"Is it Lawful?" Interpretation and Discernment in Light of Sabbath Controversies (original) (raw)

On (Not) Obeying the Sabbath: Reading Jesus Reading Scripture

Horizons in Biblical Theology, 2011

This essay examines the sabbath controversy of Mark 2:23-28 to see how Jesus faces the challenge of biblical interpretation as he models what it means for his disciples to image God in freedom. In dominant approaches to the Gospels, the interpretive process set in motion by this passage, which I characterize as ‘reading Scripture reading Jesus reading Scripture,’ is confined to its earlier stages—a reductionism that calls for hermeneutical reflection. If a narrative has a ‘life of its own’ beyond authorial intention (indispensable though the author may be), can we say the same about a character who is central to a narrative? If so, is ‘the Jesus of Mark’s Gospel’ ‘more than’ the ‘Markan Jesus’ of much scholarly concern? This essay seeks to develop an intertextual, Christocentric hermeneutic by attending to the implicit as well as explicit ways in which Jesus’ reading of Scripture takes place ‘within’ the Gospel narrative.

A Case Study of the Sabbath: Arbitrating Three Positions

My goal in this paper is to examine each of the three main positions one by one with attention to exegesis of key texts in order to determine how they put together their biblical theology. I will arbitrate between these views and reach the conclusion that the Fulfilled Sabbath is the most accurate position to describe how the New Testament authors understand the Sabbath.

“Christian Anti-Sabbath Polemic and the Textual Transmission of Luke 4:16 and 23:56”

TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism, 2021

Ancient Christian anti-Sabbath polemic worked to fashion Christianity and Judaism as distinct. This article demonstrates how Christian polemic against Sabbath-day synagogue attendance as well as arguments insisting on worship only on the Lord’s Day correspond with textual variants in Luke 4:16 and 23:56. These passages were altered in some manuscripts in a way that distances Jesus and his disciples from Jewish Sabbath observance. Although these textual variants reflect the broader Christian polemic, they do not themselves function as polemic and are not well preserved. For these reasons, they provide a case study for thinking about the nature of New Testament textual transmission at the nexus of reading practices, practices of communal worship, and Christian identity discourse.

Sabbath controversy in Matthew

Verbum et Ecclesia, 2011

Jesus� attitude towards the Sabbath plays a crucial part in Matthew�s argument. Some scholars argue that Jesus provocatively broke the Sabbath law; however, an attentive reading of the Sabbath controversies revealed a different reality. Matthew strategically places the Sabbath stories after he has firmly stated Jesus� teaching on the continuing validity of the law and the requirement of greater righteousness. The law and the prophets are fulfilled in the Person of Jesus, who demonstrated a fresh approach to Sabbath observance. God�s intention with the Sabbath must also be recognised. Matthew argues not if the Sabbath should be observed, but how it should be done to experience true rest according to the will of God.

The Role of God’s Moral Law, Including Sabbath, in the “New Covenant”1

2004

Many Christians today believe and teach that when the “old covenant” of the Old Testament gave way to the “new covenant”/New Testament of Christianity, the entire “old covenant” law became obsolete.2 Since the seventh day Sabbath was part of that law, it is logical to conclude that literal Sabbath observance is no longer relevant or required. This approach has been adopted by a broad spectrum of Christians, from those (especially evangelicals) who hold that Christians are not bound to keep any particular day3 to others (including Pope John Paul II) who slide aspects of the Old Testament Sabbath over to Sunday in order to make it a Christian “Sabbath.”4 The line of reasoning just described is logical: “Old covenant” law, which includes seventh day Sabbath, is replaced by “new covenant.” Therefore seventh day Sabbath comes to an end. However, this logic is founded on an assumption, namely, that the Bible teaches such a sharp break between “Old” and “New” Testament religion that there ...