Only for the Jews by C. P. Bollman

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 11, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 43.

"Only for the Jews."

By C. P. Bollman

HOW OFTEN it is that we hear the assertion made that the Sabbath was made "only for the Jews"! But this is not as the Bible teaches. Said the Saviour: "The Sabbath was made for MAN," and that can mean nothing less than for the race. However, there are other considerations which prove the same thing quite as clearly and conclusively, though not so directly, as do the words of the great Teacher.

All will admit that the Sabbath which the Jews kept was enjoined by the fourth commandment of the decalogue, which is frequently referred to in the New Testament as "the law." It will also be admitted that this is the law of which Paul speaks in the second and third chapters of Romans. Thus far all must go, and they who admit that proposition must go still farther, or else repudiate Paul's testimony.

In verses 6 and 11 of chapter 2, the apostle says that God "will render to every man according to his deeds:" "for there is no respect of persons with God." He continues: "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." Verse 12.

Those who "have sinned without law" are the Gentiles who did not have the written law, while the Jews had; but the justice of their condemnation appears from verse 15, for some of the very things which they themselves allowed to be wrong "show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing" them. "The work of the law written in their hearts" was the trace of the law which still remained after the fall. "God made man upright" (Eccl. 7: 29), and though they had sought out many inventions, all still retained enough knowledge of right and wrong to have condemned them even though they did not have the written law; and, as we have seen, that is just what Paul teaches. Then, too, the justice of God appears in the fact that all will be judged according to the degree of light which they have had: the Jews, who had the written law, must answer to that law in its fullness; while the Gentiles, who had but a trace of the law, will be judged only by that which they had. But let none conclude from this that some of the heathen may then be justified and saved upon their own merits; for the apostle elsewhere says plainly that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." And this shows that all have the law, though, as we have seen, not in its written form, for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3: 4); and "where no law is, there is no transgression." Rom. 4: 15.

But that all the world, both Jews and Gentiles, are amenable to the law, is also shown by the apostle in verses 19 and 20 of chapter 3. He says: "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Here we learn that because of that which the law says "all the world become guilty before God; therefore all the world must be amenable to that law" For "we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law," that is, as Professor Boise translates it, "within its sphere." This is positive proof that the apostle taught that not only the Jews but also the Gentiles were under obligation to keep the law; and, as all agree that the Sabbath was a part of that law, therefore, all the world, both Jews and Gentiles, were under obligation to keep the Sabbath.

The conclusion reached is certainly legitimate and cannot be avoided without ignoring the foregoing texts, besides many others; and not only so, but it is abundantly confirmed by the Old Testament. In Isaiah 56 we read: "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. . . . Also, the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him. . . . Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain." Verses 2, 6, 7.

"The sons of the stranger" were Gentiles, and this text shows clearly that they could not be accounted as serving God without keeping the Sabbath; and there never has been a time when it was not the duty of all men to serve God. And so the proposition that "the Sabbath was made only for the Jews" falls to the ground before the testimony of the prophets, as well as before that of Christ and the apostles. The words of the Saviour, "The Sabbath was made for MAN," are in perfect accord with every part of the Scriptures; and of the law we may say with David: "Thou art near, O Lord, and all thy commandments are truth. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them forever." "Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever." Ps. 119: 151, 152, 160.

C. P. BOLLMAN.