Col 2:16-17 (HCSB) Therefore,
don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a
festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to
come; the substance is the Messiah.
Far too often debate about how to
interpret this passage focuses on the phrase “Sabbath day,” rather than seeking
to understand the picture painted by the apostle. Countless times, the meaning
of what we read in the new testament can be rightly understood by having
knowledge of the old testament. So it is which this lesson in Colossians
2:16-17.
The phrase “festival or a new
moon or a Sabbath day” must be looked at, not merely the Sabbath day. Paul says
“these things,” referring to what was mentioned in verse 16 – food, drink,
festivals, new moons, and Sabbath days. The phrase “festival or a new moon or a
Sabbath day” shows up in 7 Old Covenant passages, provided below. Please read
through them and do not be put off if the words are not in the same order as in
Colossians 2 – the picture is the same.
1Chr 23:30-32 (HCSB) They are
also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise
in the evening. Whenever burnt offerings are offered to the LORD on the
Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed festivals, they are to do so regularly
in the LORD’s presence according to the number prescribed for them. They are to
carry out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting, for the holy place,
and for their relatives, the sons of Aaron, in the service of the LORD’s
temple.”
2 Chr 2:4 (HCSB) Now I am
building a temple for the name of Yahweh my God in order to dedicate it to Him
for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the rows of the bread
of the Presence continuously, and for sacrificing burnt offerings for the
morning and the evening, the Sabbaths and the New Moons, and the appointed
festivals of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever.
2Chr 8:12-13 (HCSB) At that time
Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the LORD’s altar he had made in
front of the portico. He followed the daily requirement for offerings according
to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual
appointed festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of
Weeks, and the Festival of Booths.
2Chr 31:2-3 (HCSB) Hezekiah
reestablished the divisions of the priests and Levites for the burnt offerings
and fellowship offerings, for ministry, for giving thanks, and for praise in
the gates of the camp of the LORD, each division corresponding to his service
among the priests and Levites. The king contributed from his own possessions
for the regular morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings of the
Sabbaths, of the New Moons, and of the appointed feasts, as written in the
law of the LORD.
Neh 10:32-33 (HCSB) We will
impose the following commands on ourselves: To give an eighth of an ounce of
silver yearly for the service of the house of our God: the bread displayed
before the LORD, the daily grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the
Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed festivals, the holy things,
the sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our
God.
Isa 1:13-14 (HCSB) Stop bringing
useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons and Sabbaths,
and the calling of solemn assemblies — I cannot stand iniquity with a
festival. I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a
burden to Me; I am tired of putting up with them.
Ezek 45:16-17 (HCSB) “All the
people of the land must take part in this contribution for the prince in
Israel. Then the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings for the
festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths — for all the appointed times of the
house of Israel — will be the prince’s responsibility. He will provide the sin
offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings to make
atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.
Hos 2:10-11 (HCSB) Now I will
expose her shame in the sight of her lovers, and no one will rescue her from My
hands. I will put an end to all her celebrations: her feasts, New Moons, and
Sabbaths — all her festivals.
Recall Colossians 2, not to let
anyone judge us on questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or
a new moon or a Sabbath because these are a shadow of the things to come, but
the substance belongs to Christ.
We know that “the kingdom of God
is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy
Spirit” (Rom 14:17). So our focus is on what remains. This pattern of days
refers to all of the holy days of the Jews, from yearly feasts to the weekly
Sabbath, and comes from repeated descriptions of the Mosaic ritual as shown
above. How does it make sense to claim the weekly Sabbath is not part of this
summary? Only by blindly following a systematic theology wherein the Jewish
weekly Sabbath has been re-skinned as the “Christian Sabbath” is this possible
– but that does make it biblical!
Scripture reinforces this idea,
that days are not “holy” in the Christian faith, but a matter of personal
conviction. Rom 14:5-6a (HCSB) “One person considers one day to be above
another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be
fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the
honor of the Lord.”
If you think Sunday is a holy
day, observe it for the honor of the Lord. That does not provide a platform to
condescend toward those who consider every day to be the same. As one who is in this latter category, I see
the gathering of saints (usually on Sunday) as a holy thing; not the day. Same
with the day of the Lord’s resurrection – what took place that day is holy, the
day is not.
The Christian faith is not food or drink, holy places or holy days. It is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which every child of God should recognize, enjoy, and praise God for His continued goodness towards us. Our predilection with calendars should not color over our focus on the One who saves sinners.
