What Did Paul Really Say in Colossians 2:16?

[Lewis]

Hmmmm Did Paul really not respect the Sabbath ? What Did Paul Really Say in Colossians 2:16?

When Paul wrote, "... Let no one judge you in food . . ." (verse 16), he wasn't discussing what types of foods they should or should not eat. The Greek word brosis, translated "food," refers not to the kinds of foods one should or should not eat, but to "the act of eating" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, "Food"). The point is that the deceivers disdained feastingâ€â€any type of eating and drinking for enjoyment.

Paul instructed the Colossian Christians not to be influenced by these false teachers' objections to eating, drinking and rejoicing on Sabbaths, feast days and new moons.

Perhaps we should, at this point, mention the relationship between new moons and God's festivals. The dates for observing God's festivals are determined by a lunar calendar. Therefore new moonsâ€â€which mark the beginning of the monthsâ€â€are important for establishing correct festival dates. Unlike God's Holy Days, however, new moons are not commanded observances in the Scriptures. In the Millennium the custom of making the arrival of each new moon a special occasion will again be restored (Isaiah 66:23), but no biblical command exists now that requires their observance.

Now back to Paul's main point: The Colossian deceivers had no authority to judge or determine how the Colossians were to observe God's festivals. That is why Paul said, "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 ..." (verses 16-17, King James Version).

Notice that Paul tells them to reject false human judgment, not the judgment of God found in the Scriptures.

At this point we should note another grammatical matter. The words "respect of" are translated from the Greek noun meros, which denotes a part of something. Therefore a more accurate rendering of what Paul wrote would be "Let no man therefore judge you ... in any part of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days ..."

Paul is simply being consistent. Eating or drinking is an appropriate part of Sabbath and feast-day observance according to the Scriptures. Therefore Paul uses meros ("part") to cover all parts or aspects of God's Holy Days that these heretics might condemn or criticize. Nothing in this passage even suggests that God abolished His Sabbaths or Holy Days, nor authorized Paul to do so. Succumbing to the judgmental influence of those early gnostic heretics is what Paul condemns, not the observance of Sabbaths and feast days.

God's festivals are times for joy and celebration. He commands us to attend them and rejoice with our childrenâ€â€our entire family (Deuteronomy 12:5,7; 14:26). He wants us to delight in them. No wonder Paul condemns the misguided ascetic philosophy of the Colossian heretics with such vigor. Paul was defending the Christians' right to enjoy feasting at God's holy festivals.
http://www.ucgstp.org/lit/bsc/bsc12/paulreallysay.htm



http://www.ucg.org/bsc/12/paulreallysay.htm

http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn13/sabbathinacts.htm

http://www.freetruth.info/THE%20SEVEN%2 ... essay7.htm

http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/sabbwhy.html

 

[Georges]

Hmmmm Did Paul really not respect the Sabbath ? What Did Paul Really Say in Colossians 2:16?

That's easy EDIT


Edit Made By Atonement

 

[Lewis]

Hmmmm Did Paul really not respect the Sabbath ? What Did Paul Really Say in Colossians 2:16?

That's easy....edit

Well' well' well' where have you been dude ? Were you chased out of town by Paul loving' people with torches' like they did Frankinstein ?

 

[jgredline]

Well' well' well' where have you been dude ? Were you chased out of town by Paul loving' people with torches' like they did Frankinstein ?

Been going to and fro :-D

 

[cyberjosh]

Taking the simplest approach, from an already developed doctrine of theology, we are not under legalism but under freedom in Christ, and there is no explicit command to obey the Sabbath in the NT. And the Gentiles then and now cannot be expected to observe the Sabbath as some obligation, and since it is not written explicitly in the Bible I don't see how anyone could be blamed even if it were required.

Since there is a slight redundancy between threads, I would ask you to see my response here, to see a better summary of my view.

 

[AnglicanaEcclesia]

...there is no explicit command to obey the Sabbath in the NT.

So? If I commanded you 10 years ago to eat an apple every tuesday then that is what you would do until I told you to stop. God did not tell us to stop observing the Sabbath and so we must continue to do so!

 

[Remember]

Ex 31:12-17

12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people .

15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
KJV

The sabbath was to be observed by the children of Israel as part of their covenant with God . There are no more children of Israel. Christians are not part of that covenant.

 

[Solo]

Now that Jesus has fulfilled the Law of Moses, and believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, all believers should rest from their own work and be about the work of the Lord every day of the week, not just the Sabbath. All seven days of each week should be kept holy unto the Lord, and all believers should rest from their own work, each of those seven days of the week.

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: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. 20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. Colossians 2:16-23

 

[marturia]

Although Jesus Christ observed certain Jewish festivals, neither Jesus nor his apostles initiated religious processions. The Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Processions seem to have come into vogue soon after the recognition of Christianity as the religion of the empire by Constantine in the 4th century.†And The World Book Encyclopedia states: “Church festivals [with their processions] took over many pagan customs, giving them new meanings.â€Â

Christians are under no obligation to join in such religious festivals and processions. In referring to festivals that had been required by God’s Law to ancient Israel, the apostle Paul wrote: “Let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.†(Colossians 2:16, 17 NWT) The Christians in Colossae were to let no one judge their standing before God on the basis of observance of festivals of the Mosaic Law.

It is also worth reading the context of Paul:…†God kindly forgave us all our trespasses and blotted out the handwritten document against us, which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us . “

As the friend Remember
replies:

The sabbath was to be observed by the children of Israel as part of their covenant with God . There are no more children of Israel. Christians are not part of that covenant.

Then, an approved standing with God no longer requires observance of the sabbath requirement given to Israel.

AnglicanaEcclesia replies:

If I commanded you 10 years ago to eat an apple every tuesday then that is what you would do until I told you to stop. God did not tell us to stop observing the Sabbath and so we must continue to do so!

Your reasoning does not comply with what Paul was talking about. If God decided to change his law He has all the right to do so.

Please read Romans 7:6: “..we have been released from the Law…now we can serve God in the new way of living in the Spirit..â€Â

This, ties well with what Jesu talked about when he was teaching the Samaritan woman at the well, remember?
John 4:24 God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth

 

[RJS]

The sabbath was to be observed by the children of Israel as part of their covenant with God.

You are correct and yet you are wrong. Upon what grounds were they to observe the Sabbath? Do you accept there were more than one Sabbath?

The Jews had the figure we have the reality...the Lord's Day.

Suggested reading:
1. http://www.the-highway.com/ten_commandments4.html
2. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/Ro ... abbath.htm
3. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/Th ... ndment.htm
4. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/Th ... rdsDay.htm
5. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/JCRyleSabbath.htm

 

[Remember]

You are correct and yet you are wrong. Upon what grounds were they to observe the Sabbath? Do you accept there were more than one Sabbath?

The Jews had the figure we have the reality...the Lord's Day.

Suggested reading:
1. http://www.the-highway.com/ten_commandments4.html
2. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/Ro ... abbath.htm
3. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/Th ... ndment.htm
4. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/Th ... rdsDay.htm
5. http://apuritansmind.com/TheLordsDay/JCRyleSabbath.htm

BCV from within God's word verifying such is preferred. Man puts a lot of names on a lot of things that don't agree with the word of God. "The" Sabbath was by covenant between God and the Jews.

If you wish to call a day or a bunch of days "A" sabbath for yourself, you are welcome to do so.

 

[Lewis]

Many needs to read this. And when you get down to where Paul is preaching on the first day of the week' let me know what you think. Or when you get down to where Luke talks about them observing the Sabbath day as commanded. Let me know please. So just don't sit there' read on.

FAQ: Is Sunday Worship Mentioned in the New Testament?

The word "Sunday" does not appear any place in the Bible, but the phrase "first day of the week" is found in the New Testament. It occurs in exactly eight places. Examining these eight texts will prove insightful.

If the day was changed by Bible authorityâ€â€if Christians are to find any biblical authorization whatsoever for observing Sunday as the "Lord's Day" todayâ€â€then we must find that authority in one of these eight texts!

Since the Bible clearly establishes the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath up to the time of the crucifixion, there can be no biblical authority for Sunday observance unless we find it clearly and plainly stated in one of these eight New Testament passages. We should examine them carefully, honestly, prayerfully.

1. Matthew 28:1: "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb." Matthew wrote these words, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, several years after the New Testament church came into being.

This scripture tells us plainly that three days and three nights after all that was done away had been securely "nailed to the cross," the Sabbath was still the day before the first day of the weekâ€â€still the seventh day of the week.

One point is here plainly proved. Many tell us that the Sabbath command is merely for "one day in seven"â€â€that it does not have to be the seventh day of the week, but merely the seventh part of time. They argue that Sunday, being one day out of seven, fulfills the command. But this passage states in plain language that, three days after all abolished things had been done away, the Sabbath still existed and that it was the seventh day of the week. But was the day changed later?

2. Mark 16:2: "Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen." This first day of the week was, according to verse 1, "when the Sabbath was past." This text, then, proves the same thing as Matthew 28:1. The Sabbath was still the seventh day of the week.

3. Mark 16:9: "Now when He rose [was risen, KJV] early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons." This text, poorly translated, speaks of Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene later the same day (see "The resurrection Was Not on Sunday" and/or "after three days" for a better translation).

Nothing here calls the first day of the week the Christian Sabbath. Nothing here calls it "the Lord's Day." Nothing here hallows Sunday or says God made it holy. Nothing here commands us to observe it. Nothing here sets it apart as a memorial of the resurrection, or for any purpose. It contains no command or example of rest on this dayâ€â€no authority for observing Sunday.

4. Luke 24:1: "Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared." This text reiterates the same event recorded by Matthew and Mark. It also shows that on the first day of the week these women came to do the work of a common weekday, after having rested the Sabbath day "according to the commandment" (Luke 23:56).

The Holy Spirit inspired this statement. God knew the Sabbath was not abolished, and had Luke write this approximately thirty years after the establishing of the New Testament church! God inspired Luke to say that the "rest" these women took on the Sabbath day was "according to the commandment"â€â€a statement that would not be possible had the commandment been abolished.

This text, then, establishes Sunday as a common workday, and that, at the time of its writing, the command to keep the Sabbath had not been abolished.

5. John 20:1: "On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. . . ." This, written more than sixty years after the crucifixion, is merely John's version, describing the same visit to the tomb. It confirms the facts above.

6. John 20:19: "Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'peace be with you.'" Let us examine this carefully, for some claim this was a religious service called to celebrate the resurrection.

Notice this is the same first day of the week that followed the Sabbath. It was Jesus' first opportunity to appear to His disciples. For three and a half years, He had been constantly with them, on all days of the week. His meeting with them, of itself, could not establish any day as a Sabbath.

Were they meeting together to celebrate the resurrection, thus establishing Sunday as the Christian Sabbath in honor of the resurrection? The text gives the reason they were together: "for fear of the Jews"! The Jews had just taken, tried, and handed their Master over to the Romans for crucifixion. They were afraid! The doors were shut and probably bolted because of their fear. In addition, they were there because they all lived together in this upper room (Acts 1:13). Finallyâ€â€and conclusivelyâ€â€they did not assemble to celebrate the resurrection because they did not believe Jesus was risen (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:37, 39, 41).

Nothing in this text calls this day the "Sabbath," the "Lord's Day," or any sacred title. Nothing here sets it apart or makes it holy. Scripture gives no authority here for changing a command of God!

7. Acts 20:7: "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight."

Here, at last, we find a religious meeting on the first day of the week, but it was not a Sunday meeting! Notice, Paul continued his speech until midnight, and verse 8 says, "There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together." It was after sunset, before midnight, the first day of the week.

All Bible days begin and end at sunset. Throughout the Roman world at that time, and for a few hundred years afterwards, days began and ended at sunset. The practice of beginning the new day at midnight began much later. Therefore this meeting, and Paul's preaching, took place during the hours we now call Saturday night. It was not a Sunday meeting at all!

Another point is that Paul and his companions treated this first day of the week, beginning at sundown, as a normal workday. Paul's companions sailed around a peninsula from Troas to Assos (verse 13)â€â€a distance of fifty or sixty milesâ€â€while Paul, afoot, walked overland more than 19 miles (verses 11, 14). His companions were engaged in the labor of rowing and sailing a boat while Paul was preaching that Saturday night. Then, at the break of day Sunday morning, he set out to walk from Troas to Assosâ€â€a good hard day's work! He would not do this except on a common workday!

Does this text not say, as many claim, that the disciples always held communion every first day of the week? Not at all! This scripture says nothing about anything being done weekly or customarily. It simply relates the events of this one particular first day of the week. The first-century church kept the Lord's Supper once each year on the Passover (I Corinthians 11:24).

That "the disciples came together to break bread" means merely that they gathered to eat a meal. This expression was commonly used to designate a meal in past times. See also Luke 24:30; Acts 2:46; 27:35 for further examples of "breaking bread. Scripture interprets it only as eating a meal, not as a Communion service.

8. I Corinthians 16:2: "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper that there be no collections when I come." Often we see this text printed on the little offering envelopes in the pews of churches, and many preach that this text sets Sunday as the time for taking up the church collection for doing God's work and paying the minister and church expenses.

This verse says nothing of the sort!

Verse 1 tells us what kind of collection is being made: "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also." First, it is a collectionâ€â€not for the preacher, evangelism, or church expensesâ€â€but "for the saints." The members of the church in Jerusalem were suffering from drought and famine. They needed, not money, but food.

Notice that Paul had given similar instruction to other churches. He tells the Romans:

But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia [where Corinth is located] to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. . . . Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. (Romans 15:25-28)

It was not money, but fruit that was being prepared for shipment to the poor saints at Jerusalem! The Greek word can also refer to grain, wine, and other produce that can be stored a long time without spoiling.

In I Corinthians 16:2, does Paul say they should give money at a church service? Not at all! He says, "Let each one of you lay something aside, storing up. . . ." Note this! He is telling them to put something aside for a special use, to store itâ€â€at home! Why? Because Paul did not want there be any collecting done when he arrived. He wanted this gift for the Jerusalem church to be ready for shipment.

"And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go also, they [more than one] will go with me" (verses 3-4). Apparently it was going to require several men to carry this collection, gathered and stored up, to Jerusalem. If it were a tithe or offering for the minister or to spread the gospel, Paul could have carried the money alone.

Thus, once again, the first day of the week is a workday, a day for gathering fruit and food out of the orchards, fields, and gardens, and for storing it up. This labor was to be done on the first day as soon as the Sabbath was past!

Upon honest examination, not one of the texts speaking about "the first day of the week" sets it apart as a rest day. Not one makes it holy, calls it the Sabbath or by any other sacred title. In every case, the first day of the week was a common workday. In none of them was there a religious meeting and preaching service being held on the hours we now call Sunday. In none of them can we find a single shred of Bible authority for Sunday observance!
http://sabbath.org/index.cfm/fuseaction ... tament.htm :wink:

 

[unred typo]

Lewis W quoted:Upon honest examination, not one of the texts speaking about "the first day of the week" sets it apart as a rest day. Not one makes it holy, calls it the Sabbath or by any other sacred title. In every case, the first day of the week was a common workday. In none of them was there a religious meeting and preaching service being held on the hours we now call Sunday. In none of them can we find a single shred of Bible authority for Sunday observance!



I agree, Lewis W. This verse sticks out to me. It appears they got together at lunch (or possibly communion) and discussed what they had heard on the Sabbath. Paul, being the most learned in Mosaic law and articulate, naturally dominated the conversation with a full fledged sermon:
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
It was probably hard for them coming from Judaism to figure how much of the OT law still applied to them. But the Sabbath has it’s roots before Abraham:

Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The seventh day, Saturday, was made a holy day by God. He set it apart as a day of rest. I know some of you may think the church pew is a good place for a little nap, but I prefer a hammock or couch, myself. You can get together on whatever day you like but Sunday has become a Christian tradition. Rest on Saturday in honor of the God of creation. Getting the entire family all dressed up on time and sitting down to a long drawn out one chapter sermon sounds more like work to me. Do that on Sunday if you want. You go on ahead. Been there, done that, bought the choir robe…
:wink:

 

[guibox]

Yes, the appeal to the NT for Sunday worship is laughable at best and desperate at worst.

To me the 'New Covenant' theologists who believe that Jesus is our Sabbath rest and there is no more need for a 'holy day' have more NT validity then those who try to prove that the apostles recognized Sunday as 'the Lord' Day' and then try to use NT texts to prove it while ignoring the complete context of the culture, the situations and the complete lack of evidence to support it.

 

[Lewis]

4. Luke 24:1: "Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared." This text reiterates the same event recorded by Matthew and Mark. It also shows that on the first day of the week these women came to do the work of a common weekday, after having rested the Sabbath day "according to the commandment" (Luke 23:56).


Luke 23:56 (King James Version)

56And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.


Need I say more.