iili!81iii*#«- ifB§§! m Ministry Ministryls the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association and lias been published since 1928. Association Secretary James A. Cress Editor Emeritus J. Robert Spangler How shall we keep the Sabbath? Editor Jesus© view of Sabbath and Sabbathkeeping and its implications Willmore D. Eva International Advisors Assistant Editor A. Abdulmaitd, Alejandra Button, for contemporary Christians Julia W.Norcott Jaime Castrejon, Oae Yuti Cho, Walton Whaiey, Ekkehardt Mueller, John Brunt Editorial Assistant Joel Musvosvi, Peter Roenfeldt, Sfseiia Draper William 0. Scales, Jr., Heikki Silvet, © Professional Growth and John Willmott, Eric Winter Inter-clmrch Relations Nikoiaus Satelmajer Pastoral Advisors Leslie Batimgartner, S. Peter - Contributing Editors Campbell, Michael Cema, Jeanne lashed to the mast Sharon Cress Hartwell, Mitohell Henson, Greg . Rex D. Edwards Nelson, Morma Osborn, Leslie Continuing education feature: why and how to W. Duncan Eva Pollard, Dan Smith, Steve Misey.© Walter L Pearson, jr. remain pastoring when you feel like leaving Joel Sarli Advertising Kit Watts David VanDenburgh Ministry Editorial Office Pastoral Assistant Editors John C. Cress Cover Design Fredrick Russell Trent Truman - -; Maylao Schurch 13 Loren Se/oold HAD Subscriptions Steve Hanson Sabbath: nailed to the cross? Consulting Editors A provocative and enlightening expository study of Colossians 2:14-17 Matthew Bediako, Bob Bretsch, Overseas Subscriptions Ben Ciausen, Raoul Dederen, Mrasfry Editorial Office William E. Richardson Teofiio Ferreira, Ron Flowers, Robert Folkenberg, John M. Book Reviews: Andy McRae Fowler, Roland Hegstad, Kathleen Resources: Catherine Payne Kuntaraf, Robert Peach, Seorge Special Protects: Martin Weber 16 Reid, Angel Rodriguez, Penny Tape ot the Month: Norman Yeargen, Shell, William Shea, Russell Cover Photo: Joel Springer The Sabbath and salvation (part 1) Staples, Richard Tibbits, Edward ZinKe Insights into how Old Testament Sabbath typologies To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Editorial evoke images of God©s redemptive work in Christ preference is to receive manuscripts on diskette with name, address, telephone number, fax, and Social Security number Samuele Bacchiocchi (if US citizen). Send all editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Soring, MD 20904-6600. Telephone: 301-680-6510; Fax: 301-680-6502; E-mail: 19 74532,2425 or 74617,3610 (editorial offices). Writer©s Guidelines available on request. Gospel and the Sabbath Subscriptions: US$26.95 or $39.95 (airmail) for 12 issues Themes of the gospel portrayed in the heartbeat of the Sabbath worldwide, single copy US$2.50. To order, send name, address, and payment to Subscription Desk, 55 West Oak John M. Fowler Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740 or to the Editorial Office. Subscription queries and changes of address: Call toll-free 1-800-456-3991 Or 301-791-7000, ext 2436, or fax 301- 22 791-5018 The meaning and role of the Sabbath Ministry, (ISSN 0026-5314), the international journal of the ©. An interview/conversation on the redemptive meanings of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association 1997, is published monthly by the General Conference of Seventh-day Sabbath and the Sabbath©s role in the life of the church Adventists and printed by the Review and Herald Publishing Will Eva with Roy Branson, Andy McRae, and Charles Scriven Association, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Member Associated Church Press. Standard mail postage paid at Hagerstown, MD. This publication is available in microfilm from University Microfilms Interna 26 tional. Call toll-free 1-800-521-3044. Or mail inquiry to: The forgotten key to effective leadership University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Second in a five-part series on pastoral leadership Vol. 70 Number 5 Doug Burrell Bible credits: Scripture quotations marked MASB are from the Hex American Stanford Bible, copyright The Lodcman Foundation 1960, 1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977. Bible texts credited to New Jerusalem are from The New Jerusalem Bible, copyright 1985 by Carton, Longman & Todd, Ltd., and Qoubleday & Company, Inc. Reprinted by permission. Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, IN EVERY 1 S S U New International Version, copyright 1973,197S, 1984, International Bibie Society. Uses" by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Bible texts credited to Pniliips are from J. B. Philtrps; The Mew Jestsment iff . Modem Enffsh, Revised Edition. ©J. B. Phillips 19SS, 1960; 1972. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co. Bible texfs.credtted to RSV are.. from tBe Revised Standard Version of the Bibie, copyright J946> 1952, 3 Letters 28 Pastor©s pastor 1971, by the Division of chrisfiarrEdueatiffli of ©tfte tMiomlSoimfil©ol tfer©© Churches of Christ En the USA Used by permission. Texts credited to RV 1 are from the Revised Version, Oxford University Press, 1311/Sdnptafe 4 Editorial © quotations credited to CEVare frontthe Contemporary English Version,©- ©©. 30 Resources " copyright American Bible Society^ 1991,1995. Used by permission.. -> © Texts credited to NKJV-are from the New KIn$ James VersioRr Copyright , .1979,1980,19S2, Thomas-Nelson, Inc., Publishers: © © © - 2 Ministry/May 1997 Homosexuals and the church articles that appear in it are very disturb A partnership in ministry I am very impressed with your ing. Homosexuality may be a staggering Before Rex Edwards composes November 1996 issue. I believe it presents problem in the U.S.A. However, because another article dealing with partnership a balanced, compassionate viewpoint. Ministry is an international journal, it in ministry (March 1997), it is vigorously Thank you for your courage! should address only issues that are suggested that he peruse the Vatican II May I, however, be allowed to push at international in nature. To us in India, Decree on the Apostolate Of The Laity if the boundaries? I have to say I sensed a talking about homosexuality itself is a he plans to draw any conclusions about willingness to extend the ministry of the shameful act. Even ordained ministers the Roman Catholic approach to the church to those homosexuals who are speaking openly about [a] homosexual life subject. The reference he makes to St. wanting to live by biblical principles, but does not speak well of our church. Pius X, as well as to Yves Congar, O.P., not the desire to reach out to those who, We have no such problem either in the requires recognition of context. The because of their particular pain, confu Christendom or the outside world. I do not retort of a certain monsignor to Cardinal sion, and feelings of alienation, are not at say that it is absent, but it is not a necessity Manning in 1857 hardly qualifies as a that point. I am thinking especially of the for pastors to be exposed to this issue. theological criteria.—Robert Buholzer, many wonderful people I know who are I am happy to see the articles that are pastor, St. Mary's Parish, Palmyra, part of Kinship. Many of them have been found in the December issue. We like to Wisconsin. deeply hurt by the church, or by their read more articles on eschatological issues parents in the name of the church. Yet than on the mechanics of Christian life.— Feed my different sheep they still long to be part of the church. S. Paulraj, Director, Stewardship Minis I'm always wary of personality True, we cannot compromise our moral tries, Karnataka section, South India groupings but was a little stunned when I beliefs to accommodate their lifestyle, but Union Section, Bangalore, India. got to the Phlegmatics—largely me to a T must we treat them as the "enemy"? (January 1997). I nearly looked at the It seems to me that by refusing to speak • The November articles on homosexual author's name again to see if he knew me! to them when we have prison ministries ity offered a beautiful balance between the The article left me thinking. And I'm sorry and other outreaches of that type, we send twin necessities of loving the sinner and not to have promptly congratulated you on a very clear signal that they are not wanted hating the sin. The Kinship philosophy as the music articles last year. The finest set by the church. It is because they perceive well as the civil intolerance of the I've read.—John, a layperson from the themselves as despised outcasts that they Religious Right were equally opposed. United Kingdom. turn to organizations like Kinship or join I am fascinated, however, by the local other churches where they can find the impact of this discussion on the long- Empty churches or ministering centers? unconditional love they so desperately debated issues of sin and salvation within Just a note of appreciation to Ministry need. We must learn to meet them where the church. The following statement by for the inclusion of Will McCall's article, they are and love them into the church. John Cress was typical: "Only in the arena "Empty Churches or Ministering I also want to say that the cover moved of moral choices and behavioral responses Centers?" (January 1997). Our church me deeply. I had to tell you that because to one's inclination is sin or the resistance could be cited as Case Study No. X I'm sure you will get plenty of criticism for of it possible by God's grace. Inclination among those the author included. After it!—Kate McLaughlin. alone does not constitute sin" (p. 8). 30 years of smalmess, our congregation is Perhaps the long-term benefit of these facing some very difficult decisions. At • I just want you to know how great (and articles is that more than one taboo subject times like these it's difficult to separate needed!) the whole November issue was. will be open for frank discussion in our heart from head, emotional attachment The article on praying for gays was midst.—Kevin D. Paulson, Redlands, from cold, hard facts. And in times like especially poignant. It's too easy to talk California. these, when the former ever-growing about gays or to preach to gays; it's a lot tithe base for the conference seems to harder to look at myself and say, "Am I • Thank you for the November issue. I have dipped and then never fully treating people the way Jesus would?"— especially appreciated the splendid, recovered, money may be the motivator Carol Axelson, via E-mail. edifying, informative article "Compas to cause us to do what the auto dealer sion—an Alternative Lifestyle."—Elof H. ship would have done before ever getting • I am regularly receiving Ministry and I Anderson, pastor, Village church, South started—to use the author's analogy.— profit from it. However, some of the Holland, Illinois. Jim Kaatz, Lakeside, California. I If you©re receiving Ministry bimonthly and haven©t paid fora subscription, it©s not a mistake. Since 1928 Ministry has been published for Seventh-day Adventist ministers. We believe, Free Subscription I however, that the time has come for clergy everywhere to experience a resurgence of faith in the authority of Scripture and in the great truths that reveal the gospel of our salvation by grace, through faith alone in Jesus Christ. We want to share our aspirations and faith in a way that will provide inspiration and help to you as clergy. We hope you will accept this journal as our outstretched hand to you. Look over our shoulder, take what you want and find helpful, and discard what you can©t use. Bimonthly gift suoscriptions are available to all licensed and/or ordained clergy. Requests should be on church letterhead and addressed to the editorial office. Ministry/May 1997 3 f>his issue of a law-Christ continuum than the law- 13,14,16, 22), authoritative, and eternal, Ministry con grace tension that we most often seem to it still is in itself an incomplete or T!firms the see in it. imperfect expression of the will of God conviction, founda- At the center of our struggle to and of all that God is (moral law in tional to Seventh-day understand this passage is the concise, cluded). Law, including the moral law, Adventist faith and seminal statement "The law was our foreshadowed something or Someone identity, that God is schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ" more perfect or complete yet to come, calling His creation to (Gal. 3:24). Again, we must notice that the namely the Author of that law, Jesus "worship Him who made the heaven and "tension" in this statement is between law Christ Himself. Jesus is the ultimate the earth" (Rev. 14:7, NASB). Among and Christ rather than between law and expression of all that God wills and all other things we seek in this issue to grace. Adventists, of course, have quite a that God is, including what was commu validate the connection between God's history with this passage. Part of that nicated through Moses (see John 1:14-18 original creative act and the seventh-day history definitely includes the following and Heb. 1:1-3). Sabbath. We affirm that, consistent with thoughtful interpretation: "I am asked Thus Jesus said such things as "You the explicit wording of the moral law, the concerning the law in Galatians. What law have heard that it was said, 'Do not seventh day of the weekly cycle is is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? I commit adultery [moral law]. But I tell inescapably interwoven with God's you anyone who looks at a woman original creative work (Ex. 20:11). For this lustfully has already committed adultery" reason the Sabbath is designated by God Law, (Matt. 5:27, 28, NIV). And in the same to be the specific weekly point in time in context He said similar things, mixing in which human beings come to worship elements of the ceremonial law. Here Jesus Him. Thus again we confirm that if the Sabbath, is clearly showing that He Himself and His Sabbath is these things, it is not something teaching is the ultimate expression of a solely for Jewish people, but was "made" revelation that could never be announced by God for "humankind" (Mark 2:27, Gospel, simply on tables of stone at Sinai, or in a NRSV) in the beginning before the written code of any kind, even when existence of Abraham, Moses, or the presented by someone as illustrious as Hebrew nation. andjesus Moses (see Heb. 3:3). Jesus is the complete This issue of Ministry definitely articulation of all divine truth. He is truth assumes these more law-oriented and WILL EVA (John 14:5-11). conventional Adventist views of Sabbath, but its central purpose is to probe deeper answer: Both the ceremonial and the Jesus, the ultimate expression of law and into the heart of what the Sabbath is all moral code of ten commandments"1 and, Sabbath about. We try to do this by concentrating '"The law was our schoolmaster to bring Jesus is the living embodiment of "law." more on the magnificent Scriptural us unto Christ, that we might be justified He is the personification of all Scripture connection between the Sabbath and the by faith' (Gal. 3:24). In this scripture, the and of all God ever meant to say to human redemptive or gospel themes of the Bible. Holy Spirit through the apostle is beings. He is the word who became flesh In doing so we want to contribute not only speaking especially of the moral law."2 and lived among us so that we could see to an expanded understanding of Sabbath, This interpretation has critical implica the glory of God. He is also, therefore, the but to an enhanced experiencing of it. tions that reach in significant directions, perfect expression of what Sabbath is. He With this in mind, here are some including a direction that throws light on is literally the picture worth a thousand introductory reflections on the Sabbath. the question of the present role of the law words. He is our Sabbath, and He thus and the seventh-day Sabbath. confirms and fully expresses whatever the What happened to the Sabbath when So what is Paul saying in this and weekly Sabbath was ever meant to portray. Jesus came? similar passages (such as Romans 7)? How The Sabbath stands as a perpetual More to the underlying point is the does he believe Christ's (or faith's) arrival memorial etched in time, a sacrament question What happened to law when impacted "the law" and thus the Sabbath? which makes the great divine centrality of Jesus came? Written with passion, Paul's At the heart of what Paul is saying is Christ and His gospel a reality to us discussion of this in Galatians is the most this: Though Christ did not come to humans. concise. The core of Paul's thinking comes remove law He did come to fulfill it (Matt. Thus when one comes to the question of in chapter three, especially verses 19-25 5:17). What does this mean? Even though the seventh-day Sabbath, one sees that Jesus where significantly Paul presents more of the law is holy, just, good, (Rom. 7:7,12, was not attempting to remove the Sabbath. Continued on page 29 4 Ministry/May 1997 U 1 JU1 F 1 11 I \ or where shall the likeness of God be found? There is no quality that space . has in common with the essence of God. There is not enough freedom on the top of the mountain; there is not enough glory in the silence of the sea. Yet the likeness of God can be found in time, which is eternity in disguise. John Brunt, Ph.D., is "The art of keeping the seventh day is were all right, but no balls of any kind were vice president for the art of painting on the canvas of time the to be used in our play, and all playground academic mysterious grandeur of the climax of cre equipment was out. Hikes were all right, but administration at ation: as He sanctified the seventh day, so swimming was wrong, although wading up Walla Walla College, shall we."1 to the knees was generally acceptable. It was College Place, With these magnificent words the late amazing how common these rules were, Washington. Jewish philosopher Abraham Joshua even though they were never written down. Heschel describes the beauty of holy time, Today, however, there is much less agree time sanctified by God and celebrated with ment on a generally accepted body of rules. Him. Even in Sabbatarian Christian communities, Most of the Christian world today has the idea of sacred time maybe having a hard lost all sense of holy time. The whole idea time. Pluralism and diversity in keeping the of keeping a period of time for special rela Sabbath warn of the danger of losing the tionship with God apart from the usual ac sanctity of Sabbath, unique time spent with tivities of the week has all but disappeared. God all together. This was hardly true in an earlier day. In the If Heschel is right and God did sanctify United States many Christian churches ob time as a memorial of Creation, what are served Sunday with strict rules. Most Chris we to do? How do we preserve the sanctity tians today, however, would look at Puritan of Sabbath in a secular world? rules as hopelessly obsolete, if not simply humorous. Rules are not enough Even in Sabbatarian Christian commu It would be tempting to argue for a new nities, such as the Seventh-day Adventist emphasis on rules for governing Sabbath Church, there is a developing pluralism with observance. As tempting as it might be, how regard to how the Sabbath is kept. When I ever, our argument here is that we cannot was a child in the 1940s, rules for Sabbath- accomplish the task of preserving the sanc keeping were clear. Running and playing tity of Sabbath by simply getting out the old Ministry/May 1997 5 rulebook and reestablishing these rules. Be he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for it ammunition as it sought to defend its ac fore we see why this is not the answer, how man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son tions against its accusers. ever, let's admit that it would be a tempting of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath'" (Mark There can be little doubt that this story option, for there are advantages to rules. 2:23-28, NIV). fits this general situation. Undoubtedly the First, rules provide security. In a complex The story is a marvel in its simplicity. church saw itself in the situation of the dis world, it is often confusing to know how best First, there is the plain statement of Jesus ciples, accused by opponents and vindicated to keep the Sabbath. Rules give us a bench and the disciples' activity. As they walked by what Jesus said. The church, in essence, mark to let us know how we're doing. They through the grainfields, the disciples became the disciples who were with Jesus. ease the confusion and make us more com plucked heads of grain and presumably ate. Understood this way, we find nothing in fortable. But the Pharisees objected: "Why are the the story that would hint at either a change Second, rules help us preserve institu disciples doing what is not lawful on the in the day for keeping Sabbath or an end to tions and activities such as Sabbath. There Sabbath?" Notice that the basic issue about Sabbathkeeping in the early church. The dis can be no sense of holy time if there is no Sabbath here involves the rules. Jesus re pute between the disciples and the Phari difference between Sabbath and the other sponds with a story from their own tradi sees had to do with how the Sabbath was to days of the week. Rules help define that dif tion. Hadn't they heard that when David was be kept. The issue was not which day to keep ference so that we can take care to preserve hungry he and those with him ate the or whether Sabbath should be kept; rather, the Sabbath's unique character. it was a question of Sabbath observance. The Finally, rules help keep us together in m very fact that it was Jesus' disciples who were unity. When there are no rules and every accused probably made this story especially one simply does what is right in their own useful for the church. History repeated it eyes, it is difficult for a community to keep . .here is one self. The disciples, those who followed Him, Sabbath together. And yet at the heart of the were again being accused of improper Sab Sabbath is the idea of community, people reason we must reject [the bath observance and found their vindica of God joining together in worship and fel tion in this story. lowship. Can two walk together if they don't rulebook approach] as our agree? How can you have community ob Mishnah and Sabbath observance servance of Sabbath unless there are gener basic methodology for Jesus' saying seems to reject a whole way ally accepted rules to preserve the preserving the sanctity of the of approaching Sabbath observance, the way community? of rulemaking. It is impossible for us to With all of these advantages, the old Sabbath in a secular world. know exactly what the Pharisees taught rulebook looks pretty good. But there is one about the Sabbath, since the oral traditions reason we must reject this approach as our That reason is Jesus. that they passed along were not written basic methodology for preserving the sanc down until about the year A.D. 200, in a tity of Sabbath in a secular world. That one work called the Mishnah. There is no doubt reason is Jesus. You see, when Jesus was on shewbread from the sanctuary, food that was that the Mishnah records oral traditions that earth, He took on the way of rules with re lawful only for priests? Then Jesus concludes date back much further. We know that the gard to the Sabbath. Let's look at what He with a saying about the Sabbath: "The Sab first-century Pharisaic rabbis accepted a did. bath was made for man, not man for the whole body of oral traditions that built a Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of fence around the law by making additional Jesus' encounter with Pharisees the Sabbath." rules to avoid even coming close to break Notice, first, Jesus' encounter with the Gospel scholars call this kind of story ing the law. But we can never be sure which Pharisees, a party of Jewish leaders, concern that ends with a saying of Jesus a pro of the specific rules recorded in the Mishnah ing His disciples' activity on Sabbath. nouncement story. The main feature of actually dated from the first century. We can, "One Sabbath Jesus was going through such stories is a saying of Jesus that serves however, get a general idea of the shape of the grainfields, and as his disciples walked as a punch line at the end of a controversy. the oral tradition that they would have held, along, they began to pick some heads of In a sense, the whole story leads up to the and that Jesus seems to reject. grain. The Pharisees said to him, 'Look, why punch line. For the Pharisees, proper Sabbath obser are they doing what is unlawful on the Sab It is generally believed that the church vance was spelled out via a system of de bath?' He answered, 'Have you never read was interested in pronouncement stories tailed prohibitions. This does not mean that what David did when he and his compan and preserved them during the time Jesus' there was any lack of sincere appreciation ions were hungry and in need? In the days sayings and stories about Him were passed for the Sabbath. The prohibitions were to of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the on orally because these pronouncements preserve its sanctity. The Mishnah, for in house of God and ate the consecrated bread, were especially helpful for the church in its stance, classifies 39 classes of unlawful work which is lawful only for priests to eat. And conflicts. These sayings of Jesus helped the on Sabbath.2 In our incident Jesus would he also gave some to his companions.' Then church resolve difficult problems and gave have broken at least two of these by thresh- 6 Ministry/May 1997 ing and winnowing. The degree to which of the day were actually watching to see if Jesus takes rules away from the center of rules were created for almost every conceiv Jesus and His disciples would break the rules. the Sabbath, and instead places Himself and able situation can be seen when the Mishnah Although this incident would be suffi human beings in that center. Jesus' way gives spells out rules for how to observe Sabbath, cient to see that Jesus rejected the whole sys priority to the value of people. Human even in the specific situation in which one's tem of rulemaking, the next incident, which needs take priority over literalistic obser home is burning down.3 Such a case pre follows in the first part of Mark 3, makes vance of rules. According to Jesus' way, the sented at least a couple problems for those this even more clear. "Another time he went whole purpose of the law is to meet human who adopted the rabbinic rules. Putting out into the synagogue, and a man with a shriv needs and to enhance human life. For Him a fire was illegal on Sabbath, as was carry eled hand was there. Some of them were the whole law exists for human beings, and ing things from one's home. However, cer looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they this is seen particularly in the Sabbath. The tain exceptions were made if one's house was watched him closely to see if he would heal Sabbath is made for humans, not humans burning down. One could carry food out of him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man for the Sabbath. the house, but only enough to get each with the shriveled hand, 'Stand up in front This is related to Jesus' lordship of the member of the family through the rest of of everyone.' Then Jesus asked them, 'Which Sabbath. For many years scholars have de the Sabbath. One could not carry clothes out is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to bated whether the last part of Jesus' saying of the house, but one could wear as many "The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sab clothes as one could get on. The rabbis dif bath" means that Jesus is Lord of the Sab fered as to whether or not one could go back bath, or should be taken in a more general into the burning building and put on a sec sense. In Aramaic "son of man" simply ond array of clothes. Putting the fire out was .eople in the means human being. Is Jesus saying that not allowed, but if a Gentile volunteered, a humans are Lord of the Sabbath? This good Jew could allow the Gentile to put it community will plan together would seem to fit with the first part of the out. One could not, however, ask a Gentile saying recorded in Mark, and yet it seems for such a favor. to find positive ways of clear from the Gospel that "Son of Man" car All this may sound humorous, but we ries more weight than that. It is Jesus who is must understand the positive appreciation actualizing the meaning of the Lord of the Sabbath, but it is also clear that of the Sabbath that motivated these rules. Sabbath in their lives. as Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus offers the Sab By observing the rules, the pious follower bath to humans for their benefit, and offers of God would be sure that he or she did not them freedom in Sabbath observance. At the even come close to breaking the Sabbath. heart of the Sabbath is Jesus in relationship do evil, to save life or to kill?' But they re with human beings. What does this mean The problem in rulemaking mained silent. He looked around at them for our Sabbath observance? Three clear im It would be a mistake to think that the in anger and, deeply distressed at their stub plications come to mind. rabbis were unreasonable with their rules. born hearts, said to the man, 'Stretch out 1. There must be commitment to Jesus. They frequently put human need above the your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand Sabbathkeeping cannot merely be a matter letter of the law. Healing, for instance, was was completely restored. Then the Pharisees of rules, because such an approach would permitted on Sabbath if life was actually in went out and began to plot with the detract from the real center of the Sabbath, danger. If this approach to rules was moti Herodians how they might kill Jesus" (Mark Jesus Christ. How we observe the Sabbath vated by a positive regard for the Sabbath 3:1-6, NIV). must flow from our relationship with Jesus. and its sanctity and made reasonable excep Sabbath is an invitation to spend special tions, what was so wrong with it? The Jesus alternative time with Him and receive the healing that One problem was the continual need for Notice that Jesus takes the initiative to He took the initiative to offer on Sabbath. increasing rules. Every rule has an exception, heal this man. He does it in a very open way. In this sense it is like a special occasion, those and if you really want to spell things out, He brings him to the center of the syna special occasions we celebrate in life such then you need to have rules to cover the ex gogue. Nothing secret here. And yet Jesus as birthdays and wedding anniversaries. ceptions, and rules to cover the exceptions picks a case that is as far from the rules for When a husband and wife want to be to to the exceptions, and finally, the exceptions Sabbath healing as possible. The rules per gether on their wedding anniversary, it is to the exceptions to the exceptions. This mitted healing if life was in danger, but this because there is a unique relationship they methodology leads to a continually increas man's life was hardly in danger from his share. The day of their marriage has mean ing need for more and more rules. withered hand. His hand had probably been ing because of that relationship. We would Second, this method led to an inevitable withered for years. In this healing story, as wonder about a husband who had a list of spirit of criticism. Once the rules are estab well as the incident in the grainfield, Jesus rules in hand, saying, "Next week is my an lished, it is very difficult not to be judgmen seems purposefully to take on the rules and niversary, and I've got to keep all these rules. tal toward those who break them. Here in offer an alternative. What, then, is the alter I've got to buy my wife a card, I've got to our story, it seems that the religious leaders native that Jesus offers? buy my wife flowers, I've got to make reser- Ministry/May 1997 7 vations at a restaurant, I've got to take her Sabbath observance. This hardly means that given it as a gift. Thus, people in the com out to eat." On the other hand, these kinds anything goes. A community must have cer munity will plan together to find positive of activities are what make anniversaries tain boundaries. But these boundaries ways of actualizing the meaning of Sabbath special. They come, however, not from a should be based on the explicit statements in their lives. It is this thinking, reflection, rulebook, but from the heart. They grow out of the commandment. Within that general and planning on the part of the members of a relationship. Sabbathkeeping, too, guideline there is room for a good bit of di of the community, always with a focus on grows out of a relationship with God, who versity. Living with diversity will help us the scriptural materials on the Sabbath, that sanctified the Sabbath. grow in grace and learn to love each other. will keep the community serious about the 2. Proper Sabbath observance involves the All of this does point out a certain irony. sanctity of the Sabbath. And if we truly keep mind. We must use our reason and think. On the one hand, we are always tempted to Jesus at the center, this will do more to pre God has not provided us with a detailed list think that without rules we will forget the serve the true sanctity of the Sabbath than of rules. The Sabbath commandment, in Sabbath, but on the other hand, the Sabbath any number of rules ever could. • Exodus 20:8-11, does provide some basic itself reminds us that the way of rules will guidelines, such as not working on Sabbath, not do, for Jesus uses the Sabbath to attack Portions of this article are adapted from for example. But God calls on us to reflect the whole system of rules that existed in His John Brunt©s "Jesus'Way With the Sabbath," on our relationship with Him and think day. in Festival of the Sabbath, edited by Roy about what Sabbath means. This is part of This does not mean that laxity and a lack Branson, copyright 1985, Takoma Park, what it means to love God with our whole of concern for Sabbath observance should Maryland, Association ofAdventist Forums. heart and soul and mind. Although it is prevail. It does mean that the community easier to follow rules than to have to reason that follows Jesus' way will be a definite kind 'Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Earth Is on the basis of a relationship, God knew that of community. It will be a community that the Lord©s and The Sabbath (New York: the latter would lead to spiritual growth. thinks about the meaning of the Sabbath. It Harper and Row, 1951), p. 16. 3. Jesus© way means freedom. If we must will be a community that reflects together 2Sabbath 7:2, in Herbert Danby, trans., reason from our relationship with God, we on how the Sabbath can best be kept in a The Mishnah (Oxford: Clarendon Press, will not all come to the same conclusions. way that both contributes to its meaning 1933), p. 106. There must be a tolerance for diversity in and benefits the people to whom God has 3Sabbath 16:1-6, in Danby, p. 114. REAL LIFE SEMINAR HOSTED BY MINISTRY Ministry magazine and the General Loma Linda; Ken Swetland of Gordon not to give up. "Come apart and rest Conference Conwell Seminary; William Self, a for a while" seemed to be the central Ministerial Baptist pastor from Atlanta; Fredrick thrust of the seminar. Association Russell, an inner city pastor from Real life ministry. Real life issues. launched last Baltimore; Brennon Manning, who wrote Real life solutions. From real life month a new the bestseller, The Signature of Jesus; pastors. That was what this seminar and vibrant and Bob Bretsch, a Portland pastor. was about. ministry for pastors on an interdenomi The seminar, conducted in the Those who want tapes of the national basis. Beltsville, Maryland, Seventh-day presentations, or conference or district The Real Life seminar dealt with Adventist Church, offered perspectives leaders who want to host a future some of the real life challenges of pas on "The Hidden World of the Pastor," seminar, may write tors. In addition, attendees were able "Integrity in Ministry," "Confronting to General Confer to earn one continuing education credit. Power, Politics, and Personality," and ence Ministerial Under the leadership of Jim Cress, "Finding Hope When Faith Is Shattered." Association the GC ministerial association The courses were practical, touching Resource Center, secretary, and Will Eva, editor of both the profession and the inner 12501 Old Columbia Ministry, the three-day seminar drew struggle that every minister goes Pike, Silver Spring, participants from a number of through. "I was moved by the baring of MD 20904. Tapes denominations. Resource personnel the soul," said one pastor, commenting are us$4.50 each, or us$32 for all eight included successful pastors and on the way the presenters shared their tapes. Prices include shipping and writers such as Morris Venden of struggles and encouraged the attendees handling. 8 Ministry/May 1997 PASTORAL PRESSURE POINTS IT! he first ministers' meeting I attended after seminary left me wondering if I . . had made a terrible career mistake. Instead of being a time of spiritual enrichment, characterized by fellowship, worship, and prayer, the meeting was more like a sales convention. David VanDenburgh I learned that my supervisors were far for her, explaining that all the other men is senior pastor of the more interested in my being a reliable she knew worked. Even my loving and Kettering Seventh- manager of the local franchise of the supportive wife couldn't understand why I day Adventist corporate church than an effective should not be interrupted in my study to Church in Kettering, shepherd to my two congregations. My open a jar for her. And, of course, society Ohio. job was to do what I was told, be "success viewed clergy in general as leeches and ful," and return a healthy profit in buffoons. baptisms and tithe gains. I returned home In those early days I thought seriously feeling confused and discouraged. and often about getting out of pastoring. Maybe I could go into counseling or I was ready to quit hospital chaplaincy. I completed applica My first few months in my district tions for medical school, which sat on my were not much more encouraging. I desk waiting until I could honestly say discovered that not all saints were eager to that the Lord had released me from my tell the world about a soon-coming call to pastoral ministry. Saviour. Some seemed intent on devour I was not alone in my distress. Few of ing one another, critiquing the pastor, and my seminary classmates continue today in whining about their own needs and wants. pastoral ministry. Several gave up on God, Like discontented adolescents, they church, and ministry altogether. For believed the mission of the church was to many more the pastorate was just a make them happy, not necessarily to waystation on the path to another career. glorify God and extend His kingdom. I seemed to be just another hired hand Why pastors quit to the conference. My congregations saw As a rule, pastors are no longer highly me as an on-call domestic servant. One respected by their communities. Pastoral woman asked me to do a household task ministry is not viewed as important or DAVID VANDENBURGH Ministry/May 1997 9 seen as making a difference. One member nation find that they must work outside some desire to please men or women, but to told me that when he was in college, the the home. This imposes greater stress on please God. Paul had a pastoral identity!2 best and brightest went into medicine, the the family. Pastors have less time and Further, churches and pastors ought to next tier went into education, and the energy to give, and their ministry suffers. be joined together in long-term covenant losers went into ministry. The view of the relationships. I believe that God intended world has become the view of the church Needed: a clear pastoral theology for pastors to baptize youth, officiate at all too often. With all of the inducements to their weddings, dedicate their children, When I am tired and stressed, when burnout (and we have listed just a few), and eventually baptize and marry their my family rightly requests more of my survival depends on a strong sense of offspring. There is no substitute for this time, when the bills multiply and the car security in Christ and a keen sense of kind of long-term involvement in people's breaks down, when I have absorbed the personal mission. It is imperative for lives. grief, anger, and pain of people in crisis pastors to know who they are, where they Most often it is the existence of some and feel overextended, underappreciated, are going, and what they are commis problem in the congregation or in the and underpaid, I am still tempted by the sioned to do. 1 Only a commitment that is pastor that is the inducement to make a thought that there have got to be better hammered out daily in the quiet place move. But people and congregations grow things to do than this! alone with God will survive the internal to maturity through challenge. Problems and external pressures to abandon the are an occasion for growth, not avoidance. Internal factors pastorate. Often the congregation simplistically Some of the causes for pastoral Pastors need to keep their perspective assumes that the problem is the pastor and dropout are internal. Pastors frequently while tumbling about in a confusing and demands a change. There are churches that neglect the care of the inner person. It is broken world. That perspective can be have gone through pastor after pastor while easy for us to be so busy "doing God's God's perspective, if we define our the real problems are never addressed. work" that we don't take time to be with mission by biblical parameters. "Don't let The fifth year of a pastoral term is God. We often don't take care of our the world around you squeeze you into its often a plateau. The honeymoon is over, bodies or our souls. We don't eat right or own mold," Paul cautions (Rom. 12:2; all the easy problems have been solved, exercise enough, and time alone with God Phillips). We will have to form our and what remains are the hard problems gets pushed to the bottom of the list. individual pastoral theology. Pastoral with roots entwined around the Pastors commonly pay too much theology is God's tune for pastors. It congregation's core identity. Now what attention to what can be seen, and not enables them to march to the tune of the pastor is made of will become enough to unseen essentials for personal God's drummer, not the tune beaten out apparent. To stay or not to stay, that is the well-being. We tend to be people-pleasers, by the world, or by the latest ministry fad, question. Calls to go elsewhere come in, and if people don't act pleased by what we or by the newest program dreamed up by New and more alluring positions beckon. do, we lose confidence in ourselves and cast some denominational guru. The great Most pastors succumb and abandon their about for something that will earn plaudits. need is not for pastors who listen to the posts. If they stayed, they would break church or the culture and shape a ministry through the plateau into the most fruitful External rewards accordingly, but for pastors who listen to years of ministry: the years after the Some of the causes of pastoral disen God and shape a ministry accordingly. seventh year. Sadly, most pastors never see chantment are external. The work is never these years. "done" in the pastorate, and all of it seems Pastoring takes time urgent. When we take a day off, it is easy Ministers with a clear and strong Pastors as coaches to feel guilty. pastoral theology have staying power. The We need a pastoral theology that The reward structure does not favor church needs pastors who believe that focuses on growing people, not churches. pastors in my denomination. Theoretically pastoring is the most important ministry in The pastor needs to see him or herself as every church worker is paid the same the church, and who have listened to God called to be a soul-grower, not a CEO or a salary so the "rewards" for competent to find out how that needs to be done. They chaplain. There are many important and pastoring tend to be bigger churches and need longer-term pastorates than they worthwhile professions, but only pastors more responsibilities within the denomi generally receive. Paul says, "We are not (and some counselors) are in the soul- nation. Often the steps "up" are actually trying to please men but God.... We were growing business. If they abandon this steps "out" of the pastorate altogether—a gentle among you, like a mother caring for work, who will do it? call to departmental work or denomina her little children.... you know that we The biblical model talks about equip tional administration or teaching at a dealt with each of you as a father deals with ping the saints for the work of ministry.3 church-related college or university. his own children" (1 Thess. 2:4-11, NIV). Maybe we need to give up our outmoded Most pastors' spouses in my denomi Paul did what he did in ministry not out of language by replacing the term pastor 10 Ministry/May 1997 PASTORAL PRESSURE POINTS (another word for shepherd—a rural- creedal statements. Ministry is about is why we are going to ordain you and agrarian role with which most of us are growing people, not sitting on boards or why we are going to exact a vow from you. unfamiliar) with the more contemporary committees or making policy or decisions. We know that there are going to be days term coach. A pastor is an equipping coach. Jesus never said, "Go and make decisions." and months, and maybe even years, when "A coach," Torn Landry once said, "is He said, "Go and make disciples." He we won't feel like we are believing somebody who makes you do what you never told us to build a church building or anything and won't want to hear it from don't want to do so you can be what you to write a working policy, or even to you. And we know that there will be days want to be." A coach is one who helps organize a church. He told us to make and weeks and maybe even years when another be more effective. A pastor-coach disciples, to baptize them, and then to you won't feel like saying it. It doesn't helps parishioners be salt and light. He or teach them all the things He taught matter. Do it. You are ordained to this she equips Christians to live the life and to (notice the order!). ministry, vowed to it. There may be times do the work of ministry for which Jesus The world tells us that being president when we come to you as a committee or has called them. It takes time. In fact, of a denominational entity, jetting to delegation and demand that you tell us growing people is a lifelong process. meetings all over the world, and being something else than what we are telling I was intrigued by the coaches I saw on responsible for large numbers of people you now. Promise right now that you television during the 1996 Olympic and/or dollars make a person more won't give in to what we demand of you. Games in Atlanta. Most of them never important than the person who quietly You are not the minister of our changing made a name for themselves as athletes, tends a congregation, but it isn't so. The desires, or our time-onditioned under but they had what it took to coach. They hands-on work of building Christ into standing of our needs, or our secularized knew how to help another person become people's lives is the most important work hopes for something better. With these what he or she wanted to be. They could any human being can do. At best, the vows of ordination we are lashing you fast see what needed to be done differently, other must simply be part of the support to the mast of word and sacrament so that what was holding an athlete back from system for pastors and churches. Every you will be unable to respond to the siren running faster, jumping farther, and step one is removed from pastoral voices."5 doing better. They encouraged, cajoled, ministry is one step further away from Lashed to the mast by our vows of taped ankles, dried tears. Perhaps pastors what really matters. ordination. Lashed to the mast, like can best understand their role as coaching Odysseus, to resist the song of the sirens Christians to become the best they can be Lashed to the mast that lures sailors to their doom. Lashed to at running the Christian race. And what about the pastor who leaves the mast of word and sacrament, that we the pastoral ministry altogether? What can might not succumb to the temptation to The work of a lifetime we say to him or her? Did God call you, or "make a difference" or to say what people There's no place in this philosophy of didn't He? Having put your hand to the want to hear or to become successful ministry for a pastor to enter a church, plow, can you now look back? Were you shopkeepers and lure more customers simply run the course of his or her obeying God when you went into pastoral than the pastor down the road—this is program, and then move on. "Build ministry? Do you have as clear a call out why we were ordained. people, not churches." "Grow people, not of the pastorate as you had into it? What There are many inducements to leave churches." If I understand my task as about your ordination vows? Didn't you pastoral ministry. To do the job properly, coming into a congregation to grow each take a vow to prayer and the ministry of there must be a long-term commitment. and every person to spiritual maturity in the Word? Would you leave it to wait on Pastors must somehow communicate to Christ, I will have a job for life there. tables? congregations, "I am committed to you Pastoring is gardening: a long-term Peterson, in Working the Angles, has a and to your children. My greatest desire is soil-improvement process.4 One can't wonderful metaphor for ordination. He for your spiritual growth. I believe in what make good soil in a few months. It takes has the church saying to its pastors: "We God can do in your lives and I want to be years. It's a matter of coming into a are going to ordain you to this ministry a part of that. I will stand by your side church, exploring the variety of soils and and we want your vow that you will stick through thick and thin. I have no desire to cultivating each one, planting something to it. This is not a temporary job assign go anywhere else or to serve anyone else. I and watching it grow. Pastors who have no ment but a way of life that we need lived am not a part of your lives until some patience with soil improvement won't out in our community. We know that you thing else comes along that I like better, or make successful gardeners. are launched on the same difficult belief that moves me up the organizational venture in the same dangerous world as ladder. I am a part of your lives because I Success is... we are. We know that your emotions are believe that being a part of what God is The church is people, not denomina as fickle as ours, and that your mind can doing in your lives is the most exciting tions or organizations or buildings or play the same tricks on you as ours. That and rewarding work in the world." Ministry/May 1997 11 P A S T 0 R A PRESSURE P 0 1 N Finding meaning in pastoral ministry 4Eugene Peterson, Working the Angles: d., pp. 24,25. We all long for significance. Most of us The Shape of Pastoral Integrity (Grand 6David Fisher, The 21st Century Pastor, seek meaning by adapting to our culture Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, and our subculture (in this case, our 1987), p. 57. 1996), p. 28. church). Our culture gives little notice to pastoral work. Churches often affirm pastoral work they like and value, but not SUGGESTED READING necessarily the pastoral work they need. Pastors must lead their churches in ways Fisher, David. The 21st Century Pastor. . and now He treats you, you will find they don't always like, but need to go. At Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. this boqk belpfM.' J, * , such times, David Fisher says, "we must House, 1996,248 pages...fisher' ,•',•/ -Working the©/Ang?e$: TKe;Skapeof learn to live under God's smile, knowing explores Paul's concept of ministry Pastoral Integrity. Grand Rapids: that human smiles are mere frosting on and applies it to pastqring the William. B: Eerdniajis Piib, Go, 1987,: that divine cake. Our sense of purpose and . present and:future church.; Parti, of success must come from our identity as the book is really a pastoral1 theology, pastor!'4cliaHeiigirig.,caIItoretoriito Christ's servants."6 Jesus will tolerate no and Part 2 applies this theology to' trie basics of pastoral ministry, which rivals for our affection, service, and creating a practical framework for , Peterson' understands .as .prayer, loyalty—not even our churches. He is ministry,. - •. „. . .','.. .-'.'.• *.. , scripture, and1 spiritual direction. against all "isms." He doesn't call us to Hybels,Bifi. Too Busy Not to fjay. ; , build up or serve any church or denomi . Downers "Grove,, III: InterVafsity ©, . Introduction ©to Pastoral Theology. nation, but only to serve Him by building , Press, 1988,'151 pages..On the s Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. up, one by one, the people who make up assumption .that pastors,who don't Hquse (Ministry Resources library), His body. • take time to slow down arid be; with 1986, 33$ pages plus an" extensive God will not survive in the ministry, bibliography. A serious, biblical, 'Another name for this "sense of I include this basic but powerful siiccessrul effort to write a pastoral mission" is "pastoral theology": that book on how to doff pst .that Hyjbejs; .fheolqgy '*fat,the presentfgeneration .' branch of theology that deals specifically knows- the stresses of ministry* and©. that answer| tSe questions "What with what pastors are called to do and why. his personal advice on how to find exaetlyis.pastoral theology?" and Most pastors have no pastoral theology, or space for God is useful, practical, , "What are: the proper tasks and rather, they have no explicit pastoral "workable—and vital. ;., ... .essential functicjns of .those who are- theology worked out from Scripture. They Peterson, Eugene. The Contemplative -.••" !.'•. called -t&(bfi pastors?" Provides a . , .•• have de facto pastoral theologies, created Pastor: Returning to the Art of ,,.•• :rnaclHneeded theplogical basis for. ad hoc from bumping up against the Spiritual Direction Carol Stream, ID.:. .pastoral miaisirf. •.-•;;; , ,. ' i /' expectations of denominational officials, Christianity Today, Inc., and Word,,. ^ Sici, : S??| Parpose-Dr ivert parishioners, the culture, and their own Inc., 1989,176pages. Gfi«RjK".Grand;Ma|fidsr Zondertan . ambitions and self-expectations. (This is "The Subversive Pastor,'* is Pab.'Hou'se,ia95, 3?8! pages.: From ©*. really a part of a larger problem, which is reading! When tempted to assert our his, experience as pastor -of the ,, that, by and large, we have no ecclesiology, importance, we must remember that dynamic Saddleback Valley Commu but that's a subject for another article.) qur effectiveness is in our subversive- nity "CbHrtli, Warren shares his ' / 2Curiously enough, in the Adventist ness. Check it out. Volume, 17, in The convictions and methods for \ Church, at least, it is the conviction that , ^LeadershipLibrary, publishedI by ,. • organizing the chtech atqund , • Paul's itinerant apostolic ministry should be Leadership, Journal from' Christianity normative for pastors today that undergirds • \Today*Incfj." •''•;,,' •.',. ,-©]©, •••'..,"• tradition, tfffices, programs, ~ the short-stay pastoral model. In the latter — -. Under the Unpredictable plant: ;' 1800s there was strong resistance to the idea An Exploration in-Vocational Holiness. . ' buSdpigs-f-and' explains why he of "settled pastors," claiming that Paul's Grand;. Rapids: Wifliarn 1, Eetdrriajis... s,cKos example should be followed and Adventist ' •"• Pub, Co., 1992, j.'97p%es,JAiaoKat", • • people-; ' clergy should all be itinerant evangelists. This view has been revived in recent years as the explanation for a stalled North American denomination. 3Eph. 4:12. 12 Ministry/May 1997 SABBATH: NAILED TO THE CROSS? lotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was B contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. William E. Richardson, Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or Colossians 2:14-17 is not a passage with Ph.D., is chair of the in drink, or in respect of any holyday, or of a transparent meaning. Even a good English Department of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which translation is not enough to resolve all the Religion, Andrews are a shadow of things to come; but the body doctrinal and theological difficulties. In fact, University, Berrien is of Christ" (Col. 2:14-17). this is one of those passages in which a few Springs, Michigan. In this day of the "sound-bite," we bibli of the finer points of the original language cal expositors have our work cut out for us. gives us a real boost to our interpretive task. When the passage is tough, requiring seri ous thought and expression, the attention The context of our listeners wanders, eyes glaze, and we The first phrase that gives rise to some quickly reach for an easier explanation. I contention is cheirographon tois dogmasin, believe that desire for the "easier explana translated in the KJV as "handwriting of tion" is part of the reason Colossians 2:14- ordinances." Other translations include "cer 17 still suffers occasional exegetical abuse. tificate of debt" (NASB), or "bond written Understandably, we who hold both the law in ordinances" (RV), or "the bond which and the Sabbath in considerable esteem ap stood against us with its legal demands" proach the passage with some uneasiness, (RSV). Since the words occur nowhere else since Paul's figure of nailing something to in Scripture, lexical definitions must be the cross (verse 14) is in close proximity to carefully guided by the immediate context. a Sabbath (verse 16) and some sort of law The context begins with 2:12, where Paul (verse 14). So, to protect two of our most speaks of being "buried with Him in bap revered pillars, we tend to interpret this pas tism." The result of that "burial baptism" is sage with certain presuppositions firmly in resurrection to a new life and cleansing from place. However, in this exposition we will sin. Paul refers to that cleansing with two focus sharply on the Colossian context be participle phrases that are parallel, the sec fore making contemporary applications. ond repeating the thought of the first. The WILLIAM RICHARDSON Ministry/May 1997 13 first of those two phrases is "having forgiven should not have known sin" (RSV). In other But an even more problematic phrase us all our trespasses" (verse 13, RSV). The words, it is the broken law that stands be follows in verse 16. The first word, oun parallel and repetitive phrase is "having can fore us and condemns us, which is all the ("therefore"), is a small but crucial word that celed the bond [cheirogmphon tois dogmasin] moral law can do for those who have bro closely connects what follows with what has which stood against us" (verse 14, RSV). ken it. But as Paul says in Romans 8:1, "there just preceded. So then verse 16 begins with Both phrases mean essentially the same is now no condemnation for those who are Paul saying, "Consequently, on the basis of thing, the second simply repeating in differ in Christ Jesus" (RSV). Or, as inverse 3,"God what I have just established, don't let any ent terms what it meant for him to forgive has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, one pass judgment on you in the following our sins. Thus forgiveness of our sins has could not do: sending his own Son ... con matters." In other words, Christ's death not resulted in the canceling of the bond that was demned sin in the flesh" (RSV). To put it only did away with our guilty indebtedness against us. another way, the moral law could point out to the law, it also took away the basis of criti It is primarily the KJV translation of sin, but could not forgive it. So God had to cism from those who would pass judgment verse 14 ("handwriting of ordinances") that intervene, or we would stand forever con on the Colossian Christians. But just what has led some to interpret the phrase as re demned by that law. At that point, the "prin was the nature of this "passing judgment"? ferring to the various Mosaic rituals and cer cipalities and powers" that Paul mentions in emonial "ordinances" that largely ceased to Colossians 2:15 would triumph over us. But Passing judgment have relevance after Christ died on the cross. now, as a result of the cross, that picture has Some have suggested that Paul's counsel So if some law was nailed to the cross, it changed, and the powers have been defeated. was not directed against the false teachers, would have to be the ceremonial law, since And that happened when the condemnation but only against the believers listening to the moral law was not made "void" by the of the moral law was figuratively nailed to them and acceding to their criticism.1 Such cross (Rom. 3:31). the cross. The NRSV smoothly translates it: a view has Paul saying, "Pay no attention to However, Paul rarely makes the neat di their criticism, since your practices are vision between the ceremonial law and the above reproach." We Sabbatarians like that moral law that we are often quick to make. suggestion, since it leaves our day of wor In fact, his references to the ceremonial laws Maul. aul rarely ship firmly in place. are rare. When he does use the word "law" But our peace of mind cannot be bought (nomos), he most frequently has in mind the makes the neat division so easily. In this verse Paul mentions five dif moral law in general and often the ferent details of religious ritual that have Decalogue in particular. Of course, in our between the ceremonial law been called in question: food and drink and passage he doesn't use the word "law" at all, then the three tightly connected "feast days, which is why we have to be so careful to rea and the moral law that we are new moon, Sabbath day." Are we to believe son from the context to understand his often quick to make. that Christ's death simply did away with the meaning. basis of criticism so that now we can con In a strikingly similar passage in tinue not only all food and drink rituals, but Ephesians 2:14,15, Paul tells how Christ has also the rituals offcast days and new moons? brought peace, not just between Jew and "erasing the record that stood against us with If Paul had stopped with the first two words, Gentile, but between all humans and God, its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing "food and drink," that interpretation might by nullifying the "law of commandments it to the cross." Thus He made "peace by the fit. But after Paul listed these five things he in decrees" (ton nomon ton entolon en blood of his cross" (Col. 1:20, RSV). referred to at least some of them as a dogmasin) (see New Jerusalem). Here the "shadow" (skia) compared with the "sub word "law" is linked with the word The moral law after the cross stance" (soma), which is Christ. Surely this dogmasin, the same word translated "ordi This interpretation does not mean that last phrase emphasizes flawed practices, not nances" in Colossians. The context of both the moral law itself did not survive the cross. just some heretics' demanding attitudes Colossians and Ephesians indicates that It is one thing to say that the demands of about perfectly acceptable practices. something more than ceremonies was in the law have been met in Christ. It is quite volved. another to say that the law has been abol Food and drink One thing is very clear: when Paul else ished in Christ. Or to put it differently, the But we must look more carefully at Paul's where refers to the impact of the cross for law serves at least two functions—as an ob list of five. First, with reference to "food and the Christian, he does not limit his reason jective description of God's character and drink" (brosis/posis). These words have sug ing to abolishing the ceremonial law. For expectations, it stands forever; as an un gested to some that the issues at stake had Paul the most important thing that ended bending standard that condemns our fail to do with Mosaic food and drink offerings at the cross was the condemnation brought ure to keep it and thus drives us to Christ, it that were abolished by Christ's death. But about by our sin. That condemnation arose has a temporary function. It is this last as the Greek words brosis and posts don't equate out of a broken moral law. As he says in Ro pect that Paul has in mind when he uses the easily with anything Mosaic. For example, mans 7:7, "if it had not been for the law, I "nailed to the cross" figure. throughout the Septuagint and the New Tes- 14 Ministry/May 1997 tament brosis and posis are never used with, versa. The implication is that the sabbath clarity to his use of "shadow" and "body" in reference to meal and drink offerings. Fur being described is the weekly Sabbath. verse 17. The word "shadow" has often been thermore, thusia is the technical word for Another point to consider is that the cer interpreted as if it meant to "foreshadow" sacrifice or offering, and given Paul's He emonial sabbaths were part of the annual something to come. But without exception, brew background, he must have known the feasts to which the word heortes referred. when the word "shadow" (skia) is used in correct word for meal offering. Similarly, Accordingly, when Paul here refers to juxtaposition with "body" (soma)-, the posis was never used for any kind of drink "sabbaths," if he meant the ceremonial meaning is emptiness contrasted with sub offering, because spendo was the term that sabbaths, he was needlessly repeating him stance or reality. By these two words Paul meant "to offer a libation or drink offering."2 self. In that case he would be saying, "Let addressed several aspects of Colossian wor However, even if the verse is speaking of cer no one pass judgment on you in regard to a ship practice that had one thing in com emonial offerings, posis suggests something feast day/ceremonial sabbath, or in regard mon—they are Christ-less and for that incongruous, since the Mosaic law con to a new moon, or in regard to a ceremo reason, empty. Some practices were ascetic tained no prohibition respecting drinks ex nial sabbath," a statement neither logical and empty; others were Jewish types and cept in the rare case of a Nazirite vow or the nor likely. now empty. The Colossian weekly sabbath, case of drinking from vessels made unclean Sometimes the assertion is made that the while not a Jewish type, was empty in two by the dead body of an animal.3 plural form of the word "sabbath" here in- ways. First, like all their other rituals, it was It should also be noted that these two without Christ, and for Paul, a Christ-less words have action endings, which means sabbath was an empty sabbath. they would normally be translated "eating And second, Paul saw emptiness in the TI he singlemost and drinking" rather than "food and drink." Jewishness that had become attached to the Accordingly, they probably refer not to Mo weekly Sabbath. When the Sabbath com saic rituals, but to more general ascetic pro recurring element that mandment was given the second time in hibitions being advocated by some dominated Paul©s concerns Deuteronomy 5, its observance was directly Colossian false teachers. Such an interpre linked, not to God's having created the heav tation harmonizes well with other references was the low view of Christ ens and the earth (Ex. 20:11), but to God's here to strict asceticism that go beyond any delivering Israel out of Egypt. Therefore, for thing Jewish or Christian. For example, in that characterized the that reason, "the Lord your God com verses 18, 20, 21, and 23 Paul scorns those manded you to keep the sabbath day" (Deut. who delight in "self-abasement and worship Colossian heresy. 5:15, RSV). Over the years the Sabbath had of angels," and decries those who are sub become so identified with the regulations mitting to stringent negatives, such as "Do of Judaism that even Jesus' attempts to purge not handle, do not taste, do not touch"! Such dicates something other than the weekly them were only marginally successful. behavior appears to be devotional, but in Sabbath. But the plural form is used several Among the Colossians, a ritualized Jewish fact has no value (verse 23). The point is, times for the weekly Sabbath, including in sabbath had emptied the day of Christ, its whether this "eating and drinking" referred the heart of the fourth commandment. true substance. to mistaken asceticism or harmless eating Whatever Paul is suggesting about this It is plain from the argument that the practices, the cross has freed us from the sabbath day, he is not addressing the age- Sabbath is here regarded not as it was pri- criticism. old Saturday versus Sunday debate. Verse 17 mevally (Gen. 2:3) "made for man" (Mark makes clear that for the Colossians there is 2:27), God's benignant gift for His creatures' The issue of sabbath a more substantive issue at stake, and it is bodily and spiritual benefit; but as it was In the phrase "festivals, new moons, or only when we keep focused on the immedi adopted to be a symbolic institution of the sabbaths" (heortes, noumenias, sabbaton) in ate Colossian context that we can correctly Mosaic covenant, and expressly adapted to verse 16 (NRSV), the identity of the resolve the difficulty. the relation between God and Israel (Ex. sabbaths has occasioned considerable de Much has been written about the many- 31:12-17); an aspect of the Sabbath that gov bate. This phrase is found nowhere else in faceted Colossian heresy, its gnostic tenden erns much of the language of the Old Tes the New Testament, but occurs five times in cies, asceticism, Judaism, and distorted tament about it.4 the Septuagint (2 Chron. 2:4; 31:3; Neh. Christianity. But the single most recurring In positive terms, only a Sabbath 10:33; Eze. 45:17; Hosea 2:11). Each time, element that dominated Paul's concerns was stripped of its Jewishness can be filled with speaking of the burnt offerings other than the low view of Christ that characterized the Christ, its true substance. The Colossian the daily offerings, the reference is to the heresy. It is not incidental that the strongest sabbath, kept without Christ ("not holding Sabbaths (weekly), new moons (monthly), statement regarding the deity of Christ in fast to the head" [2:19, NRSV]), is still and appointed feasts (yearly). At times the the entire New Testament is found in linked to shadowy Jewish ritualism instead order is reversed, but in each case, "new Colossians 1:15-20. Repeatedly Paul stressed of being a genuine rest in Christ as de moon" is in the middle, thus making a logi the all-sufficiency of the risen Christ (1:15- scribed in Hebrews 4:9. The fact that Paul cal sequence from weekly to yearly or vice 20; 2:6-11, 19, 20; 3:1-4,11), which brings Continued on page 29 Ministry/May 1997 15 r T n m* 1 j m he human heart longs for a constant reassurance of divine forgiveness, . acceptance, and salvation. We want to know, "Has God really forgiven and saved me?" In the Scripture, the reassurance of divine forgiveness and salvation is communicated not only verbally but also through types and symbols. Samuele Bacchiocchi, Circumcision, the sacrificial system, bap how the Sabbath relates to salvation in the Ph.D., is professor of tism, the Lord's Supper, and the Sabbath are Old and New Testaments. The first part ex theology and church all symbolic institutions established by God amines the Sabbatical typologies of Messi history at Andrews to help believers conceptualize and experi anic redemption in the Old Testament and University, Berrien ence the assurance of salvation. Jewish literature. The second part (to ap Springs, Michigan. The Sabbath occupies a unique place pear in July) will consider the redemptive among the various God-given institutions. meaning and function of the Sabbath in the It is unique in its origin, nature, survival, and New Testament. function. It is unique in its origin because it is the first institution established by God to The Sabbath and salvation in the Old invite His people to enter into the joy of His Testament rest and fellowship (Heb. 4:3-10). It is In Old Testament times the Sabbath unique in its nature because it is not a ma served not only to provide personal rest and terial object or a place accessible only to few, liberation from the hardship of work and but a day (time) available to all. Being time, social injustices, but also to nourish the hope the Sabbath invites the believers to experi for a future Messianic peace, prosperity, and ence divine fellowship, not through "holy redemption. The latter function was appar objects," but in time shared together. ently inspired by the role of the Sabbath in It is unique in its survival because it has God's original creation. survived through the centuries in spite of Genesis provides no information on the repeated attempts to do away with it. It is actual observance of the Sabbath by Adam unique in its function because it has helped and Eve before their expulsion from the Gar Jews and Christians to conceptualize, inter den of Eden. Yet the picture of perfection nalize, and experience the reality of God's and satisfaction (note the sevenfold repeti creative and redemptive accomplishments. tion of the phrase "it was good" in Genesis In this two-part article I wish to explore 1) it portrays, especially through the divine BACCHIOCCHI 16 Ministry/May 1997 blessing and sanctification of the seventh day redemptive role of the primordial Sabbath in In the Old Testament the notion of "rest" (Gen. 2:3), could easily offer to believers the the Jewish tradition is impressive. Being is utilized to express both national and Mes basis for a vision of the Messianic age. viewed as the symbol of primordial redemp sianic aspirations. As a national aspiration, The parallels and equivalences between tion from chaos to a perfect cosmos, the the Sabbath rest served to typify a peaceful the Sabbath of Genesis, Adam's first day af Sabbath could effectively typify the future life in a land of rest (Deut. 12:9; 25:19; Isa. ter his creation, and the last days of the Mes Messianic restoration. The tradition of kin 14:3), where the king would give to the sianic age, though not always explicitly dling lights on the Sabbath was symbolically people "rest from all... enemies" (2 Sam. made, are implicitly present in the biblical linked both to the supernatural light that 7:1) and where God would find His "rest and extrabiblical sources. shone during the first Sabbath upon Adam ing place" among His people, and especially as an assurance of salvation and the extraor in His sanctuary at Zion (2 Chron. 6:41; Sabbath peace and harmony dinary light of the Messianic age. 1 Chron. 23:25; Ps. 132:8,13,14; Isa. 66:1). The peace and harmony that existed be The prophets envision the appearance of The connection between Sabbath rest tween Adam and the animals at the Creation refulgent light during the latter days: and national rest is also found in Hebrews Sabbath will be restored in the Messianic age "Moreover the light of the moon shall be as 4:4,6,8, where the author speaks of the Cre when "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the light of the sun, and the light of the sun ation Sabbath rest as the symbol of the the leopard shall lie down with the kid and shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days" promised entrance into the land of Canaan. the calf and the young lion and the fading (Isa. 30:26). The comparison with "the light Because of disobedience, the wilderness together; and a little child shall lead them" generation "failed to enter" (verse 6) into the (Isa. 11:6). At that time, according to the same land of rest typified by the Sabbath. prophet, "the earth shall be full of the knowl The fact that the blessings of the Sab edge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" bath rest were never realized as a political (verse 9; cf. Isa. 65:25; Hosea 2:20). This vi .. n the condition of rest and peace challenged God's sion of the earth full of peace and of the people to look for their future fulfillment knowledge of God in the last days may well Deuteronomic version of the at and through the coming of the Messiah. have been inspired by the view of the first In the Jewish literature we find numerous days, of which the Sabbath is the epitome. fourth commandment., the examples where the Sabbath rest and the The latter is suggested by those rabbinical septenary structure of time are used to sig Sabbath regulations that prohibited killing in Sabbath is explicitly linked to nify the rest, peace, and redemption of the sects or carrying weapons on the Sabbath be the Exodus liberation. Messianic age. cause the latter represents a foretaste of the For example, the Babylonian Talmud says, world to come. Such a vision of the world to "Our Rabbis taught: at the conclusion of the come was inspired by the primordial Sabbath, Sabbath, the son of David will come. R. Jo a day of peace and harmony between the hu of seven days" is presumably an allusion to seph demurred: But so many [Sabbaths] have man and subhuman creation.1 the seven days of Creation, which, accord passed, yet has he not come! "6 The age of the ing to an ancient Midrash, were bathed by Messiah is often described as a time of Sab Sabbath delight extraordinary light more brilliant than the batical rest. At the end of the Mishnah Tamid The delight and joy of the Edenic Sab sun.3 we read: "A Psalm, a song for the Sabbath bath also inspired the prophetic vision of The prophetic vision of the extraordi day, a song for the time to come, for the day the Messianic age. Theodore Friedman nary light of the Messianic age (Zech. 14:7) that is all Sabbath rest in the eternal life." The notes that "two of the three passages in most probably derives from the notion of rest experience of the Sabbath served to nour which Isaiah refers to the Sabbath are linked the supernatural light experienced by Adam ish the hope of the future Messianic peace and by the prophet with the end of days (Isa. on the first Sabbath—light that, according rest. The Messianic redemption came to be 56:1-7; 58:13-14; 66:20-24)... It is no mere to Jewish tradition, disappeared at the close viewed, as stated in the Mishnah Tamid, as "all coincidence that Isaiah employs the words of the Creation Sabbath because of his dis Sabbath and rest in the life everlasting." 'delight' (oneg) and 'honor' (kavod) in his obedience, but that is to reappear in the description of both the Sabbath and the end Messianic age.4 Sabbath liberation of days (58:13: 'And thou shall call the Sab The freedom, release, and liberation that bath delight ... and honor it' 66:11; 'And Sabbath rest the weekly and annual Sabbaths were de you shall delight in the glow of its honor'). The theme of Sabbath rest (menuhah) signed to grant to every member of the He The implication is clear. The delight and which to "the biblical mind," as Abraham brew society have also served as effective joy that will mark the end of days is made Joshua Heschel explains, "is the same as hap types of Messianic redemption. available here and now by the Sabbath."2 piness and stillness, as peace and harmony,"5 In the Deuteronomic version of the Sabbath delight is expressed in the Jewish has served as an effective typology of the fourth commandment, the Sabbath is ex tradition by kindling lights on that day—a Messianic age, often known as the "end of plicitly linked to the Exodus liberation by prerogative of the woman of the house. The days" or "world-to-come." means of the "remembrance clause": "You Ministry/May 1997 17 shall remember that you were a servant in fellow citizens were remitted. Though sel consists of "seventy weeks (shabuim)" tech the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God dom observed, these annual Sabbaths served nically "seventy Sabbatical cycles," which brought you out thence with a mighty hand to announce the future liberation and re lead to Messianic redemption (Dan. 9:24-27). and an outstretched arm; therefore, the Lord demption to be brought about by the Mes This sabbatical Messianism is frequently your God commanded you to keep the sab siah. One reason for the Messianic function found in later Jewish literature. For ex bath day" (Deut 5:15, RSV). of the Sabbath years is to be found in their ample, the Talmud says: "Elijah said to Rab The connection between the Sabbath Messianic features. Judah...: 'The world shall exist not less than and the Exodus deliverance may explain why For example, the annual Sabbaths prom eighty-five jubilees, and in the last jubilee the Sabbath became ideologically connected ised release from personal debts and slavery. the son of David will come,'"9 with the Passover, the annual celebration of Such a release provided an effective imagery the deliverance from Egypt. In a sense, the to typify the expected Messianic deliverance Conclusion Sabbath came to be viewed as a "little Pass (Isa. 61:1-3,7; 40:2). In his dissertation on This brief survey of Old Testament Sab over" in the same way as many Christians the jubilary theology of the Gospel of Luke, bath themes shows that in Old Testament have come to view their weekly Sunday as a Robert Sloan shows how the New Testament times the weekly and annual Sabbaths have "little Easter." concept of forgiveness (aphesis) is derived served not only to provide physical rest and The Sabbath was a real liberator of the largely from the release from financial in liberation from social injustices but also to Hebrew society by providing a release from debtedness and social injustices resident in epitomize and nourish the hope of future the hardship of life and social inequalities, the celebration of the annual Sabbaths.7 Messianic redemption. not only every seventh day, but also every These are referred to as "the release," "the Rabbi Heschel captures vividly the Old seventh year, on the Sabbatical year, and ev Lord's release," "the year of release" (Deut. Testament Messianic typology of the Sab ery "seven sabbaths of years," on the jubilee 15:1, 2, 9; 31:10; Lev. 25:10). In the bath when he writes: "Ziori is in ruins, year (Lev. 25:8). At these annual institutions Septuagint the Hebrew term for "release," Jerusalem lies in the dust. All week there is the Sabbath truly became the liberator of demr, is translated as aphesis" release" which, only hope of redemption. But when the Sab the oppressed in Hebrew society. The land is the New Testament word for "forgiveness." bath is entering the world, man is touched was to lie fallow to provide free produce for The Lord's Prayer's phrase "forgive us our by a moment of actual redemption; as if for the dispossessed and animals. The slaves debts" (Matt. 6:12) derives from the release a moment the spirit of the Messiah moved were emancipated, and the debts owed by from financial indebtedness of the annual over the face of the earth."10 The Old Testa Sabbaths. The sabbatical release from finan ment sabbatical typologies of Messianic re cial indebtedness and social injustices came demption will help us appreciate in Part 2 Seasoned With Love to be viewed as the prefiguration of the fu the relationship between the Sabbath and ture messianic release from the moral in the Saviour. • collection of pastoral debtedness of sin. wives ©s favorite receipes An example is Isaiah 61:1-3 where the Part 2 will appear in the July 1997 issue. edited by Sharon Cress prophet employs the imagery of the sabbati cal release to describe the mission of the 'See, for example, Babylonian Talmud, 4 Ministry project of Messiah, who would bring jubilary amnesty Shabbath 12a, 12b. Shepherdess and release from captivity. In Part 2 we will 2The Midrash on Psalms, William G. International see how Christ utilized this very imagery to Braude, trans., (New Haven: Yale University * 320 pages of announce and explain the nature of His re Press, 1959), vol. 2, p. 112. vegetarian taste demptive mission. 3See Bereshith Rabbah, 3:6; 11:2. from around the 4See The Midrash on Psalms, vol. 2, p. 112. world Sabbatical structure of time 5Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: ^ Full-color divider pages The unique Messianic features of the Its Meaning for Modern Man (New York: Sabbath years inspired the use of the sab Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1951), p. 23. ^ A great gift idea! batical structure of time to measure the wait 6Sanhedrin 97a. ing time of Messianic redemption. Some 'Robert B. Sloan, The Favorable Year of Price:us$14.95 plus $3.50 for s&h scholars call this phenomenon "sabbatical the Lord: A Study of Jubilary Theology in the Messianism" or "chronomessianism."8 Gospel of Luke (Austin, Tex.: 1977). Send your check, money order, or credit card number, and expiration date to: The classical place of sabbatical 'See Ben Zion Wacholder, "Chrono Messianism is found in Daniel 9, where two messianism: The Timing of Messianic General Conference Ministerial Association Resource Center sabbatical periods are given. The first con Movements and the Calendar of Sabbatic 12501 Old Columbia Pike » Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 301-680-6598 » Fax: 301-680-6502 sists of the 70-year prophecy (Jer. 29:10) re Cycles," Hebrew Union College Annual 46 CompuServe: 74532,2032 garding the time to national restoration of (1975): 201. Also available at your local ABC the Jews (Dan. 9:3-19) and is made up of 10 'Sanhedrin 97b. sabbatical years (10 x 7). The second period 10Heschel, p. 68. 18 Ministry/May 1997 GOSPEL AND THE SABBATH accepted Jesus as my personal Saviour at the age of 8 or 9. The gospel had an /overwhelming impact on me, and its power liberated me not only from what I considered great sins but also my fears and apprehensions. John M. Fowler, Ed.D., The forgiveness experience was so real that cause I chose to follow Him, His Son (Luke is an associate director I did not hesitate to share Jesus with my 4:16), and His apostles (Acts 13:14, 42) in of education at the friends, teachers, and neighbors. Observ keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. The joy General Conference of ing Sunday faithfully, I went to church in of the gospel has only increased with my Seventh-day Adventists the morning and the praise hour in the discovery of Sabbath. I could embrace the and a consulting editor evening. Although our pastor's sermons, gospel as fully as ever and keep the seventh o/Ministry. delivered in thunderous tones, were often day holy without losing the joy of freedom boring and sometimes frightening, I never or succumbing to the perils of legalism. missed a service. I say this for four biblical reasons: (a) the Then one summer a young evangelist Sabbath tells me who I am; (b) the Sabbath pitched his tent in our town—and preached reminds me that Jesus died for my sins; (c) hitherto-unknown truths, such as prophe the Sabbath provides me fellowship; and (d) cies of Daniel and Revelation, the soon the Sabbath points to my eternal rest in God. coming of Jesus, the conditional immortal ity of the soul, tithing, and the Sabbath. The Sabbath gives me identity Each truth leaped from the Bible, and noth Let us begin at the beginning: "And on ing he preached went unsupported by the the seventh day God finished his work which Scriptures. he had done, and he rested on the seventh Thus it was I chose to join the first sev day from all his work which he had done. enth-day Sabbathkeeper—God. I had So God blessed the seventh day and hal known Him before, but now it seemed as if lowed it, because on it God rested from all I knew Him more fully. Immediately I be his work which he had done in creation" came the laughingstock of my friends and (Gen. 2:2, 3).* an object of scorn for my Anglican pastor. The seventh-day Sabbath shows that "You are a legalist, a slave to the law, and God is my Creator. A scientist may say I am you can't have the joy of the gospel," he said. "an accidental collocation of atoms."1 A phi Never had he suggested any such thing when losopher may trace my life to a first prin I observed Sunday just as faithfully. ciple. A poet may say that life is "a tale told Some 42 years later I can confidently say by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signify that I may have been a fool in the Pauline ing nothing."2 But the truth is that I am sense, but certainly not a legalist. My fellow made in the image of God, and the Sabbath ship with God increased, not decreased, be continually reminds me of that magnificent JOHN FOWLER Ministry/May 1997 19 fact. It invites me to enter into God's rest, edge that choice, to cement the relationship blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" even as it invited Adam and Eve. Sabbath is that arises out of it, God calls upon us to (verse 11). Six days are there to do our work, to join the Creator in celebrating the joy of keep the Sabbath. Thus Sabbath is no legal but when the seventh comes around, it is life and to recognize forever that life comes istic stricture. It is a point in the line of time time to remember that we are not our own. not as a result of our work but as a gift of through eternity to remind us continually We belong to the Creator and the Redeemer. God's grace. of our special relationship with God. And it "The Sabbath is the day on which we learn As Earth says: "[Human] history under is "a delight in the Lord." the art of surpassing civilization"4 and expe the command of God really begins with the rience the mystery of God's commonwealth. gospel and not with the law, with an ac Sabbath reminds me God is my Redeemer If Exodus provides Creation as the rea corded celebration and not a required task, Sabbath not only gives me identity, but son for Sabbath observance, Deuteronomy with a prepared rejoicing and not with care reminds me that I am part of God's re supplies a complementary reason: "You shall and toil, with a freedom given to him and deemed family. When we Christians recite remember that you were a servant in the not an imposed obligation, with a rest and the Ten Commandments, we normally be land of Egypt, and the Lord your God not with an activity.... The first divine ac gin with the words "You shall have no other brought you out thence with a mighty hand tion which man is allowed to witness is that Gods before me" (Ex. 20:3). But the Jews do and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord God rested on the seventh day and blessed it differently. They begin with the prologue your God commanded you to keep the sab and hallowed it. And the first word said to from verses 1 and 2: "And God spoke all bath day" (Deut. 5:15). him, the first obligation brought to his no these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, Sabbath observance is a continual and tice, is that without any works or merits he who brought you out of the land of Egypt, clear reminder that we are not our own. God himself may rest with God and then go to out of the house of bondage." created us. He sustains us. And when we are his work."3 in an Egypt of our own, experiencing sin's The One who made us also made the oppression, loneliness, despair, drudgery, Sabbath. He rested on it. It was not a day of and death, we need the "mighty hand" and drudgery, but one of delight, an experience tJnt the "outstretched arm" of God. The breath of supreme joy that can come only when one ©abbath not of God created us; the blood of Christ re communes heart-to-heart with one's Cre only gives me identity, but deems us. Both mighty acts are to be re ator. Adam and Eve along with "the morn membered by the keeping of the Sabbath. ing stars sang together, and the sons of God reminds me that I am part of shouted for joy" (Job 38:7), and bowed be Sabbath provides fellowship fore their Creator in worship and adoration God©s redeemed family. Sabbath is also a day of fellowship and on that first Sabbath. worship, when God's family comes together Could worship, praise, adoration, and in an absolute sense of unworthiness before fellowship be anything but a joyful experi their Maker. Christians are reminded of ence—acknowledging the sovereignty of the Note the difference. God did not choose their unity and equality in Christ. "Before Creator on the one hand and our identity Israel because they were good people, obey God's throne," writes Ludwig Koehler, "there as members of God's family on the other? ing God's law. No, God chose them out of will hardly ever be a greater testimony given Nowhere is this relationship between Sab His mercy, out of His love and grace. When on your behalf than the statement, 'He had bath and joy, between obedience to God and they were slaves in Egypt, when they were time for me."'5 delight of the soul, stated more eloquently no people, when they had no dignity, God The Sabbath commandment is a great than in Isaiah 58:13,14: "If you turn back remembered them, redeemed them, and leveler of people: the son and the daughter, your foot from the Sabbath, from doing made them His own. To protect that close, the manservant and the maidservant, the your pleasure on my holy day, and call the reconciled, redeemed relationship, He gave stranger within the gates must all be blan Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the them the law as an expression of His eter keted by the rest of the Sabbath. Thus "the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going nal moral nature, and He invited them to Sabbath," says Heschel, "is an embodiment your own ways, or seeking your own plea become part of His family. There is no le- of the belief that all men are equal and that sure, or talking idly; then you shall take de galism here; only liberty—eternal liberty, equality of men means the nobility of men."6 light in the Lord, and I will make you ride initiated and preserved by His grace alone. Is this human equality not what the gospel upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you Thus the Ten Commandments are prin also proclaims (Eph. 2:11-16)? with the heritage of Jacob your father, for ciples outlining God's redemptive lifestyle We cannot observe the Sabbath without the mouth of the Lord has spoken." for the human race. The fourth command taking seriously the social responsibility that This passage is addressed to God's ment, in a way, is unique. It charges God's comes with it. Worship is not enough; fel people. They did not become God's people people to "remember the Sabbath day, to lowship must follow. We must become re because they were keeping the Sabbath. keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8), for in six days the sponsible for our neighbors. One Jewish They were God's own because God had cre Lord completed the work of creation "and writer states the truth superbly: "The un ated them and chosen them. To acknowl rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord even divisions of society were leveled with 20 Ministry/May 1997 the setting of the sun. On the Sabbath there ing the second mile, the Beatitudes—be le who is saved by His grace, will obey the Lord. was neither banker nor clerk, neither farmer galistic? The answer is yes and no and is de The embrace of the gospel is the first step; nor hired-hand, neither mistress nor maid, pendent on the motivation. A legalist keeps the observance of the Sabbath is an inevi neither rich nor poor.... The carriage driver the law or follows a particular lifestyle as a table follow-up — a delight in the Lord. For could not be ordered to wait for his master way of salvation. But no amount of keeping the Sabbath is an "exodus from tension,"10 outside the synagogue to drive him home Sabbath or any other commandment can "a sanctuary in time,"11 "a palace in time with after the services; instead, both prayed to save a person. Salvation is possible only a kingdom for all,"12 and its observance "the gether, both wore the fa/ft."7 through the gospel of Jesus Christ, for "it is coronation of a day in the spiritual wonder Did not Jesus Himself point to this social the power of God for salvation to every one land of time."13 obligation of life in His Sabbath sermon in who has faith" (Rom. 1:16). "For by grace We can come to that wonderland only Nazareth (Luke 4:16-19)? He observed the you have been saved through faith; and this when we have first been to the cross. • Sabbath "as His custom was," and He pointed is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— out that such observance has meaning only not because of works, lest any man should * All Scripture passages in this article are as it is bonded "to preach the good news to boast" (Eph. 2:8). from the Revised Standard Version. the poor," "to proclaim release to the captives Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the and recovering of sight to the blind," and "to law because He healed on Sabbath (Luke 'Bertrand Russell, Mysticism and Logic set at liberty those who are oppressed." 6:6-11; Mark 3:3-6; John 5:1-16; etc.), and (New York: Doubleday, 1929), p. 45. Jesus' answer in each case was consistent 2Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act V, 5, 17. Sabbath points to eternal rest with the meaning of Sabbath, that it was a 3Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics (Edin On Sabbath we cease all work, reaffirm day to bring glory to God and not to indulge burgh: T & T Clark, 1958), vol. 3, part 4, p. our self-abandonment, come to God in to in self. The miracles of Jesus showed the real 52. tal surrender, and enter into His rest. This purpose of His coming: to restore and re 4Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: entering into His rest is symbolic of enter deem life. The Pharisaic obsession was le- Its Meaning for Modern Man (New York: ing into the eternal rest that Hebrews speaks galism; the attitude of Jesus was grace in Noonday Press, 1975), p. 27. about: "There remains a Sabbath rest for the action. Ellen White has said it well: "God 5Ludwig Koehler, "The Day of Rest in the people of God" (Heb. 4:9). could not for a moment stay His hand, or Old Testament," Lexington Theological The continuation from the present to the man would faint and die. And man also has Quarterly, July 1972, pp. 71, 72. future, from current reality to future hope, a work to perform on this day. The necessi ""Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search must not be missed. Just as surely as the ties of life must be attended to, the sick must of Man (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, kingdom of grace and the blessings of sal be cared for, the wants of the needy must be Inc., 1976), p. 417. vation are a present experience and a future supplied. He will not be held guiltless who 7Samuel H. Dresner, The Sabbath (New anticipation, so are the blessings of Sabbath neglects to relieve suffering on the Sabbath. York: Burning Bush Press, 1970), p. 4. a present experience and an indication of God's holy rest day was made for man, and 8Barth, p. 53. the future entry into rest in God's kingdom acts of mercy are in perfect harmony with 'Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages of glory. In that light Isaiah's prophecy takes its intent. God does not desire His creatures (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. on a special meaning: "For as the new heav to suffer an hour's pain that maybe relieved Assn., 1898), p. 207. ens and the new earth which I will make upon the Sabbath or any other day."9 w shall remain before me, says the Lord; . .. Christian discipleship is not achieve "Ibid. from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come ment of a moral status, but the reception of I2lbid.,p.2l. to worship before me" (Isa. 66:22,23). Thus Christ's calling; it is not moral perfection, the Sabbath links the joy of today with the but an abiding in Him. It is a love relation hope of tomorrow; it is a day that celebrates ship with Jesus. Once that abiding is estab How to prepare for and deliver the gospel and acknowledges God's sover lished, fruit follows as a natural course. The sermons and other public speeches. eignty. As Karl Earth says, it points to "the principle is a simple one: first love, then its God who is gracious to man in Jesus Christ. fruit; first grace, then obedience. Obedience Price: US$6.9S ... It points him away from everything that does not produce love; love produces obe plus $3.50 for s&h he himself can will and achieve and back to dience. Obedience does not bring about for To order call: 301-680-6508 or send a what God is for him and will do for him."8 giveness; grace does that. Any attempt to check, money order, or credit distort the order inevitably leads to legal- card number, and expiration date to: Embracing the gospel and observing the ism. And in rejecting legalism, any bid to Sabbath General Conference deny obedience its role in discipleship turns Ministerial Association But is insistence on Sabbath obser to cheap grace. Christian discipleship has Resource Center 12501 Old Columbia Pike vance—particularly the biblical seventh no room for either the heresy of legalism or Silver Spring, MD 20904 day—legalistic? Can biblical insistence on the illusion of cheap grace. a particular lifestyle—compassion, love, go Thus a Christian, who loves the Lord and Also available at your local ABC Ministry/May 1997 21 THE MEANING AND ROLE OF THE SABBATH hree clergymen share their personal convictions and perspectives about the TI Sabbath in a conversation with the editor of Ministry. Roy Branson, Ph.D., is EVA: How would you say Seventh-day commandment, which is to keep the the director of the Adventists have viewed the Sabbath? What Sabbath. We have said that we are a people Washington Institute in significance would you say we have seen in who observe God's law, and therefore we Takoma Park, it, and what have we appealed to as we should observe the Sabbath. For us this is a Maryland. articulated our reasons for keeping the very clear syllogism. seventh day holy as the day of rest and An important question is whether or worship? not we understand law and the Sabbath as they are expressed in the Bible. There is McRAE: Adventists have seen the more to Sabbath than the legal perspective. Andy McRae is an Sabbath as an evidence or proof of Another way of looking at the Sabbath that associate pastor of the particular loyalty to God. Yet from my you find in Scripture and also in the Sligo Seventh-day point of view, a deeper understanding of history of Christian thought is that the Adventist Church in Scripture sees that the Sabbath is not only a Sabbath is a celebration. The Sabbath is a Takoma Park, sign of our loyalty to God, but of God's time when the people of God gather Maryland. loyalty to us and God's commitment to our together to remember what God has done well-being. on their behalf and to celebrate that. Adventists have talked a lot about Celebrating on Sabbath is something "keeping the Sabbath," but there is a sense in like the celebration of the Lord's Supper Charles Scriven, Ph.D., which the Sabbath has kept Adventists. Any and baptism. We don't say that observing is president of time any of us get together and think about baptism itself, or the Lord's Supper, is Columbia Union what it is that has held and still holds going to save us. The truth is, however, College in Takoma Adventists together around the world, even that these celebrations are powerful ways Park, Maryland. with our differing views on a number of to remember what God has done and to issues, it is that underlying sense that we are live in hope of what He will do further. In a Sabbath people, or a people of the Sabbath, the same way the Sabbath is one of those that sense of God in creation and redemp things that's just as important for tion, which I believe in some fundamental Christians as is the Lord's Supper or way has held us together as a people. baptism. Keeping Sabbath is a matter of making vivid for us what God has done in BRANSON: We have said that the Ten history to save us and what that means to Commandments include the fourth us in the here and now. AN INTERVIEW BY WILL EVA WITH ROY BRANSON, ANDY MCRAE, AND CHARLES SCRIVEN 22 Ministry/May 1997 SCRIVEN: Our conventional or Sabbath? Comment on this a little more command, God speaks to Moses and says, customary view of the Sabbath tends to definitively from a biblical point of view. in effect, "I am the Lord your God. I have forget that every good and beautiful thing brought you out of Egypt, out of the hand in human life is a gift from God. We don't SCRIVEN: Let me first of all go back to of the bondmaster. I have taken you out of attempt to obey God and please Him by this question of what we have understood oppression and slavery. I have released you worshiping on the Sabbath just so that we with respect to the question of law. We need and given you lives of freedom," and only can be saved. Part of the gift of salvation is to realize that for the first authors of the then, or just then, the Ten Command that we are given wonderful festivals such Bible and those who experienced the story ments begin (see Ex. 20:1-3). It is as if as the Sabbath. God has given them to us the Bible tells, law was not something that there is an unwritten word connecting the so that the human spirit can be nourished evoked the police station or a flashing red redemptive preamble to the beginning of and cheered and hopeful and so that we light in the rearview mirror. Law was the commandments themselves, and that is might engage in life with passion. Sabbath something that evoked the relationship that the word "therefore." God says, I am the is one of the great gifts that God has given God had with the people who had chosen one who brought you out; therefore, have to human beings. It is among us for us to to help God bless all of humanity. To those no other god before Me; therefore, you embrace for all kinds of reasons. Not the in Jewish experience, for example, law was have the freedom to rest from your least reason for embracing it is that in seen as a gift. It was and is something taskmasters and worship Me on the doing so, we embrace the whole history of beautiful, something good, more along the seventh day. God releases the Hebrew God's people clear back not only to the call lines of the way we view Scripture today. people so that they can rest, even as the of the Hebrew people out of Egypt, but Now, the traditional or customary view Sabbath commandment calls them to do. even to the very beginning of human life among some Adventists and also some in (Gen. 2:1,2). other faith groups has tended to be that the BRANSON: Yes, that's true, but we have law is a legal demand that you must tended to identify the Sabbath almost BRANSON: I would like to spend just a commit yourself to and give evidence of exclusively with Exodus 20, while minute on the experience of the Sabbath taking seriously on pain of damnation. The Deuteronomy 5 also talks about the Sabbath and why even the way Adventists under view of the law that is truer to the overall in these redemptive, covenantal terms. stand it generally is an appropriate way to framework of the Bible is that the law is Deuteronomy enlarges on the fact that the remember not just the day, but to celebrate God's strong yet gracious command that Lord your God brought you out from Egypt, salvation itself. When Adventists wake up comes as His gift to enhance human life. with a mighty hand and an outstretched on Sabbath morning they know immedi Along with this, the new case for the arm. That's a reference to salvation, ately this is a special day. This is a day that Sabbath is seeing and living the Sabbath as salvation in the sense of being freed from is different from all the other days. This is a gift of grace, and not merely a piece of oppression. Salvation is a lot more than a day that releases us from what is the law. Sabbath is unmistakably grace. simply our relationship to law. Consistent otherwise an interminable obligation to When you read what Paul says about law, with the Exodus 20 Sabbath command, work, to go to the office or the construc on a superficial level, it might seem as Deuteronomy shows that the freed Hebrews tion site. It releases us from boredom. though he is talking out of both sides of were to celebrate their freedom by freeing Without that kind of interlude, all time his mouth. But reading more deeply, you their own servants and slaves to celebrate on simply runs together in meaninglessness. realize that he loves the law. To him the law the Sabbath, so that their servants wouldn't For Adventists Sabbath is always a special is holy, just, and good. But misunderstood, have to work endless, uninterrupted rounds day of release from the round of all other it is some kind of legalistic requirement on of seven-day workweeks. They would also activities. It comes to tell us what salvation the part of a policelike God in heaven who have the weekly release of the Sabbath and is about. Christ's death and resurrection is looking for ways to damn humanity to all it stood for. came to save us in the midst of the hell. Misunderstood, it is awful, but indistinguishable centuries of human understood aright, it is grace. And this, of EVA: Yes, and isn't the redemptive em history. The Sabbath comes from week to course, is true of the Sabbath phasis we are highlighting in Exodus and week to do a similar work for us, pointing Deuteronomy consistent with Jesus' view of us to the essence of the salvation that came McRAE: Yes, and in terms of a biblical the Sabbath and how He lived it out and in Christ and preserving us from being context, the new case for the Sabbath, as spoke of it in His ministry? Doesn't this em victims of the endless drip of everyday life. we speak of it here, is in some ways the old phasis in the Old Testament prefigure how case. For even in terms of the Old He would keep Sabbath and what He would EVA: Are the descriptions of the Testament story it is good to ask, Where do underscore in it through the way He lived, Sabbath as we are expressing them here the Ten Commandments really begin? worked, and taught? For example, in the Sab what some have called "the new case for the They begin with the confirmation of a bath miracles He performed, He purposely Sabbath"? What do you understand to be covenant relationship rather than with the showed, it seems to me, what the essence of the heart or center of this new case for the first command itself. Before stating any the Sabbath is: a day of healing, redemption, Ministry/May 1997 23 and true freedom (see, for example, Luke Nehemiah 8:9 (NIV) says, "Then Nehemiah order to continue to convey a certain 13:10-17). He clearly went out of His way to the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, meaning, so does the Sabbath. use these miracles to make redemptive and the Levites who were instructing the In the history of Christian thought— points about the Sabbath. people said to them all, 'This day is sacred and here we are talking about Augustine, Thus in the hands of Jesus, Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or Luther, or Calvin—the idea of the becomes an expression of His redemptive weep.... Go and enjoy choice food and completed work of God, which is symbol activity as a whole. He invests Sabbath sweet drinks, and send some to those who ized by celebrating on the seventh day, is with a meaning that was new to the people have nothing prepared. This day is sacred emphasized. Although the Reformers kept of His day. He creates, if you like, a to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the first day of the week, as theologians distinctly Christian Sabbath in contrast to the Lord is your strength.'" they saw the significance and the meaning the emphasis put on it by the religious Now we look at the law and wrestle of the seventh day, because it was a symbol establishment of His day. Jesus is the one with it in the Old Testament, and with the of the completed work of God, which we who really fills out what we have called Sabbath in the heart of that law. But in all can celebrate, just as it was by God in the "the new case for the Sabbath." our wrestling we somehow neglect to Genesis story (Gen. 2:1,2). The Sabbath What do you think about this way of identify the Sabbath with all these great represents being with God and celebrating viewing the ministry of Jesus when it celebrations that go on throughout the His completed work. comes to understanding the teaching of Old Testament and that Christ, in a sense, Jesus about the Sabbath? brings to life in Luke 4, when He stands up SCRIVEN: Yes, in the Creation story in and announces the arrival of the kingdom Genesis, God creates the Sabbath to be SCRIVEN: That's such a nice point. It's on Sabbath and quotes triumphantly and shared with humanity. Not only does He possible to say that the healing stories joyfully from the Old Testament. rest from His completed work, but portray the fact that Jesus had no respect humanity is also to share in that rest. And for the Sabbath, that in fact He was aiming SCRIVEN: There is a famous golf in the Sabbath we also share our whole life to remove the Sabbath, when in fact the instructor named Harvey W. V. Pennick. with God. We become, through the work exact opposite is the case. He was He was coaching a woman who went on to God has given us, through God's work and reformulating an entirely worthwhile win the Texas Amateur Women's Champi through the Sabbath experience, partners celebration, not trying to dismiss it. There onship. He coached her right up to the with God and God's entire project. We are is no scholar in the world who argues that minute of her tee time, and at that colaborers with God. Jesus did not keep the Sabbath. All four of moment the woman said to Pennick, "Well, the Gospels explicitly affirm it. Clearly I guess I have to go out and play now." And McRAE: In fact, it is important to see Jesus purposely keeps the Sabbath as He he replied to her, "What do you mean, you that the whole matter of the Sabbath does because that is exactly the way to have to go out and play? You get to go out reaffirms for us that we weren't created in honor the Sabbath, to liberate people from and play." And what we as Adventists have the same way as the rest of creation. God hurt and pain, to emphasize its healing got to get hold of is this kind of attitude. breathed into us, God created us in His and redemptive elements. It's not so much that we have to keep the own image, and therefore we have been Sabbath. It's rather that we get to keep the invited to participate with Him. And an BRANSON: One of the other things Sabbath. important part of that invitation includes that we would benefit from is to look back This passage from Nehemiah is to rest with God on Sabbath. In that at the Old Testament and see the way in absolutely wonderful. It's why Sabbath resting we are reminded who is the Creator which the people of God celebrated the dinners, and Sabbath celebrations, and and who is the creature, and also who is Sabbath. It was not with the idea that they hymn-singing musical events on Sabbath Redeemer and who is redeemed. In it we had to do it, or that they had to stay on the are so wonderful. Because we get to do it, are also reminded of the real partnership right side of God. Rather they would go or we have an impoverished emotional and regarding the planet and the real nature of into the Temple, and this was the day they spiritual life. the whole created and redeemed order. would encounter God. They would be in His presence. This was unbelievably BRANSON: The shape of the Sabbath, BRANSON: Now, it is quite possible for gracious and good for them. or however we wish to describe it, is a people to create a symbol that emphasizes I want to read a passage from Nehemiah celebration intimately connected to the other things besides what the Sabbath 8, where, of course, they have come back completed work of God. Calvin called the emphasizes. You could have a symbol, from Babylon and are reestablishing Sabbath a sacrament—a concrete, tangible such as the first day of the week, Sunday, themselves in Jerusalem. In this setting way of coming into the presence of God to which talks about beginnings, and reminds Ezra gets all of the people together and make tangible some great, transcendent us of things, important things, such as the they read from the Book, from the Law of meaning or reality. Just as baptism and the resurrection of Christ. That is something God, with interpretation and meaning. Lord's Supper have a certain shape in that you could do. The fact is, however, 24 Ministry/May 1997 that the seventh day has a certain unique open the way for no particular day of summative statement or a final word about combination of meanings and realities that worship. The Sabbath affirms the rest that the meaning and role of the Sabbath? it conveys and has conveyed from the time we enter into when we belong to Christ. of the early Hebrews through to the BRANSON: If we understand the Christian church. For example, you don't McRAE: Another important role for the Sabbath as celebration, as we heard it have in Sunday the idea of completion. Sabbath is raised when one thinks of the described in Nehemiah, it can shape our You know, you don't have the idea of differences between Jews and Christians. attitude toward the second coming of culmination, or really the idea of rest tied Jews and Christians both share essential Christ. If we observe the Sabbath only in to God's resting. Both ideas, completion texts of origin, but at some point they terms of law, that has a way of shaping our and rest, are tied not only to the biblical nevertheless follow two divergent tracks. It expectation of the Second Coming simply Creation story, but to redemption as it is may be said that the purpose of Christians as a day of judgment. If we understand the revealed in the New Testament. is the salvation of the world, while for Jews Sabbath as celebration, then we look it is the sanctification of Israel. forward to "the marriage supper of the SCRIVEN: That's true. I would like to I've come to the conclusion that we Lamb" (Rev. 19:7-9). We will then talk of make another point about the Sabbath day, have a way of resolving the divergent the Second Coming more like a wedding and it relates to Roy's. This point addresses emphases or tracks that Jews and Chris reception, and not only as the great the fundamental psychology or outlook of tians seem to be on. The Christian idea of judgment day that it will be. the believer by asking the question Are you saving the world, and also the Jewish idea forward-looking or backward-looking? of making a holy people, is all implicit in SCRIVEN: The critics will come The Sabbath experience is not only one the language of the Sabbath. This language along, and there are certain critics of that looks backward to Creation and the goes back beyond Abraham and the early Adventism, wanting to argue that it's a cross, but also one that nourishes a Hebrew nation, to the beginning of things mistake to think of the Sabbath merely as forward-looking frame of mind. Each week and to the Sabbath story in Genesis 2. A a legal requirement that we must meet in in celebrating or keeping Sabbath, I am glance at the essence of that story shows order to benefit from God's grace. The working with a view to the capstone of the that we all belong in the story. It's my proper response to that point is of course week—the final celebrative rest day, the story, whether I am Jewish or Christian. to concede it. But it does not follow that Sabbath. This is a parable of eschatology we should concede giving up the that I, as a keeper of Sabbath, embody in BRANSON: Yes, and this has other enriching, biblical experience of Sabbath my life every day. I am looking forward. implications. Siegfried Horn, under whom celebration. In this is embodied the whole theme of I think all of us studied, was a great waiting, which is a definite theme in archaeologist and also dean of the Seventh- McRAE: For several years I have been Jewish tradition, and of course a clear day Adventist Theological Seminary. He collecting books by people from a number theme in the Gospels. We await, we look was also an anti-Nazi German. I remember of different religious traditions. As I've forward to, an end. Sabbath becomes a him expressing the opinion that if German done this, I've been intrigued by a renewed weekly parable of the whole history of Christians had been worshiping God on attempt to reclaim Sabbath for the salvation. It implies that human history or the same day as the German Jews, we might Christian world. We live in a world destiny has an implied end, an ultimate not have had the Holocaust. Now we don't fragmented and harried, our families in eschatological rest. This important know if that would indeed have been the tatters, our jobs overwhelming our lives, meaning is lost through Sunday worship. case, but it is definitely worth contemplat and our own deepest desires and dreams What I am saying is that there is no ing. If German Christians had been going often haunted by an oppressive kind of tradition for Sunday as a rest day except to their churches at the same time German clock-watching. In the midst of this there when we try to marry Sunday to the Jews had been going to their synagogues, is this attempt to reclaim the Sabbath. It's biblical meanings associated with the wouldn't they have been more able to think exciting to see. What's missing in many of seventh day in Scripture. In keeping of themselves as brothers and sisters? these reclamations is that they are trying to Sunday much of this kind of meaning This has implications for today. There fit the reclaiming of Jewish and early tends to get lost, because Sunday is not are people, including some Adventists, who Christian Sabbath practice into something really pictured in the New Testament as a feel that keeping Sabbath separates them that doesn't bear the full weight of the worship day. And any or all of the from other Christians. But what about our biblical meanings of Sabbath. We commentary on Sabbath in the New separation from Jews? It is just as impor Adventists must keep trying to call for a Testament, including passages like tant to realize how keeping the Sabbath celebration of Sabbath that does not Colossians 2:16-18, is an attempt to rescue could tie us Christians in with Jews. reinvent Sabbath, but that instead ties Sabbath from rigid, legalistic perversions. It together the whole sweep of God's great is not there to delete Sabbath. Nor is it EVA: We have had a fascinating and work of creation, redemption, and there to create a new day of worship, or to enlightening conversation. Do you have a imminent return. • Ministry/May 1997 25 r T n in 1 rmn HH \ i j . j J 1 1LI r i mmnin ir T i \ \ \ •4 j. j j. Tl i D J hat will cause your congregation to follow your leadership? Will they follow you simply because you are the pastor? Will they accept you because you have a great vision and you are a persuasive preacher? Will they trust your leadership because of your training and experience? DougBurrell is a Undoubtedly your congregation will follow Parents who listen to their children earn Baptist pastor and you a certain distance as a result of each of their trust and excel in parenting. That's a ministry consultant these. But whether they take a comfortable job that can't be done with a newspaper in in Rome, Georgia. stroll or go on a journey of faith may de one hand and a remote control in the other. pend on something pastors sometimes over Similarly, if you are going to be an effective look: the art of good listening. spiritual leader, you must be an effective lis A minister friend tells how his 3-year- tener. Here are four powerful "secrets" for old son taught him an important lesson. The improving your listening. father was sitting in his favorite chair, read ing the evening paper. The boy was enthu Secret 1: people are hungry to be heard siastically talking to his father, who was half We live in a culture that would rather talk listening while he continued to read the pa than listen. Everybody seems to have instant per. The 3-year-old sensed he wasn't getting answers. They are ready to advise you through and said, "Listen to me, Daddy!" whether you want it or not. They overwhelm The preoccupied dad half mumbled, "I'm you with information. But people don't listening. Go ahead, son." That was when the need information. They need someone who 3-year-old crawled into Dad's lap. The boy will listen to them and who will understand then deliberately took his father's face into what they are saying and feeling. his tiny hands, looked directly at his father, I have been surprised how eager people and said, "Listen to me with your eyes!" are to have someone who will listen to them. 26 Ministry/May 1997 Total strangers have poured out their souls ing more aware of how you tend to listen. If In using these varied strategies, you need to me while we waited in a line or a doctor's you want to take this a step further, you to be flexible. You must think about the situ office. Sometimes I've simply asked, "How might consider completing a Personal Lis ation at hand and actively decide how to lis are you doing today?" The replies vary from tening Profile1 to give you a more objective ten. Shifting your mental gears as you "I'm fine" to "Terrible, my dog died yester view of your approach to listening. encounter different situations to meet the day!" People I've just met often give me their need at hand will make you a more effec opinions on politics, the church, or the Secret 3: use more than one listening tive listener and a more productive leader. school system. Sometimes they complain strategy about their in-laws. To be an effective listener, you need more Secret 4: be intentional in listening One day I stopped in to have a dough than one strategy in your listening "toolbox". If we want to really hear people, if we nut. The gentleman next to me at the Here are five of them: appreciative, empathic, want our congregations to trust us and fol counter wanted to talk. Levi spoke with a comprehensive, discerning, evaluative.2 low our leadership, we need to be intentional mixture of pride and sadness as he reflected The first two of these are more emo in the practice of listening. Listen carefully at on the job he had enjoyed for nearly 20 tional. The last three focus more on facts. a church dinner or at a ball game. Listen to years—before he was "let go." He was strug Each strategy must be integrated when it is worshipers as they enter and leave the gling to find his new place in life. He wasn't appropriate. You probably listen "apprecia church. Set aside some specific time to be looking for advice that day. He just wanted tively" when listening to your favorite mu intentionally present without being busy or someone to listen. Levi isn't much different sic or are watching a video. As a pastor, you in a hurry. Ask questions that encourage from the people we pastor. They don't al will often need to listen "empathetically" to people to open up and talk. Ask them about ways want or need advice. They just need persons who are hurting. This style of lis- their jobs, their children, or their hobbies. someone to listen. And if we listen, soon Invite them to talk about their relationship enough so will they. with God. Pray with them. Ask them about Listening is a powerful and too-often- their most difficult challenges—at work or unused tool of ministry. Think about phy at home. sicians for a moment. All their knowledge Make good listening the first priority of of medicine and the human body, all their . J istening is a every committee meeting, every class, and experience with other patients, and all their powerful and too-often-unused every counseling session. At the board meet research and knowledge of the latest in ing encourage people to talk. Listen care medicine are useless until they listen to you tool of ministry.... A failure fully to each concern and opinion. tell what ails you. Should a doctor say, "I've As we listen, we will build our credibility seen enough patients now to know what you to listen is a failure of as a pastoral leader. Our congregations will need," would you feel comfortable? The know that we care about them and will award power and importance of listening in min professional responsibility. us their trust. Good listening will help us re istry is no less important. A failure to listen alize more of our leadership potential. • is a failure in professional responsibility. 'The Personal Listening Profile is devel Secret 2: be a good listener tening helps people know that you care oped and produced by the Carlson Learn Most people are not good listeners! It's about what they are feeling. After some time ing Company and is available through estimated that in 70 percent of all commu you may move with them to a more ana Discovery Resources (1-800-291-3868). nication people filter out or change the in lytical way of listening, the "comprehensive" 2For detailed discussion of these strate tended meaning of what they hear. If you approach. In this strategy you seek to orga gies, see the Personal Listening Profile. want to test this claim, just quiz your con nize and make sense of what is being said. gregation on last week's sermon. Think This approach helps you to understand the This article is the second in a five-part series. about your own conversational experiences feedback you get from your minister-con with people. Are you really listening closely gregation relations committee. At the board when someone else is talking to you? Or meeting or in committee work you may Ellen G. White Book are you thinking ahead, waiting for your need to move to a "discerning" style of lis turn to talk? Are you preoccupied? Do you tening. Here your strategy is to get the whole Price: LS $11.95 (hardcover forget a person's name almost as soon as he story, the complete picture, all the facts. Fi LSS6.95 (wftcoverl or she has said it? Do you find yourself do nally, you will employ an "evaluative" ap ing most of the talking? proach to listening when buying an Think about how you tend to listen in automobile or listening to a political speech. various situations. Ask several trusted These are times to set your emotions aside friends about what kind of listener you are. and evaluate the "pros" and "cons" of what You can become a better listener by becom is being said. Ministry/May 1997 27 I eople in baton of ministry. Even if they hand it on, 5. Crises of dependency. Too many crisis turn they cannot let it go. So the new leader is clergy seem to have exiled themselves to a P!to pastors. continually pulled back by the predecessor. pastoral Patmos, becoming solo performers But what happens 2. Crises of priority. Pastors must rather than team builders. They are solitary when pastors or discover what God really wants—worship performers on a spiritual stage, grand their spouses find and service—and prioritize His purposes. standing for the audience. This style of themselves in We want success, but God is more "ministry" betrays a number of dysfunc trouble? interested in our development. Hebrews tions, but on this point I would ask only During our recent 11:13 says: "These all died in faith, not the question: "For whom are we perform World Ministers Council in Australia, having received the promises." Today ing?" Let's focus on God's approval and Archibald Hart of Fuller Theological many pastors die in faith without knowing stop the crowd-pleasing antics. Seminary identified five crises that affect the impact their lives have made. A ministers and four that afflict their surprise awaits them in glory. Crises pastoral spouses face spouses. These crises are virtually universal 3. Crises of character. The integrity of Hart also pointed out four crises among clergy and their families, tran the gospel is judged by the integrity of afflicting pastoral spouses because of the scending locality and culture. those who preach it. This calls for intense unbalanced lives of their partners. These With Hart's permission we briefly note heart-searching. In his book The Sexual involve the sufferings of pastoral wives, each crisis and introduce a writers' contest Man, Hart reports that the sexuality of although men who are pastoral spouses in which we invite you to prepare an male believers—including clergy—is have their own challenges. article about your personal experience in fraught with obsessive-compulsive 1. Crises of isolation. Pastoral wives one of these areas. Winning authors will are often warned: "Be careful who you be awarded us$500, and the articles will make friends with! Don't make others become chapters in a book to be pub Common jealous." On the contrary, suggests Hart, lished with a special introduction by Hart. your wife needs one particular friend so close and so trusted that she can hear a Crises pastors face Crises for complaint about anything—even you! 1. Crises of identity. One great hazard of This confidant and prayer partner is a ministry is role immersion, in which Clergy "Jesus friend," because she represents His professional functions become so enmeshed love in a unique way that nobody else can. with personal identity that we cannot 2. Crises of stagnation. Far too many JAMES distinguish where our pastoral role ends and pastoral spouses stop growing spiritually where we, as persons, begin. Who we are as behavior. This issue is so little compre and sometimes educationally and persons becomes defined by what we do. hended that often a parishioner is safer emotionally. Few pastors fulfill the In Leonard Bernstein's Mass, a priest, seeing a competent nonbelieving counse spiritual needs of their own wives. Hart preparing to celebrate the Eucharist, tries lor than an unskilled clergyman. The asserts: "It is not easy for your wife to sit on robe after robe until the weight is so secular code of ethics often transcends Sabbath after Sabbath listening to your heavy that he can no longer stand up. what churches expect from pastors. All this recycled sermons, watching you repeat the Then he takes off one robe after another talk about "restoration" of pastors who same mistakes, or tell the same embarrass until he is finally down to a sweatshirt, have disgraced themselves and their calling ing stories." Even pristine, thought- blue jeans, and bare feet. would not occur in the secular counseling provoking sermons will have little spiritual Startled as if by some great discovery, professions, which do not offer "second impact on someone you argued with on he exclaims: "Look at me! There is nothing chances" for sexual misconduct. the way to church that morning. Your wife but me under all of this." The challenge is 4. Crises of authority. Many pastors are must find sources of spiritual nourishment to know when you have on your robe and confused about what their authority is in beyond what you provide, primarily when you take it off. And unless you take the church. Many members who are through her own study of the Word. it off occasionally, you'll have a difficult boomers and busters do not believe that 3. Crises of competing loyalties. Often time knowing who you are. their pastor, or anyone else, has any unique when people complain about the pastor, Ultimately, as you approach retirement, authority. Somehow pastors must reclaim they go to his wife, expecting her to deliver surrendering your role becomes dreaded as their legitimate authority in spiritual their message. Hart recommends that pas a curse rather than welcomed as a much- leadership while also abandoning presump toral spouses refuse to allow themselves to deserved blessing. Often prominent leaders tuous claims to make dictatorial decisions be triangulated between members and their have tremendous difficulty laying down the or to control all aspects of church life. pastor/partner. They can simply respond: Continued on next page 28 Ministry/May 1997 Common Crises for Sabbath: Nailed to the Syncretism (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), p. 198. Continued from previous page \jTOSSl Continued from page 15 2See William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur "Please speak to my husband yourself. I have did not carefully spell out the kind of Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the so many things to talk to him about that I Sabbathkeeping he advocated should not New Testament and Other Early Christian can't deliver messages from others." surprise us. Paul often rebuked what he con Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago 4. Crises of codependency. Many pasto sidered foolish practices without giving, in Press, 1957), p. 769. ral wives try to rescue their spouse from his that context, detailed instruction on proper 3See T. K. Abbott, The International Criti self-inflicted troubles. They see their role as behavior. Furthermore, his own practice of cal Commentary on Colossians and Ephesians eternal peacemakers responsible to mop up teaching and preaching Sabbath after Sab (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1897), his messes. For example, one pastor and his bath was so well known he probably felt it p. 263. daughter had not communicated for several slightly absurd to spell out in detail what 4See H.C.G. Moule, The Epistles of Paul years. The wife/mother tried to mend the they had seen him doing every Sabbath. • the Apostle to the Colossians and to Philemon relationship by purchasing a greeting card as (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, if it had come from the daughter. She imag 'See Clinton E. Arnold, The Colossian 1932), p. 109. ined herself creating an atmosphere of rec onciliation, but only brought their animosity upon herself. Hart recommends leaving the responsibility where it belongs: "Let him sink Heaven©s Lifestyle Today or swim, preferably sink, so he can learn a Your Health in the Context of Revelation 14 lesson. Don't try to rescue your spouse from every foolishness he causes." • In Heaven©s Lifestyle Today William Dysinger, M.D., M.P.H., instills you with a new awe and respect for God's incredible creation, the human body. With the gift of life God gave us, can we do less than glorify Him with the vitality a healthy lifestyle gives our service to Him? This book will inspire you to give your best to your Creator. Silver Sptin Price: Deadline: August 1,1997 us$12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping and Law, Sabbath, Gospel, handling and JeSUS Continued from page 4 He came to fulfill it, or again, to fully ex press its meaning. Thus in dealing with the Sabbath in His ministry in Palestine He con stantly sought to open up the real meaning of the Sabbath and to release it from the hold that misled religious leaders had put on it. He came, if you like, to give the sev enth day a mature Christian expression. It is my hope that this edition of Minis try will do the same. • Send check, money order, or credit card number, and expiration date to: General Conference Ministerial Association, Resource Center 'E. G. White, Selected Messages (Wash 12501 Old Columbia Pike»Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 ington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., Phone: 301-680-6508»Fax: 301-680-6502»CompuServe: 74532,2032 1958), book 1, p. 233. Also available at your local ABC 2Ibid., p. 234. Ministry/May 1997 29 order an additional study guide for each message of Seventh-day Adventists such as KUDOS family that will be viewing the videos. To public health studies on the extra order, write to the Quiet Hour, Inc., Box longevity of Adventists and the Newstart Associated Church Press presents annual 3000, Redlands, California 92373-1500, or program. All of these aspects of health are awards call 909-793-2588. deftly interwoven with the messages of the At its annual meeting, the Associated three angels of Revelation 14. One would Church Press Great Controversy tour think that this could be rather strong honored publica July 20-August 1,1997, with Gerard medicine but it is handled skillfully in this tions for outstand Damsteegt of the SDA Seminary, Andrews book. Heaven©s Lifestyle Today is strongly ing journalistic University. Discover the prophetic roots of recommended to the general reader who coverage during Adventism in Europe. Visit Rome, the would like to know more about the 1996. Ministry was Waldensian valley, Switzerland, Germany, wisdom and care of the body, and to pleased to receive and France. Experience early Christianity, pastors who are interested in using health the Award of Merit the Dark Ages, the Reformation, and the studies as a part of their ministry.— for the September "deadly wound." Call or fax 616-471-5172 William H. Shea, M.D., Biblical Research cover and honorable mention for the or E-mail: [email protected]. Institute, General Conference of Seventh- December cover. Both were designed by day Adventists. Harry Knox. Judging for the event was done by the Medill School of ______BOOKS______The Path: Creating Your Mission Journalism at North Statement for Work and for Life. Laurie western University, Heaven©s Lifestyle Today. William Beth Jones. Hyperion Press, hardcover. Evanston, Illinois. Dysinger, M.D., Published by the When reading Jesus CEO I thought it The Associated Ministerial Association of the General one of the best books written on Church Press pro Conference, 1997.160 pp., paperback, management, psychology, and practical motes fellowship and $12.95. theology. But LBJ has done it again— fosters helpfulness The aim of this modest work is with The Path: Creating Your Mission among editors and fourfold: to show the Creator's wisdom Statement for Work and for Life. Okay, so publishers. It also and care as manifested in the human it sounds like another management/ stimulates higher standards of religious body, to demonstrate the good ways in life consultant/guru thing. Wrong, wrong, journalism. It is organized and operated ex to take care of that body, to show the wrong! In The Path, Laurie Beth Jones clusively for religious, charitable, and edu harmful ways in which we can damage comes down to earth and works Monday cational purposes. that marvelous creation, and to put all of morning theology, practical psychology, this in the context of the three angels' and management into a seamless _____SHOPTALK_____ messages of Revelation. It is an ambitious garment of spectacular worth. Her step- task, but it is done well. by-step evaluation process is not for the The wisdom of the Creator is mani fainthearted. She calls for genuinely deep Quiet Hour Search for Truth videos fested in such intricate mechanisms as the personal introspection and self-examina Here's an easy way to introduce your use of DNA for heredity with which to tion. She challenges the ho-hum neighbors to Jesus—simply by lending build up the body and the extraordinary assumptions of the status quo, yet her them a videotape! functions of the eye and red blood cells. challenges are not a feminist "in-your- The Quiet Hour presents Search for The chapter on good and bad nutrition is face" approach. Rather they are intri Truth, a video home Bible study series that up-to-date with the latest information on cately crafted, deliriously worded, and has helped lead many to a knowledge of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Empty thoroughly illustrated with Scripture and Jesus Christ and His truth. Each video calories are warned against. Water is good, historical examples. examines a new theme directly from the but alcohol and caffeine drinks are not. If you lead any group of two or more, Bible. Fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and adequate do them and yourself a favor: read this The complete set of 26 videos costs rest are recommended. book. Even if you don't see yourself as a only $260 plus $12.50 shipping and It is not enough to have a healthy megaleader, personal application of this handling (church orders receive a 40 body; that healthy body should be used to volume will enrich and more than likely percent discount). The Quiet Hour will worship the Creator who gave it in the change your life and worldview. include one free Search for Truth study first place. In this way emphasis is placed A book like this is a treasure to be guide with your order. Please be sure to upon various aspects of the health shared, not a relic to be warehoused. It 30 Ministry/May 1997 SOURCES takes only a short time to read, but by Here is a book that can be called the doctrine to be defended, but a practice to slowing down and doing the suggested most important one on Sabbath published be engaged. writing exercises, you will come away in the last 200 years. Rabbi Heschel Each section presents what the Bible enriched and more focused regardless of approaches Sabbath with a spirit of says, drawing practical, doable ideas that where you may or may not be in any celebration and joy. To Heschel, Sabbath is bring life to Sabbath experience. For organizational chart. On top of it all, it is a not just a bulwark against the world, but a example, the author speaks of Sabbath beautifully printed volume that cries out "day on which we learn the art of ceasing—to cease not only from work "this is quality stuff" when you merely surpassing civilization." itself, but also from the need to accomplish hold it in your hand.—Richard Rabbi Heschel is passionate about and be productive, from the worry and Stenbakken, director, Adventist Chaplaincy Sabbath. Consider some of his eloquent tension that accompany our modern Ministries, General Conference of Seventh- expressions: The "exodus from tension," "a criterion of efficiency, from our efforts to day Adventists. sanctuary in time." "There is a song in the be in control of our lives as if we were wind and joy in the trees. The sabbath God, from our possessiveness and our Sabbath Time: Understanding and arrives in the world, scattering a song in enculturation, and from the humdrum Practice for Contemporary Christians. the silence of the night: eternity utters a and meaninglessness that result when life Tilden Edwards. The Seabury Press, day." "In the Sabbath," Heschel says, "man is pursued without the Lord at the center. Minneapolis, 1982,125 pages, paperback. is touched by a moment of actual She then beautifully fulfills this and Tilden Edwards, director of the Shalem redemption." other like intentions. The book is Institute in Washington, D.C., presents a The author is certain that the inspiring and practical.—Andy McRae, well argued case for Sabbath renewal. His radiance of Sabbath joy would inflame associate pastor, Sligo church, Takoma Park, blend of Bible, church history, and all people. "There are few ideas in the Maryland. practical implications is intelligent, world of thought which contain so much challenging, and helpful. Especially spiritual power as the idea of the meaningful for me is a brief section of one Sabbath. Aeons hence, when of many of INTRODUCING chapter on Sabbath as play, and the our cherished theories only shreds will laughter that locates us in God's good remain, that cosmic tapestry will Sheila Draper, Ministry©s newest staff world. Also, his presentation of the continue to shine." member, joined the Ministerial shabbat meal rituals at the beginning and Association last ending of Sabbath opened a fresh Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for September, working experience for our family when the Observing Shabbat. Rabbi Mark Do as an editorial children were small. Cheaper. Central Conference of American assistant for the Rabbis, New York, 1991,141 pages, journal. A native of Making Sunday Special. Karen Burton paperback. Greeneville, Mains. Word Books, Waco, Texas, 1987, This book is "written in the spirit of Tennessee, Sheila paperback, 191 pages. Reform Judaism," and is useful for Sabbath graduated from Karen and David Mains from the beginners as well as the experienced. "It Southern College Chapel of the Air radiobroadcast have includes the basic ceremonies necessary for (now Southern Adventist University) in been a creative force in church and family introducing Sabbath into the home plus 1991 with bachelor's degrees in English ministry for almost three decades. This background material on the origins and and Office Administration. Before coming book is another example of Christian purposes of the various rituals." Written to Ministry, she worked for the leaders attempting to bring fresh thinking for contemporary Jews, it has wonderful Department of Pathfinder, Camp, and and practical ideas to the opportunity of implications for Christians as well. Adventurer Ministries in the North keeping a sabbath. The authors rework American Division. Her many duties for the ancient Jewish tradition of the Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Ministry include keying new articles, evening meals at the gates of Sabbath Resting, Embracing, Feasting. Marva J. maintaining the author database, time. I have used their material with Dawn. William B. Eerdmans Publishing recording new manuscript submissions, happy effect in my own family's Sabbath Co., Grand Rapids, 1989,213 pages, circulating articles to readers, and most keeping. paperback. recently, desktop production for the Marva Dawn has constructed her book journal. Away from the office, she enjoys The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern around four great themes of the Sabbath reading, cooking, sightseeing, listening to Man. Abraham Joshua Heschel. New York: experience. And experience is exactly what music, running, and spending time with Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1951. her book is about. Sabbath is not a family, friends, and her cat Basil. 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Sabbath? Editor Jesus© View of Sabbath and Sabbathkeeping and Its Implications Willmore D
