How Much Jewish? by A. C. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 22, 1875

How Much Jewish?

By A. C. Bourdeau

SOME object to keeping the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, claiming that “it is Jewish.” This objection is fairly met by showing that the Sabbatical institution dates back to creation, when “the Sabbath was made for man”—for Adam and all his posterity; that Jew comes from Judah, who was born 2225 years after the creation, and thus the distinction of Jews and Gentiles did not exist for more than two thousand years after the day of rest was blessed and sanctified; and that the seventh-day is never called in the Bible a Jewish Sabbath, or the Sabbath of the Jews, or of the Greeks, or of the Romans; but is always and invariably called “the Sabbath of the Lord.”

A few months ago, at a railway station, a gentleman asked me a few questions about the Sabbath in the presence of two clergymen, which I answered, proving by the Scriptures that the seventh day of the week is the only Bible Sabbath, and that it is enforced by the fourth precept of the decalogue, and is binding upon Christians in this dispensation; while there is no scriptural or inspired authority for the observance of Sunday as a Sabbath, or a holy day, or the Lord’s day. Whereupon one of the preachers affirmed that Christ broke the seventh-day Sabbath, and in the very next breath he asserted that the ten commandments were abolished at the cross.

I asked him if he really held to those two positions, when he answered in the affirmative. But soon after he was led to admit that his views would make our Saviour a transgressor before the cross, making it needful for him to die for his own sins; although we read that he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, etc. He further admitted that if, because the law is abolished, we are at liberty to break the Sabbath precept, for the same reason we are also at liberty to break any other precept of the decalogue—to kill, commit adultery, steal, covet, etc.

But the other preacher would not have the controversy end thus. Said he, “That Sabbath is Jewish, and our friend might as well be a Jew and hold to circumcision also.” I replied, How much Jewish? The word reads “The seventh day is the Sabbath [not of the Jews, but] of the Lord thy God.” It is no more Jewish than our Bible, which is certainly not for the Jews exclusively, or than the God of the Bible, who rested upon the seventh day, etc. Who were the inspired writers, the prophets, patriarchs, Christ, and his apostles? They were Jews, and salvation is of the Jews. To keep the moral precepts acceptably, the rest-day of God’s own appointment not excepted, we need not be Jews outwardly, neither have that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but we need to be Jews inwardly, and to have that circumcision which is of the heart, in the spirit, etc. Rom. 2:28, 29. Again, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.” 1 Cor. 7:19.

A. C. BOURDEAU.

Burke, Vt.