Bearing in mind what has been said, we are not
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HOLY DAY
HOLY DAY
surprised to discover a certain amount of com- promise, wherever the Apostolic Church had to give conscious expression to its views and to give guidance to its members on the question of the observance of holy days. The Apostolic Decree of Ac 15^^'^^ has only a very general bearing on our particular subject, but the matters with which it deals — the problems of meals and heathen religious practices — are closely connected. We must also remember that as Christianity in the course of its missionary expansion came in contact with Hellen- istic Judaism, the Pagan religious spirit, with its insistence on the observance of heathen festivals, would encourage a return to and an emphasis upon ' holy days.' There are thi-ee passages in St. Paul's writings that may be adduced in illustration.
1. Gal 4^°. — ' Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.' St. Paul is really combating the influence of those who were making the attempt to judaize, insisting that submission to Jewish rites was necessary for salvation, and dis- crediting the freedom of the Pauline gospel as antinomianism. At the same time, it is apjjarent from the context that the Galatians had, no doubt through the influence of Pagan festivals, laid great stress on the observance of these days as connected with deliverance from the power of the crroixeia, Avhich are undoubtedly intermediate beings, con- nected with the growth of angelology in later Judaism, and readily identified by the Galatians with heathen demonic powers, in which they once believed (cf. A. S. Peake, EGT, 'Colossians,' London, 1903, p. 522 f. ; following F. Spitta, Dei- zweite Brief des Petrus und der Brief des Judas, Halle, 1885, p. 263 f.). They were in bondage to them which by nature are 'no gods' (v.^). Such observances would destroy the spirit of sonship (v."), the privilege of immediate access to the Father, which constituted the gospel he had preached to them. Accordingly we may conjecture that, apart from the demand for circumcision, St. Paul is not here condemning the observance of holy days as such, but only as leading, by way of a revived Judaism, back to Paganism. The Gala- tians are accused not so much of wickedness, as of 'foolishness' (dv6T]T0L TaXdraL, 3'), or want of judg- ment. No doubt it was really moral earnestness that led them astray. To follow the definite moral precepts of Judaism, taken over into Christianity, impressed them as a safer course than to venture on the broad sea of Christian freedom and the guidance of the Spirit.
2. Ro 145-6. — The situation in Rome was some- what difierent. The reference here to the observ- ance of 'days' is connected with the question of the responsibility of the strong for the conscience of the weak (v.^). The weak in faith are those who have an inadequate grasp of the great principle of salvation by faith in Christ. They are the ' scrupulous ' in conscience, who, like the Galatians, are afraid to be guided except by definite legal enactments. It is interesting to note that St. Paul does not call the weak brother dad^yrjs, but speaks of rbv d<T6€voDura=' one who may become strong' (F. Godet, Com. on Romans, Eng. tr., Edinburgh, 1881-82, ii. 329). He is one whose conscience has to be considered, but within limits, as the rebuke to his censoriousness in v.^ shows. The days men- tioned are not necessarily Sabbath days, but may be any holy day — a fast or a feast. It is held by some (E. von Dobschiitz, Christian Life in the Primitive Church, Eng. tr., London, 1904, p. 120; J. Denney, EGT, ' Romans,' 1900, p. 702) that St. Paul has in view a definite sect of vegetarians. If that be so, the days in question would be days on which flesh might or might nob be eaten, while in some cases complete abstinence from flesh might be demanded. In any case, it is significant that
'eating' is closely conjoined M'ith the observance of the 'day' ; and whether the day were feast or fast or Sabbath, the principles inculcated by St. Paul apply equally well. The day in itself, like the eating, is indifferent, and therefore the Chris- tian is free to observe it or not according as the spirit of Christian brotherhood and a regard for the unity and peace of the Church may dictate. By indilt'erence to external observances, a ' free ' Christian may injure the conscience of another. At the same time conduct here, as always, is deter- mined ultimately not by direct reference to the ' weak ' brother, but by reference to Christ. No man liveth to himself, but ' to the Lord ' (v.''). It is His interest alone that is to be considered, and the weak brother is to be considered as one ' for whom Christ died.' St. Paul, in his impartial fashion in dealing with all such questions, rather creates an atmosphere in which the elements for decision are clearly seen than lays down any legis- lative enactment. The authority of the Church is neither more nor less than the authority of Jesus, interpreted by the individual conscience, in close Christian relationship to those who constitute the Church a body of believers. There is nothing whatever that is purely legal and statutory in the Christian religion. ' All shall stand before the judgment-seat of God,' and St. Paul asks the Romans to remember that both those who observe the ' days,' and those who do not, are striving for the same end. They both are regarding the day •to the Lord,' or with His interests in view (v.^).