On the first...Sabbath or Day of the Week?

I have had a theory for some time that the early Christians had an annual celebration to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. There are a few times in Scripture which is translated the “first day of the week”, but more honest, you will find some translations will admit that they added the word “day”. Occassionally, you will even see a marginal note saying that the word translated week is the word Sabbath. Of course, no one could translate these passages as “on the first Sabbath”. That would just be silly right? Well maybe that would be OK.
For those who have lived within a Jewish culture and/or who know their Bible well know that the children of Israel were commanded to “count the Omer”, which is a counting of the weekly Sabbaths from the first Sabbath after Passover until then 7th weekly Sabbath, and then the day after is Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-16 and Deuteronomy 16:9-10).
This would mean that the first Sabbath after Passover would be….”the first Sabbath”. Now look at what it literally says about Jesus’ Resurrection.”

Matt 28:1 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the "first Sabbath", came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mark 16:1-2 And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
And very early in the morning the “first Sabbath“, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Luke 24:1 Now upon the “first Sabbath“, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

John 20:1 The “first Sabbath” cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

So, all of the Gospel writings specifically make an effort to mention that Jesus rose on the "First Sabbath". Why would such a detail be important to mention even 60 years after the event? (We think John may have wrote as late as 90 A.D.) Could it be that the believers still found importance in that one day of the year? As Sort of annual celebration of Jesus' victory? Perhaps the "First Sabbath" (April 3, 2010) is the Real "early Christian" Easter.

1Cor 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
Upon the “first Sabbath” let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Act 20:7 And upon the “first Sabbath“, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

This is a helpful piece because it makes it easier to understand that as the Disciples were racing to get Jesus in the tomb before Sundown the start of the Sabbath, that the 16th of Nisan, would have been what is called a High Sabbath as opposed to a traditional weekly Sabbath. Taking care of the dead on Sabbath was certainly permitted. This goes outside the scope of this paper, but I think you can see that Jesus’ followers were fine some actions even on a weekly Sabbath (Lk 14:3-6). Certainly there is much more to say on the subject…I just wanted to show that a reading of the literal Biblical “first Sabbath” is not outside the realm of possibility. -Brother Bradley Avi

Passover

Another post from Rabbi Jack. Thanks

"Yeshua Has Given Us A New Revelation"


Parashat HaShavua Pesach / Passover

This Week's Reading List:
Shemot / Exodus 33:12:-34:26
BaMidbar / Numbers 28:19-25
Yechezekiel / Ezekiel 36:37-37:14
Korintim Aleph / 1 Corinthians 5:6-8


Shemot {33:12} Moshe (Moses) said to HaShem, "Behold, You tell me, 'Bring up this people: ' and You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and You have also found favour in My sight. ' {33:13} Now therefore, if I have found favour in Your sight, please show me now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may find favour in Your sight: and consider that this nation is Your people."

It amazes me how many people are so concerned and hung up on the name of G-d. When I tell people that we do not know the name of G-d, that it has never been revealed to us, they refuse at my answer and quote Scriptures like:

Zecharyah {13:9} And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My Name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, the L-RD is my G-d.

Malachim Alef (IKings) {18:24} "Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the Name of the L-RD, and the G-d who answers by fire, He is G-d." And all the people answered and said, "That is a good idea."

Yoel (Joel) {2:32} And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the L-RD shall be delivered: for in mount Tzion (Zion) and in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) shall be deliverance, as the L-RD hath said, and in the remnant whom the L-RD shall call.

However, when we read these Scripture in their original Hebrew we find that these and other Scriptures like it use the tetragrammathon Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay (YHVH) without any vowels. Scholars in their quest to know the name of G-d have added vowels to the tetragrammathon. This is where YHVH developed into Jehovah and Yahweh. These are totally fictitious and bogus names -- the creation of men; they do not at all represent the name of G-d. The fact is that G-d’s name is His character. We will see this below:

Shemot (Exodus) {15:26} And said, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the L-RD your G-d, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the L-RD that heals you.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) {60:16} You shall also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shall suck the breast of kings: and you shall know that I the L-RD am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Ya’acov (Jacob).

In this week’s Torah reading we see Moshe saying to HaShem (the L-RD) that HaShem knew Moshe by name. Now, surely HaShem knew Moshe’s name, but is it his name that Moshe was referring to here? The answer to this question comes when we read the rest of the sentence: “Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favour in My sight.” Here Moshe is reminding HaShem that He associated his name to his character. HaShem knew Moshe’s commitment and devotion to HaShem; therefore, Moshe felt that on that basis HaShem should continue to be in the presence of His people and deliver them.

Shemot (Exodus) {6:3} and I appeared to Avraham (Abraham), to Yitzchak (Isaac), and to Ya'akov (Jacob), as G-D Almighty; but by My Name YHVH I was not known to them. {6:4} I have also established My brit (covenant) with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their travels, in which they lived as aliens. {6:5} Moreover I have heard the groaning of bnei Yisrael children of Israel), whom the Mitzrim (Egyptians) keep in bondage, and I have remembered My brit. {6:6} Therefore tell bnei Yisrael, 'I am YHVH, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Mitzrim, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great mishpatim (judgements) : {6:7} and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a G-D; and you shall know that I am YHVH your G-D, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Mitzrim. {6:8} I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am YHVH. '"

The Hebraic concept of G-d, as we see throughout the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures), is one of a G-d who acts on our behalf, a G-d who intervenes for us when we are in distress. So, when HaShem calls himself "I will bring into being that which I will bring into being." What is He talking about? Well, He is talking about the deliverance out of Mitzrayim that He promised Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'acov hundreds of years before it ever happened. What HaShem wants His name to reflect is what He is about to do. It is so that when we call upon His name in the future we will remember what He has done in the past. HaShem's name reflects His character, it is what He has done and what He will do. It is not a literal name. Now, in the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant) the name has been shifted, the name of Yeshua has now become the important name, for a reason I will get to.

Ma’asei HaTalmidim (Acts) {2:38} Then Kefa said unto them. Repent, and be immersed every one of you in the Name of Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) for the remission of sin, and you shall receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

Why didn't Kefa say in the Name of YHVH? Why didn't he use the name that had been proclaimed for over a millennia? Why is Kefa basically saying the Name to use is Yeshua? Why, because YHVH is associated with the act of deliverance out of Mitzrayim (Egypt) and that is not the issue here! The issue here is the act of salvation, deliverance from sin. The name connected with that is “Yeshua HaMashiach.” So if you want to get right with the Father, then you use the Name of Yeshua and not YHVH because Yeshua is reflecting the character of YHVH, in regard to salvation rather than in regard to deliverance from Mitzrayim. Do you see what I'm saying here? Do you see the connection? Last Scripture!

Pilifim (Philippians) {2. 9} Wherefore G-d also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every Name: {2. 10} That at the Name of Yeshua every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; {2. 11} And that every tongue should confess that Yeshua HaMashiach is L-rd, to the glory of G-d the Father.

Yeshua is now the Name above every Name. So now it is not by accident that the Name of G-d, YHVH, is no longer spoken or even known! That is why it was never mentioned in the Brit Chadasha. HaShem did it that way so that the Name of Yeshua would become the new Name, the Name that expressed what HaShem was about to do from that time forward. Therefore, YHVH is fully revealed in the Name of Yeshua. The fullness of His character, the fullness of His power, the fullness of His actions all become explained, revealed and understood through the life and the Name of Yeshua. This is the Name HaShem wants us to come through to Him with, and this is the Name that He wants us to know Him by. Yes we still refer to HaShem as G-d the Father and we still pray to G-d the Father, but it's through the Name of Yeshua because that is what gives us the right to come into the Father’s presence now. That is why Yud Hay Vav Hay is unknown and can no longer be spoken, because the name Yeshua has given us a new revelation of who the YHVH is and what He is doing NOW.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber