January 1928
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K i n g ' s
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g PASSAGES THAT PERPLEX
“SABBATON” Although two contributors1 to “Our Mail Bag” /have already pointed out the fact that “the first day, of the week” is called the Sabbath in the Greek New Testament, so few people seem to have caught the importance of this that we take another oppor tunity to call attention to it. Rev. J. P. Hutchison writes us: “We have wondered, with you, why more Greek students do not;see this. I have called the attention of many ministers to this and not one out of ten has ever noticed it. We have failed to give any attention to this clear reason for the change of the Sabbath from the Jewish time to the Christian Sabbath, which we have by divine authority in commemoration of Christ’s resurrection, our new creation and center of our worship, as God the Creator was the central thought in their worship before Chrisfjeame. Yet in all the ex pressions used to refer to the Christian Sabbath, the first day of the week, the Greek word ‘Sabbaton’ is used ; not only by Mark but bv all the, four Gospels, and in 1 Cor. 16:2.” In a book by Mr. Hutchison (“Our Obligations to the Day of Rest and Worship” ) we find the following which makes the matter exceedingly clear, and ought to be a final answer to the argument of the Seventh-dayists, that the Sabbath was changed in the fourth century : “Too little stress is placed upon the fact that the first day of the week is called ‘Sabbath,’ by the Scriptures each time it is referred to, after the resurrection of Christ. Some of the passages may be quoted in which ‘the first day of the week,’ is called Sabbath in the Scriptures, the same Greek word that is used to refer to the seventh day of the week before the resurrection of Christ. Matt. 28:1. ‘In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the “first day of the week” came Mary Magdalene.’ . The seventh day and the first day of the week are both referred to in this verse, and both are referred to by the same word, ‘Sabbaton.’ There can be no other translation lit erally given than, ‘In the end of the Sabbaths [the Old Testament Sabbaths], as it began to dawn toward the first of [the Sabbaths the first of the Sabbaths under Christ’s completed work], came Mary Magadalene.’ There are reasons why the translators rendered the second ‘Sab baton,’ the first day of the week. It evidently was to make clear that it was not the seventh day Sabbath, The Gospel by Mark uses the same word, ‘Sabbaton,’ in referring to thé first Christian Sabbath. Mark 16:2, ‘Very early in the morning “the first day of the week,” they came unto the sepulchre.’ The statement given by the Holy Spirit is : ‘Very early, on the first of the Sabbaths, they came to the sepulchre.’ Luke uses the same word, Sabbaton, ‘first of the Sabbaths,’ Luke 24:1, also John, 20:19, in referring to the first day of the week after the resurrection. The reading of these statements conveys to the reader a very slight impression. The use of the word referring to the Sabbath in the Scriptures must be studied carefully to understand that the first day of the week is the Sabbath, by divine authority. (Note also Acts 20:27 and 1 Cor. 16:2.)”
Going On Un to Perfection Comments are asked by Mrs. M. C. L. upon Heb. 6:1-3: “ Therefore leaving the prin ciples of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead, works and of faith toward God” (v. 1). The writer is seeking at this point to arouse the He brews to go forward to a fuller knowledge of the glory of the exalted Christ as their High Priest. They were in grave danger of falling into apostasy because they were not growing. A great need of our day is a faithful, deeo exposition of the advanced New Testament truths. We need to see, as did these Hebrews, a living Christ as the object of our faith and contemplation. Having been saved by His blood, we shall find safety in the ascended Christ. Did Paul mean that the Hebrews had gotten beyond the first principles of the doctrine of Christ? No—the whole context shows that he means they are to leave them, as a scholar leaves the letters of the alphabet—only to use them, to bring out all their powers and employ them in new combinations. Leave them as a plant leaves the root, only to depend upon it all the more, or as a builder leaves a foundation, only to rest the structure upon it with more and more pressure. The Hebrews are exhorted not to lay again the “ foun dation of repentance from dead works.” A true believer is justified once for all (Rom. 5:1). He does not rest upon his works at all for salvation. Apart from Christ all one’s good works are “dead works,” having not the vital ity of the Spirit in them, and cannot glorify the Father (Jn. 15:8). If we are backslidden, it is not necessary to go back to the first rudiments of salvation. We are to get up, and “go on unto perfection ” "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (12 :l-2). Paul proceeds to mention other doctrines familiar to all Jews, and given a new significance in the Gospel; He Speaks of “the doctrine of baptisms.”' This is not the usual word for “baptism” but means “washings,” a refer ence to Old Testament ceremonies. (C f. Titus 3 :5; Jn. 13:10.) “‘The laying on of hands” was a symbolical act from time immemorial, connected with prayer, benedic tion, ordination, healing, etc. (Cf. Acts 6 :6; 13:2-3; 19:6; 8:17; Mk. 16:18.) He also desires that they should not stop with the doctrines of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. He has mentioned six points for which these. Hebrews were sticklers—two spiritual quali ties, two symbolical acts and two doctrinal truths. While all this has a peculiar application to Hebrews brought up on the Old Testament teachings, there is a great lesson in it for believers today. There are many Christians who are always playing with letter blocks in the nursery. The banquet table, God’s Word, is loaded with delicious and soul-nourishing foods, put there that all be lievers might have all that is needed to make their souls fat and flourishing. Some never seem to get beyond “Jesus died for me.” That is indeed a glorious truth, but we do not “go on to perfection” until we lay hold of the fact that the Lamb was not only sacrificed, but is “in the midst of the throne, our High Priest, who “ever liveth to make intercession for us” and to give us “all power,”
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