Jewish sacrifices and Jewish fasts are abolished--
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This is the 2nd and 3rd chs. of the epistle of Barnabas.
He wrote this epistle aprrox. 100 AD. The ancient
writers who refer to this Epistle unanimously
attribute it to Barnaba the Levite of Cyprus
who held an honorable place in the infant Church.
Origen originally ranked it among the Sacred
Scriptures.
The Epistle is interesting as a specimen of the
early christians conflicts with a persistent
false Judaism which St. Paul had defeated and anathematized,
but which was ever cropping out among believers
originally of the Hebrews. It reveals the profound
agony the early Christian Jews experienced as
they abolished the old covenant for New
It also serves as a good warning to our modern
brothers in Christ, the Messianic Jews and the Christian-Zionist cultist such as Greg Mcbride). They
also reflect a false infatuation with antichrist
Talmudic Judaism of the last 2000 years.------
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CHAP.(11)--THE JEWISH SACRIFICES ARE NOW
ABOLISHED.
Since, therefore, the days are evil, and Satan(13) possesses the power of this world, we ought to
give heed to ourselves, and diligently inquire into the ordinances of the Lord. Fear and patience,
then, are helpers of our faith; and long-suffering and continence are things which fight on our side.
While these remain pure in what respects the Lord, Wisdom, Understanding, Science, and
Knowledge rejoice along with them.(14) For He hath revealed to us by all the prophets that He
needs neither sacrifices, nor burnt-offerings, nor oblations, saying thus, "What is the multitude of
your sacrifices unto Me, saith the Lord? I am full of burnt-offerings, and desire not the fat of lambs,
and the blood of bulls and goats, not when ye come to appear before Me: for who hath required
these things at your hands? Tread no more My courts, not though ye bring with you fine flour.
Incense is a vain abomination unto Me, and your new moons and sabbaths I cannot endure."(1) He
has therefore abolished these things, that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is without the
yoke of necessity, might have a human oblation.(2) And again He says to them, "Did I command
your fathers, when they went out from the land of Egypt, to offer unto Me burnt-offerings and
sacrifices? But this rather I commanded them, Let no one of you cherish any evil in his heart against
his neighbour, and love not an oath of falsehood."(3) We ought therefore, being possessed of
understanding, to perceive the gracious intention of our Father; for He speaks to us, desirous that
we, not(4) going astray like them, should ask how we may approach Him. To us, then, He declares,
"A sacrifice [pleasing] to God is a broken spirit; a smell of sweet savour to the Lord is a heart that
glorifieth Him that made it."(5) We ought therefore, brethren, carefully to inquire concerning our
salvation, lest the wicked one, having made his entrance by deceit, should huff(6) us forth from our
life.
CHAP. III.--THE FASTS OF THE JEWS ARE NOT
TRUE FASTS, NOR ACCEPTABLE TO GOD.
He says then to them again concerning these things, "Why do ye fast to Me as on this day, saith the
Lord, that your voice should be heard with a cry? I have not chosen this fast, saith the Lord, that a
man should humble his soul. Nor, though ye bend your neck like a ring, and put upon you sackcloth
and ashes, will ye call it an acceptable fast."(7) To us He saith, "Behold, this is the fast that I have
chosen, saith the Lord, not that a man should humble his soul, but that he should loose every band of
iniquity, untie the fastenings of harsh agreements, restore to liberty them that are bruised, tear in
pieces every unjust engagement, feed the hungry with thy bread, clothe the naked when thou seest
him, bring the homeless into thy house, not despise the humble if thou behold him, and not [turn
away] from the members of thine own family. Then shall thy dawn break forth, and thy healing shall
quickly spring up, and righteousness shall go forth before thee, and the glory of God shall
encompass thee; and then thou shalt call, and God shall hear thee; whilst thou art yet speaking, He
shall say, Behold, I am with thee; if thou take away from thee the chain [binding others], and the
stretching forth of the hands(8) [to sweat falsely], and words of murmuring, and give cheerfully thy
bread to the hungry, and show compassion to the soul that has been humbled."(9) To this end,
therefore, brethren, He is long-suffering, foreseeing how the people whom He has prepared shall
with guilelessness believe in His Beloved. For He revealed all these things to us beforehand, that we
should not rush forward as rash acceptors of their laws.(10) |
