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FeastsA Bible Study
Seventh-day Adventists are divided regarding whether or not the Bibleenjoins the keeping of Passover, Pentecost, etc., on 21
st
century Christians. Those that advocate that we should keep these feasts view several well-known scriptures differently than other Seventh-day Adventists. This class typically views Col. 2:16, for example, as teaching that we shouldnot let anyone condemn us for our keeping of the feasts or of the Sabbath.I am not of this class. And my Biblical reasons are several:1.The Feast are spoken of, in the New Testament, as “Jewish”decades after Ac 15.2.Colosians 2 parallels Hebrews 9 and Ephesians 2 in such a wayas to preclude a pro-feast reading.3.Romans 14 parallels issues in Christian Passover keeping.4.Old Testament prophecies show the feasts to be ceremonialrather than moral.5.Paul’s keeping of the feasts (as Acts 18:21) harmonizes well with1Co 9:20.6.Ellen White’s input, though supplementary, points to nofeast/statute confusion7.1 Corinthians 5 points to a spiritual keeping, much as today weare to keep the Day of Atonement by regularly searching our hearts andputting away our sin.Besides these seven fundamental reasons, there are a number of sundryfacts that lead away from a modern calculation and keeping of the feasts. This study will examine a few of these.Point 3, regarding Romans 14, certainly indicates that there is no harm to bederived from a Christian keeping of the feasts. And as such, this paper is nota condemnation of the practice, but rather of the teaching that wouldconfuse minds regarding their Christian duties.
 Jewish Feasts
 There are a number of New Testament references to the feasts that indicatethe feasts were spoken of by first century Christians as being for “the Jews.” John wrote his gospel account several decades after Acts 15 (where thechurch settled the issue of Christians keeping “the Law of Moses.”) Joh 2:13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
 
 Joh 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Joh 6:4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. Joh 7:2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. Joh 11:55 And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many wentout of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purifythemselves.Imagine the chagrin of Seventh-day Adventists if there were similar Biblicalreferences to the Seventh-day Sabbath.Fake 2:13And the Jews’ Sabbath was at handFake 5:1And there was a Sabbath of the JewsFake 6:4And the Sabbath, a regulation of the Jews, was nigh.Fake 7:2Now the Jews’ Sabbath was nigh at hand.Fake 11:55And the Jews’ Sabbath was nigh at hand. John, when writing about the Seventh-day Sabbath (see Joh 5:9; 7:22-23;9:14) uses no such language.
Colosians 2
 The primary passages on feast day keeping, in the New Testament, pointaway from a New Testament obligation to keep the feast.Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, whichwas contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross . . .16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Col 2:14, 16.Adventist in the 21
st
century vary in how they understand this passage.One class view the “handwriting of ordinances” as the ceremonial lawscontained in a book lodged in the side of the ark. For this class the passageteaches that these laws are no longer binding and that we have no obligationto keep them. And as an example of these laws, Paul mentions the nationalfeasts.Another class view the “handwriting” as a record of our sins. They observethe verse before (v.13) and argue that contextually, the passage is areference to Jesus paying the debt for our sins. And verse 16 they view asprohibiting the condemnation of feast-day keepers. “Don’t let anyonecondemn you for your feast-keeping.”
 
If the first view is right, then this is the most direct New Testament passagebearing on our subject. If the latter view is right, then the latter verse of thepassage is still significant. There are, however, several good reasons to take the view of our pioneers.First, the passage parallels Hebrews 9 in thought and development.9 [The Holy Place] was a figure for the time
now
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present, in whichwere offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that didthe service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stoodonly in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances,imposed on them until the time of reformation.Both passages speak about “ordinances” having an end at the cross. Bothspeak of meats and drinks and various washings. Both are written by thesame author. And Colosians introduces the passage with a reference tospiritual circumcision (Col 2:11, 13), while Hebrews is all about the spiritualapplication of the sanctuary rites to the Christian religion.10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalityand power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcisionmade without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh bythe circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein alsoye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, whohath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sinsand the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together withhim, having forgiven you all trespasses; Col 2:10-13.Besides this apparent parallel between Col 2 and Heb 9, observe that we are“forgiven” in verse Col 2:13 in connection with our conversion. When are sinsblotted out? At the cross? No, no. In the judgment, during the times of refreshing. Ac 3:19. Currently. This reason itself is sufficient to preclude thesecond view – the record of our sins was not blotted out when Jesus died.More than these two reasons, consider the parallel between Colosians 2 andEphesians 2.Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcisionin the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ,being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from thecovenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nighby the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one,and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15
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