MessianicPerspectives
God has not forgotten the Jewish people, and neither have we.
W ho would have ever thought that a daya simple,
24-hour periodcould be so controversial? Yet few
issues have been more contentious in Christendom than
John Bunyan (1628-1688), the famous English Baptist
preacher and writer, argued vehemently against observ-
ing the Saturday Sabbath. His main objection to Saturday
that of Sabbath observance. observance was that its the Jewish day of worshipand
the Jews were Christs deadliest enemies.6
The Hebrew term Shabbat refers to Saturday, the last
day of the week. For millennia, the Jewish people have Never mind that Yeshua himself was Jewish, and also that
observed the Sabbath as a special day set apart for God. the writers of the New Testament (NT) were Jewish, the
For them, Sunday is the first day of the weekanother Apostles were Jewish, the first church was Jewish (in Je-
work day. rusalem), and the earliest believers were Jewishwe cant
worship on the Sabbath, Bunyan declares, because its a
However, most Christians have historically observed Jewish practice! With all due respect to Mr. Bunyan, a tru-
Sunday as their day of rest and worship. Some of them ly notable figure in church history, this is utter poppycock.
even claim that the Sabbath has been changed from Sat-
urday to Sunday and thats why (they say) believers today Just google Sabbatarianism and youll see 50,000-plus
should worship on Sunday. hits showing that the debate rages on! Extremists (whether
pro or con) accuse anyone who disagrees with them of her-
Controversies esy. Some people say you wont go to Heaven unless you
observe the Saturday Sabbath and others claim you wont
The term often used to describe someone who worships on go to Heaven if you do! Opinions abound, and emotions, at
Saturday is Sabbatarian. Historical Sabbatarianism in- times, overwhelm reason.
cludes not only seventh-day Sabbatarians who worship
on the seventh day (Saturday), but also first-day Sabba- Was the Sabbath Changed to Sunday?
tarians who worship on Sunday because (as I mentioned
earlier) they believe the Sabbath has been changed from We might as well get right to the heart of the matter: did
Saturday to Sunday.1 God change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? Well,
if He did, some of us didnt get the memo.
The Puritans, for instance, were first-day Sabbatarians
who taught that Sunday is the Lords day and should The most recent Catechism of the Catholic Church de-
clares that Sunday has become the Lords day and that
be set apart for worship, fellowship, and restmuch like its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath.7
the Jewish Sabbath is. Some of them imposed strict laws Ironically, this is one of the few tenets of faith where
regarding what their people could or could not do on the Catholics and Protestants historically have found them-
first day of the week. If someone was caught engaging in selves in agreement! Strange bedfellows, one might say.
a prohibited activity on Sunday, he or she might be put on
trial, fined, or even imprisoned. Charles Halff, our late founder (1929-2000), grew up in a
Jewish culture where families typically gathered on Fri-
Those are the first-day (Sunday) Sabbatarians. Then theres day evening to mark the beginning of the Sabbath.8 When
the seventh-day variety, where theres a broad spectrum of he became a believer in Yeshua (Jesus) in the 1940s, and
approaches and ideas about the Saturday Sabbath. Adher- began preaching in churches all over North America,
ents include groups like the Seventh Day Adventists, the Charles found himself thrust into a strange, new world
Seventh Day Church of God, Seventh Day Baptists, and nu- where most Christians gathered on Sundays rather than
merous others. on Saturdays. As a young Jewish believer, he sometimes
The late Ellen G. White, founder of the Seventh Day Ad- found himself confronted by well-meaning Christians
ventist movement, taught that the two great errors of who insisted that the Church had replaced Israel as the
the end-time, apostate church are (1) the immortality People of God; and part of that spiel, unfortunately, was
of the soul, and (2) Sunday worship.2 Mrs. White felt so that Sunday had replaced Saturday as the Sabbath. But
strongly about keeping the Saturday Sabbath, that she he was never convinced!
and her early followers declared Sunday worship to be Charles often told us, Nowhere does the Bible say that
the dreaded mark of the beast.3 Even today, some Ad- God replaced, changed, or did away with the Sabbath.
ventists still teach that world authorities will enforce The Sabbath has always been Saturdaynot Sunday.
Sunday worship in the end times and those who dare to He had no problem with believers worshiping on Sunday
worship on Saturday will be summarily rounded up, im- (or on any other day of the week, for that matter); but he
prisoned, or even killed.4 didnt take kindly to the notion that God had replaced
Israel with the Church and had thereby changed the Sab-
However, not all seventh-day groups go to such aberrant bath from Saturday to Sunday.
extremes. For example, the Seventh Day Baptists today
are quite orthodox in their beliefsand their congrega- What, then, are we to make of all of this? Should NT be-
tions have gathered on Saturday for worship since 1671.5 lievers keep the Sabbath, or not?
Messianic Perspectives
Messianic Perspectives is published bimonthly by CJF Ministries, P.O. Box 345, San Antonio, Texas 78292-0345,
Dr. Gary Hedrick, Editor in Chief a 501(c)3 Texas nonprofit corporation: Dr. Charles Halff (1929-2000), Founder; Dr. Gary Hedrick, President; Brian
Nowotny, Vice President for Administration; Erastos Leiloglou, Creative Director. Subscription price: $10 per
Erastos Leiloglou, Creative Director year. The publication of articles by other authors does not necessarily imply full agreement with all the views
expressed therein. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version
of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982). Visit us online at cjfm.org. Toll-free OrderLine: (800)
926-5397. 2017 by CJF Ministries. All rights reserved.
Next, we note the emphasis on music (v. 3). Remember, this psalm If you somehow find this disconcerting, youd better get used
was specifically dedicated to Sabbath worship. To this day, music to it! After all, in the future millennial world, all nations will
and singing are an important aspect of Sabbath observance both in dispatch representatives to present themselves before the Lord
Jewish homes and in the synagogue. in Jerusalem on the Sabbath and on the LORDs feast days (Isa.
66:22-24). So theres nothing inherently wrong or unbiblical about
And finally, the psalmist here mentions Gods work(s) three times: Saturday worship.
Your work, the works of Your hands, and how great are Your
works (vv. 4-5). So whats the connection between Gods work(s) And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another,
and Shabbat? and from one sabbath to another,
Its very simple: the Sabbath marked the conclusion of the Creation shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says the LORD.
week. Just as Creation was Gods work, salvation, too, is His Isaiah 66:23
At about two or three oclock on Friday afternoon, observant Jews dinner. Although there are no specific requirements or customs
leave the office to begin Shabbat preparations. The mood is much regarding what to eat, meals are generally stewed or slow-cooked
like preparing for the arrival of a special, beloved guest: the house items, because of the prohibition against cooking during the
is cleaned, the family bathes and dresses up, the best dishes Shabbat. (Things that are mostly cooked before Shabbat and then
and tableware are set, a festive meal is prepared. In addition, reheated or kept warm are okay).
everything that cannot be done during Shabbat must be set up in
advance: lights and appliances must be set (or timers placed on After dinner, the birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is recited.
them, if the household does so), the light bulb in the refrigerator Although this is done every day, on the Shabbat, it is done in a
must be removed, so it does not turn on (creating a spark or leisurely manner with many upbeat tunes.
fire) when you open it, and preparations for the remaining By the time all of this is completed, it may be nine oclock or later. The
Shabbat meals must be made. family has an hour or two to talk or study Torah, and then go to sleep.
The Shabbat, like all Jewish days, begins at sunset, because in the The next morning Shabbat services in the synagogue begin around
story of creation in Genesis 1, you will notice that it says, And there nine oclock and continue until about noon. After services, the
was evening, and there was morning, one day. From this, we infer family returns home and says kiddush again, followed by another
that a day begins with evening, that is, sunset. Shabbat candles leisurely, festive meal. A typical afternoon meal is cholent, a very
are lit and a blessing is recited no later than eighteen minutes slowly cooked stew. By the time birkat ha-mazon is done, it is about
before sunset. This ritual, performed by the woman of the house, two in the afternoon. The family studies Torah for a while, talks,
officially marks the beginning of the Shabbat. Two candles are lit, takes an afternoon walk, plays some checkers, or engages in other
representing the two commandments concerning Shabbat: zachor leisure activities. A short afternoon nap is not uncommon. It is
and shamor (remember and observe). traditional to have a third meal before the Shabbat is overusually
The family then attends a brief evening service (forty-five minutes a light meal in the late afternoon.
thats brief by Jewish standards). After services, the family Shabbat ends at nightfall, when three stars are visible, approximately
comes home for a festive, leisurely dinner. Before the dinner, it is forty minutes after sunset. At the conclusion of Shabbat, the family
customary for parents to bless their children. Then the man of the performs a concluding ritual called Havdalah (separation, division).
house recites Kiddush, a prayer over wine sanctifying the Shabbat. Blessings are recited over wine, spices, and candles, followed by a
The usual prayer for eating bread is recited over two loaves of blessing regarding the division between the sacred and the secular,
challah, a sweet, eggy bread shaped in a braid. The family then eats between the Shabbat and the working days, etc.
Adapted from Shabbat: What Is Shabbat? at the Jewish Virtual Library (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)
1 The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) declares that God hath particularly 11 Lukes perspective on Sabbath observance is particularly informative because he
appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the wrote his accounts (Luke and Acts) long after the time of Yeshua and His apostles. Yet
beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; there is no hint in anything Luke says, even in those later years, that the Sabbath had
and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, been abrogated or replaced by Sunday. If Luke wrote Hebrews, like David Allen and
which, in Scripture, is called the Lords day, and is to be continued to the end of the other evangelical scholars suggest, this argument is even more compelling.
world, as the Christian Sabbath. 12 Under the New Covenant, theres no longer any difference between the secular and
2 Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, the sacred: And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times,
Satan will bring the people under his deceptions (Ellen G. White, The Great having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8 NIV). In the
Controversy [Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press Publishing, 2005], 588). new economy, every hour of every day is sacred. Nothing is common anymore.
3 In The Spirit of Prophecy, one of her best-known works, Mrs. White wrote, That No matter how taxing, tiring, or tedious ones day job may be, it becomes a sacred
institution which points to God as the Creator is a sign of his rightful authority calling when its done for the Lord: Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever
over the beings he has made. The change of the Sabbath is the sign, or mark, of the you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Nonetheless, if someone wishes to
authority of the Romish Church. Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth elevate one day above the others, with no suggestion of legalism or superiority in
commandment, choose to observe the false in place of the true Sabbath, are thereby doing so, its permissible under the New Covenant (Rom. 14:5).
paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded. The change in the 13 We sometimes use the term OT Torah (Old Testament instruction/law) to
fourth commandment is the change pointed out in the prophecy, and the keeping of distinguish it from the NT (New Covenant), which the Apostle Paul also considered
the counterfeit Sabbath is the reception of the mark (Vol. 4, p. 281; accessed at text. law/instruction (i.e., NT Torah): Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of
egwwritings.org). See also Advent Review, Vol. 1, No. 2 (August 1850). Christ (Gal. 6:2; cp. 1 Cor. 9:21). The Hebrew equivalent of the English term law of
4 This view is based on Mrs. Whites teachings on passages like Daniel 7:25, Christ is Torat HaMashiachTorah [of] the Messiah. In fact, thats exactly how the
Revelation 13:15, and Ezekiel 20:12-20. See Mark of the Beast (Chapter 18: The Hebrew NT renders it in Galatians 6:2: ( Torat HaMashiach; lit., Torah
Image Beast and 666) by Ellen G. White [Silver Spring, MD: Ellen G. White Estate], [of] the Messiah). The Greek term nomos () has a range of meaning almost
23). Available online at whiteestate.org. identical to that of the Hebrew torah (). In 1 Corinthians 14:21 (among other
passages), in fact, Paul equates the two terms. Some Messianics would disagree and
5 The website of the Seventh Day Baptist Conference is at seventhdaybaptist.org. claim that Paul is referring to the Torah of Moshe (Moses) in Galatians 6:2not the
They are evangelical in every way. Their practical distinctive is that they gather for NT. Nonetheless, we would respectfully submit that Paul uses the term Torah here to
services on Saturday. refer to the teachings of Yeshua as recorded in the New Covenant (i.e., the NT). This
6 [I]f the seventh day sabbath was by divine authority, and to be kept holy by the is more consistent with the statements in Hebrews regarding the preeminence of
churches of the Gentiles, it should not have so remained among the Jews, Christs Yeshua over Moshe (i.e., Moshe being a servant in Someone elses house but Yeshua
deadliest enemies, and have been kept so much hid from the believers, his best a son in His own house; 3:1-6). Its true that the NT wasnt yet complete when Paul
friends. For who has retained the pretended sanction of that day from Christs time, wrote Galatians; however, the Gospels (containing the biography and teachings of
quite down in the world, but the Jews, and a few Jewish Gentiles, I will except some. Yeshua the Messiah) were already in circulation and well known by that time. Note,
But, I say, since a sabbath is that without which the great worship of God under the for instance, that Pauls reflections in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 show that he had
gospel cannot be well performed: how can it be thought, that it should as to the studied in some detail the events recorded in Luke 22. The Torah of the Messiah,
knowledge of it, be confined to so blasphemous a generation of the Jews, with whom then, is the teaching/instruction of Messiah Yeshua as recorded in the New Covenant
that worship is not? (Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh Day (i.e., the NT) and not just another name for the OT Torah of Moshe.
Sabbathand Proof That the First Day of the Week is the True Christian Sabbath 14 Sometimes we call this the Palestinian Covenant or the Land Covenant; but its
from The Works of John Bunyan [London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in essentially an extension of the original Abrahamic Covenant where God promised
the Poultry, 1685]). Abraham (among other things) a Land for his descendants.
7 Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically 15 Acts 13:14, 42, 44; 15:21; 16:13; 17:1-2; 18:4.
every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath.
In Christs Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and 16 Interestingly, theres no record in the annals of Judaism of some of these capital
announces mans eternal rest in God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 3, Section penaltieslike the one for homosexual activity in Leviticus 20:13, for instanceever
2, Chapter 1, Article 3 on The Third Commandment, Paragraph 2175). being enforced. These penalties may have been intended to serve as a protective
deterrent during the critical period of Israels wilderness wanderings. It should also
8 In the Jewish culture, a day begins at sundown and continues until the following be pointed out that in all cases, offenders were judged for what they did (activity)
sundown. This evening-morning (rather than morning-evening) pattern is based on the rather than for what they were (identity).
Genesis account of creation: So the evening and the morning were the first day (Gen. 1:5).
17 Most historians agree that the practice of gathering weekly in synagogues (which
9 Rabbinic Sabbath observance requires attention to literally thousands of details continues in Judaism to this day) originated during the Babylonian Captivity.
passed down through Judaisms revered Oral Traditionincluding the careful Prior to the Captivity, Israel gathered corporately three times annually to worship
analysis of debates and discussions between noted rabbis of past ages. Biblical in the Tabernacle or (later) the Temple. During the rest of the year, Israelites
Sabbath observance, on the other hand, is based on the data provided in the biblical observed Shabbat in their homes. There were no synagogues in those days. See
text (both the OT and the NT). Synagogue by Wilhelm Bacher and Lewis N. Dembitz in the Jewish Encyclopedia at
10 Interestingly, this same pattern holds true in the Resurrection narrative. The jewishencyclopedia.com.
women waited until after the Sabbath (on Saturday night) to come and anoint the
18 Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology (San Antonio, TX: Ariel
Lords body (Matt. 28:1). The Greek epiphosko (lit., unto light) can mean either
Ministries, 1989), 600.
sunrise (as it dawns toward) or more metaphorically, to dusk or sundown (as it
draws near to; see Luke 23:54 for an example of this usage). Even in English, we use 19 Since the early church in Acts was accustomed to gathering in homes throughout
the term dawn in ways that arent related to sunriselike, it was the dawn of a the week (daily), its understandable that the non-Jewish believers might not have
new age in England. Darbys Literal Translation renders Matthew 28:1 this way: Now been acculturated to the concept of one special day. To them, every day was special
late on sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after sabbath, came Mary of Magdala and Paul doesnt condemn them for it. But neither did he condemn or criticize those
and the other Mary to look at the sepulchre. who elevated a singular day over the others!
QUESTION: What did Jesus mean in Matthew 16:18 this was not a conclusion Peter had determined by his own
when He said to Peter, You are Peter and upon this rock or others ability. God, the Father in heaven, had revealed it
I will build My Church? Was Jesus building His Church to him. Peter was living up to his name (it means rock) for
on Peter himself (as some of my friends claim), or did Je- he was demonstrating himself to be a rock.
sus mean something else?
Peter (Petros, masc.) was strong like a rock, but Jesus
ANSWER: Scholars have debated the meaning of this added that on this rock (petra, fem.) He would build His
particular verse for years. The wording does allow for church. Because of this change in Greek words, many con-
more than one possible interpretation, but a look at the servative scholars believe that Jesus is . . . building His
word rock in the original language may point us in the church on Himself. Others hold that the church is built on
right direction. Other Scripture can also shed further Peter and the other apostles as the buildings foundation
light on the subject. Lets look first at the context of the stones (Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14). Still other scholars say that
verse in question. the church is built on Peters testimony.
According to Matthew 16:13, our Lord and His disciples So, how are we to understand what Jesus said? The DTS
had just entered the region of Caesarea Philippi, an area scholars conclude that Jesus was introducing His work
known for its pagan rituals and worship of false gods, in- of building the Church on Himself (1 Cor. 3:11). Further,
cluding the goat-man Pan. In this unusual setting, Jesus when the Church would later be founded on Pentecost, Pe-
asks His disciples the question, Who do men say that ter and the other apostles would have important roles to
I, the Son of Man, am? The disciples volunteer several play. They were to be given significant responsibility and
possibilities, including John the Baptist or one of the Old the authority to bind and loose as they were directed by
Testament prophets. Jesus then asks the important ques- the Spirit. We see Peter doing this in Jerusalem on the
tion, But who do you say that I am? Here Simon Pe- day of Pentecost when he proclaimed the Gospel and an-
ter replies boldly, and without hesitation, You are the nounced forgiveness of sins to those who repented and re-
Christ, the Son of the living God. sponded in faith (Acts 2). Later, he did the same at the
Gentile home of Cornelius (Acts 10-11; Acts 15:19-20). But
In response to Peters bold confession, Jesus says, Blessed note: Jesus gave this same privilege and authority to all
are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not re- the disciples (John 20:19-23).
vealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And
I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will While this passage in Matthew 16 is open to several pos-
build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail sible interpretations, other passages in Scripture are
against it (Matt. 16:17-18, emphasis added). unambiguousChrist (not Peter) is the rock on which
the Church is built. He is the chief cornerstone and the
So, when Jesus said, on this rock, did He mean Peter, head of the Church (Acts 4:11-12, 1 Corinthians 3:11,
whose name means rock? Did He mean Peters confes- Ephesians 1:22; 5:23). Nowhere else in Scripture is Pe-
sion? Or did He perhaps mean something more subtle? ter singled out for an honor belonging to Christ alone.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary, produced by the fac- Peter himself speaks of believers as living stones who
ulty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), offers this come to Christ, the chief cornerstone (1 Peter 2). Yes,
perspective on the question: Peter and the other apostles played an important role in
the founding and building of the Church (Eph. 2:20), but
Peters words brought a commendation from the Lord. Peter Peter was just a servant to whom the Masters keys were
was blessed because he had come to a correct conclu- entrusted; preeminence and headship belong to Christ
sion about the person of Christ and because great bless- alone. I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory
ing would be brought into his life. The Lord added, however, I will not give to another (Isa. 42:8a).
iStockphoto.com
by Violette Berger
Bible Q&A:
Was Jesus Building
His Church on Peter?
by Dr. Gary Hedrick
Page 10