The Fourth Commandment of Universal Authority.
By Watchman
THE first thing to observe is that the Sabbath did not originate with the Mosaic law. As one of the ten commandments, it is indeed a part of that law, but not only does the decalogue have a peculiar place and prominence in the law, but this commandment owes its place in the decalogue to the fact that it is the universal law for man from the beginning of his existence. The command, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” is no less God’s law for all men of every nation than the command, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Our Lord’s treatment of the Sabbath and the whole experience of mankind in respect to Sabbatic observance confirm the opinion that the fourth commandment is a moral law of universal authority. The relation in which it is put to creation shows the same. The fourth commandment, therefore, could no more be abrogated by Christ than the sixth. He certainly issued no decree for its repeal. Rather he observed it himself, said the day was for man, and so interpreted it as to free it from the bondage of Judaism. What Paul says to the Galatians concerning the observance of days (Gal. 4:10), and to the Colossians concerning “a Sabbath day” (Col. 2:16, new version), certainly was not intended to condemn the practice and word of our Lord, or to teach that the Gentiles owed no allegiance to the moral law. . . . We turn, therefore, to the decalogue to learn what God’s law concerning the Sabbath day is. What we find there, with Christ’s interpretation thereof, will guide us into the truth for which we are seeking. —Watchman.