Sabbatismos in the book of Hebrews

Koot van Wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint Lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

13 April 2011

The book of Hebrews did not receive attention enough by scholars especially in the previous century, except the Seventh Day Adventist church, who discovered the Sanctuary Message, heavenly and its complete and perfect functions and earthly and its incomplete and imperfect functions. The book was written also by the apostle Paul and many of Paul's phraseology are mirrored in Hebrews. Skia or shadow of things to come is one of these terms that we find in Colossians 2 and in Hebrews 10:1. There are many other examples.

In the book of Hebrews, Paul surprise readers and scholars with his neologisms. It is not actually neologisms but Paul is using a word that appears nowhere else in the New Testament in that form. Josephus used baptismos to refer to the baptism of John in Antiquities XVIII.V.2 but suddenly Paul is using the plural in Hebrews 6:2 baptismon with an omega and not an omikron = βαπτισμων. Hughes said it refers to the conglomerate of baptisms in John, Jesus, Holy Spirit and proselites. Moulton said it is plural since it refers to many people. Theodorico said it is plural since it refers to three times immersion in Trinity compared to Didache. F. F. Bruce said with Hippolitus that it refers to the feetwashing on Thursday night together with baptism, thus plural. Some say it refers to wrong baptisms and Alcuin said that it refers to all the reasons why baptism is necessary. All because Paul is using baptismon (plural) βαπτισμων in Hebrews 6:2.

In Hebrews 9:3 Paul used the term agia agion (with an omega, thus plural) αγια αγιων and this term had scholars talking. In 1 Clement XXIX:3 he cites Ezechiel 48:12 where it says that God took a nation from the nations and from the most holy a nation will come. Is Christ predicted to be that Most Holy? και εξελευσεται εκ τον εθνους εκεινον αγια αγιων. He is said to have written in ca. 130 CE. We do not need to follow Clement but it is interesting that he is using the same term as Paul in 60 CE.

Then Paul surprised scholars again in the book of Hebrews by using a term only once in the New Testament: sabbatismos = σαββατισμος. Paul is using the term in Hebrews 4:9.

What did Paul mean by this word saying that there remains a sabbatismos for the people of God?

Hebrews 4:9 states: "Therefore, there remains a sabbatismos for the people of God".

This sabbatismos is not the ten commandment sabbath but a deeper one. It is one that remains meaning that even though Paul in 60 CE is one of the people of God, that sabbatismos is remaining. It is yet unfulfilled. Even after the cross that sabbatismos is still to be completed. That is why it is remaining απολειπεται.

There is a salvation aspect to the rest of Christ on Sabbath after His death on Friday at 3 o clock in the afternoon. This Sabbath rest of Christ is a specific type of which the regular keeping of the Sabbath is just a shadow of it or reminder of it. The eternal rest is the second death or eternal death of Satan. It is the eternal hell because it is the moment Satan will terminate to exist. The workings of Satan will come to a rest eternally.

The command of God to Eve and Adam in Eden was Genesis 3:2-3 that if they sin, they shall die. That death was the eternal death with eternal consequences of termination to exist.

The promised Messiah was the One Who solved the problem of death of humanity by making humans death only a sleep and first death and the second death that included Satan and his angels and all evil humans, or hell, the final eternal termination or rest of evil.

Christ died for us that Sabbath the second death and that category of rest, the eternal rest, is now ours and the opposite eternal life is ours at His Second Coming. The second death has no control over us.

Because Christ was divine, the second death could not terminate Him but He died it for us and thus the hand writing against us with its decrees was nailed to the cross. This action of Christ, His special Passion week Sabbath rest, the second death rest of Christ that day, is the Sabbatismos and although it switched on salvation for us all by Substitution and acceptance of it and daily reaffirmation of it in sanctification, Sabbatismos remains απολειπεται to be completed since history has to run its course all the way to the event of the hell in which Satan and all evil will finally rest eternally. Salvation gives us eternal rest in Christ but not sabbatismos or eternal rest from the surrounding of evil since it remains to be completed in the eschaton. The reality of eternal life and salvation from the evironment of Satan will be at the Second Coming but what will remain to be completed is the eternal rest of all evil at the Hell event.

When Josephus was talking about the baptism of John he was using the word baptismos βαπτισμος because he wanted to give a category or typical category to John about his washing ideas. He meant the whole concept of John pertaining to washings or immersion is baptismos of John. In the same way one may probably suggest to see the word sabbatismos in the same light. The whole concept of the eternal rest of Christ that Saturday Sabbath of His death and the substitutionary value of it for our eternal life as opposite for His eternal death and furthermore the secure position that not us, the people of God will rest or terminate eternally but Satan will and when that happens sabbatismos of evil is completed.