SPECIAL PASSOVER/DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD ISSUE

Mustard Seed
“The Kingdom of heaven is like to a grain Mustard seed…” Matthew 13:31
Vol. 1 No. 4 April 2008

What Should We Do
During the
Eternal's Feasts?
PASSOVER
Each year, millions observe non-
Biblical holidays with vigor and
Is For ALL PEOPLE
excitement, even if they profess no
religion. What about the
Almighty's Feasts? How should we
observe His sacred appointments?
What kind of times are the Biblical

Feasts? What should we do during
the Eternal's Feasts?
Three Times To Move Our Feet
There are three annual pilgrimage
feasts: "Three times [Hebrew regel,
Strong's #7272 meaning 'feet'] thou
shalt keep a feast unto Me in the year.
Thou shalt keep the feast of
unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I
commanded thee, in the time appointed
of the month Abib; for in it thou camest
out from Egypt: and none shall appear
before me empty:) And the feast of
harvest [Pentecost], the firstfruits of
thy labours, which thou hast sown in
the field: and the feast of
ingathering[Tabernacles] which is in
the end of the year, when thou hast
gathered in thy labours out of the field.
Three times [Hebrew paam, Strong's
#6471 also meaning 'footsteps'] in the
year all thy males shall appear before
the Lord God," Exodus 23:14-17. (See
page 3)
A
t this time of the
year the Jewish and Sabbath
keeping Church of God
communities turn their minds to
TWO great historical events -
both events provable by secular
history and both recorded in the
Bible. These two events were
separated by approximately 1500 years; yet they are intricately tied together.
The FIRST of these two great events to occur in world history was the coming of
the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt. The phenomenal miracles and events as
recorded in Exodus chapter 3 to 12 are also recorded in the secular history of Egypt
and other nations who were witnesses to those events. The Jewish people
themselves bear witness that those happenings did occur.
The miracle which people remember most of all is the miraculous life preserving
th
protection God gave to the Israelites on the 14 day of Abid, when He told them to
kill LAMB (a male – without blemish), and smear the doorposts with its blood.
When the death angel passed over that evening of the 14th those who were under
the blood of the lamb were saved from death and miraculously brought out of
bondage to serve God in a new life. (Continued on page 2)

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Passover…from page 1
As the Passover feast is celebrated, the Jewish people will
look back to that event and give God praise and honor for
His love, grace, and protection.
The Sabbath observing Church of God communities will
look back to the SECOND great event of this season - an
event of about 2000 years ago, when a Jew by the name of
Jesus observed His last Passover on this earth.
The year was 30 A.D. (as proven by many historical
facts), the 14th of the first month. That year it was from
Tuesday
evening to sunset Wednesday evening. As this day drew
close, and came upon them, Jesus and His disciples
prepared themselves to observe this Passover meal. As the
meal was under way Jesus arose, took a basin and towel,
and with humility washed the disciples' feet (John 13:4-5).
He then told them He had set them an example that they
should do and teach others to do as He had done (verses
14,15; Mat.28:19,20).
Still later during that Passover meal, Jesus took a piece of
unleavened bread - broke it - gave a portion to each disciple
and told them to eat. It represented His broken physical
body for our physical sins and sicknesses and healing (1
Cor.11:23-24; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:3-5). God is indeed
our great physician.
Next, He took the cup of the fruit of the vine, passed it out
among them and told them to drink. It represented His
blood, shed for the remission of spiritual sins
(Mat.26:27,28).
Peter, later - after his conversion and receiving of the Holy
Spirit, knew that the Passover lamb given to Israel at the
Exodus, the lamb without blemish, a male, whose blood
was poured out - represented the true Lamb of God - Jesus
Christ (1 Peter 1:18- 20).
Christ did not abolish the Passover Feast. He fulfilled it,
and changed the symbols for His followers from the physical
lamb to the physical bread and wine. The Apostles and
early New Testament church followed the example of Christ
and continued to observe this Passover memorial feast.
They now used bread and wine in place of the lamb during
"THE memorial" (original Greek of 1 Cor.11:24,25) of Jesus'
death.
Paul, writing to the predominately Gentile church at
Corinth, admonished them to continue keeping the
Passover and Unleavened Bread feast with sincerity and
truth (1 Cor.5:7,8).
You see the Passover is not just for the Jewish people. It
is for ALL PEOPLE! Because in Christ there is no more
Jew or Gentile - all are ONE (Gal.3:28).
The physical pain, torture, and suffering that Jesus went
through on that fateful day of the 14th of the first month in
30 A.D. is seldom realized by most Christians. The pictures
we see today of Jesus on the cross is SO FAR REMOVED
from the reality it is like night from day.
Jesus knew the prophecies in the Old Testament (Ps.22;
Isa.53) about the suffering He must now contemplate was to
come upon Him. He knew it was to be so terrible, brutish
and agonizing, that He actually asked the Father THREE
times to spare Him this torture (Mat.26:36-44). He was
agonizing about this so much that some of His blood
vessels broke and "His sweat became like great drops of
blood falling upon the ground" (Luke 22:44 RSV). Medical
science now knows this is quite possible, and have even
given it a special scientific name.
After Jesus was betrayed, they took Him to the High
priest. There they SPAT upon Him in mocking furious
anger. They blindfolded Him and STUCK Him. He could not
prepare Himself for the blows. They came swiftly, suddenly,
upon His head and face. Not being able to see them coming
He could not move with the blows, but took them with full
force. His already broken blood vessels from His agonizing
prayers in Gethsemane made Him an easy victim for more
broken facial skin. Then the husky powerful guards joined in
with repeated blows to His body and head (Mark 14:65).
The soldiers at one point clothed Him in purple, put a
crown of thorns on His head, and mocked Him with caustic
remarks, laughing at Him, spitting upon Him, bowing with
hypocritical worship before Him. They even took reeds of
some kind and, with the crown of thorns still upon Him, beat
Him over the head, the razor like thorns plunging into His
skull like dozens of needles (Mark 15:16-20).
Pilate the governor could not persuade the people that
Jesus was innocent of any wrong doing. They wanted Him
crucified. Pilate finally consented to their desires. It is
written: "and having SCOURGED Jesus, delivered Him to
be crucified" (Mat.27:26 RSV). The scourging of the
Romans was, in itself, a monstrous action. The scourge was
made of cords or thongs of leather or ox-hide, the sort with
which slaves were beaten. They were knotted with bones or
circles of bronze. Sometimes the thongs terminated in
hooks, which would tear and strip the skin from the bones.
There was no legal limit to the number of blows to be given.
and the victim was often beaten mercilessly. Death was
often the result from this scourging (see Manner and
Customs of the Bible, by Freeman, page 392, old edition).
Christ was scourged with the slaves' scourge, as the
prophecy in Ps.22 says: "I may tell all my bones." Jesus had
His skin torn from His bones after repeated lashes to His
back, sides, and around to His chest.
After this horrendous beating, they led Him away. His
upper body and head a bloody mess of broken and hanging
flesh, with many bones of His body exposed.
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 So weakened from this torture He was not able to carry
His cross to the place of crucifixion, but they had to find
another to carry it (Mark 15:21).
Jesus was taken to Golgotha and was there crucified.
Crucifixion was the most shameful and degrading of
punishments. Reserved by the Romans for the foulest of
criminals.
From the book "Bible Manners and Customs" we learn
that the upright beam of the cross had a projected wooden
peg. The condemned man was first stripped of his clothes,
then fastened to the cross by iron spikes driven through the
hands and feet. He sat on the middle bar or horn and was in
this situation left to linger until death slowly came - usually
in two or three days.
But Jesus died in a matter of HOURS. He was nailed there
with His body already so marred as to be unrecognizable
(Isa.52:14). Many bones were out of joint, and plainly
visible, skin hanging loose or torn away completely
(Ps.22:1,14-17).
Christ died quickly because of one event that has been
missed by nearly all modern translators of the Gospels.
Only a few translators (Fenton and Moffat, to name two)
have preserved the text as given in the original Greek.
Matthew 27:49 should read:
What Should We Do…Eternal’s Feasts? (Continued…)
Regel is an interesting Hebrew word. In 233 places it is
translated "foot" or "feet," and only 4 places regel is
rendered "times." Three times a year we are to use our feet
to observe God's cyclical pattern.
We are to walk, or go, to a certain place. "Three times
[paam] in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord
thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the feast of
unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the
feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the
LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according
to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given
thee," Deuteronomy 16:16-17. It is to be an habitual
practice, something we do automatically.
(1) Preparation and Humility
The fall feasts have a pattern: Feast of Trumpets (New
Moon), Day of Atonement
(Tishri 10) and an eight-day Feast of Tabernacles and Last
Great Day. Likewise, the Spring Feasts follow the same
pattern: New Year (Nisan 1, a New Moon), Nisan 10, and
the eight-Day Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread.
"But the others called out 'Let him alone, let us see
whether Elijah will come and save Him.' But ANOTHER
TAKING A SPEAR, PIERCED HIS SIDE, when blood and
water came out." Yes, a Roman soldier finally plunged a
spear into the side of Christ, drawing it out and shedding the
remaining blood of Jesus to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah
53:11,12. He then cried with a loud voice and died.
Later after Jesus was resurrected and appeared to
doubting Thomas, Jesus told him to place his hand into His
side, into the hole where they knew the soldier had struck
Jesus with the spear and killed Him. Jesus knew this would
be proof for Thomas that He was indeed raised from the
dead.
Jesus was slain, put to death with a final spear to His side.
And his blood was shed for the sins of the world.
The Passover Lamb was slain. The sacrifice for the sins
of the whole world was completed. The Old and the New
Passover had met. Deliverance from bondage was secured.
God had given the GREATEST PASSOVER ever to
mankind. The Lamb that could take away the sins of all
people.
"For even Christ OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED
FOR US. Therefore, let us KEEP THE FEAST......" (1
Cor.5:7,8).
Truly, God has given the Passover for ALL PEOPLES -
for me and for YOU! --By Keith Hunt
What is so special about Nisan 10? The instruction in
Exodus 12:1-10 was probably given on Nisan 1 (New
Moon), and the preparation for the Passover (taking of the
lamb for each household) was to be done on Nisan 10, kept
without blemish until Nisan 14 when it was killed.
We have been admonished in the church to prepare for the
Passover, with prayer and fasting, so as to be in the right
spirit for the most solemn, awesome day of the year. Thus
there is a parallel between the Day of Atonement (Tishri 10)
and the meaning of Nisan 10. Both are demonstrative of the
need for physical and spiritual preparation for the upcoming
Feast. Before the joyful Feast, there must be a period of
humility, Proverbs 15:33, I Peter 5:5-6. This theme is
carried over from Nisan 10 to the night of the Passover
itself, with the footwashing ceremony preceding the actual
supper, John 13.
(2) A Time For Being About Our Father's Business
Discipleship requires total supreme devotion, Luke 9:62.
We must put our Father's business first, above all else.
Jesus set us an example during the Feast of Unleavened
Bread at age twelve, Luke 2:40-52.
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We are not to return to our life's chores during the Feast.
The Eternal even promises protection of our possessions
when we leave them to go to observe the Feasts, Exodus
34:21-24, Proverbs 16:7.
(3) A Time of Hearing the Word
The Eternal's Feasts have a physical purpose. Primarily
they are spiritually oriented. It is a time to "feast" on the
Eternal's Word, Nehemiah 8:1-8, 18, Deuteronomy 31:10-
13.
It is not a time only to "stick one's nose in the Bible," but
also to speak the words of the Bible one to another,
Malachi 3:16, Hebrews 10:24-25. This doesn't happen by
accident, but is the result of living the Bible all year long.
Bible studies take preparation, both on the part of the
Speaker and the listeners.
(4) A Time of Joy and Feasting
Nehemiah 8:9-12 shows that we can only rejoice when we
understand the Law, and are zealously keeping it, together.
We are commanded to rejoice, Deuteronomy 16:11, 13-15;
II Chronicles 30:21-27. A feast is made for rejoicing,
Ecclesiastes 10:19.
(5) A Family Time of Togetherness, Unity and
Fellowship
See Deuteronomy 12:11-12, 14:26, 16:14. Our Savior set
an example as He stayed at the home of Lazarus, Martha
and Mary prior to the Passover. Feast time is a time of
reunions and renewed fellowship. We need to develop a
close relationship with our spiritual brethren. "How excellent
are the LORD's faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to
be with them," Psalm 16:3(Today's English version).
(6) Appreciating the Creation
Israel kept the Feasts in Shiloh before the Jerusalem
Temple was built. It was a beautiful place with vineyards,
Judges 21:19-21. Jerusalem had gardens and trees. Our
Savior appreciated the creation, as witness His walking
through the corn fields on the Sabbath, Matthew 12:1. After
the Passover supper, He prayed at the Garden of
Gethsemane. A Jewish friend says the term "place which
the Eternal has chosen to place His name" means "place
TEN WORDS AND PHRASES NOT FOU ND IN THE BIBLE
This may surprise some folks, but these words and phrases just can’t be found in the Bible.
<Accepting Christ> <Glossolalia (a term for speaking in tongues)> <Personal Savior> <Going to Heaven> <Inerrancy>
<Infallability> <Second Coming> <Eternal Security> <Theology> <Trinity> Source: A Theological Miscellany by T. Mc Tavish
Quote:
Quote “Evidence of our hardness is that we are more concerned about our sufferings than our sins.”—Ma
which you can seethe Eternal." The resurrected saints will
have the Father's name written in their foreheads,
Revelation 14:1, and see Him face to face, as He is, I John
3:2. In the Creation we can be removed from the cares of
this life, see the Eternal, and be close to Him.
(7) A Time of Special Prayer
Feast time is prayer time at a special place in the wonderful
creation. The Savior prayed at Gethsemane, Matthew
26:36-46. He was often a visitor of such places of solitude,
John 18:1-2. During Hezekiah's Great Feast of Unleavened
Bread, prayer was an important part of the worship, II
Chronicles 30:21-27.
I have experienced ardent vocal prayer during the Feast,
next to a majestic California Redwood tree, a Juniper tree in
Central Oregon, etc. These experiences made me feel
especially close to my Heavenly Father.
(8) A Time to Give and Share
We are to give physically to those that are less blessed than
ourselves, Nehemiah 8:10, 12;Deuteronomy 14:26-29.
This was again an example set by the Messiah. It was such
a habit that the disciples thought that Judas was going out
to give something to the poor, John 13:27-30.
Spiritually we are to give to others, and not just have a
physical Feast. Some just sit and take in sermons, giving
nothing except Holy Day offerings. We are to come to the
Feast prepared to give and receive. Our Savior did, even at
age twelve! The Almighty does not want us to be spiritual
sponges, merely absorbing in everything from others. He
wants us to give and share with the brethren.
Feast Fever
The Eternal's Feasts are far better than worldly holidays
such as Christmas and Easter! We plan our entire year
around them. We get "Feast Fever" in anticipation of these
joyful times. Our souls long for these days as we do for the
Eternal's Kingdom, Psalm 84:1-12.
By Richard C. Nickels, founder of Giving & Sharing
Matthew
Matthew Henry
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 SACRIFICES FOR TODAY
NEW TESTAMENT There is a meaning to the word
"sacrifice" that is very much applicable for

Sacrifices?
New Testament Christians.

In part the World Book Dictionary

gives this meaning to sacrifice: ".......2.a. a
giving up of one thing for another;
destruction or surrender of something
valued or desired for the sake of a higher
object or more pressing claim....."

It is written: "Has the Lord as great

The day of sacrifices has NOT COME TO AN END! Whaaaaat! some will say. delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as
Am I saying it is still time to literally slit the throats of animals and offer them as in OBEYING the voice of the Lord?
sacrifices to the Lord? No, I did not say that. Behold, to OBEY is better than sacrifice,
and to HEED than the fat of rams. For
Even a casual, not so serious, reader of the Bible, knows that the Old Testament has rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
lots of instructions and comments regarding a "sacrificial system" that the ancient stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry"(1
peoples of Israel had to follow as part of their national governmental structure and way Samuel 15:22,23).
of religious life.
Every kind of literal sacrifice, whether
Various animals and grain offerings were part of the daily life for the priesthood of it be of animals, grain, fruit, giving up your
national Israel to offer to the Eternal God. It was a very elaborate system. To be carried money, your home, your automobile,
out in one central location. Many verses and chapters of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, exotic vacation, giving up cigarette
and Deuteronomy, are devoted to expounding all the details of how these sacrifices were smoking, working 80 hours a week, and
to be carried out. other such things that may have an outward
show of piety, is to no avail in acquiring
The people of Israel were to offer the VERY BEST of the flocks and herds, and God's favour UNLESS THE HEART IS IN
grain to the Lord. ACCORD WITH THE LORD.
Think for a moment, try to put yourself in the shoes of the farmers and ranchers And that means the heart and mind
back in those days, before 70 A.D. when the whole sacrificial system came to an end at must have repented of sin (the breaking of
the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem by the armies of Rome under Titus. the law of God - 1 John 3:4; Romans 7:7)
and with humility is now willing to OBEY
You had a tithing law that stated not only one tenth of your increase from your and HEED the words and truth of the living
flocks, herds, and grain, was to go to the Lord, but it was to be the very best! God.
True, the Eternal God is not only the one and only God but is also THE BEST of For the Lord says: ".....on this one will
anything in the universe, so offering to Him only the best makes a lot of sense. I have the I look; on him who is poor and of a
skill of being able to make shoes. If I was to give a gift of a pair of shoes to say, Prince contrite spirit, and who trembles at My
Phillip or Queen Elizabeth, would I not give them the very best pair of shoes I could word"(Isaiah 66:2).
possibly make? Sure I would! So giving the best of your flocks and grain to the Lord is
not so far out to the farmer. Jesus said that man was not to live by
bread alone but by every word of God
Yet, for a farmer to have a prized healthy, blemishless animal to breed from is (Matthew 4:4).
something to be treasured. For they know that to have good strong healthy flocks you
must have parent animals that are themselves healthy and strong - from good stock He said: "Blessed are those who
comes good stock. Sick weak animals do not generally produce prize winning offspring. hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
For a farmer to give up prized livestock and grain is no small "sacrifice" as we use the they shall be filled"(Mat.5:6).
word in a metaphorical sense.
One Bible definition of righteousness
In that sense of the word then, SACRIFICES by the people of God have always is found in Psalms 119:172. All of God's
been and will always be offered while physical humans are on this earth! commandments are righteousness!

Yes, since 70 A.D. the literal offering of literal animals in sacrifice at a temple by a To find someone today who truly
physical priesthood, has come to an end. BUT the New Testament makes it plain that the desires, loves, wants to obey and heed what
days of sacrifices, in another sense, did not end in 70 A.D. For the Bible speaks of God says and teaches him/her in ALL His
sacrifices that do not pertain to animals or grain or fruits, and those sacrifices continue as word, who is willing and wanting to be
they always have for the children of God. corrected (as Jeremiah cried out -
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Jer.10:23,24), to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus, who loves the truth (2 Thank the Lord, PRAISE the Lord,
Thes.2:10) which will set them free(John 8:32), to find this kind of mentally motivated declare His works with REJOICING!
person today is like finding a pearl of great price. That is a sacrifice for today and tomorrow!

Concerning the glorious coming of the Lord, Jesus asked this question: A sacrifice that has always been
"......Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall He find THE faith on the greater and more acceptable to the Lord
earth"(Luke 18: 8, original Greek). than any number of prize animal/grain
sacrifices, is the sacrifice of "righteousness
Yes, there will be ones on the earth that will have the faith when Jesus returns - they and justice"(Proverbs 21:3).
will be the ones called and chosen - the elect of God. They will be showing and
manifesting the SACRIFICE of a humble, teachable, repentant, obedient heart and mind We have covered somewhat already
to all the word of the Lord. the sacrifice of righteousness. I want to
cover a little the sacrifice of JUSTICE.
As the Psalmist has written: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken
and contrite heart - These, O God, You will not despise"(Ps.51:17). The working of justice in day to day
life involves the use of judgment, the use
If you are not sure about what the word of God teaches concerning HUMILITY, of judging.
REAL REPENTANCE, and SAVING FAITH, then please request the in-depth study
articles by those names. Also you may like to request the article called SAVED BY Many are confused about this topic of
GRACE. It will make the truth plain about the subject of law and grace. judging or justice. They think Christians
should not judge. Some think that
Another sacrifice that is for all time, yesterday, today, and forever, is found in Christians should have such an open and
Psalms 107 and verse 22. broad mine for everything and every
person, that "love" is all they should
"Let them sacrifice the sacrifice of THANKSGIVING, and declare His works with manifest. But it is usually a "love" that is
rejoicing." defined by the people espousing such
ideas, and not by the Bible's definition.
How much do you THANK the Lord? It is so easy to "take things for granted" in Such love is so broad-minded and open
this physical life. Often it is not until hard times come or tragedies occur that we stop to that things fall out, or as I once heard one
"smell the roses along the way." Sometimes it takes a "near death" experience for many man say: "don't be so open minded that
of us to realize how much we have and to be thankful for what the Lord has given us. your brains fall out."

Oh, we may not have this or that, we may loose this or that, one or more of the five Christians must at times judge. It
senses, this material thing, or a particular job etc. Whatever our situation is, good or bad will be inevitable. Some time, sooner or
when compared to others, it is usually true that whatever circumstance we are in there is later, we shall have to use judgment and
somebody with less than us. justice pertaining to this or that issue or
person.
If you are a Christian, then you have MUCH to be thankful for. Above all else, you
should be thankful that God has called and chosen you to be His child and in the first Jesus once told certain individuals that
resurrection, which the word says is a better resurrection. they used "carnal" - fleshly, unrighteous
judgment. He also told others to use
So you need every day to sacrifice the sacrifice of PRAISE and THANKSGIVING "righteous judgment."
to your heavenly Father. Give Him your "thank you Father" for my food, my clothes, my
work, my home, for your wonderful creations around me, for the angels who help and There is much to say and expound on
serve me, for your word of truth and life, your holy spirit which is your nature within this particular sacrifice for today. Here is
me. Thank you Father for correcting me in your love, for guiding me, for teaching me. not the place.
Thank you Father for loving and having mercy upon me, for forgiving me my sins.
Thank you Father for sending Christ Jesus to live and die that I may have eternal life. For those who would like to know
Thank you Christ Jesus that you were willing to put aside the glory you had with the more about this important Biblical topic,
Father, and that you were willing to come as flesh and blood to live and die for the sins please request my article called Judgment.
of the whole world. Thank you Christ that you are now acting as our High Priest - Needless to say it is a New Testament
intercessor - in heaven so we can be constantly forgiven our sins and saved by your life. doctrine that must be a part of a Christian’s
life.
Thank you Father that you have promised to send Jesus back to this earth to usher
in the age to come, when all nations will come under your rule and find peace, blessings, God's children are to be busy
health, and salvation in your family and Kingdom. performing Spiritual sacrifices, that of the
heart and mind which is translated into
The New Testament also admonishes us to: "Therefore by Him let us continually obedience.
offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His
name"(Hebrews 13:15). "Coming to Him (Christ) as to a living
stone, rejected indeed of men, but chosen
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by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a The Eternal God wants you to
holy priesthood, to offer up SPIRITUAL sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus sacrifice, He expects you to sacrifice! The
Christ. ........Therefore to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are Lord wants you to sacrifice YOURSELF
disobedient.....they stumble, being disobedient to the word.....But you are a chosen to Him, in humble repentant obedience to
generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may live by His every word.
proclaim the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;
who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy Will you do it?
but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honourable among the If you do then one day you will hear
Gentiles......For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the these words from Jesus: "Well done you
ignorance of foolish men - as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bond- good and faithful servant, enter you into
servants of God......that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness....."(1 Peter the joy of your Lord."
2:4-24).
by Keith Hunt (all Biblical quotations from
SACRIFICES CAN BE GOOD DEEDS the NKJV)

With all I have said and that has been written above, we must not believe that RECIPES AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE
sacrifices today are just something in the heart and mind only, and not something that
can have literal tangible works, for if we do, God's word will correct us in our mistake. Unleavened Bread
Notice it, Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 16, "But do not forget to do good and to
share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." 2 cups whole wheat flour

Helping, serving, giving, sharing what we have with others in whatever way fits the 1 tablespoon cooking oil
situation and circumstance, is classified as sacrifices and is well pleasing to the Lord.

Yes of course for such doing is loving our neighbour as ourselves and fulfilling
the second of the two great commandments.
When Paul was in literal physical want at one time in his life, the brethren at
Philippi came to his service. Let's read it.
"Nevertheless you have done well that you SHARED in my distress. Now you
Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel......no church shared with me
concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid
once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that
abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from
Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable
SACRIFICE, WELL PLEASING TO GOD"(Philippians 4:14-18).
We must not forget to give and serve and share our lives, our time, our talents, our
encouragement, our physical goods, to our fellow man, for in so doing we offer
sacrifices that are well pleasing to the Lord.
SACRIFICING - THE FULL CIRCLE
½ teaspoon salt
Adding enough warm water, mix the ingredients into
a smooth dough. Let the mixtures rest for at least
half-hour. Then roll out portions (about the size of a
golf ball) on a floured board to about the size of a
saucer. Place the cakes on a hot plate or skillet till they
begin to blister, then turn them over and do the other
side. A covered grill can also be used. Any grain flour
may be substituted for wheat.
Esau’s Pottage
1 cup uncooked barley
1 cup uncooked lentils

We have it all summed up for us by Paul in his letter to the churches at Rome: "I 1 large onion, chopped
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a
LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do ½ cup celery, chopped
not be conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God"(Romans
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed
12:1-2).

Indeed there it is, that is the truth of the matter. The New Testament Christian is to
completely sacrifice HIM or HER self, in heart, mind, attitude, and life, on the altar of
dying to the sins of the world and living according to that which is good and acceptable
and the perfect will of God.
The day of sacrifices IS NOT OVER!
1 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients I a covered pot. Bring to
boil, then reduce heat and simmer until done (may be
baked for 45 minutes at 350 degrees). Serve with
bread. Recipe serves 8.

7
 WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE

COMMANDMENTS, STATUTES
STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS?

In God's instruction manual to mankind, the Bible, God has given us some wonderful laws
that tell us what makes like work and what doesn't. They are truly amazing laws that are
full of great wisdom and if practiced in our society today would bring great peace,
happiness and prosperity. Now these laws are often described in the Bible by three
divisions.

Let's have a look at a typical verse that describes these three divisions. In Deuteronomy
7:11 we read, "Therefore you shall keep the commandments, the statutes, and the
judgments which I command you today, to observe them." This three-fold division of the
laws of God is mentioned about 14 times in the Bible.

Now what's the difference between the commandments, the statutes and the judgments? First of all, what are the
commandments? Well, that's an easy one for most of us. When Christ told the rich young man to keep the commandments
and the young man asked Him which ones, Christ quoted some of the Ten Commandments that God gave in Exodus 20.

The Ten Commandments give the broad principles of how to obey God and show love to Him and to our neighbors. The
statutes are secondary laws that go further and expand upon the commandments. Life is complex and so God in His love
gave Israel further detail and specifics as to how to show love for Him and others through the statutes.

Having said that, what's the difference between statutes and judgments? Now, statutes are secondary laws that made by
lawmakers. Judgments, on the other hand, refer to judicial decisions made by a judge, like God for example, based upon the
principles behind those laws to come up with a decision as to how best to apply those laws.

So how do we go about determining whether a law in the Old Testament is a statute or a judgment? Well, first of all, we need
to understand why the particular law was made.

For our first example let's look at Deuteronomy 22:8 where we read, "When you build a new house, then you shall make a
parapet [or balustrade] for your roof, that you may not bring guilt of bloodshed on your household if anyone falls from it." Why
was this law given? Well, in ancient times people had flat roofs and people used to spend a fair bit of time on the top of their
roofs for various reasons and so there was the danger of people falling off a roof. This was a basic safety law like so many of
the safety laws that governments pass today.

The next question we have to ask is whether that law can be applied for all cultures at all time. Well, today few people have
flat roofs and putting a balustrade on some of our steep roofs might pose more of a problem than not having one. The
principle here is to preserve the health and safety of those who might venture onto the roof. As the principle cannot be
applied to all roofs this is a judgment made by God based upon the principle of protecting the health and safety of those who
might venture onto a roof.

Let's look at the laws that cover the sacrifices and offerings. In Jeremiah 7:22 God says "For I did not speak to your fathers,
or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices." We see
that God didn't originally give Israel these laws when they came out of Egypt. They're not found in the book of Exodus but in
the latter books written after the time when they sinned by worshipping the golden calf.

The sacrifices and offerings were but types of the greater sacrifice of Christ to come. They taught Israel of the need for
Christ's sacrifice to come later on and, are no longer required because of Christ's sacrifice. They were judgments made by
God, because of their sins at Mt Sinai, to help impress on a carnal, rebellious people the need for a greater sacrifice to come.

We've looked at judgments. Let's look at a couple of statutes. A good example of a statute is the holy days. While many think
that Christ's sacrifice does away with the need to keep these "Jewish" holy days they are ignorant of the fact that the holy
days teach us a lot about the great plan of God to harvest all souls and save all mankind.

By keeping the holy days we learn so much about God's plan. This principle behind these holy day laws can be applied for all

8
people, for all time and are thus statutes. We read of Egypt having to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in the World Tomorrow
in Zechariah 14. Leviticus 23:31 makes it clear that the holy days are statutes. About the Day of Atonement it says, "You
shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."

The dietary laws can also be applied for all people, for all time. Most of the animals that are unclean in Leviticus 11 were
designed by God to be scavengers and are not fit for human consumption. Christ's sacrifice does nothing to change that
basic fact of God's creation. Thus, the dietary laws are statutes, as opposed to judgments.

The judges of Israel also made judgments on issues not specifically mentioned by God in the law. This is spoken of in
Deuteronomy 17. In Deuteronomy 17:8-10 we read, "If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge (dropping to verse
9)…you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; they shall pronounce
upon you the sentence of judgment. You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place
which the LORD chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you."

They didn't have to go to the judges if they felt that they could work out their problem. But if they felt the problem was too
hard to work out they had the option to bring it to the judges and they would make a judgment based upon determining why
the laws were made and applying those principles to the matter brought before them.

This law is the basis of the church's binding and loosing power that Christ gave to it in Matthew 18. As long as the judgments
don't directly violate the laws and the word of God, the church has the power of judgment in ecclesiastical matters. In 1
Corinthians chapter 6 Paul chastised the Corinthians for going to unconverted judges of the world instead of the church to
decide upon matters between brethren.

Members don't have to go to the ministry to sort out their problems with their brethren but if it is too hard to sort out Paul
admonishes us to take it to the church and abide by the decision rather than go to court against our brother. The obvious
exceptions to this, are, over criminal matters and for civil matters that the church has no authority over, for example, finalizing
a divorce.'

One good example of a church judgment was when Mr Armstrong made a judgment that smoking is a sin based upon 1
Corinthians 6:20 which says we are to glorify God in our body. He understood that every cigarette does us harm and that the
body was not designed for taking in the dangerous chemicals that are inhaled by smoking.

Another is where he made the decision that third tithe was no longer compulsory in many countries as members are already
paying the equivalent of third tithe in their taxes to the government, which now takes care of the needs that were to be met by
the third tithe in ancient Israel.

Now the church is not perfect and so we have seen the church hold different positions on the very same issue at different
times. A couple of examples of this are church judgments on makeup and interracial marriage. Prohibitions that were made
on these two issues were not based upon a specific statute in the Bible that forbid them but were judgments based upon
principles which the church interpreted and then made a decision upon.

For our final scripture let's look at Ezekiel 36:27. After God brings our Israelite nations back out of captivity after the Great
Tribulation He says this to them, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My
judgments and do them."

We will be the ones who will teach them God's commandments, statutes and judgments in the World Tomorrow. In
conclusion, if we are to be the ones who will teach them these laws in the World Tomorrow then it behooves all of us to be
good students and learn all we can about them now. Roger White

LESSONS FROM THE PASSOVER AND

UNLEAVENED BREAD
SEASON
The Holy Days have rich meaning for us
in reminding us of the major steps in
God's great plan to save all of
mankind and bring us into His
great Family. As the Passover and
Unleavened Bread season draws
9
near it is good to reflect on the meaning
of these two feastsand probe even
deeper than we ever have before in
learning from them.
Both feasts celebrated great events in
the history of Israel as God brought
them out of physical captivity in Egypt.
They also celebrate great events in God's
plan to redeem us from the captivity of
sin.
The Passover
The Passover was to be a yearly
reminder of God's intervention in
delivering the Israelites' firstborn from
death at the time of the Exodus (Exodus
12:26-
12:26-27). During the time of the last
plague which came upon the land of
Egypt, God told the Israelites' to kill an
unblemished lamb and sprinkle its blood
on their lintels and doorposts so they
could be passed over by the death angel
who would kill all the firstborn in Egypt
(Exodus 12:21-
12:21-23).
That first Passover was a symbolic type
of our sins being passed over and being
spared from the eternal penalty of sin -
death (Romans 6:23). It pictured, in
advance, the great sacrifice of Jesus
Christ for the sins of all mankind. He is
called "our Passover" lamb in 1
Corinthians 5:7 and 1 Peter 1:18-1:18-19.
John the Baptist upon seeing Jesus
approach him said: “Behold! The Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the
world!” (John 1:29).
Seriousness of the Passover sacrifice
The Israelites were told to pick out a
lamb on the 10th day and hold it for
four days (Exodus 12:3). During those
four days it was very easy to become
attached to it with it wandering around
in their household. To have to kill it
after those four days was to be a deeply
emotional experience to help them to
feel what it was like for God to give up
His only Son (John 3:16) in order to pass
over our sins.
We are told not to take the Passover
unworthily but to examine ourselves
beforehand (1 Corinthians 11:27-
11:27-28) and
make sure we are doing our best to
follow God's ways. A great price was
paid to make forgiveness available to us
and God wants us not to take it lightly.
In Israel no uncircumcised person was
to take the Passover (Exodus 12:48).
Circumcision, one of the original signs
of God's covenant people (Genesis 17:9-
17:9-
11), has been replaced with baptism
(Colossians 2:11-
2:11-12) and so only those
who have been baptized today partake
in the annual Passover service.
Footwashing
Before Christ ate His last Passover
before He was crucified He washed the
disciples feet and said: “For I have given
you an example, that you should do as I
have done to you” (John 13:15). By
washing their feet, Jesus was illustrating
to His disciples that He had come to
earth to serve mankind.
Shortly afterwards, He proved the
extent of His extraordinary service to
this world when He voluntarily gave
His very life for the sins of all mankind
(Matthew 20:27-
20:27-28). The footwashing
ceremony that takes place before the
bread and wine is taken depicts the
attitude of humility and service to
others that Christ wants all of us to
have.
Meaning of the Bread
When Christ kept His last Passover
before He was about to be killed He
changed the symbols from the Passover
lamb, which was an Old Testament type
of Christ's sacrifice, to the new symbols
of the bread and wine (1 Corinthians
11:23-
11:23-27) which picture Christ's body
and His blood which was sacrificed for
us.
The bread pictures four things -:
(1) The literal body of Christ which was
broken for us (Luke 22:19).
(2) The Word of God which is the bread
of life (Matthew 4:4, John 6:48). We
need to use God's Word, the Bible, to
grow in grace and knowledge and be
more like God (2 Peter 3:18).
(3) The church - "We, being many, are
one bread and one body, for we all
partake of that one bread" (1
Corinthians 10:17). We should be
thankful for the body of the church -
our brethren who we are called together
with. We should have a renewed sense
of dedication to serve our brethren and
strive to resolve any differences we
might have and be unified with one
another in the church like never before.
(4) The mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-
2:5-
8) and having the same love and
concern that Christ showed when He
was here on earth.
By symbolically ingesting Christ we
focus our minds on allowing Him to live
His life in us (Galatians 2:20). It takes
self-discipline to submit to God's will
and not live our own way, especially
when our will clashes with God's will.
One of the great meanings of Christ's
sacrifice for us should be to "purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the
living God" (Hebrews 9:14).
His Flesh Was Broken But Why
Weren't His Bones Broken?
We know that Christ's flesh was torn
and broken but why did God make sure
that none of His bones would be broken
(John 19:33-
19:33-36), as is pictured by the
Passover lamb being roasted whole with
no bones broken (Exodus 12:43-12:43-46)?
Now, our bones make up our inner
framework and picture our inner
strength. I suspect the importance of
God ensuring His bones weren't broken
is a type of Christ's inner strength of
character, through God's spirit, not
being broken through the ordeal that He
went through. He did not compromise
an inch with sin through all that He
10
went through (1 Peter 2:21-
2:21-23). By
doing so He left a very powerful
example for us to follow in not
compromising with God's way of life as
we go through trials.
By His Stripes We Are Healed
The prophet Isaiah wrote that “He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was
bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5).
It wasn't just Christ's death, pictured by
His shed blood, which paid the penalty
for our sins. The physical torture that
He went through was also a part of
paying the penalty for our sins. Death is
the ultimate penalty for sin but along
the way we go through all kinds of pain
and suffering.
We are told that "by His stripes we are
healed" (Isaiah 53:5). The Passover also
reminds us of the blessing of healing and
the forgiveness of our breaking the
physical laws which cause sickness and
disease. Following on from that, we
should examine ourselves and how we
treat our bodies and be determined to
glorify God in our bodies by having a
healthy diet and lifestyle (1 Corinthians
3:16-
3:16-17, 6:20).
In Isaiah 53:4 we read: “Surely He has
borne our griefs and carried our
sorrows.” Griefs and sorrows are neither
spiritual nor physical afflictions – they
are, in fact, emotional afflictions. God
here appears to be highlighting the
importance of emotional healing, which
spiritual and physical healing are both
closely connected to.
Time can heal most emotional wounds
caused by our own sins or those of
others but some of those wounds can
become infected and deeply affect us
emotionally. Like physical healing, God
is quite prepared to help heal us
emotionally when we bring these things
to Him and ask Him in faith to heal us
on the inside (James 5:16).
Meaning of the Wine
The wine pictures Christ's shed blood
(Luke 22:20) to cover all our horrible
past sins which gives us a wonderful
fresh start. We are then forgiven of our
past sins, though mindful we have to
change our life from here on.
The wine is called the cup of blessing in
1 Corinthians 10:16. It reminds us of the
many blessings we are to be thankful to
God for in this life and the loyalty He
has shown us in blessing us with all we
have, including His forgiveness. It
reminds us of our need to show that
loyalty in return to Him in heartfelt
obedience.
The shed blood of our Saviour, the cup
which we drink, also symbolizes sharing
in His suffering in this life with the
many trials we go through (Matthew
20:23). Sufferings in their own way can
be one of the blessings inferred to by the
reference to the wine being called the
cup of blessing.
We are called to be living sacrifices
(Romans 12:1-
12:1-2) poured out like a drink
offering in service and sacrifice
(Philippians 2:17) for God and others as
Christ has done for us. As God has
forgiven us we need to forgive others for
their faults (Matthew 6:14-
6:14-15) and even
forgive ourselves for our own sins as
well.
Christ said that He would not drink of
the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom
comes (Matthew 26:29). This is a type of
the High Priest, which Christ is for us
now (Hebrews 4:14-
4:14-15), not drinking
wine when he is serving in the Temple
of God (Leviticus 10:8-
10:8-11). Wine is also
a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians
5:18).
The Feast Of Unleavened Bread
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
anciently symbolized the great Exodus
of the Israelites and their deliverance by
God out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus
12:17).
For those of us in the church it pictures
putting sin out of lives as well as
developing the character of God. In 1
Corinthians 5:7-
5:7-8 Paul wrote: “For
indeed Christ, our Passover, was
sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep
the feast, not with old leaven, nor with
the leaven of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth”.
Leaven or yeast is what is put into bread
to make it rise. Leaven is compared to
sin (1 Corinthians
Corinthians 5:8) because just as
leaven puffs up bread so does sin puff us
up spiritually. God does not want us
puffed up with our own importance but
humble and willing to serve others.
Once we have repented of our sins and
been forgiven by God, we must strive to
forsake sin completely. We must come
out of this world's ways of sin
(Revelation 18:4) just as Israel left Egypt
which is also a type of sin (Hebrews
11:25-
11:25-26, Revelation 11:8). We must be
striving to put all sin away from us. That
is our part in God's Master Plan for us.
“Today removing leaven from our
homes for seven days reminds us that
we, too, through prayer and God's help
and understanding, must recognize,
expel and avoid sin. The Feast of
Unleavened Bread is thus a time of
personal reflection. We should meditate
on our attitudes and conduct and ask
God to help us recognize and overcome
our shortcomings” (God's Holy Day
Plan, p.22).
It's NOT the Feast of Not Eating
Leavened Bread!
We have to remember that it is not
called the Feast of not eating Leavened
Bread but the Feast of Unleavened
Bread. Not only do we need to put sin
out of our lives but we also have to put
on God's character. We need to develop
all of the fruits of God's spirit – love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
(Galatians 5:22-
5:22-23).
11
Mr Armstrong often referred to the two
broad ways of life as the way of GIVE
and the way of GET. Christianity is a
way of life. It is the way of GIVING!
Some members can often live their lives
as if avoiding doing certain wrong
things is all that it means to be a
christian, not realizing that Christianity
is far more than that! Christianity is
primarily an OUTGOING way of life - a
life of service to others. It's not just
about avoiding sins – it's very much
about doing good and enriching the
lives of other people.
Paul encourages us to be RICH in good
works in 1 Timothy 6:18. If you were
asked to write a list down of all the good
works that you have done in the last
couple of weeks how many things could
you come up with? Could you come up
with more than a couple of items?
Is our love merely limited to our own
small circle of friends? Is it limited to
giving only when it is convenient to us?
These are some hard questions we can
ask ourselves. Christ challenges us to
reach as far as we can with the way we
give of our time, friendship and
resources to other people when He tells
us, “But if you love those that love you,
what credit is that to you? For even
sinners love those who love them. And
if you do good to those who do good to
you, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners do the same” (Luke 6:32).
Most of us remember John F. Kennedy's
famous quote, “Ask not what your
country can do for you but what you
can do for your country!”. Put in the
context of the church we could say,
“Ask not what the church can do for
you but what you can do for the
church!”
In 1 Corinthians 5:8 Paul talks about the
unleavened bread of sincerity of truth
and sincerity. Here are two specific
qualities we can look at in our own lives
at this time. Do we really speak and live
the truth and with sincerity and not
hypocrisy (saying one thing but doing
another)?
Why Unleavened Bread?
In Deuteronomy 16:3 we read about two
other reasons why God told Israel to eat
unleavened bread and abstain from
leaven. Firstly we are told that they
didn't have leaven because they left in
haste and secondly, it was called the
bread of affliction in the same verse
reminding them of the bitter affliction
of slavery that God had delivered them
from.
What are the lessons for us today? Just
as Israel left in haste from Egypt, which
is a type of sin, we have to put sin out of
lives with urgency. We can't fool
around with sin. If we stay in a sinful
environment too long it will overtake us
and enslave us. Paul tells us that a little
leaven leavens the whole lump (1
Corinthians 5:6-
5:6-8). If we let Satan and
sin get a foot in the door they will push
open the whole door. That's why we
cannot afford to compromise even a
little.
The Bread of Affliction
There are three lessons that we can
learn from the meaning of the bread of
affliction. Firstly, it pictures the trials
that we have to suffer in this life (Acts
14:22) to have eternal life. That reminds
us that if we want anything worthwhile,
such as eternal life, we have to work
hard for and even suffer for it.
Secondly, it pictures what Christ had to
suffer for us (1 Peter 2:21) by
voluntarily dying a painful death to
make the precious gift of forgiveness
available to us all.
One other great lesson of the bread of
affliction is the lesson that SIN HURTS!
That is something we have to believe
not just in our minds but deep in our
hearts as well. How much we believe
deep down in our hearts that sin hurts is
shown in the choices that we make each
day. Sometimes we love our sins a lot
more than we should.
Satan's subtlety and deception is in
regularly being able to convince us to
look at sin from a selective viewpoint -
focusing on the pleasure more than the
inevitable kickback that follows just
around the corner. We would not
deliberately choose death over life
(Deuteronomy 30:15), but often we will
gamble with the consequences of sin in
order to pursue what we want.
Lessons from De-
De-leavening
There are lessons that we learn from the
rituals of de-leavening our homes,
abstaining from leaven and eating
unleavened bread. Do we think about
them as we go through them? Obviously
de-leavening our homes shows us that
we have to thoroughly put sin out from
every nook and cranny we can get to.
It teaches us that God's way of life is not
a smorgasbord. We can't pick and
choose. “Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by EVERY word that
proceeds from the mouth of God”
(Matthew 4:4). We can ask ourselves,
"What areas am I still holding back from
God?"
Sometimes it's hard to tell whether
certain things contain leaven or not.
This can teach us the lesson of avoiding
the grey areas. Sometimes we
accidentally eat something leavened.
This shows us how easy it is to sin
(Hebrews 12:1) and how much we need
God's help to avoid sin.
Sometimes we find leaven during the
feast we missed when de-leavening just
like we find hidden sins in our life
which have to be put away immediately.
We have to eat unleavened bread every
day – “seven days shall you eat it”
(Exodus 12:15). This teaches us our need
to come to God seeking His help and
power every day and be renewed day by
12
day (2 Corinthians 4:16). Seven is the
number of completeness, teaching us
that we need to put sin out of our lives
completely.
God takes a stern view on being
sacrilegious – profaning those things
which He has declared holy, such as the
Sabbath. While the penalty in ancient
Israel for a sin like stealing a lot of
money was restitution, the penalty that
God set down for anyone in ancient
Israel who ate leaven during the Feast of
Unleavened Bread was death (Exodus
12:15)!
Those who don't believe the Holy Days
aren't to be kept today could ask the
question why God would punish the
Israelites who ate leaven during the
Feast of Unleavened Bread and who ate
on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus
23:29) with death if He was later going
to take away the requirement to keep
the Holy Days.
The True Wave-
Wave-Sheaf Offering
During the Feast of Unleavened Bread
the Israelites commemorated the wave
sheaf offering on the first day of the
week that fell during the Feast
(Leviticus 23:10-
23:10-11).
The wave sheaf was the very first sheaf
of wheat that was harvested in Israel
during the early harvest which
concluded at the feast of Pentecost
seven weeks later. The first harvest was
the smaller of the two annual harvests.
The wave sheaf was the first of the
firstfruit harvest. Those of us in the
church are the firstfruits of salvation
(James 1:18) before the later great
harvest of souls in the millennium. In 1
Corinthians 15:20-
15:20-23 we see that Christ
is called the first of the firstfruits so the
wave sheaf that was waved at the very
beginning of the early harvest
represented Jesus Christ.
The Sabbath before the wave sheaf
offering is the memorial of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ who rose
near the end of the Sabbath. On the day
after (Sunday) He rose to heaven and
was accepted as the true wave sheaf
offering (John 20:17-
20:17-29) - the first of the
firstfruits.
On the weekly Sabbath during the Feast
of Unleavened Bread it's worthwhile to
take time to remember the resurrection
of Christ which occurred on that day
and His acceptance as the true wave
sheaf on the day after and all that it
means for mankind.
A Special Time of Year
The festival season of Passover and
Unleavened Bread is a special time of
year for all of us. The events that they
portray are foundational to all the great
events to follow them in the great plan
of God.
This Passover season focuses our minds
on Christ's sacrifice and on the
incredibly deep pain that He voluntarily
suffered to pay for all the sins that we
have committed in our lives. Paul urges
us to let the awareness of that deep pain
that Christ went through on our behalf
motivate and inspire all of us on to the
deepest level of repentance possible
through the help and power of God's
spirit (Hebrews 9:14). Roger White

The Holy Days Among Early Believers (From the

"The Nazarenes [were] an obscure Jewish-Christian sect, existing at
the time of Epiphanius (fl. A.D. 371) . . . . They recognized the new
covenant as well as the old, and believed in the resurrection, and in
the one God and His Son Jesus . . . . They dated their settlement in
Pella from the time of the flight of the Jewish- Christians from
Jerusalem, immediately before the siege in A.D. 70 . . . . While
adhering as far as possible to the Mosaic economy, as regarding
Sabbaths, foods and the like, they did not refuse to recognize the
apostolicy of Paul."
Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 19
"Abhorred and publicly execrated by the Jews for their attachment to
Christianity, and despised by the Christians for their prejudice in
favor of the Mosaic law [with its weekly and annual sabbaths, kosher
diet, etc.] they were peculiarly oppressed and unfortunate. Traces of
this sect [the Nazarenes] appear as late as the fourth century."
the Records
of HISTORY…)
-- Hugh Smith, History of the Christian Church, page 72
"The Jewish Christians [Nazarenes] of Palestine retained the entire
Mosaic law [with the exception of the ceremonial] and consequently
the Jewish festivals . . . . In the Feast of the Passover . . . the
Nazarenes eat [unleavened] bread, probably like the Jews . . . ."
-- Ecclesiastical History, vol 1, chapter 2, section 30, by Gieseler
"There is another sect, 'Hypisistarians,' that is, worshippers of the
most high, whom they worshipped as the Jews only in one person.
And they observed their weekly and annual sabbaths, used distinction
of their meats, clean and unclean . . . ."
-- Antiquities of the Christian Church, Book 16, chapter 16, section
2
13
Josephus and Festival Fellowship
Fellowship
"Let those that live as remote as the bounds of the land which the
Hebrews shall possess, come to that city where the temple shall be,
and this three times in a year,
year that they may give thanks to God for
His former benefits, and may entreat Him for those they shall want
hereafter; and let them, by this means, maintain a friendly
correspondence with one another by such meetings and feastings
together, for it is a good thing for those that are of the same stock,
and under the same institution of laws, not to be unacquainted with
each other; which acquaintance will be maintained by thus conversing
together, and by seeing and talking with one another, and so renewing
the memorials of this union; for if they do not thus converse together
continually, they will appear like mere strangers to one another." --
Antiquities, IV, viii, 7
Philo on the Sabbath and Holy Days
Philo of Alexandria, often called Philo Judaeus (c. 30 B.C. to c.
A.D.40), was a famous classical Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, called
"the first theologian." Philo was well-versed in pagan Greek
philosophy, including Plato. However, Philo wrote extensively to gain
the acceptance, if not the conversion, of Greeks to Judaism. He
recognized the Pentateuch as having divine authority and containing
all truth.
The Sabbath According to Philo
"The fourth commandment," Philo says, "deals with the sacred
seventh day, that it should be observed in a reverent and religious
manner . . . . [and men should] rest on the seventh and turn to the
study of wisdom . . . ." (Decalogue, 96-98).
Philo concludes: "Again, the experience of those who keep the
seventh day is that both body and soul are benefitted in two most
essential ways. The body is benefitted by the recurrence of respite
from continuous and wearisome toil, the soul by the excellent
conceptions which it receives of God as the world-maker and
guardian of what He has begotten. For He brought all things to their
completion on the seventh day. These things shew clearly that he who
gives due value to the seventh day gains value for himself," (Special
Laws, II, 260).
"On this day we are commanded to abstain from all work, not
because the law inculcates slackness; on the contrary it always inures
men to endure hardship and incites them to labour . . . . Its object is
rather to give men relaxation from continuous and unending toil and
by refreshing their bodies with a regularly calculated system of
remissions, to send them out renewed to their old activities . . . .
Further, when He forbids bodily labour on the seventh day, He
permits the exercise of the higher activities, namely, those employed
in the study of the principles of virtue's lore . . . knowledge and
perfection of the mind., (Special Laws, II 60-64).
Festival Fellowship
Philo groups the feasts and holy days, as well as the land sabbath and
jubilee year under the Fourth Commandment. He says that traveling
to the Festivals is an important spiritual life exercise. Festivalgoers
leave behind them the cares of daily life, and "enjoy a brief breathing-
space in scenes of general cheerfulness. Thus filled with comfortable
hopes they devote the leisure, as is their bounden duty, to holiness
and honouring of God. Friendships are formed between those who
hitherto knew not each other . . . [and the mutual festivities] are the
occasion of reciprocity of feeling and constitute the surest pledge that
all are of one mind." (Special Laws, I, 69-70).
"Proselytes," or newly-joined members of the spiritual community,
have equal rank with the longtime native-born members, who are to
give them "special friendship" and "more than ordinary goodwill . . .
. For the most effectual love-charm, the chain which binds
indissolubly the goodwill which makes us one, is to honour the one
God," (Special Laws, I, 51-53).

hundred billion suns, many of them

Lessons from the larger than our own sun.

Footwashing Concerning Jesus Christ, we read:

Colossians 1:16-18 For by him

On the night before He was
betrayed and slaughtered, Jesus
Christ removed His garments, picked
up a basin and towel, knelt down, and
washed the feet of His twelve friends
who had gathered for a special
Passover meal. This great Teacher,
the One we call Lord and Master, set
an example for all Christians -- for all
humanity --, to follow. What are we
to learn from this unwarranted act?
Follow these Scriptures as they set
the scene for one of history's greatest
moments...
In the northern hemisphere's night
sky, there is a small pale area of light
near the upper lefthand corner of the
Great Square of Pegasus
constellation. It is the spiral galaxy of
Andromeda! It is as large as our Milky
Way. It is one of a hundred million
galaxies. It is two and a half million
light-years away. It consists of one
were all things created, that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, visible
and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him: And
he is before all things, and by him all
things consist. And he is the head of
the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the
preeminence.
14
John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the
Father had given all things into his
hands, and that he was come from
God, and went to God;
Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God: But made himself
of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made
in the likeness of men: And being
found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself...
John 13:4-5 He riseth from supper,
and laid aside his garments; and took
a towel, and girded himself. After that
he poureth water into a basin, and
began to wash the disciples' feet, and
to wipe them with the towel wherewith
he was girded.
Never is history had a person made
such a humble gesture to descend
from the Highest Heaven and bow
down to wash dirty feet. The Great
King whose eternal Kingdom is far
above and beyond this earth, at a
critical moment of His life, when it
must have been so hard not to focus
on Himself, removed His fine
garments, put a towel around Him,
and began to wash dirty feet.
How trivial. How awesome!
Philippians 2:3-5 "Let nothing be
done through strife or vainglory; but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem
other better than themselves. Look
not every man on his own things, but
every man also on the things of
others. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus: "
Here is the rest of the footwashing
account, recorded in the Gospel of
John:
John 13:6-17 Then cometh he to
Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto
him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him,
What I do thou knowest not now; but
thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never
wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If
I wash thee not, thou hast no part with
me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord,
not my feet only, but also my hands
and my head.
Jesus saith to him, He that is washed
needeth not save to wash his feet, but
is clean every whit: and ye are clean,
but not all. For he knew who should
betray him; therefore said he, Ye are
not all clean.
So after he had washed their feet, and
had taken his garments, and was set
down again, he said unto them, Know
ye what I have done to you? Ye call
me Master and Lord: and ye say well;
for so I am. If I then, your Lord and
Master, have washed your feet; ye
also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that
ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The
servant is not greater than his lord;
neither he that is sent greater than he
that sent him. If ye know these things,
happy are ye if ye do them.
Jesus Christ was using a practical
example of His day to teach a lesson
of humility to His disciples. He
said, "For I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have
done to you." No doubt we should
aspire to continually be in this servant-
like attitude. And yet this footwashing
was performed at the momentous
"Last Supper", a night in which Jesus
was establishing new traditions for the
Church, all of which have powerful
symbolism at their root. On this night
Jesus initiated the eating of the
Passover Bread as it represents His
broken body, the drinking of the red
Wine symbolising His life blood shed
for our sins. So often God teaches us
through role play, just as He did on
the same night with the Footwashing,
and those seeking to follow His
example learn a great deal from
experiencing the footwashing ritual
annually at the Passover season.
What does the Footwashing
Symbolism teach us?
In a nutshell, practical service, in true
humility. We can however, itemise
some specific lessons from this
account:
None of us can out do the humility
displayed by Christ to serve our fellow
man.
• We should esteem others greater
than ourselves.
• We should allow others to serve
us at times.
• We should be prepared to empty
ourselves, to remove the
pretenses that might look nice, but
that get in the way of doing what
is necessary for the sake of
serving another. Christ removed
His garments.
• Jn 13:11 tells us our Lord was
thinking of spiritual cleanliness, far
beyond the physical washing of
feet. In speaking about Judas,
who was underhandedly
preparing to turn Jesus over to the
Jewish authorities, He said:
John 13:11 " For he knew who should
betray him; therefore said he, Ye are
not all clean."
Washing our feet, with its spiritual
symbolism, implies we are taking on
some responsibility to see to it that
our brethren are spiritually clean.
That we don't allow our brethren to get
so dirtied up by the filth of this world
without being there to help, and care
for them. By its very nature, foot
washing is a community act, one of
support, care, concern, in relation to
the spiritual cleanliness, the spiritual
welfare, of each other. In some ways
we are our brother's keeper, and have
a responsibility to be there, ready to
help.
In light of imitating the example of
Christ, we would do well in
considering the practical spiritual
needs of our brethren.
There is implied in the
footwashing ritual, that you and I can
make a difference, and we should try.
Do you have a brother or sister in the
faith whose spiritual feet are dirty, that
you may be able to wash? Are you
able to humble yourself to do
unpleasant, menial service for
others? Do you consider others
greater than yourself?
May we each practice footwashing in
the spirit in which Christ our Lord
demonstrated on the night before He
gave His life up for us. We can be
mindful that the Creator of the
15
Universe stooped so low as to bow
Himself at our feet so that we would
be clean to participate in making a
new covenant with Him. by G. Robertson
“If a man hasn’t discovered something “The Christian ideal has not been tried
that he would die for, he isn’t fit to live” and found wanting; it has been found
Martin Luther King Jr. difficult and left untried.” – G.K.
Chesterton

seven days, and any thing fermented is substances were known to have
"...Ye shall put away not seen with thee; yea leaven is not seen fermenting qualities; but the ordinary
leaven out of your with thee in all thy border.” leaven consisted of a lump of old dough
in a high state of fermentation, which was
houses." In the New Testament the Greek word mixed into the mass of dough prepared for
translated “leaven’” is zume (#2219 in baking.” He adds, “The most prominent
Strong’s). The lexicon again defines it as idea associated with leaven is connected
Just what is leaven? leaven but also indicates that it is used in with the corruption which it had
a metaphorical way and “is viewed in its undergone, and which communicated to
tendency to infect others.” Vine’s bread in the process of fermentation.”
Exodus 12:15 records the instruction
Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of
given to the Israelites in Egypt. They
in the article on leaven, says, “zume Biblical Theology is in agreement. In the
were to eat unleavened bread for seven
(2219), ‘leaven, sour dough, in a high section on Leaven it says, “leaven
days and they were to put the leaven out
state of fermentation’, was used in general symbolized corruption, defilement, and
of their houses. Verse 19 says that there
in making bread. It required time to fulfill sin.”
was to be no leaven found in their houses
the process. Hence, when food was
for seven days and verse 20 says they
required at short notice, unleavened cakes In none of these works does it indicate the
were not to eat anything leavened. These
were used, e.g., Gen. 18:6; 19:3; Exod. connection of “puffing up” but
same injunctions are stated again in
12:8. The Israelites were forbidden to use emphasizes the fact of fermentation and
chapter 13 and verse 7. Just what was to
‘leaven’ for seven days at the time of the corruption. Let us understand. Some of
be put out? What is “leaven?”
Passover, that they might be reminded the newer translations have “yeast”
that the Lord brought them out of Egypt instead of “leaven.” This is a much better
Let’s begin by looking at what the
‘in haste,’ Deut. 16:3, with Exod. 12:11; rendering. Yeast, as defined in the
Hebrew words translated “leaven” mean.
the unleavened bread, insipid in taste, Illustrated World Encyclopedia, One
There are two primary words used. The
reminding them, too, of their afflictions, Volume Deluxe Edition, “is a kind of very
first one is s@or or seor, (#07604 in
and of the need of self-judgement, is simple plant. It is a FUNGUS,...” It
Strong’s). It is used 5 times and the
called ‘the bread of affliction.’ ‘Leaven’ further states, “Young plants are formed
lexicon merely says “leaven.” Easton’s
was forbidden in all offerings to the Lord by a process called budding. Part of the
Bible Dictionary shows this word meant
by fire, Lev. 2:11; 6:17. Being bred of cell grows outward, forming a new area
“the remnant of dough from the preceding
corruption and spreading through the that looks somewhat like a bud on a plant
baking which had fermented and become
mass of that in which it is mixed, and stem. After some time the new bud
acid.” The second Hebrew word is
therefore symbolizing the pervasive breaks off and becomes a separate yeast
chametz or hamets (#02557 in Strong’s)
character of evil, ‘leaven’ was utterly plant.” The New Lexicon WEBSTER’S
used 11 times. Again the lexicon says
inconsistent in offerings which typified ENCYCLOPEDIC DICTIONARY of the
“the thing leavened, leaven.” Easton’s
the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ.” English Language says yeast “is a
gives us a more complete definition.
substance found on the surface of
“Heb. hamets, properly ‘ferment.’ In
The definition given in other Bible fermenting sugary liquids containing
Numbers 6:3, ‘vinegar of wine’ is more
dictionaries is much the same. A ascomycetes of fam.
correctly ‘fermented wine.’ In Exodus
Dictionary of the Bible by John D. Davis, Sacchaaromycetaceae, that multiply by
13:7, the proper rendering would be,
article Leaven, says, “A substance used to budding and cause the fermentation of
‘Unfermented things [Heb. matstsoth]
produce fermentation in dough and make sugars, with the production of alcohol and
shall be consumed during the seven days;
it rise (Ex. 12:5, 19; 13:7). In Scripture carbon dioxide.”
and there shall not be seen with thee
times leaven generally consisted of a little
fermented things [hamets], and there shall
old dough in a high state of A number of Scriptures in the New
not be seen with thee leavened mass
fermentation.” He mentions the fact that Testament confirm “leaven” to be yeast, a
[seor] in all thy; borders.’ The chemical
leaven was forbidden to be used in living organism. Let’s notice. Jesus
definition of ferment or yeast is ‘a
offerings made by fire to the Lord. He spoke a parable (recorded in Matt. 13 and
substance in a state of putrefaction, the
states, “The principal reason for the Luke 13) in which He speaks of a woman
atoms of which are in a continual
prohibition was that fermentation is placing leaven into meal “till the whole
motion.’”
incipient corruption, and was emblematic was leavened.” Let us read and
of corruption.” Smith’s Bible Dictionary understand His words.
Young’s Literal Translation renders
gives much the same information. In the
Exodus 13:7 very much as Easton’s
article on Leaven it is stated, “Various
gives. “Unleavened things are eaten the
16
Matthew 13:33 “Another parable spake
he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is
like unto leaven, which a woman took,
and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened.”
He says she “hid” the leaven in the meal.
The Greek word translated “hid” is
ekgrupto (#1470 in Strong’s). It can
mean to “conceal in something” but a
second definition is “to mingle one thing
with another.” He says that eventually the
“whole was leavened.”’ “Leavened” is the
English translation of the Greek zumou
(#2220 in Strong’s). The lexicon says, in
addition to “leaven,” it means “to mix
leaven with dough so as to make it
ferment.” This is exactly what yeast does
when placed into the mass or the lump.
The one celled yeast plants feed on the
organic matter, reproducing themselves
by “budding.” As more and more yeast
cells are being produced they spread
further and further throughout the dough.
As explained in the dictionary quote
above, they cause the fermentation of the
sugars which produces carbon dioxide
gas. The carbon dioxide gas is being
released and causes the dough to rise.
The fermentation, the corruption, spreads
completely through the mass.
We could paraphrase Jesus’ words. “The
kingdom of heaven is like unto yeast, or a
bit of sour dough starter, which a woman
took, and mixed into three batches of
dough, till the whole was fermented and
had raised.” In this parable Jesus didn’t
continue to the next step in bread making,
placing the fermented dough into the oven
and baking it.
The Apostle Paul’s words to the Church at
Corinth corroborates our understanding.
In the 5th chapter of 1 Corinthians he
addresses a problem within the
congregation. It was well known that one
individual was having an illicit affair with
his step-mother. Paul say that they were
very arrogant and proud of the way in
which they were handling the situation,
showing the individual “love” and
tolerance, rather than putting him out of
the fellowship. He uses the analogy of
putting the leaven out of the home to
illustrate. Notice what he says.
1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying [is] not
good. Know ye not that a little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump? (KJV) Other
translations help make this very clear.
From the Weymouth Translation: Do you
not know that a little yeast corrupts the
whole of the dough? The Bible in Basic
English says: Do you not see that a little
leaven makes a change in all the mass?
From the Amplified Bible: Do you not
know that [just] a little leaven will
ferment the whole lump [of dough]? And,
from the New International Version: Do
you not know that a little yeast works
through the whole batch of dough?
Paul continues, verse 7. “Purge out
therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a
new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even
Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:”
Paul is continuing to speak of the
incestuous situation in the church. He
says to purge out this “old leaven,” this
corruption which will spread through the
congregation, just like yeast fermenting
the whole of the dough. Then, he says,
you as a congregation may be a “new
lump,” without corruption. And then, he
states a very powerful spiritual truth. “As
ye are unleavened.” How are we
unleavened? “For even Christ our
passover is sacrificed for us.” It is
through Christ’s shed blood that we have
our sin, our corruption, removed. We are
“unleavened,” without the corruption that
we had previously.
Then in verse 8 Paul says, “Therefore let
us keep the feast, not with old leaven,
neither with the leaven of malice and
wickedness; but with the unleavened
[bread] of sincerity and truth.” He tells
them that the spiritual lesson from the act
of putting leaven, yeast, out of the house
each Feast of Unleavened Bread needs to
be with us daily, year around. It is
symbolic of the corruption that is purged,
removed, through the cleansing blood of
Christ. By that corruption, that sin, being
“borne away” we are “a new lump,” and
we “are unleavened,” no longer full of
corruption and sin. He concludes this
instruction by saying, “but with the
unleavened (azumos [#106 in Strong’s],
unfermented, free from leaven or yeast) of
sincerity and truth.”
In Matthew 16 Jesus warned His disciples
to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and of the Sadducees.” And in verse 12,
“then understood they how he bade them
not beware of the leaven of bread, but of
the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees.” They finally understood that
He was using “leaven” metaphorically to
warn them of the corrupt teaching of these
religious groups and its pervasiveness.
The lexicon gives as a definition for zume
(#2219 in Strong’s) used here and
translated “leaven,” “metaph. of
inveterate mental and moral corruption,
viewed in its tendency to infect others.”
Now, back to our original definitions for
leaven, as taught for years by many. Does
baking powder, baking soda, cream of
tartar, etc. constitute substances that
“produce fermentation in dough?” The
answer is a resounding NO! Notice what
the dictionary has to say about these
items. “Baking powder essentially a
carbonate and an acidic agent which on
moistening react to give carbon dioxide.”
“Baking soda sodium bicarbonate.”
“Sodium bicarbonate a weakly basic
salt which liberates carbon dioxide on
heating and when combine with acids. It
is used in baking powder, effervescent
salts, as an antacid and in fire
extinguishers.”
Nothing about fermentation. Why?
Because these items are inorganic
chemicals, not a live organism as is yeast.
They do not reproduce themselves and
spread throughout the mass or the lump of
dough. When brought into contact with
water a chemical reaction produces
carbon dioxide gas. I remember as a
small boy I had a small plastic toy
submarine that came as a prize in a cereal
box. It had a small area at the bottom that
a bit of baking powder was put into. A
cap with a small hole was fitted into it.
The toy was placed into a container of
water. It would sink to the bottom of the
container. As water entered through the
small hole in the cap a carbon dioxide
bubble formed bringing the submarine to
the surface. The gas would escape and the
toy would sink to the bottom again to
have a new bubble form.
When baking powder, baking soda, etc. is
used in baking “quick breads” they must
be thoroughly mixed into the dry
ingredients before the liquid is stirred in.
Why? They will not spread through the
lump. Carbon dioxide will be produced
all in the one location where the baking
powder (or soda, etc.)was placed. Also,
the reaction begins as soon as these
chemicals come in contact with the
water. It is not a slow process as with the
yeast spreading throughout the lump.
What is our conclusion? Due to a totally
wrong picture of what “leaven” pictures
17
(i.e. puffing up) we had an entirely wrong
definition of what “leaven” is. “Leaven”
as spoken of in the Bible refers to yeast, a
living plant that causes fermentation and
corruption. It truly is a picture of sin and
corruption in our lives. When we come
under the blood of the Passover Lamb,
Jesus Christ, that sin and corruption is
washed away leaving us a “new lump.”
We don’t put leaven out of our houses to
picture “putting sin out” of our lives. We
can’t put sin out. Jesus has washed us
clean through His blood and bore our sins
in His body (1 Pet. 2:24). We put leaven
out of our houses and symbolically live in
a corruption free dwelling for seven days,
seven being the number of completion.
Jesus bore our sin and corruption and
totally and completely removed it from
us. He now has come to live and
tabernacle within each of us, an
“unleavened” and corruption free
habitation, a new lump. by Garry D. Pifer

"This do,...,in remembrance of Me."

Was Christ saying that we are to take bread and wine only once a year?

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 “And when he
eat: this is my body, which is broken for you:
manner also [he took] the cup, when he had
in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in
bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's
these instructions that we are to partake of the
from some old church literature says this is the
26, which says: ‘For as often as you eat this
say ‘take it as often as you please.’ But it does
it, ‘you proclaim the Lord’s death till He
often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’
Lord’s death–a memorial of his death. And
always observed annually, once a year, on the
But, is this what Christ meant when He said to
to do it as a “memorial.” Is “remembrance” the same thing as a “memorial” once a year?
had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take,
this do in remembrance of me. After the same
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament
remembrance of me.For as often as ye eat this
death till he come.” Did Christ indicate by
bread and the wine only once a year? A quote
case. Note, “Some have misunderstood verse
bread and drink this cup,’ and interpret it to
not say that. It says ‘as often’ as we observe
comes.’ And Jesus commanded, ‘This do, as
(verse 25). We do it in remembrance of the
memorials of momentous occasions are
anniversary of the event they commemorate.”
do it in “remembrance” of me. He did not say

The word “remembrance” used in this passage is anamnesis from the Greek, #364 in Strong’s. Note the meaning as given in the lexicon,
“a remembering, recollection.” A totally different Greek word, mnemosunon, #3422 in Strong’s, is translated “memorial.” The Lexicon’s
definition is similar. It is, “a memorial (that by which the memory of any person or thing is preserved), a remembrance.” Even in English
the word “memorial” doesn’t mean what is indicated from the quotation above. A “memorial”, used as a noun, is defined as a “monument
commemorating a person or event.” Used as an adjective, it means “commemorative.” The word “memorial” (from #3422) is used
three times in the New Testament and in each of the usages it is used to “ remember” someone or an event. Notice Matthew 26:13 (and
Mark 14:9 records the same event.) “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, [there] shall
also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” The notion of “once a year” doesn’t even fit with the usage of
“memorial.”

Perhaps the confusion comes from the usage in the United States of “Memorial Day.” This, of course, is a national holiday. The
dictionary says, “originally commemorating those who died in the Civil War but observed now as a day of remembrance for all
Americans killed on active service.” Obviously, as a holiday, there is a day set aside for that “remembrance.” However, I should think
that one could and should remember those who died in service throughout the year. In this country, in our nation’s capital, we have built
the “Vietnam Memorial” to remember those who died in the conflict in Vietnam. It is open for that remembrance every day, not just one
day a year. And, I believe this is exactly what Christ instructed us to do. He tells us to remember Him when we take bread and wine.
The word “remembrance” has been incorrectly defined in order to disregard the clear statement of Jesus Christ that as “often as” you eat
bread and drink wine you are to do it in “remembrance” of Him.

Weymouth’s translation, I believe, makes these verses quite clear. “ and after giving thanks He broke it and said, ‘This is my body which
is about to be broken for you. Do this in memory of me.’ In the same way, when the meal was over, He also took the cup. ‘This cup,’ He
said, ‘is the new Covenant of which my blood is the pledge. Do this, every time that you drink it, in memory of me.’ For every time that
you eat this bread and drink from the cup, you are proclaiming the Lord's death--until He returns.” Notice again the way he makes these
verses quite clear. “Do this, every time that you drink it, in memory of me.” And, “For every time that you eat this bread and drink this
cup...”

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As was pointed out, the Greek word anamnesis (Strong’s #364) is translated “remembrance” here in 1 Corinthians 11. I believe it is
helpful to also look at the root word, anamimnesko, #363 in Strong’s. It is defined as “1.) to call to remembrance, to remind, to
admonish. 2.) to remember, to remember and weigh well and consider.”

Here are just a few verses.

Mark 11:21 “And Peter calling to remembrance (#363) saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered
away.” This is not an indication of once a year but merely a recalling, remembering an event.

Mark 14:72 “And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind (#363) the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock
crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.” Peter “called to mind,” he remembered what Jesus had
said.

1 Corinthians 4:17 “ For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you
into remembrance (#363) of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.” Timothy was to remind them, to help
them remember, to “jog” their memories if you will, of Paul’s ways which were in Christ.

Hebrews 10:32 “But call to remembrance (#363) the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of
afflictions;” The instruction here was to call to mind, to remember, days and times that were past.

Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this
do in remembrance (#364) of me.” Jesus is telling them to take bread and remember Him. By His statement there is no indication of it to
be an annual, once a year activity.

The specific usage of these two Greek words is that of remembering, calling to mind. It does not give the connotation of doing something
once a year. The annual event of eating bread and drinking wine, while it can be said it is done to remember the Lord’s death, does not
seem to be what Christ had in mind. I believe we need to be remembering the broken body and shed blood every day, every time we eat
bread and drink wine. The giving of His body to be beaten and broken and the shedding of His blood was the most important event to
occur in all of mankind’s history. And, to relegate the “remembrance” of it to one time per year seems totally inadequate and contrary to
what the Scripture truly indicates. by Garry D. Pifer

Who Are We?

The Mustard Seed Newsletter is published free by The Mustard Seed Evangelistic Association –an affiliated association
committed to the publishing of the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached and as recorded for us in the Holy Scriptures. This goal
is to be within the framework of the Commission set forth to His believers and followers to "go and make disciples of all
nations ... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). It is our hope that the Mustard
Seed and its other publications will become a shared-resource and vehicle for our readers to come to know and understand
the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the Kingdom of God. You are invited to join us in this exciting and marvelous work!

"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown
it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."
Matthew 13:31-32

For your question and/or comment, email us at mseedwork@yahoo.com/ peopletowin@gmail.com/ Raul deAsis Hipe/Editor

I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am reproved. Then the LORD answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:1-
2:1-2

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