Is the Sabbath Jewish? by J. C. Stevens

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 20, 1909

Is the Sabbath Jewish?

By J. C. Stevens

By J. C. Stevens.

[Five reasons were given in our last issue for the universality and perpetuity of the Sabbath. Five more are given in the article which follows. — EDITOR.]

VI.

That law which took the form of ten precepts at Sinai was written in the fleshly tables of man’s heart in the day of his creation. “Let Us make man in Our image,” we read in Gen. 1:27. “God made man upright,” says the wise man. Eccl. 7:29. To make man in His image was to make him in His character. The law, as we have proved, is a transcript of God’s character, and this was written in the fleshly tables of man’s heart, to use a scriptural figure. Adam’s life before he sinned was in perfect accord with that law which was afterward written on tables of stone. Who will deny it? And who will deny that even to-day there are faint traces of the fact that in man’s creation the law was written in his heart? Read of the Gentile heathen in Rom. 2:12-16. Do not say that the Sabbath commandment is physical and ceremonial, while the other nine are moral. Remember that the Sabbath was made to partake of God’s holiness even as man was. Gen. 2:3. God blessed it, and sanctified it, and also remember that the One who first rested on the seventh day “fainteth not, neither is weary,” and that man when first given the Sabbath, did not labor “in the sweat of his face.” But who will deny that rest is written in man’s nature?

Now the Gospel is a definite provision to restore that original image, and to write that law anew in the fleshly tables of our heart. Read Col. 3:8-10; 2 Cor. 3:3; Jer. 31:33. The Sabbath is a part of this law. If the law is written in our hearts, will not our life outwardly be in harmony with the letter of the law so far as our knowledge goes? Nothing else is possible. Is this privilege of the restored image of God and the writing of the law in the heart for the Jews only? — Surely not.

VII. The law of God is not dispensational. Neither is grace. They both work hand in hand. Paul says: “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Rom. 5:20. Where did the law enter? — At Sinai. Why was it given in that particular manner? — That the offense [sin] might abound. But right there

at Sinai, grace did much more abound. The law and grace must work together for man’s salvation. The law gives a knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20; 7:7; 1 John 3:4), and therefore places the transgressor under its condemnation, but through the grace of God in Christ he can be forgiven his sin, and brought from under its condemnation into harmony with it. So the man who is under grace is the man who is living in harmony with the law, having the victory over sin instead of sin’s having the dominion over him. The law then holds out no terrors for him. But if he is breaking any precept of that law, he is under the law, and feels condemned, providing his conscience is not “seared with a hot iron.” This is Paul’s teaching in Rom. 6:14. Let us not construe this verse to excuse ourselves in Sabbath breaking, and at the same time logically excuse us in idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, etc. We are under obligation to keep the entire Ten-commandment law, and the Gospel is the provision unto that end. The Sabbath is a part of that law.

VIII. Neither can the Sabbath be confined to covenants; for it was made in the beginning, before even sin entered, before there was any necessity for any covenant involving the salvation of man; and Isaiah tells us it will be kept in the new earth by all of God’s people, when all things are restored (Acts 3:20); when the first dominion shall come to the second Adam (Micah 4:8); when the curse of sin is all removed (Rev. 21:3); when the earth, man’s eternal home (Matt. 5:5), in its Eden state, will be the center of the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, in that blessed state, where we shall see the result of the new covenant. Heb. 8:11; Jer. 31:31-33.

IX. It is acknowledged by all of the principal Protestant denominations that the Ten-commandment law, separate and distinct from all other laws given to the Jews, is binding on us. The Methodists say, “No Christian is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.” The Baptists say, “We believe that the law is the eternal and unchangeable rule of God’s moral government.” And the Presbyterians say, “The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy nature and will of God, and of their duty, binding them to walk accordingly.” So we might go through the entire list.

X. It is therefore evident from every reasonable and scriptural consideration that the seventh-day Sabbath is not a Jewish institution, that it is no more Jewish than “Thou shalt not kill,” or “Thou shalt not steal,” and that it is manifestly wrong to localize it by styling it “Jewish” when it was made for MAN. It is equally wrong to stigmatize it by calling it “Jewish,” when the law calls it, “the Sabbath of the Lord, thy God,” and the Lord calls it, “My holy day.” Ex. 20:8-11; Isa. 58:13. Let us not be so inconsistent as to confine the Sabbath to Jews, any more than we would think of confining to them also righteousness, mercy, or truth, etc., simply because they were given to the Jews. Remember that God called them out of Egypt to make them the depositaries of His truth. Paul says that the adoption, the covenants (both old and new), the promises, are of Israel. Rom. 9:4. He describes the case of the Gentiles without these things handed down through Israel as “without hope and without God in the world,” and “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.” Eph. 2:12. And Christ said: “Salvation is of the Jews.” John 4:22.

I conclude with this appropriate verse by different authors:

It’s Jewish.

When we present God’s holy law, And arguments from Scripture draw, Objectors say, to pick a flaw, “It’s Jewish!”

Tho at the first Jehovah blest And sanctified His day of rest, The same belief is still expressed — “It’s Jewish!”

Tho with Creation this rest began, And thence through all the Scriptures ran, And Jesus said ’twas made for MAN, “It’s Jewish!”

Tho with the Jewish rites — which passed, But with the moral law ’twas classed: Which must exist while time shall last, “It’s Jewish!”

If from the Bible we present The Sabbath meaning and intent, This answers every argument — “It’s Jewish!”

Tho the disciples, Luke and Paul, Continue still this rest to call The “Sabbath day,” this answers all — “It’s Jewish!”

The Gospel teachers’ plain expression, That sin is of the law transgression, Seems not to make the least impression — “It’s Jewish!”

They love the day of man’s invention, But if Jehovah’s rest we mention, This puts an end to all contention, “It’s Jewish!”

O, ye who thus God’s law abuse Simply because ’twas kept by Jews: The Saviour, too, you must refuse — He’s Jewish!

The Scriptures, then, we may expect. For the same reason you’ll reject; For if you will but recollect, They’re Jewish!

Thus the apostles, too, must fall; For Andrew, Peter, James, and Paul, Thomas and Matthew, John and all, Were Jewish!

So, to your hapless state resign Yourself in wretchedness to pine; Salvation surely you’ll decline — It’s Jewish!

John 4:22.

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