The Apostles and the Sabbath

Yeshua observed the Sabbath during His entire ministry.  This is the example that He left for us to follow.  His apostles followed this example.

In Mark 1, Yeshua had 4 of the 12 Apostles with Him, Mark 1:21-22.

²¹And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

The first thing Yeshua did was to take the Apostles to the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day.  Yeshua set the pattern that was to be followed throughout His ministry and beyond.  Yeshua made no attempt to change the pattern, because it was what the Apostles were to do.  And, it is what believe throughout time were to do.

Now there are some very telling statements in the New Testament.  In Acts 15 there was a counsel in Jerusalem to discuss circumcision and the law, whether or not is was mandatory.  The Apostle James provide the discernment after Peter, Barnabas and Paul spoke, Acts 15:19-20:

¹⁹Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: ²⁰But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

James simplified the starting point to 4 things that newly born again believers, former Gentiles, were to do.

Then James makes a very telling statement in Acts 15:21.

²¹For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

In the First Century, believers were meeting on the Sabbath Day, and the Torah was read during the services.  The Holy Spirit would convict these believers what changes they should make.

We are not required to get people to change nor make them change.  We are not to write doctrinal statements filled with requirements.  We are to leave this to the leading of the Spirit.  Paul teaches this in 2 Timothy 24-25:

²⁴And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  ²⁵In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

This is one of the more relieving things about Christianity.  We do not have to make or convince anyone to do something or believe anything.  All we have to do is present the truth in love and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

The apostle Paul ministered to the Gentiles.  Many believe that Paul turned from the Jews, and quit observing the Sabbath, Acts 18:4-6.

⁴And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. ⁵And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Yeshua was Messiah.  ⁶And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Many Christians will tell you this means Paul is never going to the Jews or observing the Sabbath again.  But look at what Paul does in the next, Acts 18:7-8

⁷And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. ⁸And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

Paul did not stop going to Jews or the Synagogues, Acts 18:18-20.

¹⁸And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. ¹⁹And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

Not only does Paul go to the synagogue, but he also reasons with the Jews, and they want him to stay.  Look back at his statement in question, Acts 18:6.

⁶And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Paul did not say he would not go to Jews or that he would quit going to synagogue.  Paul said he would go to the Gentiles.  Paul did not exclude anything like so many like to believe.  He included something more.

Now a convocation is a sacred assembly when a reading occurs.  Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:12-14:

¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Messiah. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  ¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many.

Paul believed, and exhorted believers to keep the Sabbath as a body.  It is important to meet on the Sabbath Day with like minded believers to Worship God

The writer of Hebrews declared that keeping the Sabbath was still important, Hebrews 4:9.

⁹There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Rest is the Greek word sabbatismos {sab-bat-is-mos’}(G4520).  It means keeping a Sabbath.  Hebrews 4:9 should have been translated:

⁹There remaineth therefore a keeping a Sabbath to the people of God.

Hebrews 10:23-25

²³Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) ²⁴And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  ²⁵Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching

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