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FCEGM
Guest
Good insight, b-
Interesting that the Witnesses used to celebrate Christmas:
geocities.com/Heartland/2919/bethelxmas.html
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Interesting that the Witnesses used to celebrate Christmas:
geocities.com/Heartland/2919/bethelxmas.html
A
At_His_Feet
Guest
One of the questions that comes up in Christmas/no-Christmas discussions is:** If there is not an explicit command to observe a “day” in Scripture, is it OK to clebrate it?** I hope the following notes help:
In Jesus’ day the Jews celebrated a holiday not commanded in the Law of Moses, and Jesus celebrated it too:
**
“The Feast of Dedication”** - John 10:22-23 “And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of Dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon’s porch.”
(This feast came into practice between Old and New Testament times , noting the defeat of Antiochus who had defiled the Temple. After his defeat the Temple was rededicated; the “Feast of Dedication“ commemorated this. Not commanded in the Law of Moses [but it‘s origin is described in 1 Maccabees 4:59 and 2 Maccabees 10:8])
**Other examples of days being observed out of custom, not commanded in the Law of Moses:
Having to do with Jephthah’s daughter** - Judges 11:39,40 - “Thus it became a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah… four days of the year”
Because of national victories in the days of Esther - Esther 9:19 “Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another.”
Nowhere does it say the God told them to do this, but neither does it say that it is condemned. Rather, the contexts suggest that these practices are commendable.
If it was OK for the Jews to commemorate military victories and other things with holidays not commanded in the Law, is it wrong for Christians to commemorate the birth of Jesus with a day?
(Ralph Woodrow’s (not a Catholic) excellent book "Christmas Reconsidered" discusses the above and more; available here - ralphwoodrow.org/book.htm
You’ll see another book entitled "The Babylon Connection" in which he de-bugs the arguments set out in Hislop’s “The Two Babylons”. Woodrow’s books are short, cheap, and good. Although he formerly was “no-Christmas”, he’s not an ex-JW so it should be OK for JWs to read him.)
In Jesus’ day the Jews celebrated a holiday not commanded in the Law of Moses, and Jesus celebrated it too:
**
“The Feast of Dedication”** - John 10:22-23 “And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of Dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon’s porch.”
(This feast came into practice between Old and New Testament times , noting the defeat of Antiochus who had defiled the Temple. After his defeat the Temple was rededicated; the “Feast of Dedication“ commemorated this. Not commanded in the Law of Moses [but it‘s origin is described in 1 Maccabees 4:59 and 2 Maccabees 10:8])
**Other examples of days being observed out of custom, not commanded in the Law of Moses:
Having to do with Jephthah’s daughter** - Judges 11:39,40 - “Thus it became a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah… four days of the year”
Because of national victories in the days of Esther - Esther 9:19 “Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another.”
Nowhere does it say the God told them to do this, but neither does it say that it is condemned. Rather, the contexts suggest that these practices are commendable.
If it was OK for the Jews to commemorate military victories and other things with holidays not commanded in the Law, is it wrong for Christians to commemorate the birth of Jesus with a day?
(Ralph Woodrow’s (not a Catholic) excellent book "Christmas Reconsidered" discusses the above and more; available here - ralphwoodrow.org/book.htm
You’ll see another book entitled "The Babylon Connection" in which he de-bugs the arguments set out in Hislop’s “The Two Babylons”. Woodrow’s books are short, cheap, and good. Although he formerly was “no-Christmas”, he’s not an ex-JW so it should be OK for JWs to read him.)
B
b_justb
Guest
AtHisFeet - nicely worded - Kudos.
FCEGM - The JW’s used to do a lot they later cut out (and possible reinstated, I am unsure of the latest and greatest do’s and do not’s). Military Service is another example. The Watchtower’s Logo used to be a Cross inlayed inside a crown until the JW’s came up with the Cross is of pagan origins and Jesus was nailed to a stake or pole. Also a good post.
FCEGM - The JW’s used to do a lot they later cut out (and possible reinstated, I am unsure of the latest and greatest do’s and do not’s). Military Service is another example. The Watchtower’s Logo used to be a Cross inlayed inside a crown until the JW’s came up with the Cross is of pagan origins and Jesus was nailed to a stake or pole. Also a good post.
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