How come good Friday is only two days from Easter Sunday?

[Jan001]

Shalom Jan001, you should have read just a couple of verses further, as the very next Sabbath the Gentiles, hearing the Word of Elohim, were glad and glorified Elohim, and BELIEVED. (Acts 13:48)

These were Gentile converts to Judaism that Paul was preaching to in the synagogues. There were no Gentile Christians attending the synagogue of the Jews. Jews and Gentiles did not associate with one another. Gentiles did not ordinarily mix with Jews and so they did not attend synagogue with the Jews unless they were already devout converts to Judaism or they were in the process of converting to Judaism.

When do you think the Apostle Paul started meeting with Gentile believers on the 1st day of the week, instead of the Sabbath like he did here in Acts 13:44?

Paul did not preach to Gentile/Greek Christians in the synagogues. Paul preached to Gentile/Greek converts to Judaism in the synagogues.

Acts 13:43
And when the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism (Greeks) followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. rsv​

The Gentile converts to Judaism who were attending synagogue on the Sabbath began to believe in what Paul preached to them about Jesus Christ and so they followed Paul and Barnabas out of the synagogue after the synagogue meeting was finished. After the meeting they asked Paul questions about his preaching and soon they accepted Paul's preaching about Jesus Christ. As a result of this outpouring of God's grace, these Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism believed what Paul was preaching to them. As soon as they came to believe that Jesus Christ was the way, the truth, and the life, they started to attend the Christian gathering on the first day of the week and they became catechumens/learners of the Christian faith.

And you may want to try and figure out why Paul was converting Greeks from his preaching on the Sabbath in Acts 17:2-12 & Acts 18:4. So again, when do you think Paul was converted to remembering the 1st day of the week to keep it holy?

Shortly after God knocked Paul down and blinded him and then restored his sight, Paul began keeping the 1st day of the week holy and he did this because he became a Christian! Acts 26:13-15, Acts 20:7

People did not change their nationalities when they converted to Judaism. A Jew/Hebrew is always a Jew/Hebrew by nationality and a Greek convert to Judaism is always a Greek by nationality. There were no Greek Christians who attended the synagogues of the Jews. Only Greek converts to Judaism and Greeks in the process of converting to Judaism attended the synagogues of the Jews.

Acts 17:1-12
Now when they had passed through Amphip′olis and Apollo′nia, they came to Thessaloni′ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he argued with them from the scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a great many of the devout Greeks (who practiced Judaism) and not a few of the leading women (Hebrews/Jews).
5 But the Jews (who practiced Judaism) were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason (because the Christians were meeting in the house of Jason on this first day of the week, Sunday; the Jews definitely did not attack these Christians on the Jews' Saturday Sabbath Day!), seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they could not find them (Paul and Silas), they dragged Jason and some of the brethren (Christians) before the city authorities, crying, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this. 9 And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroe′a; and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessaloni′ca, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women (devout converts to Judaism) of high standing as well as men. rsv

Acts 18:4
4 And he argued in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews (who practiced Judaism) and Greeks (devout converts to Judaism). rsv
​

A Greek convert to Judaism was still called a Greek. He never was called a Jew.

These Greeks were devout converts to Judaism. Paul preached to them in the synagogues on Saturday because that is where these Greeks who believed in Judaism were gathered on Saturdays. It is a better plan to go to preach to a group of people who are gathered in just one location than to stop people on the street to preach to each one individually.

And finally, why did James in making his decision about the Gentiles, mention that Moses, of old times, has been read in the Synagogues EVERY Sabbath (Acts 15:21)? Why worry about Moses being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath, if the Sabbath is being done away with, and they were meeting on the 1st day of the week with the Gentiles? Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.

The Saturday Sabbath was set aside only for the Israelites/Jews and the converts to Judaism under the Law of Moses/Old Covenant.

Non-Jews or non-converts to Judaism were never required to keep the Sabbath of the Jews during the duration of the Old Covenant.

Christians, whatever their nationality, are under the New Covenant Law of Christ and so they are not ever required to be under by the Law of Moses/Old Covenant Sabbath laws. The Law of Moses/Old Covenant Sabbath laws ended when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus Christ's New Covenant began when Jesus died on the cross. The Cross of Christ ends/finishes one covenant and begins a new covenant.

Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law (of Moses/Old Covenant), that every one who has faith may be justified (by the Law of Christ/New Covenant). rsv​

Acts 15:12-21
12 And all the assembly kept silence; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles (the Gentile Abraham), to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written,
16 ‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will set it up,
17 that the rest of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
18 says the Lord, who has made these things known from of old.’
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues.”rsv​

James is speaking about the Gentile Abraham as the father of the early generations of the Israelites/Jews. Since the time that synagogues were invented, all the adherents to Judaism listened to readings from the five books of Moses in their synagogues every Sabbath. There were absolutely no Gentile Christians who lived in these early generations of Judaism. Christianity was still in its very first generation at the time James made this statement.

 

[Der Alte]

-

It does not say "all Gentiles [strangers] will join themselves to Yahweh!" it says "even the Gentiles (Strangers) who join themselves to Yahweh, by keeping the Sabbath and not polluting it, they will be brought into His House." "They have a choice.
This is a Jewish idiom for month to month, week to week. From the Targum Isaiah, the Aramaic translation before the Christian era.

Isaiah 16:23 And it shall come to pass at the time of the beginning of each month, and at the time of each Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord.​

Anybody can make virtually any scripture say what they want it to by quoting it out-of-context. All scripture is written for us but all scripture is not written to us.
.....The part of a verse you are quoting out-of-context is Luk 16:31. Here Jesus is quoting Abraham speaking to the rich man in Hades. It is not addressed to all mankind.

Luke 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.​

Do these two verses mean what they say or not?

Exodus 31:16
(16) Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Leviticus 24:8
(8) Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.​

Shalom Der Alter, you asked: "Please show me where gentiles were welcomed into the synagogues rather than being kicked out as Jesus said?" Acts 18:4 Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.
P.S. Why do you find it so hard to believe that the Gentiles would be hearing Moses read EVERY Sabbath, at least the Gentiles that James was speaking about (Acts 15:21)?

It is a false inference that Act 15:21 means pagan gentiles were readily accepted in Jewish synagogues. As I have explained more than once. The Jerusalem council Act 15 was to determine the requirements for gentiles becoming Christian. It was not necessary to tell Jews about those special requirements because "the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
Please show me scripture which shows pagan gentiles being readily accepted in Jewish synagogues.

John 16:2
(2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
John 4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
John 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.​

 

[Jan001]

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21:25&version=RSV
You are very confused. NONE of those scriptural passages say anything regarding Yeshua changing the Sabbath day. The epistle of Barnabas is not Canon. It says EVERYONE (including ALL the Nations) will be keeping Sukkot in the future. Paul was collection on Sunday because he COULD because there can be no money transaction ON THE SABBATH day. Paul also kept all the OT feast days as did all the Apostles (even after Yeshua ascended). SO it is quite evident that Jewish believers remained. Yes, Sunday as well know has that significance but it never was, is, or ever will be THE Sabbath.

Apocalyptic language about Sukkot should not be taken literally. Jesus will come to earth one more time only and it will be at the end of time and then the judgment of all peoples will commence. There will be no more time. There will be no more distinction between days of the week. We will be living in the light of eternity. There will be no more darkness. Revelation 22:5

Hebrews 9:28
so Christ, having been offered once (the first time He was on earth) to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. rsv

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. rsv

John 5:28-29
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. rsv​

Please see what Justin Martyr said about Jesus teaching the apostles to change the day of worship/rest to Sunday, the first day of the week. These early church writings recorded what the actual practices of the early Christians were. They definitely met and worshiped together on the first day of the week and not on Saturday.

Justin Martyr (First Apology Chapter LXVII.—Weekly worship of the Christians. [A.D. 155]).

Acts 20:7
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. rsv​

 

[Jan001]

When thinking your way, which is to assume <<the Old Covenant>> was God's Covenant, your statement is a contradiction in terms.

However, thinking, keeping in mind God NEVER made an <<old covenant>> but man's only covenant ever, has been an, or the, <<old covenant>>, there is no contradiction in saying, The non-Jews were never under the old covenant unless they were Hebrew proselytes and with Israel, made vain promises.
But Christ's New Covenant with Christ's New Covenant Law, HIMSELF, is <<for all peoples whether they are Jews or non-Jews by nationality>> or whether they lived before or after Christ.

What is the contradiction?

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Even if you find a holy convocation that is clearly called a Sabbath, that is irrelevant it does not mean that every holy convocation is a Sabbath. The 1st/7th days of ULB are never called a Sabbath anywhere in the OT. They differ from a Sabbath in that the work of preparation and cooking of food is specifically permitted. Since this is undeniably true there was only one Parasceue/preparation, which was the Greek name for Friday, in passion week that is Friday before the weekly Sabbath.

Re: <<Even if you find a holy convocation that is clearly called a Sabbath, that is irrelevant it does not mean that every holy convocation is a Sabbath.>>

You agree then <<a holy convocation that is clearly called a Sabbath … is a Sabbath>>. Ja, ja, <<…it does not mean that every holy convocation is a Sabbath.>> That I must and do agree on with you.


Re: <<The 1st/7th days of ULB are never called a Sabbath anywhere in the OT.>> That I must and do agree on with you as well… but… Yes, But!


But, First, Even if you find the 1st day of ULB is called a sabbath, it does not mean that the 7th day of ULB is also a sabbath, even though the 1st/7th days of ULB are called holy convocations. Bare fact is the 7th day of ULB is never called a sabbath, while the 1st day of ULB is called a sabbath—three times in Leviticus 23:11,15,16.


In Leviticus 23:15,14 <<the 1st day of ULB>> is the day of or the day that “ye shall eat neither bread (leavened) not parched corn (leavened) nor green ears (leavened) from the (first) day that ye have (first) brought an offering.” And in verse 15 <<the 1st day of ULB>> is referred to as “the sabbath”, and the sixteenth day of the month is referred to as “the day after the sabbath” (the day after <<the 1st day of ULB>>).


In Leviticus 23:11A it is <<the 1st day of ULB>> which is referred to with, “The priest shall lay prostrate / in rest the sheaf before the LORD for you and kept in store / in rest for you.” (LXX as Hebrew)

In Leviticus 23:11B it is <<the 1st day of ULB>> “sabbath” referred back to, in “on the day after the sabbath the priest shall lift and shake / move / wave it (the first sheaf) …” the sixteenth day of the First Month.


Therefore, in verse 15, <<the 1st day of ULB>> is referred back to as “the sabbath”, and the following sixteenth day of the month is referred to as the next day, “the day after the sabbath (on which) ye shall (begin to) count seven Sabbath-weeks.”

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Apocalyptic language about Sukkot should not be taken literally. Jesus will come to earth one more time only and it will be at the end of time and then the judgment of all peoples will commence. There will be no more time. There will be no more distinction between days of the week. We will be living in the light of eternity. There will be no more darkness. Revelation 22:5

Please see what Justin Martyr said about Jesus teaching the apostles to change the day of worship/rest to Sunday, the first day of the week. These early church writings recorded what the actual practices of the early Christians were. They definitely met and worshiped together on the first day of the week and not on Saturday.

Justin Martyr (First Apology Chapter LXVII.—Weekly worship of the Christians. [A.D. 155]).

Acts 20:7
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. rsv​

Really? Sounds pretty literal to me. Also, I do not disagree that Sunday was a day of worship and fellowship for Christians, however, Yeshua NEVER changed THE Sabbath day to Sunday.

 

[Der Alte]

Re: <<Even if you find a holy convocation that is clearly called a Sabbath, that is irrelevant it does not mean that every holy convocation is a Sabbath.>>
You agree then <<a holy convocation that is clearly called a Sabbath … is a Sabbath>>. Ja, ja, <<…it does not mean that every holy convocation is a Sabbath.>> That I must and do agree on with you.
Re: <<The 1st/7th days of ULB are never called a Sabbath anywhere in the OT.>> That I must and do agree on with you as well… but… Yes, But!
But, First, Even if you find the 1st day of ULB is called a sabbath, it does not mean that the 7th day of ULB is also a sabbath, even though the 1st/7th days of ULB are called holy convocations. Bare fact is the 7th day of ULB is never called a sabbath, while the 1st day of ULB is called a sabbath—three times in Leviticus 23:11,15,16.
In Leviticus 23:15,14 <<the 1st day of ULB>> is the day of or the day that “ye shall eat neither bread (leavened) not parched corn (leavened) nor green ears (leavened) from the (first) day that ye have (first) brought an offering.” And in verse 15 <<the 1st day of ULB>> is referred to as “the sabbath”, and the sixteenth day of the month is referred to as “the day after the sabbath” (the day after <<the 1st day of ULB>>).
In Leviticus 23:11A it is <<the 1st day of ULB>> which is referred to with, “The priest shall lay prostrate / in rest the sheaf before the LORD for you and kept in store / in rest for you.” (LXX as Hebrew)
In Leviticus 23:11B it is <<the 1st day of ULB>> “sabbath” referred back to, in “on the day after the sabbath the priest shall lift and shake / move / wave it (the first sheaf) …” the sixteenth day of the First Month.
Therefore, in verse 15, <<the 1st day of ULB>> is referred back to as “the sabbath”, and the following sixteenth day of the month is referred to as the next day, “the day after the sabbath (on which) ye shall (begin to) count seven Sabbath-weeks.”

Alles falsch! The vss. you have listed refer to the feast of first fruits and the feast of weeks..

The Feast of Firstfruits
Leviticus 23:9-14
Lev 23:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Lev 23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
The Feast of Weeks
Leviticus 23:15-18
Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
Lev 23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. ​

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Alles falsch! The vss. you have listed refer to the feast of first fruits and the feast of weeks..

The Feast of Firstfruits
Leviticus 23:9-14
Lev 23:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Lev 23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
The Feast of Weeks
Leviticus 23:15-18
Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
Lev 23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. ​

<<the feast of first fruits>> call it what you like, in Leviticus it is the one day the first sheaf was "revealed again" and "shaken before the LORD" -- just what I said.

The first verse mentioning the sheaf "revealed again"--taken out of keeping in store, and actually "shaken" / "waved" / "moved before the LORD" on the sixteenth of the month, is verse 15. Compare 2Chronicles 29:15-17.

The first sheaf though, was "cut off", "reaped", "gathered", "strapped" or "bound together", "lifted up", "carried", and "brought to the priest" on the fourteenth (10b,22,21,10B) "the first day they killed the lamb" and "removed leaven" on. Exodus 12:8,15.

The priest on the fifteenth then "prostrated", "laid bare", "brought in", "stored" the sheaf (11A), and "kept safe" the sheaf in the "sanctuary" over the fifteenth of the month -- (11B to14)

In a certain sense then, you could be right that the first "three days" of passover can be regarded as <<the feast of first fruits>> or, feast of "First Sheaf of the first fruits" of winter's harvest specifically. Just as today still the Passover of Yahweh of the Lord Jesus Christ is known as the "three days" of "the passover" the 14th 15th and 16th days of the First Month.

 

[ImAHebrew]

These were Gentile converts to Judaism that Paul was preaching to in the synagogues. There were no Gentile Christians attending the synagogue of the Jews. Jews and Gentiles did not associate with one another. Gentiles did not ordinarily mix with Jews and so they did not attend synagogue with the Jews unless they were already devout converts to Judaism or they were in the process of converting to Judaism.



Paul did not preach to Gentile/Greek Christians in the synagogues. Paul preached to Gentile/Greek converts to Judaism in the synagogues.

Acts 13:43
And when the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism (Greeks) followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. rsv​

The Gentile converts to Judaism who were attending synagogue on the Sabbath began to believe in what Paul preached to them about Jesus Christ and so they followed Paul and Barnabas out of the synagogue after the synagogue meeting was finished. After the meeting they asked Paul questions about his preaching and soon they accepted Paul's preaching about Jesus Christ. As a result of this outpouring of God's grace, these Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism believed what Paul was preaching to them. As soon as they came to believe that Jesus Christ was the way, the truth, and the life, they started to attend the Christian gathering on the first day of the week and they became catechumens/learners of the Christian faith.



Shortly after God knocked Paul down and blinded him and then restored his sight, Paul began keeping the 1st day of the week holy and he did this because he became a Christian! Acts 26:13-15, Acts 20:7

People did not change their nationalities when they converted to Judaism. A Jew/Hebrew is always a Jew/Hebrew by nationality and a Greek convert to Judaism is always a Greek by nationality. There were no Greek Christians who attended the synagogues of the Jews. Only Greek converts to Judaism and Greeks in the process of converting to Judaism attended the synagogues of the Jews.

Acts 17:1-12
Now when they had passed through Amphip′olis and Apollo′nia, they came to Thessaloni′ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he argued with them from the scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a great many of the devout Greeks (who practiced Judaism) and not a few of the leading women (Hebrews/Jews).
5 But the Jews (who practiced Judaism) were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason (because the Christians were meeting in the house of Jason on this first day of the week, Sunday; the Jews definitely did not attack these Christians on the Jews' Saturday Sabbath Day!), seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they could not find them (Paul and Silas), they dragged Jason and some of the brethren (Christians) before the city authorities, crying, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this. 9 And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroe′a; and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessaloni′ca, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women (devout converts to Judaism) of high standing as well as men. rsv

Acts 18:4
4 And he argued in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews (who practiced Judaism) and Greeks (devout converts to Judaism). rsv
​

A Greek convert to Judaism was still called a Greek. He never was called a Jew.

These Greeks were devout converts to Judaism. Paul preached to them in the synagogues on Saturday because that is where these Greeks who believed in Judaism were gathered on Saturdays. It is a better plan to go to preach to a group of people who are gathered in just one location than to stop people on the street to preach to each one individually.



The Saturday Sabbath was set aside only for the Israelites/Jews and the converts to Judaism under the Law of Moses/Old Covenant.

Non-Jews or non-converts to Judaism were never required to keep the Sabbath of the Jews during the duration of the Old Covenant.

Christians, whatever their nationality, are under the New Covenant Law of Christ and so they are not ever required to be under by the Law of Moses/Old Covenant Sabbath laws. The Law of Moses/Old Covenant Sabbath laws ended when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus Christ's New Covenant began when Jesus died on the cross. The Cross of Christ ends/finishes one covenant and begins a new covenant.

Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law (of Moses/Old Covenant), that every one who has faith may be justified (by the Law of Christ/New Covenant). rsv​

Acts 15:12-21
12 And all the assembly kept silence; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles (the Gentile Abraham), to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written,
16 ‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will set it up,
17 that the rest of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
18 says the Lord, who has made these things known from of old.’
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues.”rsv​

James is speaking about the Gentile Abraham as the father of the early generations of the Israelites/Jews. Since the time that synagogues were invented, all the adherents to Judaism listened to readings from the five books of Moses in their synagogues every Sabbath. There were absolutely no Gentile Christians who lived in these early generations of Judaism. Christianity was still in its very first generation at the time James made this statement.

Shalom Jan001, with everything you have written on your post, how do you explain Acts 21:20? Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.

 

[ImAHebrew]

I have nothing to explain there is only one Sabbath identified in Lev 23 that is the weekly Sabbath Leviticus 23:3. The feast of booths vs. 35 is not called a Sabbath only a holy convocation as are all the other feasts listed in Lev. 23. Even if you find a a holy convocation that is called a Sabbath that is irrelevant I have not been discussing the other feasts. Please read my post carefully. The 1st/7th days of ULB are never called a Sabbath anywhere in the OT. They differ from a Sabbath in that the preparation and cooking of food is specifically permitted. Yet once again I quote Exo 12:16, to be ignored.

Exodus 12:15-16
(15) Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; howbeit the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses; for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
(16) And in the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you.​

Note, vs. 16 "that which every man must eat" is designated as "work" that is specifically permitted on 1st/7th ULB. What may/may not permitted on other holy convocations is irrelevant.
This vs. is mistranslated in the KJV. The Hebrew word for Sabbath is שַׁבָּת/shabbat. The word in this vs. is שַׁבָּתוֹן/shabbaton "a solemn rest" as it is so translated in the 1917 Jewish Publication Society [JPS] OT and the 225 BC LXX

JPS Lev 23:39 Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
LXX Lev 23:39 And on the fifteenth day of this seventh month, when ye shall have completely gathered in the fruits of the earth, ye shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days; on the first day there shall be a rest, [ἀνάπαυσις]* and on the eighth day a rest. [ἀνάπαυσις]*
[*Not σάββατα/sabbata/Sabbath as in vs. 3]​

Same comments as for vs. 39.

Levticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath [שׁבתון/shabbaton]* of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
*[Shabbaton/rest not "Shabbat]​

I'm not the one straining at anything amigo. Even if you find a holy convocation that is clearly called a Sabbath, that is irrelevant it does not mean that every holy convocation is a Sabbath. The 1st/7th days of ULB are never called a Sabbath anywhere in the OT. They differ from a Sabbath in that the work of preparation and cooking of food is specifically permitted. Since this is undeniably true there was only one Parasceue/preparation, which was the Greek name for Friday, in passion week that is Friday before the weekly Sabbath.

Shalom Der Alter, so in you beliefs, the Sabbath is so much more important than any other REST days, that you would even declare that Yom Kippur is a day that you could "prepare" food on? Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.

P.S. Would not it be nice if you were an Old Shepard?

 

[ImAHebrew]

It does not say "all Gentiles [strangers] will join themselves to Yahweh!" it says "even the Gentiles (Strangers) who join themselves to Yahweh, by keeping the Sabbath and not polluting it, they will be brought into His House." "They have a choice.
This is a Jewish idiom for month to month, week to week. From the Targum Isaiah, the Aramaic translation before the Christian era.

Isaiah 16:23 And it shall come to pass at the time of the beginning of each month, and at the time of each Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord.​

Anybody can make virtually any scripture say what they want it to by quoting it out-of-context. All scripture is written for us but all scripture is not written to us.
.....The part of a verse you are quoting out-of-context is Luk 16:31. Here Jesus is quoting Abraham speaking to the rich man in Hades. It is not addressed to all mankind.

Luke 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.​

Do these two verses mean what they say or not?

Exodus 31:16
(16) Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Leviticus 24:8
(8) Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.​

It is a false inference that Act 15:21 means pagan gentiles were readily accepted in Jewish synagogues. As I have explained more than once. The Jerusalem council Act 15 was to determine the requirements for gentiles becoming Christian. It was not necessary to tell Jews about those special requirements because "the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
Please show me scripture which shows pagan gentiles being readily accepted in Jewish synagogues.

John 16:2
(2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
John 4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
John 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.​

Shalom Der Alter, you wrote: "Anybody can make virtually any scripture say what they want it to by quoting it out-of-context. All scripture is written for us but all scripture is not written to us." I can agree with you 100% here. Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.

 

[ImAHebrew]

What is the source for this quote? I'd like to read the book.

Anceint Perfume Making

 

[ImAHebrew]

Revelation 12:15

 

[AFrazier]

Anceint Perfume Making

I see.

The information on the link is interesting, but hardly addresses what we've been discussing. And it supports what I said previously, that people were in the profession of making this stuff. So it's not adequate evidence that multiple days of preparation transpired.

 

[Der Alte]

Shalom Der Alter, so in you beliefs, the Sabbath is so much more important than any other REST days, that you would even declare that Yom Kippur is a day that you could "prepare" food on? Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.

Please read carefully. I have not been talking about Yom Kippur or any other Jewish feast or festival. I have been discussing the 1st/7th days of Unleavened Bread. They are called holy convocations, neither day is called a Sabbath in the OT. If any other holy convocation is called a Sabbath that does not mean the ULB can or should be called a Sabbath. I have stated my scriptural reason for those statements multiple times. Exodus 12:16.

P.S. Would not it be nice if you were an Old Shepard?

εγω γαρ ειμι πρεσβυτης ποιμήν
ETA:

Jewish Encyclopedia -Festivals
Pesah (Passover; Ex. xii. 1-28), the "Ḥag ha-Mazzot" (Ex. xxiii. 14; Lev. xxiii. 4-8), in commemoration of Israel's liberation from Egypt. It lasted seven days, from the fifteenth to the twenty-second of Nisan, the first and the last day being "holy convocations," with abstention from hard labor and the offering of sacrifices (comp. Num. xxviii. 16-25; Deut. xvi. 1-8). On the second day the first-fruit (barley) 'omer was offered (Lev. xxiii. 10). Those that were in a state of impurity or distant from home were bidden to celebrate the festival in the next succeeding month (Num. ix. 1-14).See Jewish Encyclopedia-Passover
FESTIVALS - JewishEncyclopedia.com
Passover
The festival commemorates the deliverance of Israel's first-born from the judgment wrought on those of the Egyptians (Ex. xii. 12-13; comp. Ex. xiii. 2, 12 et seq.), and the wondrous liberation of the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage (Ex. xii. 14-17). As such, it is identical with the Mazzot , Ex. xii. 17; Hag Mazzot, Lev. xxiii. 5-6) festival, and was instituted for an everlasting statute (Ex. xii. 14). Lev. xxiii., however, seems to distinguish between Passover, which is set for the fourteenth day of the month, and Hag Mazzot (the Festival of Unleavened Bread; ἑορτή τῶν ἀζύμων, Luke xxii. 1; Josephus, "B. J." ii. 1, § 3), appointed for the fifteenth day. The festival occurred in Abib (Ex. xiii. 4; Deut. xvi. 1 et seq., where the New Moon is given as the memorial day of the Exodus), later named Nisan, and lasted seven days, from sunset on the fourteenth day to sunset on the twenty-first day; the first and the seventh days were set aside for holy convocation, no work being permitted on those days except such as was necessary in preparing food (Num. xxviii. 16-25). During the seven days of the festival leaven was not to be found in the habitations of the Hebrews (Ex. xii. 19, xiii. 7). Leaven was not to be eaten under penalty of "excision" ("karet"; Ex. xii. 15, 19-20; xiii. 3; Deut. xvi. 3), and the eating of unleavened bread was commanded (Ex. xii. 15, 18; xiii. 6, 7; xxiii. 15; xxxiv. 18; Lev. xxiii. 6; Num. xxviii. 17). On the second day the omer of new barley was brought to the Temple (Lev. xxiii. 10-16; comp. First Fruits
PASSOVER - JewishEncyclopedia.com​

You will not believe me maybe you will believe the Jewish Encyclopedia.

​

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

the 1st/7th days of Unleavened Bread. They are called holy convocations, neither day is called a Sabbath in the OT.

Simply wrong, by now untrue; and contradicts the Jewish Encyclopedia which you give as supports it your error. You discard the text both Hebrew and LXX.

I have stated my scriptural reason for those statements multiple times. Exodus 12:16.

Exodus 12:16 is not the only Scripture that deals with "the first day seven days ulb", "the sabbath" in Leviticus 23:11,15,16.

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Jewish Encyclopedia -Festivals
Pesah (Passover; Ex. xii. 1-28), the "Ḥag ha-Mazzot" (Ex. xxiii. 14; Lev. xxiii. 4-8), in commemoration of Israel's liberation from Egypt. It lasted seven days, from the fifteenth to the twenty-second of Nisan,

You may quote ten thousand 'authorities' like the 'Jewish Encyclopaedia', they and you will still be wrong. Days of ulb were "seven", Exodus 12:15,19; 13:6,7; 23:15; 34:18; Leviticus 23:6 Numbers 28:17; Deuteronomy 16:3,4.

<<from the fifteenth to the twenty-second of Nisan>> are 8 days ulb, not seven. This now is a phrase that never appears in the OT.
Whoever's statement it is, the Jewish Encyclopaedia's or yours, it is faulty.

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Levticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath [שׁבתון/shabbaton]* of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
*[Shabbaton/rest not "Shabbat]

Re: <<*[Shabbaton/rest not "Shabbat]>> The text is 'shabbath shabbathon' -- not only <<[Shabbaton...]>>.

 

[ImAHebrew]

I see.

The information on the link is interesting, but hardly addresses what we've been discussing. And it supports what I said previously, that people were in the profession of making this stuff. So it's not adequate evidence that multiple days of preparation transpired.

Shalom AFrazier, as I said before, they did not have multiple days for doing the preparation of those burial ointments. If they did have ONE full day, the day between the two Sabbaths, on Friday, then they would have had a much better chance of "preparing" a less time consuming version/process of those ointments. To believe that they were out at the tomb, watching Joseph "depart" after placing the stone over the entrance, and then "returning" to where they obviously had WALKED from, is in the realm of complete conjecture, thinking they had time BEFORE the Sabbath to do those "preparations."

Yeshua died and was placed in the tomb right at the END of the 14th day, as the Sabbath of the 15th day was BEGINNING/DAWNING at sunset, and this was Wednesday at sunset. From Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset the High Day Sabbath was observed (John 19:31), and then, when this Sabbath was PAST, as Mark 16:1 states, the women purchased the ingredients, and then prepared the burial ointments/perfumes throughout the WHOLE day of Friday. Because of the extensive process involved with making those perfumes, they did not have enough time to get back to the tomb, so they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the command, as Luke 23:56 states. This reasonable and logical explanation allows for Yeshua's prediction concerning three days and three nights to be fulfilled. Yeshua was well aware of how many hours there are in a day and in a night (John 11:9), so to think that three days and three nights should not be fulfilled, is erroneous thinking. Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.

 

[ImAHebrew]

All your references actually call the days, "shabbath shabbathon" -- 'high / great day-of-Sabbath', "in contrast with the Sabbath-OF-THE-LORD" the Seventh Day of the week.
But,
Why, ImAHebrew, <<can... a High Day of a FEAST ALSO be a Sabbath>>... according to you? Will you please explain?

Shalom Gerhard Ebersoehn, here is a little insight for you. The Hebrew word "Sabbath" simply means "to rest." Yahweh rested from His works on the Seventh Day, and this Day of Yahweh, IS the Sabbath of Yahweh, and IT'S ultimate fulfillment will come on the Spiritual 7th DAY (the 7th Millennium). A COMPLETE rest from the WORK or LABOR of sin is REQUIRED on this Sabbath of Yahweh. But what about the "REST" (Sabbath) required on the Feast Days? Should we NOT consider that the Feast Days are ALSO days of REST? Does not Yahweh want anyone turning to Him to rest from their iniquity? Are not the Feast Days "shadows" of what Yahweh is accomplishing, and should we not also REST from our sin through the rejoicing found within the Fulfillment of those Days? To try to explain away that the Feast Days are not "Sabbaths," is a very uninsightful view of the Spiritual. Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.