Traditions

The kids and I have been listening to Drive by Church History sometimes in the mornings. The cd's start at the beginning of the church and rapidly move to the present age. Its interesting (& a little scary) to hear how church's started, where their "traditions" came from, which extremely large denomination has influenced all our calendars on their whims, superstitions, and desires ~ and none of it is found in the Bible.  This series is a good place to start the education/information process about churches & denominations.  When we purchased it ~ we were getting it out of a desire to learn more about History ~ the kids and I have had many interesting discussions stemming from what we listen to.

You can purchase this set for your own home by going to the following ~
http://www.wretchedradio.com/store/product_details.cfm?id=346.

And if you are curious as to the tradition I am talking about...

it is impossible that the Lord was crucified on Friday afternoon and rose from the dead early Sunday morning.  The Gospel of Matthew 12:39-40.

"But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be give to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Many folks do not realize that the Sabbath can happen on any day, not just Saturday, if it is one of the High Sabbath's commended to Moses in the Old Testament.  The Passover is to be held on the 14th day of the new year according to Exodus 12:6-8.  This day can land on a different day of the week each year, not just on Saturday.

In Mark 16: 1-2 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might anoint Him.  They did this when the Sabbath was past.  In verse 2, Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, the came to the tomb when the sun had risen.


Luke 23:56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Luke 24:1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

These verses makes no sense if Jesus was buried on Friday, they had to rest on Saturday, and went to the tomb on Sunday.  There was no chance to buy the spices and prepare them, because it was forbidden to work on the Sabbath.

Mark has the women buying the spices when the Sabbath was past and Luke has the women resting on the Sabbath after preparing the spices.

To reconcile Jesus words about his death in Matthew 12, and to reconcile the accounts of the women preparing spices before and after the Sabbath, there had to be 2 Sabbath days that week.  The crucifixion had to occur on Wednesday.  Thusday was the the High Sabbath for the feast of unleavend bread.  Friday was a normal work day, the day the women purchased and prepared the spices, according to Mark 16:1.  Saturday was the weekly Sabbath, when the women rested according to Luke 23:56.  And Sunday was the day they went to find the empty tomb.

Jesus was in the tomb from Wednesday evening until Saturday evening.

That is 3 days and 3 nights.

Just like He said.

Its interesting listening, it makes you think, it makes you question your own traditions/views, it shows how if something is repeated often enough it could be viewed as fact, it shows how easily we can all be influenced.  We are listening, then comparing to scripture, and researching ~ sometimes we are really surprised as to what is truth and what is fiction (or tradition).

Then comes the hard part ~ what are we going to do about it in our family?  Is what we've done ok ~ as in the Bible does not specifically forbid it, does the Bible speak to this or any issue specifically, is this a "gray" area ~ where its up to each family to decide for themselves?

The best part of this part of scripture is in Matthew 28:5-7  

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."