Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Sabbath change and History (was a question for those in love ...) Message-ID: Date: 7 Jun 91 03:14:33 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 56 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article rvp@softserver.canberra.edu.au (Rey Paulo) writes: +Hi John, your article implies that the Sabbath had not been practiced +until the time of Moses. I believe you really have not understood the +meaning why the Sabbath is so special to the LORD. Well here it is. My post was to imply nothing could be concluded about the practice of keeping THE 7-th Day in any way from the Creation to Moses. Further that it was given to a particular people which were in the process of creating a 'separate' identity. The later iterations of 'the Laws' typically have the social interactions(kill,adultery,steal) the omnipresence/omnipotence of the Deity. But the day of worship is somewhat absent and must exprapoated by much exegesis or it would have been obvious the NT writers "thou SHALT come to gether for worship on THE 7-day". The fact that it is no given and in fact there are statements that indicate some of the 'old' law was void indicates there is some question in the matter. One could conclude as you have 1) 7-Day is still required by the 'true' believers 2) it is not required as the non-7th-day keepers conclude 3) it is required but since it was so basic the the Jewish experience that it was a forgone conclusion and hence not mentioned in the text. For example, the reason such things as 'nakedness' are mention in the NT is because the typic was a 'hot' topic of the time. The Jews of the time where being influenced by 'Greek' culture which called for naked exercise in the gym. This cause the Jews to debate the issue of 'no-nakedness' as demanded by the OT laws. Similarly for 'Temple' based worship practices, after the distruction of Jerusalem there was a great amount of debate in Jewish circles as to how to handle the 'absence' of the Temple but still be under the 'Law'. +Now, to the laws like stoning an adulterer, etc., etc. +These CIVIL laws were specifically given to the Jews for the +obvious reason that they needed strict laws to govern their daily +living during their exodus from Egypt. It was a tough life. Wasn't For years we have heard about the 'evil' of pork and why it was so 'legislated' against in the Bible. Yet, sheep have as many diseases which are even more deadly than the infamous 'Trychtinosis(sp)' of pork. It would appear that some of the 'laws' of the Bible go further than just 'health' but to directly segregate 'Hebrews' from the others. >treatement of contagious diseases such as leprosy. The need of these >sort of laws is very evident or the Jews would surely perish without >them. Do you think that non-Hebrews welcomed lepers into their towns? Do you think some of these laws were 'news'? -- John Clark jclark@ucsd.edu