Tag: Sabbath Studies

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Luke's Attitude to the Law Part 1

After a discussion of the three views of the Sabbath, In the book, Sabbath in the New Testament, Dr. Bacchiocchi presents his arguments for “continuity” between Judaism and Christianity. Bacchiocchi rightly notes that the strength behind both the “abrogation” view and the “transference” view of the law of God is in the alleged radical discontinuity between Judaism and Christianity. Bacchiocchi argues against those views by appealing to Luke, Matthew, and Hebrews to demonstrate continuity rather than discontinuity.

Believing Jews

The first demonstration of this continuity is in the description of the converting Jews as simply “Jews who believed.” This terminology is used in Acts 21:20.

Note that the Bible writer is not describing a totally different group. The writer simply calls these converts Jews who believed that Jesus fulfilled their Messianic expectations. This implies a continuity between the two groups that is borne out in history and scripture.

Respect for the Law

Next, the Biblical record describes these converts as “zealous for the law” (Acts 21:20). In addition, Paul is described as a Pharisee (Acts 23:6) and notes that he observed the law (Acts 25:8; and Acts 28:17). We should also note that Luke calls the Law of moses the “living oracles” (Acts 7:38).

Recognition of Discontinuity

Bacchiocchi acknowledges that there are elements of discontinuity in Luke. For example, Christ is the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, prophets, and psalms (Luke 24:44; Luke 24:27; Luke 4:21).

In addition, Jesus’ statement in Luke 16:16 demonstrates some form of discontinuity. However, Bacchiocchi rightly notes that this “discontinuity” is neither an abrogation of the law for Jesus himself said that heaven and earth would pass away before one jot or title of it would became void (Luke 16:17).

Conclusion

The writings of Luke demonstrate both a continuity and a discontinuity between Judaism and Christianity. However, the discontinuity does not nullify the law of God. In future posts we will look further at the elements of continuity between Judaism and Christianity in the Bible as discussed in Bacchiocchi’s work.

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Community, Justice, and the Sabbath

Pastor Ryan Bell makes the following interesting observation:

I am also concerned that the meaning of Sabbath will be limited to merely an internal, personal, and private experience of God’s “Shalom” and will fail to translate that into public and outward expressions of God’s reign of Peace.

The Sabbath certainly is at the foundation of our own theological enterprise as Adventists, but it is also one that we often do not explore as we should. As Bell notes in the comments section of the post, most of the time when we are discussing the Sabbath we are talking about the day. We are putting the Sabbath up against Sunday. We are defending the 7th day against all other days.

When it comes to actually keeping it, we often end up with a hodgepodge of Biblical and Cultural mandates. On top of it all the Sabbath’s main purpose seems to be, according to most of us, a day that we get to take off from work. That is an important feature as I have noted in previous posts on the Sabbath, but it sidesteps a couple of important compontents.

First the Sabbath is a communal celebration. We don’t keep it by ourselves. We keep it in a community.

Second the Sabbath eschatological looking forward to the coming kingdom. We participate and even live in that coming Kingdom more fully on the Sabbath.

My taking off from work barely scratches the surface. It is time for Seventh-day Sabbatarians to begin looking more deeply at the Sabbath so that we may teach “The Sabbath More Fully” and not be happy with taking a day off from work and going to church on the right day.