Y Not I

I came across some interesting posts and discussions about the Sabbath. It is obviously a topic that is coming to my attention often for some reason and so I thought I would continue to explore it. Here are the posts I came across today:

It started with a new post from Banner Kidd on his blog, Yeshua’s Word: What Does Scripture Say?

Which led me to the post that he was responding to, which led to a link in a comment to this post on whether the Sabbath is binding upon believers; which points to another post about the Sabbath and a post by this author on his own blog, which has it’s own very interesting comment thread.

The comment thread is interesting to me mainly because it is kind of absurd. Here are a bunch of I am sure well intentioned people, trying their best (as am I) to serve G-d. But going back and forth over whether Yeshua broke the Law or not seems to take it to another level.

First of all there are a number of words that get thrown around with no real regard for the possible different uses or misuses of the words. Law (nomos) is one and the phrase “the Jews” is another.

For Law there is no distinction between the Law of G-d, which is good and the commandments of man, the Oral Torah, the traditions. Many of the things that Yeshua was accused of by his opponents are the same things that now we see His proponents accusing Him of, namely the breaking of the Sabbath. A Rabbinic or Pharisaic ruling or tradition is not the same as the Law even if in Scripture the same Greek word is used. I think it is important to try and one, keep that straight and see what the accusation is and is that a Torah command or not.

The second thing, and this is most likely more important is the intent of G-d in the Commandment. It seems as if many Christians see two G-ds and this is a problem. There is the mean G-d of the Torah and Old Testament, One who who have someone killed for picking up manna on the Sabbath. This is the mean man next store, who would not give you back your ball if it went in his yard.

The the Father of the New Testament comes, and He is the kind man, who gives treats out to the kids. Yeshua is described as the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). Yeshua also said that He and the Father are one (John 10:30). If this is so, then logically, G-d the Father is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, so the idea of the mean vengeful G-d who became nice because of His Son is absurd. The Torah and the commandments were never meant to be a burden, to make life difficult. Take in their fulfillment there are a pleasure and bring life.

So often Gentile think they will free me from the burden of the Commandments. Is Shabbat a burden? Challah bread, oh the torture. Please not a cup of sweet wine, this is tough stuff. Of course there are the other days that I should give up because of my “freedom in Christ.” I should not longer have apples and honey for Rosh Hashannah, not dress up and have a good time yelling for Purim, not enjoy fresh matzah for Passover (and the other special treats like the Charoset and Maror, which I thoroughly enjoy), not to mention the deep Spiritual enrichment that these days bring to me life and mywalk with G-d. Personally I see no burden there. It just seems like Gentiles need me to act like them, to become Gentile before they will accept me as a believer. That seems like a burden, if you ask me.

Anyway, the intent, or the spirit of the Law is more important. Picking manna on the Sabbath after G-d provided a double portion is pure greed, not just feeding oneself. The comparison between that and the disciples picking grain is extremely forced at best. If you come at the Torah from a antagonistic point of view then you can make it into a burden and make this discussion valid, however to do so you change G-d into a mean G-d, or at least one that was for some reason mean to the “apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10), and saved His kindness for the Gentiles, who Scripturally you could make a case for how much G-d dislike the other nations (which is the meaning of the word Gentiles or goyim).

However, if you look at the Torah seeking how G-d was showing love through these Laws and Commandments, you might come up with a different picture, and might see the actions of Yeshua as not breaking the Law, but properly applying the Law, and that it was the Pharisees all along that had the Law wrong.

Shabbat is not a burden, it is something I look forward to each week. When you heart goes to G-d and you draw close to Him, you can find pleasure in it, but if you need to evaluate each word in the strictest sense then everything becomes a burden, and the joy of the L-RD is lost on you.

I think theologists just want to know how G-d works, but sometimes I think they miss the forest for the trees. Part of how G-d works is that He is looking for simple obedience. He says it, so do it. Dividing the Law into these Laws that I should follow and these ones that I should not, seems so arbitrary. Let the Spirit speak, as that is the only way to do His will and to follow His Law, whether you want to call it the Law of Christ, or the Law of G-d (as if there is a difference). Let your heart, as well as your head lead.

Observe on Friday night, Saturday or even Sunday. Base it on creation, a moral Law, part of the 10 Commandments, whatever. But give it a try and know that G-d will not command something that is bad for His creation, just as in the analogy, a good father would not do anything that is bad for his child. If it is difficult for a time, then it is most likely for the long term good. I think if you come to G-d and to things like Shabbat in these terms, you might find less burden and more joy.

Once again, Shabbat Shalom. Peaceful Sabbath to you.

B”H