The Sabbath Day, Should You Keep or not Keep?

[peter83]

Originally Posted by Raffi

I think that Hebrews 4:1-11 has a lot to say for us concerning a principle for continued Sabbath-keeping for Apostolic Believers, but we have not noticed it before because of a slight mistranslation of Verse 9.

Heb. 4:9 uses an obscure Greek word SABBATISMOS. In the KJV it is translated as "rest" and that translation obscures the meaning of the Verse.

Sabbatismos does not mean "release" as the other Greek word for "rest" usually means. This Greek word SABATISMOS means "Sabbath observance" (Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament).

SABBATISMOS -- Strong's #4520: a Sabbath rest. Definition: a keeping of the Sabbath, a Sabbath rest.

"The words 'sabbath rest' is from the [Greek] noun sabbatismos, [and is] a unique word in the NT. This term appears also in Plutarch (Supercet. 3 [Moralia 166a]) for sabbath observance, and in four post-canonical Christian writings which are not dependent on Heb. 4:9"
-- The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 15, p. 856

"While sabbatismos is a noun, the verb form of the word is sabbatizo which means, 'to keep the Sabbath'"
-- A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Throughout the Septuagint (LXX), the verb SABBATIZO is never used except in relation to actual, literal "Sabbath-keeping".

When the writer of Hebrews used this word SABBATISMOS in Hebrews 4:9, he did so knowing full well that its meaning was well known to the Greek-speaking Believers of that day. The readers of The Book of Hebrews would have understood this to be referring to actual, literal Sabbath-keeping.

Thus, for me Hebrews 4:9 confirms and upholds the keeping of the literal Sabbath even by Apostolic Believers.

Other English translations uphold this interpretation:

* "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God" NIV
* "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God" ESV
* "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God" NASB
* "Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God's people" Holman Christian Standard Bible
* "There remains, therefore, a Sabbath rest for the people of God to keep" ISV
* "Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God" NET Bible
* "So then, it remains for the people of God to keep the Sabbath" Aramaic Bible in Plain English

"The Scriptures" translated by the Institute for Scripture Research render this Verse as "Sabbath observance" and the Basic English Bible and the highly respected Thayer dictionary use the equally literal phrase of "Sabbath keeping".


So, because I do not have a long time to spend building thus up, and explaining it in greater detail due to the clean-up issues I have to deal with here in Florida, please allow me to again post a couple of great sites that could do a better job than me at explaining the details of how Heb. 4:9 are used to endorse Sabbath-keeping for Christians. Please, I ask you, read these articles, they have VERY good points:

www.digitalcommons.answers.edu/dissertations/54/
This site is a student's dissertation on the subject and connects literal Sabbath-keeping in Hebrews 4:9 with the injunction to assemble ourselves together in Hebrews 10:19-25. Very good site.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/1...h/sabbatismos/

http://www.rbap.net/some-thoughts-on...of-god-heb-49/



Peace.

Please if you dont know Greek use the KJV .Read it in context:
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]. 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5 And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.

First wich promise we have? And why we must fear? See in chapter 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest, except to those who disobeyed? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter on account of unbelief.

9 Therefore there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
Remains a rest . We dont have that rest until we will enter to it ....Please come back.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Raffi

Aquilla, my dear brother,

I am so impressed with your heart toward the Sabbath, and your wonderful insight concerning the three daily prayers. As far as I am concerned, you are already far ahead of many other brothers and sisters. I can see in you that He is calling you to come up higher in Him. To enter into the obedience that is borne from resting-faith, that faith that does by simply relying on His Spirit. Your concern about being legalistic holds you back from your surrender, but your heart is right to be cautious and that reveals your spirit's sincerity to do only that which pleases Him rather than that which pleases yourself.

But as I said before, I want to encourage you to let go of the anxiety about legalism. You are not being legalistic if you are being obedient from a heart that simply wants to please your Creator. Indeed, that heart is EXACTLY what The Creator is looking for.

Also, don't worry about the legalists among Sabbath-keepers. There are as many "legalists" on the other side of this debate. There are legalists about Justification-By-Faith. There are legalists about Grace-Only. There are legalists about Holiness. There are legalists about Pentecost. There are legalists about Oneness Baptism, exuberant worship, New Birth Theology, Standards, and hair-length. People are rubbed the wrong way by fellow kosher-keeping Christians who get in your face and have a mean spirit about it (and who can blame them). But I myself have been just as offended by so-called "christians" who get up in MY face with a similar arrogant mean attitude and brag about how they are free in "Christian Liberty" do eat what they please. Sometimes, I don't know who is more arrogant about their position. So I let it go. I try not to worry myself with the meanies, the hypocrites, the "legalists", or the know-it-alls. For me it is like this . . . I read The Bible. If The Bible tells me that I am supposed to believe and/or do such-and-such, I just obey it. If I have some confusion about what is being stated, I study it out as best I can and THEN I obey it. I don't worry about what everyone else thinks or says. I never think of doing so as "narrow-mindedness" or as "legalism". I simply think of it as obedience in faith. How can I go wrong if it is Bible? And if at The Day of Judgment I stand before my Lord, am I going to be turned away for my faith in His Word and my willing obedience? If the Abrogationists are all correct, and God ended His Guidelines and Instructions for Righteousness (i.e. The Torah), will He be a just judge to condemn those who from a clean and pure heart sought to submit to Him in as genuine a way as to simply obey His Word, even if they were wrong theologically? If they trusted their Justification in their own righteousness, Yes. But if they obeyed His Word as best as they could out of an unsullied and pure trusting faith, what shall He do then? I believe that is the definition of true Saving Faith -- a trust in Him and in His Word that issues forth in simple obedience.

We Christians . . . we obey in many areas of Truth according to that same principle and think no wrong of it. I don't know of any Apostolics who are afraid to submit to Baptism out of fear that in doing so they may be doing it legalistically. I don't know any Apostolics who skip assembly and stay home because they are afraid that if they go to church too much, it may become ritual, mechanical, or meaningless. I don't know any Apostolics who withhold God's Tithe because they say it is an "Old" Testament Law practice. If The Bible tells us to pray three times a day, brother, do it. It is better to obey Him than to meet Him in that Day and be accused of being dis-obedient. Don't stop doing it just because you are terrified that you may be giving too much credence to the letter of Law. The Bible does not condemn obedience to the Letter. It condemns keeping the letter devoid of The Spirit. When we worship Him we must do so in Spirit AND in TRUTH (Jn. 4:24). His WORD is TRUTH (Jn. 17:17). Anything less than BOTH Spirit AND Truth is half-hearted. He wants us to love Him with ALL our heart and strength . . . and that is Old Testament (Dt. 6:5-6).

Imitate our Lord and Messiah. He was baptized (Mat. 3:13-17). He endorsed tithing (Mat. 23:23; Lk. 11:42). Many places in The Gospel tell us he prayed early in the morning each day. AND it was his manner to faithfully assemble on the Sabbath Day (Lk. 4:16). He is our example for how we are to live. Is it "legalism" to model your life after The Master, to imitate HIS manner? We believe that The Master's own life is itself a commandment to us.
But if you need more. If you need Chapter and Verse. Just hold on . . .

Excellent point. Especially with legalists being on both sides of the debate. Where I'm at spiritual acknowledges that the NT doesn't present an express "command" to obey the Sabbath, though we do see elements regarding the Sabbath in Acts and the Epistles.

With that in mind, I don't find enough ground to assume Sabbath keeping as a "command" or an issue of obedience. I do not believe that we are under the Law. To me, this means that we are not bound by the Law of Moses (the Torah). Nor are we bound by the Law of God (the 10 Commandments) as revealed to Israel. But rather, we are bound by the Law of Christ, which is a simple but all encompassing law of the Spirit, written upon our hearts, that calls us to love God with all our being, and to demonstrate that love in a sincere love for others. And so, we are called to a life of love, not obedience to the letter of the Law.

As it relates to Sabbath, love goes beyond a mere one day observance once a week. Love brings the blessings of the Sabbath into every day living. If I were off work today, I could experience the blessings of Sabbath by taking the afternoon to devote myself to prayer and devotion. And so, in Christ, Sabbath becomes a spiritual principle that we are called to experience daily, not just one day a week with legalistic fervor. And to condemn another over not honoring a day actually does violence to the Spirit of the Sabbath, destroying its fabric of "rest". To condemn one for not keeping Sabbath on a certain day (be it the 7th day or the 1st day) is to place one in a position to "work" to gain our approval in what should be a spiritual and devotional "rest".

Here are my foundational texts from which my conclusions are drawn:

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 King James Version (KJV)
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Romans 14:6 King James Version (KJV)
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Galatians 5:18 King James Version (KJV)
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Colossians 2:16 King James Version (KJV)
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:

Matthew 22:36-40 King James Version (KJV)
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Romans 13:8-10 King James Version (KJV)
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Galatians 5:14 King James Version (KJV)
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Regardless of the day and time which we chose to set aside for devotion, we confirm, establish, and practice the greater principles of Sabbath; the ceasing of a self striving righteousness and the entering into Christ alone for worship. For me, I experience it best beginning on Friday evenings and throughout Saturday. But, I don't work on Saturdays either. Perhaps if I were required to work on Saturdays, I'd find my Sabbath rest on a different day.

Things of Spirit unify the body. They also do not bring brethren into condemnation. Even in the striving against sin we are to lovingly admonish and counsel one another, being patient, kind, and understanding. Sadly, we carry around spiritual ball bats and blast one another. Is it any wonder that a lost and dying world sees no peace or safety in the fellowship of the church?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Raffi

If you want Chapter and Verse from The NEW Testament . . . I think I can help you out.

But before I go on to address what I think IS a New Testament injunction for Sabbath-keeping, let me point out a couple of additional points.
I am prepared to show that Jesus/Yeshua did NOT resurrect on Sunday. Nor did he resurrect any time AFTER nightfall on Saturday evening. Although I am not going to go into it HERE unless someone really presses me on it, I am prepared to demonstrate that in the Greek texts, Messiah resurrected on Saturday evening just prior to sunset, after having been buried the previous Wednesday evening (not Friday). But that is a whole topic in and of itself. I mention it only because some people claim that Jesus sanctified Sunday by resurrecting on Sunday.

There is not a single New Testament Commandment sanctioning the first day of the week. NOT ONE. Neither is there a single Passage in The Bible that states that The Master replaced or cancelled out the Sabbath. If he HAD done such a HUGE thing, why is there not one single Passage which mentions it? Also, there is not one single prophecy of The OLD Testament which anticipates a cancellation of God's Sabbath. In fact, Isaiah 56:1-6 informs that The Sabbath will remain during the New Covenant dispensation (or as some see this as the Millennium, either way). Jesus in Matthew 24:20 upheld the authority of the Sabbath for those in the Tribulation (this applies equally for Preterists, Historicists, as well as Futurists). He apparently didn't get the memo that the Sabbath would be cancelled (sarcasm mine, sorry). He said, the Sabbath was made for MAN, not man for the Sabbath (Mrk. 2:27). So the Sabbath may not just have been for Hebrews, but for ALL Humankind as was ALL The Commandments (Eccl.12:13). And this Divine Truth is binding and universal. The Master taught us that not even the equivalent to a period or coma is going to pass from God's Law as long as Heaven and Earth continue in existence (Mat. 5:18-19).

We say that "JESUS is our Sabbath rest." He is our Sabbath, but he is also the LORD of THE Sabbath (Mat. 12:8; Mrk. 2:28; Lk. 6:5).

But, is there a more explicit, more direct commandment for the Sabbath in The NEW Testament?
I believe that there is, but we have not noticed it before.
Allow me to point it out for you.

I acknowledge that there are differing understandings of what transpired regarding Sunday. That's one reason why I don't believe Sunday should be held sacrosanct either. In fact, there is probably less to establish Sunday as an established day of worship than the Sabbath. So, I'm not going to make any major points contrary to your position on Sunday. So, I agree in the spirit of acknowledging that many share your understanding, while also acknowledging that many do not. Thus, it's not a hill to die on.

As for an injunction or command to keep the Sabbath in the NT, I'd like to see the text you feel establishes this. I may or may not agree. Nevertheless, it will add to the discussion. And that will help our readers (regardless of their leanings on this). Please share, my brother.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Raffi

I think that Hebrews 4:1-11 has a lot to say for us concerning a principle for continued Sabbath-keeping for Apostolic Believers, but we have not noticed it before because of a slight mistranslation of Verse 9.

Heb. 4:9 uses an obscure Greek word SABBATISMOS. In the KJV it is translated as "rest" and that translation obscures the meaning of the Verse.

Sabbatismos does not mean "release" as the other Greek word for "rest" usually means. This Greek word SABATISMOS means "Sabbath observance" (Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament).

SABBATISMOS -- Strong's #4520: a Sabbath rest. Definition: a keeping of the Sabbath, a Sabbath rest.

"The words 'sabbath rest' is from the [Greek] noun sabbatismos, [and is] a unique word in the NT. This term appears also in Plutarch (Supercet. 3 [Moralia 166a]) for sabbath observance, and in four post-canonical Christian writings which are not dependent on Heb. 4:9"
-- The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 15, p. 856

"While sabbatismos is a noun, the verb form of the word is sabbatizo which means, 'to keep the Sabbath'"
-- A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Throughout the Septuagint (LXX), the verb SABBATIZO is never used except in relation to actual, literal "Sabbath-keeping".

When the writer of Hebrews used this word SABBATISMOS in Hebrews 4:9, he did so knowing full well that its meaning was well known to the Greek-speaking Believers of that day. The readers of The Book of Hebrews would have understood this to be referring to actual, literal Sabbath-keeping.

Thus, for me Hebrews 4:9 confirms and upholds the keeping of the literal Sabbath even by Apostolic Believers.

Other English translations uphold this interpretation:

* "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God" NIV
* "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God" ESV
* "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God" NASB
* "Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God's people" Holman Christian Standard Bible
* "There remains, therefore, a Sabbath rest for the people of God to keep" ISV
* "Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God" NET Bible
* "So then, it remains for the people of God to keep the Sabbath" Aramaic Bible in Plain English

"The Scriptures" translated by the Institute for Scripture Research render this Verse as "Sabbath observance" and the Basic English Bible and the highly respected Thayer dictionary use the equally literal phrase of "Sabbath keeping".


So, because I do not have a long time to spend building thus up, and explaining it in greater detail due to the clean-up issues I have to deal with here in Florida, please allow me to again post a couple of great sites that could do a better job than me at explaining the details of how Heb. 4:9 are used to endorse Sabbath-keeping for Christians. Please, I ask you, read these articles, they have VERY good points:

www.digitalcommons.answers.edu/dissertations/54/
This site is a student's dissertation on the subject and connects literal Sabbath-keeping in Hebrews 4:9 with the injunction to assemble ourselves together in Hebrews 10:19-25. Very good site.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/1...h/sabbatismos/

http://www.rbap.net/some-thoughts-on...of-god-heb-49/



Peace.

Excellent response.

Believe it or not, I too acknowledge this as a command to keep Sabbath.

What I don't see is the specification of a "7th day Sabbath". Remember, all days of convalescence were called "sabbaths" in Scripture (even feast days). As a result, I see this as speaking of the necessity to set aside time of worship and devotion, not necessarily a strict admonition to observe a specific day.

Romans 14:5-6 King James Version (KJV)
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Colossians 2:16 King James Version (KJV)
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, indeed there does remain a Sabbath for the people of God. A time to worship and perform our devotions. However, limiting that day to a given day is well, so 1393 BC.

We are now of the Spirit. And so the principles of our spirituality transcend the limitations of both time and space. The Sabbath is therefore an eternal spiritual reality to be entered into, a reality that the 7th day only foreshadowed.

[Aquila]

The reader will note that those who are professed "Sabbath keepers" cannot even agree on how to keep the Sabbath. lol

This confusion is born of the carnal mind that is focused on calendars and clocks.

There is a blessing in entering into the Sabbath. We should never doubt that. We are admonished to enter into this rest. We should never doubt that. Ah, but the letter of the Mosaic law will indeed not only bring strivings about the law, but division, hard feelings, pride, and confusion. We do well to see the greater spirituality of what the 7th day Sabbath foreshadowed. And enter into that, whenever the Spirit bids us...even if it is a Monday on our human calendars.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by peter83

Please if you dont know Greek use the KJV .Read it in context:
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]. 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5 And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.

First wich promise we have? And why we must fear? See in chapter 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest, except to those who disobeyed? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter on account of unbelief.

9 Therefore there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
Remains a rest . We dont have that rest until we will enter to it ....Please come back.

Yes, thank you

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Excellent response.

Believe it or not, I too acknowledge this as a command to keep Sabbath.

What I don't see is the specification of a "7th day Sabbath". Remember, all days of convalescence were called "sabbaths" in Scripture (even feast days). As a result, I see this as speaking of the necessity to set aside time of worship and devotion, not necessarily a strict admonition to observe a specific day.

Romans 14:5-6 King James Version (KJV)
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Colossians 2:16 King James Version (KJV)
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, indeed there does remain a Sabbath for the people of God. A time to worship and perform our devotions. However, limiting that day to a given day is well, so 1393 BC.

We are now of the Spirit. And so the principles of our spirituality transcend the limitations of both time and space. The Sabbath is therefore an eternal spiritual reality to be entered into, a reality that the 7th day only foreshadowed.

God filled us with the sabbath. We are at full time rest from our works to please God.

In the O.T., they did not have this peace with God that we have.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by peter83

Brother Sean? Are you convicted that they use a Greek text? I am laughing and crying here with the explanations. I think "are all Greek to them"

And I thought it was all Greek to just me....LOL

They need to quote/ask you instead, Peter.....LOL

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Sean

God filled us with the sabbath. We are at full time rest from our works to please God.

In the O.T., they did not have this peace with God that we have.

As it is written:

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

[Sean]

.....And that is "my rest", Chris.