reflects again the idea of Christ's death as a sin offering."29 In brief, by formulating this daring metaphor,30 Paul directly connected forgiveness through Christ (v. 13b) to the "written code, with its regulations" (v. 14), which had required sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins, as well as to the death of Christ, by which these ritual requirements were "canceled" (Greek: exaleipsas, i.e., "abolishing a law"31). By His death, Christ consummated the ritual system—He "has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross" (Col. 2:14, HCSB). In Ellen White's words, "The ceremonial system was made up of symbols pointing to Christ. . . . It is this law that Christ 'took . . . out of the way, nailing it to His cross.' Colossians 2:14."32 These "regulations" that "stood opposed to us" allude to Old Testament laws that were " 'a witness against you' " (Deut. 31:26, NKJV),33 which Peter called a " 'yoke,' " " 'which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear' " (Acts 15:10, NKJV).34

Fittingly employing a Christological hermeneutic, Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . summarizes, "At the death of Christ the jurisdiction of ceremonial law came to an end. His atoning sacrifice provided forgiveness for all sins. This act 'wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross' (Col. 2:14; cf. Deut. 31:26)."35 Verse 15 then reveals, as Dermot McDonald notes, "Christ the crucified is Lord; and all the hostile powers of the universe have become subjected to him. In Christ's cross the demonic hosts of evil have met their Conqueror."36 With this background, we can now proceed to verse 16, which begins, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink" (NKJV).

Reflecting upon "judge," food and drink"
Colossians 1:21, 22, 27, and 2:13 give the distinct impression that the Colossian church was predominantly Gentile, though Jews were certainly present37 and apparently formed "a significant Jewish element within the church,"38 for history records that "Colossae had a significant Jewish population."39 Based on similarities with Galatians,40several interpreters have concluded that the Colossian "heretics" were Jews or Judaizers,41 though chapter 2:21 suggests that the restrictions proposed went far beyond the Jewish law.42 David Garland states, "Newly formed Gentile Christians in Colossae are being badgered about their faith by contentious Jews"43 and were "being called upon to observe times and seasons as somehow necessary for their salvation."44

Paul's counsel is strong: "Let no one, then, judge you" (YLT). The word judge (krinetō) contextually means to "pass unfavorable judgment upon."45 As the New Living Translation has paraphrased it: "So don't let anyone condemn you for . . . not celebrating certain holy days."46

Before considering the terms feast, new moon, sabbath, a comment needs to be made regarding the "food and drink." While brōsis and posis may designate "eating" and "drinking," they are better rendered contextually with the nouns "food" and "drink," as in formal translations (ESV, NAB, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, etc.).47 Since the "food and drink come in the context of circumcision and the observance of special days,"48 it appears "these words doubtless refer to the meal and drink offerings presented by the Israelites."49" ... No “rest” for the “Sabbath” of Colossians 2:16: A structural-syntactical- semantic study

 

[Reddogs]

Now if one looks deeper into the text, Colossians 2:16 was not written about the fourth commandment, but in response to errors taught by some false teachers that were affecting the early believers. We find it in verse 8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

We see the false teaching is described as "philosophy," "the tradition of men," "the rudiments of the world," and "not according to Christ". It also involved circumcision as we see in verse 11 "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:" and the keeping of Jewish festivals and ceremonial sabbaths, and this is where we find verse 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:"

You see if goes into Jewish purity rituals and regulations connected with food "you in meat, or in drink" which we see also continued in verse 21 and 22, "(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men?" And as we see, it was based on "the commandments and doctrines of men" which clearly is not the decalogue written with Gods own finger.

Paul is pointing out to beware of these false teachers with their human philosophies and traditions, with which we are taken captive or spoiled from the true gospel from Christ. "8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

He was not doing away with any part of the decalogue, so say nothing of doing away with the Sabbath, as the uproar would have been instantaneous and across the board by all the writers in the New Testament, and yet, not one word....

 

[tablet123]

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.

Jesus took the physical laws, and ordinances of Israel out of way nailing them to His cross conquering them because it is a spiritual covenant now.

Those things were against us and contrary to us because they had no bearing on salvation.

They are not needed and do not have benefit.

And God does not require us to obey them.

Love works no ill towards their neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Why do we need these things.

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:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Let no person judge you because we do not have to go by them.

Which they were a shadow of things to come only temporary.

The body is of Christ by the Spirit is what matters.

The sabbath was only for the Old Testament to go along with this physical earth that God made.

A physical sabbath, a physical rest.

Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus went to prepare a place for the saints.

The New Jerusalem.

Which by the Spirit the kingdom of God is in them so they belong there.

And they are strangers on earth and desire a better country which is heavenly.

The saints do not belong to this earth but the new earth Jesus went away to prepare.

So they go by that earth and the sabbath associated with it.

A spiritual sabbath, a spiritual rest.

 

[ResidentAlien]

AI almost got this right.. 'A "ceremonial Sabbath" refers to the special, annual holy days in the Old Testament (like the first and last days of Unleavened Bread or Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, Feast of Trumpets) which were distinct from the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, serving as foreshadows of Christ's work, fulfilled at His cross, while the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is seen by many Christians as a moral, perpetual command established at creation, separate from those ceremonial laws.'

Except the text doesn't say anything about a ceremonial sabbath. The context of the passage is clearly talking about leaving the law to walk in the Spirit in Christ.

" . . . having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." v. 14

It doesn't say some of the requirements were taken out of the way while others remain.

 

[BBerean]

Now if one looks deeper into the text, Colossians 2:16 was not written about the fourth commandment, but in response to errors taught by some false teachers that were affecting the early believers. We find it in verse 8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

We see the false teaching is described as "philosophy," "the tradition of men," "the rudiments of the world," and "not according to Christ". It also involved circumcision as we see in verse 11 "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:" and the keeping of Jewish festivals and ceremonial sabbaths, and this is where we find verse 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:"

You see if goes into Jewish purity rituals and regulations connected with food "you in meat, or in drink" which we see also continued in verse 21 and 22, "(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men?" And as we see, it was based on "the commandments and doctrines of men" which clearly is not the decalogue written with Gods own finger.

Paul is pointing out to beware of these false teachers with their human philosophies and traditions, with which we are taken captive or spoiled from the true gospel from Christ. "8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

He was not doing away with any part of the decalogue, so say nothing of doing away with the Sabbath, as the uproar would have been instantaneous and across the board by all the writers in the New Testament, and yet, not one word....

You wrote a lot and I did not take it all in , it’s not really that complicated to me . The way I understand it is when Jesus was accused by the Pharisees of breaking the Sabbath, Jesus corrected them on their errors . Is it right to good or evil on the Sabbath he asked them ? We know what happened later they wanted to kill Jesus for doing good , breaking their understanding of the law and Sabbath. So in like manner we don’t allow men to judge us , since we have Jesus understanding of which they cannot grasp. Do we throw out the Sabbath? If so then Adultery as well then , and killing, etc . No we establish the Law in correct understanding and application. By the Spirit of God , not the letter of the law . A few thoughts I have on this .

 

[Gideon300]

We see the false teaching is described as "philosophy," "the tradition of men," "the rudiments of the world," and "not according to Christ". It

He was not doing away with any part of the decalogue, so say nothing of doing away with the Sabbath, as the uproar would have been instantaneous and across the board by all the writers in the New Testament, and yet, not one word....

Garbage. Acts 15
"Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question."

Skip a bit.........

But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.

After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.

Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

For brevity, skip some more.........

"It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing."

"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things."

There is no requirement to keep the law of Moses. You can't anyway. And if you fail, you are condemned.

 

[greenonions]

Many Christians quote this text and fail to understand its meaning.

Colossians 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:

AI almost got this right.. 'A "ceremonial Sabbath" refers to the special, annual holy days in the Old Testament (like the first and last days of Unleavened Bread or Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, Feast of Trumpets) which were distinct from the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, serving as foreshadows of Christ's work, fulfilled at His cross, while the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is seen by many Christians as a moral, perpetual command established at creation, separate from those ceremonial laws.'

I came across a good sermon from Pastor Doug Batchelor he gave a good answer on what these ceremonial sabbaths are versus the Sabbath.

We see it in Leviticus 23, which starts with the Sabbath then goes into the ceremonial sabbaths.
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
...

Romans 14:5-6 NKJV
[5] One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. [6] He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Every day alike is acceptable. That means Sabbath does not need to be different, if you are fully convinced in your mind.

In the early church, Gentile believers likely had to work seven days a week. And the Sabbath is not just resting in Leviticus 23:3, it is a community gathering (holy convocation).

 

[TMS]

It is clear when you understand the big picture.

Laws were introduced because of sin

Added because of transgression..
Gal 3:19.

But there were laws and commandments that define sin. Before these Added laws sin was already defined.

Sin happened in Noah's day.
Adam sinned
Abraham sinned but he also obeyed laws. Gen 26:5. ...Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

It is clear that laws were added to help people understand the coming Messiah.

These were a shadow of the plan of salvation..
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Moses was given laws according to the pattern.

These laws were only a shadow.. they were not to take the place of Jesus..

Jesus is the true Lamb and only means of salvation.

The salvation from Sin.

SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.

transgression has been present since Adam until today so the same law has been defining Sin.

Rom 3:20. 5:13, 7:7.

But the laws introduced that are a shadow are nailed to the cross.

Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

TILL THE SEED SHOULD COME. once Jesus has come and became the sacrifice for our sins we no longer need those shadow laws.

But sin is still present so a law is still condemning us of sin.

If all laws were nailed to the cross then no sin would be committed today.

Rom 3:30-31
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;

Paul said to establish the law
But latter said the law is abolished...
?????
It is not a contradiction if he is talking about two different laws.

 

[Aaron56]

But sin is still present so a law is still condemning us of sin.

Have you not reckoned yourself dead to sin?

"Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

[Aaron56]

Furthermore, have you not died to the law?

"Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."

If we reckon ourselves dead in Christ we become dead to the law:

"For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Jesus the man is not the same as Christ the Risen Savior. Jesus the man was born under the law. Christ the Risen Savior, having died and then lived again, arose not as another man under the law but as the One with all authority - a Spirit Man Who was the Eternal Word of God. The One with all authority was never under the law given at Sinai.

 

[Cameron143]

Furthermore, have you not died to the law?

"Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."

If we reckon ourselves dead in Christ we become dead to the law:

"For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Jesus the man is not the same as Christ the Risen Savior. Jesus the man was born under the law. Christ the Risen Savior, having died and then lived again, arose not as another man under the law but as the One with all authority - a Spirit Man Who was the Eternal Word of God. The One with all authority was never under the law given at Sinai.

If only people would understand this they wouldn't keep placing themselves under the law.

 

[BBerean]

Mark 16 v 1 And when the Sabbath was past ….

Why wait until it is past ?

V 3 And they said among themselves who shall roll away us the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

Obvious is it not ?

But why did God wait until after the Sabbath to raise up Jesus ? That may not so obvious to some .

The Sabbath is still in effect.

 

[homwardbound]

Many Christians quote this text and fail to understand its meaning.

Colossians 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:

AI almost got this right.. 'A "ceremonial Sabbath" refers to the special, annual holy days in the Old Testament (like the first and last days of Unleavened Bread or Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, Feast of Trumpets) which were distinct from the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, serving as foreshadows of Christ's work, fulfilled at His cross, while the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is seen by many Christians as a moral, perpetual command established at creation, separate from those ceremonial laws.'

I came across a good sermon from Pastor Doug Batchelor he gave a good answer on what these ceremonial sabbaths are versus the Sabbath.

We see it in Leviticus 23, which starts with the Sabbath then goes into the ceremonial sabbaths.
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.
13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.
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 \


So just because it's in the list with the other ceremonial sabbaths doesn't mean that it was a ceremonial sabbath.

All this precluded before the coming here to earth, the Son of Man. Who completed all Law fro us the people to be new in the risen Son, upon anyone choosing Son as their Messiah. To now are able to enter the throne of Grace with Father as if never sinned, Col 1:21-22. that is done forever by Son, God approved With Son as Risen fro anyone to choose this truth
Thank you Lord

 

[Reddogs]

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.

Jesus took the physical laws, and ordinances of Israel out of way nailing them to His cross conquering them because it is a spiritual covenant now.

Those things were against us and contrary to us because they had no bearing on salvation.

They are not needed and do not have benefit.

And God does not require us to obey them.

Love works no ill towards their neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Why do we need these things.

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:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Let no person judge you because we do not have to go by them.

Which they were a shadow of things to come only temporary.

The body is of Christ by the Spirit is what matters.

The sabbath was only for the Old Testament to go along with this physical earth that God made.

A physical sabbath, a physical rest.

Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus went to prepare a place for the saints.

The New Jerusalem.

Which by the Spirit the kingdom of God is in them so they belong there.

And they are strangers on earth and desire a better country which is heavenly.

The saints do not belong to this earth but the new earth Jesus went away to prepare.

So they go by that earth and the sabbath associated with it.

A spiritual sabbath, a spiritual rest.

One question, does Gods Ten Commandments still stand or has it been done away and we are free to break it?

 

[BBerean]

One question, does Gods Ten Commandments still stand or has it been done away and we are free to break it?

Matthew 5v17 , 18 do not think that I came to destroy the law or prophets . I did not come to destroy but fulfill . For assuredly I say unto you , till heaven and earth pass away , one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Who ever therefore breaks one of these least of these commandments, and teaches men so , shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven , but who ever does and teaches them , he shall be great in the kingdom of heaven . ( this is so very crystal clear to me ! When is all fulled ? When heaven and earth pass away and the final judgment takes place . The earth is still here so is the LAW . Jesus came and did the law and taught the importance of it and corrected the Pharisees for abusing it . Doing and teaching the law is great by Jesus words . Breaking the law and teaching it are to make one’s self the least of heaven . When Jesus died it was for sins past , according to Apostle Paul .

 

[BBerean]

Matthew 5v17 , 18 do not think that I came to destroy the law or prophets . I did not come to destroy but fulfill . For assuredly I say unto you , till heaven and earth pass away , one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Who ever therefore breaks one of these least of these commandments, and teaches men so , shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven , but who ever does and teaches them , he shall be great in the kingdom of heaven . ( this is so very crystal clear to me ! When is all fulled ? When heaven and earth pass away and the final judgment takes place . The earth is still here so is the LAW . Jesus came and did the law and taught the importance of it and corrected the Pharisees for abusing it . Doing and teaching the law is great by Jesus words . Breaking the law and teaching it are to make one’s self the least of heaven . When Jesus died it was for sins past , according to Apostle Paul .

1 John 2 v 1 my little children, these things I write unto you ,so that you may not sin . And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father , Jesus Christ the righteous. Read the rest of the chapter …

So obviously the law is still in effect or there could be no sin .