Church History
As a follower of Jesus, where are we to turn to when trying to explain Easter? Do we find passages in the Bible that give us solid grounds for defending this holiday or must we look elsewhere? Let’s take a closer look at one of the most widely celebrated Christian festivals, and discover how it relates to Jesus.
As a follower of Christ, I believe there are only three options when reviewing the customs and traditions of Christmas: 1) Remove Christ from Christmas, 2) Remove man-made traditions (of questionable origins, as indicated in the paragraphs below) from Christmas, or 3) abandon man-made traditions associated with Christ and adopt God’s Holy Days.[1]
For the millions of non-believers who celebrate Christmas around the world, I believe that many of the traditions associated with Christmas can serve as stumbling blocks in the pursuit of following Christ. Rather than promoting Christ, much of what is presented to us during this holiday season focuses on mass materialism as highlighted in a recent Herald Sun article explaining that “product offer is far more important than festive cheer” and “a good Christmas is most likely when there is a wide range of exciting, new items for shoppers to buy.”[2]
In a recent article in the Huffington Post, a group of atheists were reported to plan a Christmas advertising campaign featuring a photograph of smiling people wearing Santa Claus hats with a caption of: “No God? . . . No problem! Be good for goodness sake.”[3] Stories like this as well as a continual bombardment of images of Santa Claus, mistletoe, Christmas trees, and reindeer has forced me to ask the question: what do these things have to do with Jesus Christ?
As a recent follower of Jesus Christ, I have attempted to consult the Bible for answers to these questions and have found no Biblical evidence for Christmas (or Easter for that matter). Being the type of individual who likes performing research, my quest to uncover the origins of these various symbols and traditions uncovered some rather interesting yet shocking information:[4]
“December 25 is referred to in documents as Christmas Day in A.D. 324 for the first time. Under the Roman emperor Justinian [A.D. 527-565] it was recognized as an official holiday. An old Roman festival played a major part in the choice of this particular day. December 25 in ancient Rome was the ‘Dies Natali Invictus,’ ‘the birthday of the unconquered,’ the day of the winter solstice and at the same time, in Rome, the last day of the Saturnalia, which had long since degenerated into a week of unbridled carnival.”[5]
“In Rome, the divinity of the Sun came very early on; and then, centuries afterwards, in the superb dome of Hadrian’s Pantheon, the central opening, surrounded by star-like rosettes, represented the solar orb… Before long, the emperor Aurelian established a massive temple of the Unconquerable Sun as the central and focal point of the entire religious system of the state. The birthday of the god was to be on December 25, and this, transformed into Christmas day, was one of the heritages that Christianity owed to his cult.”[6]
“Regarding Constantine’s Edict of Toleration in AD 313, “The services of worship increased in splendor, but were less spiritual and hearty than those of former times. The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship.”[7]
“The exact date of Christ’s birth is not known. The early Christians did not celebrate His birth, because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom. The first mention of the observance of Christ’s birthday appears about A.D. 200. For many years, several dates were used. December 25 was first mentioned in 336.”[8]
“The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm tree; in Rome it was the fir; the palm tree denoting the Pagan Messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as Baal-Berith. The mother of Adonis, the Sun-god and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state to have brought forth her divine son. If the mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the ‘Man the branch.’ And this entirely accounts for the putting of the Yule Log into the fire on Christmas Eve, and the appearance of the Christmas tree the next morning.”[9]
“By absorbing such pagan feasts and traditions, the Christian Church could subtly bring in its own theology: in this case, establishing the good Saint Nicholas, bringer of love and gifts, while grudgingly allowing the presence of the Olde Religion’s Herne/Pan, but only as a slave to Saint Nicholas. Thus, in parts of Europe, the Church turned Herne into Saint Nicholas’ captive, chained Dark Helper; none other than Satan, the Dark One, symbolic of all evil…. In Holland and several other European countries, the Saint Nicholas figure is still highly esteemed. He appears as a tall, dignified, bearded, white-haired old man, dressed as a Catholic bishop, complete with cloak, mitre, and pastoral staff, a seemingly genuine Catholic saint, but with a bizarre, quite unsaintly habit of riding through the skies on a white horse, followed by his Dark Helper. It seems that our Catholic saint inherited some of these customs from the pagan god Wodan, who had also been a bearded, white-haired old man, also dressed in a hat and cloak, carried a staff (or spear), rode a white horse, and dragged along the same dark slave/helper on a chain.”[10]
In light of the following historical background, it is my strong belief that the modern tradition of Christmas is a display of tug of war between truth and tradition, with modern tradition leaving less and less room for Jesus Christ. Although many genuine Christians (of whom many I’m very close to) state that it is ok to celebrate Christmas (and Easter) regardless of the historical origin of the various symbols and traditions, indicating, “that isn’t what it means to me” and “these symbols hold no power of their own”[11], I believe the greater question should be “does it matter to God?”
“Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 12:28-31)
“Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 18:30)
In closing, I’d like to take a moment to suggest that each one of us is willing (if we haven’t already) to investigate the history of any and all traditions we celebrate. If Christ is connected at all to any of the traditions we hold, I propose that those traditions are only founded from the Holy Bible. It is my earnest desire that the worship of the one true God is only ever based on Scripture and I greatly look forward to the time when “no longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me” (Jeremiah 31:34) and when all nations will come to worship God through His Holy Days[12] and not man-made holidays.
God bless you all.
-Richard Shaules
Endnotes:
[1] As those listed in Leviticus 23
[2] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/christmas-sales-challenge-for-retailers-with- 2 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/christmas-sales-challenge-for-retailers-with- lacklustre-products/story-fni0dcne-1226783510272
[3] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louise-mirrer/the-invention-of-santa- cl_b_394031.html
[4] Most of these quotations are referenced from Hope of Israel Ministries. In Should Christians Celebrate “Christmas”. Retrieved December 25, 2013 from http://www.hope- of-israel.org/cmas1.htm
[5] Keller, W. (1983, p. 331). The Bible as History. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
[6] Grant, M. (1979, pp. 391-392). The History of Rome. London, UK: Prentice Hall.
[7] Hurlbut, J. L. (1970, p. 79). The Story of the Christian Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
[8] “Christmas.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 2008 ed. 2008.
[9] Hislop, A. (2007, p. 195). The Two Babylon’s. Minneapolis, MN: Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.
[10] Renterghem, T. (1995, p. 97). When Santa Was A Shaman: Ancient Origins of Santa Claus & the Christmas Tree. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
[11] Personal conversations with close friends and colleagues.
[12] Zechariah 14. This beautiful chapter highlights a time when all of the nations will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
I remember kicking against the 7th day (Saturday) Sabbath.[i] I remember spending hours combing through the scriptures, looking for passages that would justify its not being binding on me today. Sure it was established at creation. Sure, it was one of the 10 commandments. Sure, God said it would be a “perpetual” commandment, to be observed “forever” (Ex. 31:16-17). But I remember finding an ambiguous passage here, or a theological rationalization there that would satisfy me for the moment — but that would soon leave me thirsty, and unsatisfied, looking for more answers. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was just rationalizing away my own disobedience — rather than objectively weighing the full weight of biblical testimony and witness.
If this has been your experience too, I invite you to stop what you’re doing for a moment, put down your theological weapons, loosen your grip on your counter-arguments, and open up your heart to the possibility that the 4th commandment might be for today — that God may be holding out previously unknown rest, and blessings, and joy to you — and all you have to do is reach out and take hold.
Reason #1: God finished His work of creation on the 7th day (Gen. 2:2-3, Ex. 31:17)
Reason #2: God uniquely blessed the 7th day (Gen. 2:3)
Reason #3: God made the 7th day “holy” — that is, “set apart” from all other days (Gen. 2:3, Ex. 31:14)
Reason #4: God rested from all His labors on the 7th day Sabbath (Gen. 2:2-3)
Reason #5: Man is made in God’s image, and since God rested on the 7th day, part of bearing God’s image means keeping the 7th day Sabbath (Gen. 1:26-27).
Reason #6: The Saturday Sabbath is one of the 10 commandments (Ex. 20:8-11, Deut. 5:12-15).
Reason #7: God says “above all” believers are to keep his Sabbaths (Ex 31:13)
Reason #8: God tells his people to keep the Saturday Sabbath so that they know that God is the one who sanctifies them — that is, sets them apart from all other people (Ex 31:13)
Reason #9: God tells his people to keep the Sabbath “throughout your generations.” (Ex. 31:13, 16-17)
Reason #10: The Saturday Sabbath is a sign or a mark of God’s authority over his people (Ex. 31:13, 17)
Reason #11: God tells his people to keep the Sabbath “forever.” (Ex. 31:16)
Reason #12: The 7th day, Saturday Sabbath is an eternal covenant (Ex. 31:16-17)
Reason #13: The Saturday Sabbath commandment was written with the finger of God (Ex. 31:18, Deut. 9:10).
Reason #14: God does not change his mind (Numbers 23:19)
Reason #15: God commands His people to teach His Law/Instructions (Heb: Torah) diligently to their children, and His Law includes the commandment to keep the 7th day Sabbath. (Deut. 4:9, 6:7, 11:19, 32:46)
Reason #16: God says that his commandments (including the Sabbath) are not too hard for us to do (Deut. 30:11)
Reason #17: God sent Israel into captivity for breaking the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:17)
Reason #18: Those who observe the Saturday Sabbath will be given “a monument and a name better than sons and daughters” (Isa. 56:5)
Reason #19: God promises to specially bless those who keep the Saturday Sabbath (Isa. 56:2)
Reason #20: God promises to not cut off those who keep the Saturday Sabbath (Isa. 56:3-6)
Reason #21: God promises that he will bring those who keep the Saturday Sabbath to his Holy Mountain (Isa. 56:7)
Reason #22: God promises to make joyful those who keep the Saturday Sabbath (Isa. 56:7)
Reason #23: The Sabbath is intended to be a delight (Isaiah 58:13)
Reason #24: God promises that we will “find our joy in the LORD” when we keep the Saturday Sabbath (Isa. 58:13)
Reason #25: God promises that those who keep the Saturday Sabbath will “ride on the heights of the land” (Isa. 58:13)
Reason #26: God promises that those who keep the Saturday Sabbath will “feast on the inheritance of our father Jacob” (Isa. 58:13-14)
Reason #27: In the future, after the Final Judgment, the Sabbath will still be in effect (Isa. 66:22-23)
Reason #28: God uses the Sabbath as a time marker when referring to the New Heavens and New Earth, showing that the Sabbath will still be in effect in the world to come (Isaiah 66:23)
Reason #29: Forgetting the Saturday Sabbath is a punishment (Lamentations 2:6)
Reason #30: The Lord gave the Sabbath as a sign or a mark between Him and His people (Ezekiel 20:12-24)
Reason #31: God mentioned Sabbath breaking in a list of indictments against his people, along with other “moral” issues (Ezekiel 22:8, 26, 23:38)
Reason #32: The prophet Ezekiel describes a future temple in which the Sabbath will still be in effect (Ezekiel 46:1-12)
Reason #33: The Bible warns that the devil will seek to change times, laws, Sabbaths, etc. (Daniel 7:25)
Reason #34: God takes away the Sabbaths and the Feasts as a punishment (Hosea 2:11)
Reason #35: God wouldn’t change the day of the Sabbath, or nullify it, without speaking this through the mouth of the prophets first (Amos 3:7)
Reason #36: God does not change (Malachi 3:6)
Reason #37: Jesus did not come to abolish even the least of God’s commandments (Matt. 5:17-19)
Reason #38: Nothing will pass from the Torah until ALL is accomplished (Matt. 5:18)
Reason #39: Those who break the Saturday Sabbath will be called “least” in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:19)
Reason #40: Those who teach others to break the Sabbath will be called “least” in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:19)
Reason #41: Those who keep the Saturday Sabbath (along with God’s other commandments) will be called “great” in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:19)
Reason #42: Those who teach others to keep the Saturday sabbath will be called “great” in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:19)
Reason #43: Jesus will say he does not know those who practice lawlessness (Matt. 7:23)
Reason #44: Jesus taught his disciples how to properly keep the 7th day Sabbath, with the expectation that his followers would keep it as he did (Matt. 12:10-12, Mark 2:27-28, 3:2-4, Luke 6:1-11)
Reason #45: Jesus told his disciples to pray that they wouldn’t have to flee on the Sabbath (Matt. 24:20)
Reason #46: Jesus taught that the Sabbath would be in effect after his death and before the great tribulation (Matt. 24:20-21)
Reason #47: Jesus set our example by observing the Saturday Sabbath (Mark 1:21, 6:2, Luke 4:16, 13:10, ).
Reason #48: Even after his crucifixion, some women “rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” (Luke 23:56)
Reason #49: Jesus told his followers that the Saturday Sabbath was made for mankind (Mark 2:27-28).
Reason #50: Jesus said “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15), and Jesus told his followers to keep the 7th day Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28, Matt. 5:17-19)
Reason #51: The disciples (including Paul) continued to observe the Sabbath after Jesus’s death (Acts 13:14, 16:13)
Reason #52: The Jerusalem council gave gentiles four basic commandments because they knew they would learn the rest of God’s commandments in the Synagogues on the 7th day Sabbath (Acts 15:21)
Reason #53: It was Paul’s habit to keep the 7th day Sabbath (Acts 17:2)
Reason #54: Paul kept the Saturday Sabbath every week (Acts 18:4)
Reason #55: Paul taught his churches to uphold the Law/Torah of God (Romans 3:31)
Reason #56: Jesus kept the Saturday Sabbath, and Paul was an imitator of Jesus, teaching others to imitate both himself and Jesus (1 Cor. 11:1)
Reason #57: Paul taught others to imitate himself (1 Cor. 11:1), and Paul kept the 7th day Sabbath (Acts 13:14; 16:13; 17:2)
Reason #58: All scripture is profitable for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness — and “all scripture” would include the 7th day Sabbath (2 Tim. 3:16)
Reason #59: The Author of Hebrews says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God” (Heb.4:9, Grk).
Reason #60: We are to “walk as [Jesus] walked,” and Jesus kept the Saturday Sabbath (1 John 2:6)
Reason #61: We are told that love for God = obeying his commandments (1 John 5:3).
Reason #62: God’s commandments are not supposed to be burdensome (1 John5:3).
Reason #63: The Book of Revelation praises those living in the end-times who keep God’s commandments — which would include the 7th day Sabbath (Rev. 12:17)
Endnote:
[i] According to the Biblical reckoning of time, days of the week are counted from evening to evening (cf. Genesis 1:5, Exodus 12:18, Leviticus 23:32, etc.), so in the Bible, the 7th day technically begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. The reader should be aware that, for the sake of clarity and brevity, I’ve chosen to use the terms “7th day Sabbath” and “Saturday Sabbath” synonymously. In other words, I’m using both phrases to express same Biblical calculation of time (Friday evening to Saturday evening).
By Robert Roy
© MessianicPublications.com
The Apostle John’s mention of ‘the Lord’s day’ is often quoted by Christians who worship on the first day of the week instead of on Saturday, the Sabbath. But is this a correct understanding of this reference? Daniel Botkin explains the context of ‘the Lord’s day’ and the meaning of the Sabbath.
Original article provided in its entirety by Messianic Publications
How exactly did the Sabbath (the seventh day of the week) become Sunday? When did the Sabbath become the first day of the week? Learn how the Catholic Church, at the Council of Laodicea, changed Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.
*Note: Although the information contained within this video is historical valid, the video was professionally produced, edited, and incorporates the use of a professional actor.
Everybody knows there are holidays mentioned in the Bible. But what are they? The holidays that are mentioned in the Bible are usually dismissed as Jewish. But did you know the New Testament Church still celebrated these holidays after Christ’s ascension? Walk through the Christ centered significance of the holidays in your Bible. This series goes in depth to each of the ‘Feasts of the Lord’, ‘Holy Days’, or ‘Sabbaths’ as listed in Leviticus 23 to include: The Sabbath, Passover, Feast of Firstfruits, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Dart also discusses Christmas and Easter, addressing the questionable origins of these man-made traditions.
Many use Romans 14 to argue that “all days are now the same” according to God, and that the Sabbath is no longer important, but the context of this passage — particularly its context within second temple Judaism.
Original article provided in its entirety from http://messianicpublications.com/tim-hegg/romans-14-and-the-sabbath-commandment/
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