Jewish holy days

[Tammy]

Bro. Ben, I have come across many Christians lately who observe the Jewish feasts & holy days, and many of them also do not observe secular holidays such as Easter and Christmas. I would like to know if you think Christians have reason to keep these Jewish holy days? They sure are interesting, and seem so meaningful to the Christian.

FURTHER COMMENT: I definitely agree that people can go too far with it. But was it not the Passover that Jesus and his disciples were observing at what we call the Lord's Supper or Communion? And the Lord said, "This do...in remembrance of me."

Bro. George, you are right. It is a common misconception that the Passover lasts over the next seven days. In the Bible, it is the evening meal on the 14th of Abib that is referred to as the Passover. The next seven days is the feast of unleavened bread...

Anyhow, we do have to be careful that such traditions do not become the end of our religion instead of the means of understanding NT truths! They sure are interesting to study.

[Brother Ben]

I think the Jewish holy days can be absolutely fascinating. Many times they mirror N.T. realities. We know some Christians who pracitce these days and lean toward a Messianic/Sabbath keeper. I think it is o.k. to study these things and learn from them, but there is no N.T. mandate to practice them. As we read in the scripture, the only thing put upon the Gentile church was as follows:

Act 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

In a sense, the Gentile bride was experimental, but of course we know that it was ochestrated by the Holy Spirit. I'm afraid some can "go to seed" and get caught up in Jewish observation.

Bro. Ben

[George]

It is quite fascinating to me that the Jewish community celebrates Passover as a week-long fest rather than the one night it is actually Passover. In fact I heard a commentator on the radio last night say that it was still Passover. According to the Bible and to that article by Dr. Gipp that was posted here previously the next week after Passover is the feat of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

It appears the Jewish community is no different than the Christian world in that they take things that are traditional and support them rather than follow the teachings of the Bible. Of course I believe the Roman Catholic church to be the most guilty of following tradition of any of the world's religions.

In Christ,
George