Newsgroups: alt.christnet.bible,alt.christnet.philosophy,alt.religion.christian,aus.religion.christian
From:  (Gerry Palo)
Subject: Re: Sabbath (was Re: Who was Jesus father?)
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 13:12:06 GMT

In article <>,
Rowland Croucher  <> wrote:
>
>
>Graeme wrote:
>> 
>> The decalogue is a part of the Mosaic law, right?  We are not under
>> the Mosaic law today.  We are not under the ten commabndments as such
>> because we are not under the Mosaic law. Having said that, there are
>> many things in the Mosaic law that any sensible nation will take on
>> board, or at least apply some principles from it. So I am not knocking
>> the decalogue, I'm just saying that we are no longer under the Mosaic
>> law, as the epistle to the Galatians tells us.
>
>There is a difference between obeying the law to obtain salvation
>('works righteousness' which Paul condemns in Galatians) and obeying the
>commandments 'cos Jesus encouraged us to (he came not to annul the law
>but to fulfil it etc.)

This is something like "writing the law in their hearts", but I think 
there is something more to Christ's relation to the Sabbath that is 
expressed in John, chapter five, where Jesus heals the paralytic at the 
pool of Bethesda and expressly tells him to take up his bed and walk, 
provoking the Jews to want to kill him.

 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him
 whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him,
 because he had done these things on the sabbath day. (5:15-16)

Then Jesus answers in these interesting words:

17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

To violating the Sabbath, he now adds, in their mind, the crime of making 
himself equal with God.  But from our point of view we can see a new 
creative principle entering into the Sabbath idea, that Christ -- and 
therefore all who carry "Not I...but Christ in me" shall work also.  God 
created the world in six days, and on the seventh day he rested. Yet 
here, Christ, who is the bearer of the New Creation, says and shows by 
actual deed that he works on the Sabbath.  And what work does he do? It 
is a healing creating work.  


I think that with this "sign", of the seven described by John, the
"fulfillment" of the law with respect to the Sabbath is indicated.  It is
not, as Graeme argues, that the law is done away with, but that it is
transformed -- fulfilled, to use Christ's word.  In the sense of this new
Creator impulse that Christ brought with his Incarnation, an even higher
principle is established that is still in its essence the old Sabbath law,
but it now resides within Man, within Christ-filled Man as creator.  The
work that Man is to do on the day of rest is a new work, a work that God
left open for its day to come, when he rested on that seventh day.  This
is why he made man in his own image and likeness.  The tempter, of course,
rushed Adam and Eve prematurely to God-like status, which resulted in the
condition of the fall, but the greater plan comes into focus when the
original work of divine creation is seen linked to the new creative work
of Christ, as embodied in the healing at Bethesda. 

-- 

----------------------------------------------------------
Gerry Palo                               Denver, Colorado