Romans 14:5 Sabbath
Romans 14:5-6
5 q One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. r Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since s he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
From ESV Study Bible notes:
- The weak thought some days were more important than others.
- Given the Jewish background here (see v. 14), the day that is supremely in view is certainly the Sabbath.
- The strong think every day is the same.
- Both views are permissible.
- Each person must follow his own conscience.
- What is remarkable is that the Sabbath is no longer a binding commitment for Paul but a matter of one’s personal conviction.
- Unlike the other nine commandments in Ex. 20:1–17, the Sabbath commandment seems to have been part of the “ceremonial laws” of the Mosaic covenant, like the dietary laws and the laws about sacrifices, all of which are no longer binding on new covenant believers (see also Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16–17).
- However, it is still wise to take regular times of rest from work, and regular times of worship are commanded for Christians (Heb. 10:24–25; cf. Acts 20:7).
From Reformed Bible study notes:
- Probably a referene to the elaborate Jewish caclendar of holy days.
- It is unlikely that Paul had in mind here weekly Sabbath observance.
- Were the weekly Sabbath in view, it would have been more natural for him to say, “One man considers the Sabbath more sacred that the other days.”
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