What Does Romans 14 Teach about Foods, Days, and Worship Music?
I have been studying Romans 14 a lot lately. In this thread, I am interested in intensively exegetical and theological discussion about what Romans 14 teaches about foods, days, and worship music.
Paul begins his teaching by saying the following:
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Paul speaks of some who believe that they may "eat all things," but others who are "weak in the faith" eat herbs. A sound handling of this teaching requires careful, thorough, biblical probing of this teaching.
When Paul says that some believe that they may eat all things, what is Paul actually teaching? To begin to answer this question properly, it is necessary to point out what Paul is not teaching.
When Paul says that some believe that may eat all things, he is not teaching that those who are not weak in the faith believe that they may eat all plant and animal substances whatever they may be, including even things that are known to be poisonous or otherwise unfit for human consumption as foods.
The teaching of Romans 14:1-2 does not show that Christians who do not eat plant and animal substances that are poisonous, etc. for human consumption are weak in the faith. Being strong "in the faith" does not entail that you believe that you may partake even of poisonous berries, mushrooms, etc.
- 1941 views
What else is allowed on this distinctively different day?
For the purposes of this thread, I do not care anything about discussing these matters. These are far less important matters; establishing what is the actual teaching of the passage is what matters the most.
I think this question absolutely relates to the "actual teaching of the passage." The passage uses the word "esteem" and figuring out what is involved (or allowed) in regards to "esteeming" is essential to establishing the teaching of the passage.
If weak in the faith means "lacking in the body of knowledge," then strong in the faith must mean "having full and total understanding of the body of knowledge." But that wouldn't make sense because no one would then be strong. No one here on earth has full understanding of God's body of knowledge. We are all lacking in that.
I disagree with your reasoning here. Being strong in the faith does not necessitate "full and total" understanding . . .
You are correct that no one has full and total understanding on earth.
1 Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
I think this question absolutely relates to the "actual teaching of the passage." The passage uses the word "esteem" and figuring out what is involved (or allowed) in regards to "esteeming" is essential to establishing the teaching of the passage.
Addressing minute applications, etc. when it has not even been established what is in dispute only compounds the problem. We do not see Paul discussing such things anywhere in his development in Romans 14:1-15:13.
For the purposes of this thread, I do not care anything about discussing these matters.
Except that this is a major issue in understanding the passage and our obligations because of it. It is not a “minute application.” It is what Paul is addressing—how do we regard this day? You titled the thread “What does Romans 14 teach about … days” and now you say you don’t care to discuss what it teaches about days. The fact that you don’t care about discussing seems to indicate you don’t actually care about the meaning and application of the passage and the purpose of your own thread.
“First day of the week” is absolutely the right translation of the phrase.
“First day of the week” is certainly is a right translation of the phrase. It is not the only one. The phrase means “Sunday” and you know this and you admit it by the way that you treat Sunday.
What does “first day of the week” refer to? Sunday.
Remember, the book of Acts says they were meeting together daily in the temple and from house to house. So perhaps they did esteem every day alike . . .
Finally, someone has brought up in this thread the only actual biblical data that I can find that seems to be a viable explanation for the two differing views presented in Romans 14:5 and Paul's assessment of and response to them. I have been studying this information for the past few days to see if it stands up to further scrutiny.
Comparing Acts 2:46-47 with Romans 14:5b and Acts 20:6-7 with Romans 14:5a shows the direct correspondence between these passages, respectively. Right after Pentecost, the Church was meeting every day for corporate worship:
Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Romans 14:5b another esteemeth every day alike.
Later, however, we see that their practice was different:
Acts 20:6-7 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Romans 14:5a One man esteemeth one day above another:
Even though Paul and whoever else "we" in Acts 20:6 refers to were in Troas for seven days, Acts 20:7 reveals that they met on the first day of the week. Here, Scripture plainly shows apostolic practice that points to the special esteem and regard for corporate worship on the first day of the week.
The believers in Rome who held to the "every day alike" position supported their belief on information that they had received about the earliest practice of the Church. The other believers based their "one day above another" position on the later practice of Paul and others.
In such a situation of differing beliefs based on actual biblical information about differing, acceptable apostolic practice, the believers who held these differing positions were to be convinced in their own minds about which position to follow.
This approach is the only understanding that commends itself to me at this time.
For the purposes of this thread, I do not care anything about discussing these matters.
Except that this is a major issue in understanding the passage and our obligations because of it. It is not a “minute application.” It is what Paul is addressing—how do we regard this day? You titled the thread “What does Romans 14 teach about … days” and now you say you don’t care to discuss what it teaches about days. The fact that you don’t care about discussing seems to indicate you don’t actually care about the meaning and application of the passage and the purpose of your own thread.
Wrong. I do not care to discuss the numerous applications in this thread because that would eat up all the time in the thread and divert the focus away from treating the text itself. You should be able to understand the difference between those two things.
I found a series by Dr. Minnick on Romans 14. Since Rajesh's argument (in part) are based on his, here is the message on Days.
It might be best to start with his introduction:
In Part One of the series, Dr. Minnink says:
3:30 We must differentiate between—we all have personal convictions we get passionate about…There is a difference between what the Text states and what our applications of the text are. We must keep those differentiated.
That I thought was very promising because understanding a qualitative difference between biblical principles and applications is key to my understanding of these passages.
28:35 it is essential that we define the people who are “weak in the faith.” . . . Has it bothered you—if you have strict convictions, this passage is calling you weak? [let's define "weak in faith"]
- Negatives - NIV - not weak faith
- Not weak in understanding of faith.
- Not a personal weakness-vulnerability to certain sins.
Again, I agree with all of these. #1 and #2 were especially promising to me. Of note, those offer a different view than what Rajesh has been in the last few posts.
Kevin said: If weak in the faith means "lacking in the body of knowledge," then strong in the faith must mean "having full and total understanding of the body of knowledge."
Even though I disagree with Rajesh’s view of “in the faith” in R14:1, Kevin, the references to “weak” and “strong” are almost certainly relative. Even if Paul thought the “strong” had a better understanding of the faith, that would not mean they know everything.
If the group is willing to discuss Minnick’s message, then we’ll be discussing “knowledge” shortly.
Rajesh: Wrong. I do not care to discuss the numerous applications in this thread because that would eat up all the time in the thread and divert the focus away from treating the text itself. You should be able to understand the difference between those two things.
We don't have rules about this, but generally, if you started the thread you get to say what is off-topic.
On the other hand, sometimes your interlocutor might believe something is on-topic and we try to respect that.
Finally, someone has brought up in this thread the only actual biblical data that I can find that seems to be a viable explanation for the two differing views presented in Romans 14:5 and Paul’s assessment of and response to them.
As I recall, other biblical data has been raised. But here’s a major issue: Your comments are still focused on “corporate worship.” Acts 2 says nothing about corporate worship. I believe that will continue to be an error in your approach. You are inserting things into the text which the text does not say.
I do not care to discuss the numerous applications in this thread because that would eat up all the time in the thread and divert the focus away from treating the text itself.
There’s not really a dispute about what the text says. There is a dispute about how we should apply it. If you start a thread on “What Romans 14 teaches about … days,” it seems unreasonable to refuse to discuss what Romans 14 teaches about days.
I had a long drive yesterday so I went back and listened to Minnick’s message on this from 1996. It was what I recalled though I heard it earlier than 1996. As usual, he did a very good, if not his usual pedantic, job with the text. As I heard it I believe he made an error in his category of precept because he did not get the precept correct in 1 Cor 16:2. This is the same error you made—that the precept of “put aside” is the precept of “gather for corporate worship.” If that is the precept, then you have Paul setting aside his precept just a few words later when he says that no offering (e.g., gathering) should take place when he comes.
In other words, exegetically, whatever Paul commands in 1 Cor 16:2 is to take place only before he gets there and then to stop when he is there. If that precept/command is to meet, then Paul is certainly commanding the first day assembly and then turning around and forbidding the first day assembly when he arrives. If, on the other hand, he is commanding a particular approach to gathering an offering for the poor, then we have no problem. And none of that says that the church didn’t meet on the first day. It is a matter of whether 1 Cor 16:2 commands that meeting or assumes it. It seems clearly the latter. Simply put, it seems that first day meeting is never commanded in the NT (and that’s not really controversial). It certainly appears to be a matter of custom, which may be why it wasn’t commanded. Or it may not have been commanded because it wasn’t a command.
Minnick’s conclusion to the second message was instructive in that he admitted that the questions I am raising are among the main questions people have from the text and that faithful Christians can answer them in different ways, even as he made a case for the way he answers the questions. And I would raise many of the same points that Minnick raised about the matter, though with some different allowances.
Larry: It is a matter of whether 1 Cor 16:2 commands that meeting or assumes it.
Right. The meeting is descriptive. The collection is prescriptive. Minnick missed that.
In Part One of the series, Dr. Minnick says:
Around 30 minutes in: "Conscience" is not in R14. But 1Cor8 is parallel. (1 Cor 8 “we have knowledge” “we know there is but one God” “There is not in every man that knowledge” “for some with conscience of the idol eat it as something offered and their conscience being weak is defiled.”) 14:14 “Whatever I can’t do in faith is sin.”
Rajesh and Kevin have been talking about knowledge. 1 Cor 8 seems to reinforce that weak=lack of knowledge.
But look more carefully. The temple-eaters [strong] had 'knowledge.' They knew:
- There is but one God
- An idol is nothing
- What is offered to an idol is offered to nothing. The meat is tainted by nothing.
Then we see that the "weak" didn't have that knowledge. Part of the knowledge was the fact that God is one. Is that what the "weak" fail to know? We could assume the worst of them (they are called "weak" after all), but we don't have to. Paul actually said what knowledge they didn't have:
1Cor8:7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
What I underlined is what the weak didn't know: that what is offered to an idol is offered to nothing. They thought it was "really offered to an idol."
Did they fail to understand that God was one? Paul didn't say, but they concluded that IF the meat was offered to an idol, that made it wrong. That is based on God's exclusive right of worship.
Right. The meeting is descriptive. The collection is prescriptive. Minnick missed that.
Wrong. The command was not just what was to be done; it was also when it was supposed to be done:
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:2 κατὰ μίαν σαββάτων ἕκαστος ὑμῶν παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ τιθέτω, θησαυρίζων ὅ τι ἂν εὐοδῶται, ἵνα μή, ὅταν ἔλθω, τότε λογίαι γίνωνται.
The prepositional phrase κατὰ μίαν σαββάτων is not some independent phrase with no connection to anything; it is directly tied to the imperative τιθέτω.
Over and over again, God gave commands to His people that were to be performed at specified times. For example,
Exodus 29:41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
The command was not just to offer the other lamb whenever it seemed good to them--God specified when the other lamb had to be offered.
In addition to His commanding the time that certain things had to be done, God also repeatedly specified on what day certain commanded activities had to be done, just as Paul specified to the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 16:2. For example,
Leviticus 14:23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.
Leviticus 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
Numbers 19:12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
But here’s a major issue: Your comments are still focused on “corporate worship.” Acts 2 says nothing about corporate worship.
Acts 2:46 specifies that they were breaking bread (including observing the Lord's Supper), which was corporate worship:
Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart
The disciples in Troas did that very same thing on the first day of the week:
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
In fact, Luke specifies that when they came together for the purpose of breaking bread (including observing the Lord's Supper), Paul preached to them. Here we see two major aspects of corporate worship directly tied together as being done on the first day of the week.
The command was not just what was to be done; it was also when it was supposed to be done
Yes, the command is about the offering. As you say, the commanded activity (putting aside an offering) was to be done on the first day of the week. But there are no Spirit-inspired words about a gathering. You have added that in.
Rajesh, this is simple grammar. It is one thing to hold your position firmly. It is quite another to try to make Scripture say something it doesn’t say.
I think the Corinthian church met on the first day each week. But we don’t get to add a command to the text for it. The command is to put aside money on the first day so that no collections will be made when Paul gets there. The end. There is no other command involved in that section.
Acts 2:46 specifies that they were breaking bread (including observing the Lord’s Supper), which was corporate worship:
I think it is unlikely that their daily meals together included the Lord’s Supper. That would much more likely have been a weekly observance. It is frequently noted that there is a grammatical difference between v .42 and v. 46. How much to lean on that is not entirely clear, but the prior point stands—that meals together don’t require the Lord’s Supper and it is unlikely that the Lord’s Supper was a daily occurrence in houses. Again, note how you have read something into the text that isn’t there.
Acts 20:7 is more likely to be communion. But there is still no first day command.
I would simply note again, Rajesh, that the first day command is not in the NT. And I am a first day person who believes the church should gather on the first day. I believe all days belong equally to the Lord and all have their purpose in his will for our lives.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
In fact, Luke specifies that when they came together for the purpose of breaking bread (including observing the Lord's Supper), Paul preached to them. Here we see two major aspects of corporate worship directly tied together as being done on the first day of the week.
So would this passage indicate the existence of a command to observe the Lord's Supper every Sunday?
So would this passage indicate the existence of a command to observe the Lord's Supper every Sunday?
If it were the only relative content, it might. Because, however, the Spirit directed Paul in 1 Cor. 11 to address at length the observance of the Lord's Supper, that revelation must also be considered:
1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Some hold that this teaching gives believers latitude concerning the frequency of its observance. I haven't studied this question at length.
Yes, the command is about the offering. As you say, the commanded activity (putting aside an offering) was to be done on the first day of the week. But there are no Spirit-inspired words about a gathering. You have added that in.
Rajesh, this is simple grammar. It is one thing to hold your position firmly. It is quite another to try to make Scripture say something it doesn’t say.
I think the Corinthian church met on the first day each week. But we don’t get to add a command to the text for it. The command is to put aside money on the first day so that no collections will be made when Paul gets there. The end. There is no other command involved in that section.
How do you explain that Paul commanded them to do that activity on that day of the week? Did Paul just arbitrarily choose one day out of the seven?
How does this apostolic command for a specified activity by each individual believer of a church on a specified day support your view that "all days belong equally to the Lord"? If all days belong equally to the Lord, why was the activity commanded to be on that day instead of on all days or on whatever day was convenient or preferred by each individual Christian in the church in Corinth?
How do you explain that Paul commanded them to do that activity on that day of the week? Did Paul just arbitrarily choose one day out of the seven?
No, I don’t think it was arbitrary. I have said multiple times that I think Sunday is the day the church should gather because of its significance and because of the church’s pattern. I have no problem saying that Paul commanded such an offering on the first day because that is when the church gathered. I am not sure why you keep missing that or pretending I haven’t said it.
I am pointing out the grammar of the passage—what did Paul actually command? It was an offering, not a gathering. The imperative is “put aside” (titheto). There is no other imperative in this verse. V. 1 has an imperative to “do also” (poisate) as the churches in Galatia were directed. Again, that deals with the collection for the saints. You have taken what is essentially a circumstantial clause (on the first day) and turned it into an imperative.
How does this apostolic command for a specified activity by each individual believer of a church on a specified day support your view that “all days belong equally to the Lord”? If all days belong equally to the Lord, why was the activity commanded to be on that day instead of on all days or on whatever day was convenient or preferred by each individual Christian in the church in Corinth?
All of this is irrelevant. The fact that something is commanded does not mean that all other things take a lesser role or become less important
There is a lot in this passage you haven’t interacted with. So let’s ask a few specific questions to move us ahead:
- This was an offering for the saints. It does not appear it was for the general operating expenses of the church. So does this command apply to other offerings such as the regular weekly offerings? Or does this command only apply to the “collection for the saints”?
- Paul commands that his offering stop when he got there (so that no collections be made when I come). If this is a command to meet, was Paul also commanding them to stop meeting?
- What about a person who gives to their church online and does so on Tuesday or Friday? Are they in disobedience to the Scripture?
- What about people who mail their check to the church? Obviously mail doesn’t run on Sunday, so are they disobedient?
I believe all days belong equally to the Lord and all have their purpose in his will for our lives.
The first part of this statement is a belief that is not supported anywhere in Scripture; the second is biblical.
To hold that the first ("all days belong equally to the Lord") is true requires denying explicit biblical revelation about one day that belongs to the Lord uniquely:
Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
Holding that this day cannot be directly identified from explicit biblical statement as the first day of the week does not change the fact that it shows that there is one day of the week that belongs uniquely to God.
All of this is irrelevant. The fact that something is commanded does not mean that all other things take a lesser role or become less important.
Jesus taught otherwise (Matt. 22:37-40).
I have said multiple times that I think Sunday is the day the church should gather because of its significance and because of the church’s pattern. I have no problem saying that Paul commanded such an offering on the first day because that is when the church gathered. I am not sure why you keep missing that or pretending I haven’t said it.
The church in Corinth gathered on the first day of the week because after Paul had evangelized them and they had believed (1 Cor. 15), he discipled them with apostolic authority to do so (Acts 18). "The church's pattern" of corporately worshiping God on the first day of the week was never something that just happened to come about on its own or was something that the believers voted on in the church at Corinth to do, etc.
Because Paul had already authoritatively directed them to do so, he did not need to issue a direct command to the Corinthians that they were to gather on the first day of the week to do what he commanded them to do on the first day of the week in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
With apostolic authority, Paul as the Christ-chosen apostolic leader of the Church discipled God's people everywhere in every church (cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 11:1) to esteem the first day above all other days as the day on which they were to worship God corporately. Scripture provides more than sufficient evidence for the truthfulness of this interpretation that he discipled the churches in Galatia (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1) and the church in Corinth (cf. 1 Cor. 16:2) to do exactly what he himself later did in Troas (applying 1 Cor. 4:17 to Acts 20:7).
1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Some hold that this teaching gives believers latitude concerning the frequency of its observance. I haven't studied this question at length.
If a church observes the Lord's Supper on some Sundays but not on other Sundays, are they esteeming the Lord's Supper Sundays more highly than the other Sundays?
With apostolic authority, Paul as the Christ-chosen apostolic leader of the Church discipled God's people everywhere in every church (cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 11:1) to esteem the first day above all other days as the day on which they were to worship God corporately. Scripture provides more than sufficient evidence for the truthfulness of this interpretation that he discipled the churches in Galatia (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1) and the church in Corinth (cf. 1 Cor. 16:2) to do exactly what he himself later did in Troas (applying 1 Cor. 4:17 to Acts 20:7).
You included Acts 20:7 at the end of this paragraph. That verse says, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Paul preached until midnight in this verse. Was Paul's apostolic authority being used to teach the churches to have services until midnight?
To hold that the first (“all days belong equally to the Lord”) is true requires denying explicit biblical revelation about one day that belongs to the Lord uniquely:
Which days do not belong to God as much as the others?
You say there is explicit revelation but you haven’t actually shown that. Even Rev 1:10 does not specify that it is a specific day of the week. And the phrase “Lord’s day” for Sunday does not become customary until several hundred years later. What if it was a day of the month? Or a day in John’s life? Or a day of the Spirit’s particular moving? The text doesn’t tell us. So why do you? (I believe it was probably Sunday, but I am pointing out that the text doesn’t say that.)
Jesus taught otherwise (Matt. 22:37-40).
So your claim is that Jesus believed some of his commands did not have to be followed? Of course you aren’t claiming that but what else does your response mean? Matt 22:37-40 establishes that the entirety of the Law (and probably even our NT ethic) stems from two foundational issues: love for God and love for man. It doesn’t mean some things are less important.
Remember Jesus said, “These you ought to have done and not left the others undone”? Why is that? Because it all mattered. There were no unimportant parts of obedience.
The fact that Jesus commanded husbands to love their wives does not mean that they are allowed to provoke their children to anger. The fact that we are commanded to not steal does not mean that we are allowed to murder. The fact that the Corinthians were commanded to put aside an offering for the poor on the first day for a limited period of time does not mean that the other days did not belong to God as well.
With apostolic authority, Paul as the Christ-chosen apostolic leader of the Church discipled His people everywhere in every church to esteem the first day above all other days as the day on which they were to worship God corporately.
Where do we see this command in Paul’s apostolic authoritative writings?
And why does Paul say we can be convinced in our own mind about how we regard the days?
And yet all of this continues to miss the point because we really don’t disagree on the specific matter of what day Christians should gather as a church. We only slightly disagree on why, since you think it is a command and I don’t. But we both agree on the significance and the historical practice of it.
The real issues are what else are Christians allowed to do on the first day, the Lord’s day, Sunday or whatever name you want to call it. I have asked specific questions that would help clarify your position for us but you keep going back to stuff that has already been said multiple times rather than moving on and talking about other important issues.
If a church observes the Lord's Supper on some Sundays but not on other Sundays, are they esteeming the Lord's Supper Sundays more highly than the other Sundays?
Maybe so. The Day of Atonement was distinguished from other special days that God also ordained.
It appears that there were distinctions also among the Sabbaths:
John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
I feel ready to move forward...
Rajesh, you treat one day above another. And you have a fairly robust (no one agrees it's explicit) biblical case for doing that.
Are you, in that position, weak, strong, or neither? You asked previously about where "days" is linked to "weakness." BEFORE we try to answer that, let's look at this in more general terms.
Here are characteristics that distinguish "strong" from "weak" in the Text:
- Inability - is a characteristic of weakness. The weak cannot eat meat in Rome (R14:2). The one with a weak conscience cannot eat in the temple in Corinth (1C8:7,8-9). If he does what he is unable to do, he will be defiled (1C8:7) he will judge himself(R14:22).
- Sin - The one who is "weak," and does what his conscience forbids, sins (R14:14, 1C8:12)
- Freedom - The strong can eat all things. He is more free in his assessment of what he can do. He has a "right" to eat in the temple (1C8:8-9).
- Bearing - Responsibility to bear the other position. The strong must bear the weakness of the weak(R15:1). The one with freedom must not, by eating, encourage the weak to eat(1C8:10-11). To the weak, become weak (1C9:22). The weak cannot support fellowship by taking on (bearing) the position of the strong.
- Judging - The weak will tend to judge. Label as sin what the strong does that is allowed(R14:3).
- Belittle - The strong will tend to belittle (R14:3).
Some might suggest the following characteristics to distinguish them: (I will follow with what in the text of Rom14 and 1Cor8-10 supports this.)
- Maturity - The word "weak" is used.
- Knowledge - The temple-eaters [strong] are said to have knowledge (1Cor8:1-7). (However, when Paul addresses a lack of knowledge (ἀγνοεῖν, 1C10:1-22), he refutes temple-eating.)
- Excellence - Romans 2:17-18: “But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent [διαφέροντα], because you are instructed from the law.” The same Jews who later read R14 claim excellence. Paul doesn't refute that, but he does say that hypocrisy ruins their claim.
Now, I do not agree that those last three are legitimate biblical characteristics that distinguish between weak and strong. I'll leave it to others to present that case.
So your claim is that Jesus believed some of his commands did not have to be followed? Of course you aren’t claiming that but what else does your response mean? Matt 22:37-40 establishes that the entirety of the Law (and probably even our NT ethic) stems from two foundational issues: love for God and love for man. It doesn’t mean some things are less important.
Remember Jesus said, “These you ought to have done and not left the others undone”? Why is that? Because it all mattered. There were no unimportant parts of obedience.
The fact that Jesus commanded husbands to love their wives does not mean that they are allowed to provoke their children to anger. The fact that we are commanded to not steal does not mean that we are allowed to murder. The fact that the Corinthians were commanded to put aside an offering for the poor on the first day for a limited period of time does not mean that the other days did not belong to God as well.
Jesus did not answer the question that was asked of him (Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?) by teaching that all commandments are of equal importance and saying that none of them is more important than any of the others.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Jesus did not say, "There is no great commandment in the Law. They are all equal. There is no first versus second."
Jesus ranked the commandments, and He also spoke of "least commandments":
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Bible certainly teaches that there are things that are less important than others by way of comparison.
Yes, God wants us to obey all that He has commanded us (cf. Matt. 28:20), but that does not change that God teaches that some commands are more important than others.
Paul preached until midnight in this verse. Was Paul's apostolic authority being used to teach the churches to have services until midnight?
No, by comparing much Scripture with much other Scripture in various regards, we can see that he was not teaching them that. His example did show to them that it was acceptable to do so sometimes.
Which days do not belong to God as much as the others?
You say there is explicit revelation but you haven’t actually shown that. Even Rev 1:10 does not specify that it is a specific day of the week. And the phrase “Lord’s day” for Sunday does not become customary until several hundred years later. What if it was a day of the month? Or a day in John’s life? Or a day of the Spirit’s particular moving? The text doesn’t tell us. So why do you? (I believe it was probably Sunday, but I am pointing out that the text doesn’t say that.)
I did treat Revelation 1:10 earlier in this thread to show that it directly says that there was a day that belongs to God uniquely.
The only other use of that special adjective in the NT speaks of the uniqueness of the Lord's Supper:
1 Corinthians 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.
That adjective does not mean something that was of special significance to the participants in their particular lives; it speaks of something as singularly belonging to God.
Also, according to your reasoning, we really cannot know whether Paul actually observed the Lord's Supper in Troas.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
For all we know, he might just have engaged in some unknown feast that was special to the people of Troas and only on that one particular historical occasion in that particular year that was never to be repeated again.
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