The Redemptive Calendar

Prior to the Constantinian changes to the Christian church, the early church respected the Jewish calendar while still accommodated to the Roman one. The calendar would be crucial as the seventh year and jubilee year often were years that emphasized forgiveness of debt. Do you think that conforming to the principles in the Torah would be legalism? Then think about the current tax laws and regulations that many churches face. I have a loan over eight years old but the bank did not drop the debt in the seventh year. Now, it would be easy to ask as to why did not teach Jesus forgiveness until the seventh year. Most likely, he was not dismissing that debt expectancy could not exist but rather that the issues of the heart was not be to held in regards to a debt over a fellow brethren Jew or burdensome to repay. A good example of this is when Jesus commends the shrewd servant when asking for half the debt to be paid and then cancelling it. The calendar had its purposes and balance on such matters so as to not negate personal responsibilities or in being burdensome.

The Turning Point of the Council of Laodicea

This blog was written with the intention of investigating the roots of the faith...... Curious after reading some the Anti-semitic readings of Martin Luther, I set off in investigating crucial points in church history in which led to this development. The following was found in reading a book by James Parkes. It would indeed be a crucial point in history. The council of Laodicea which met in 363 AD states in the developed cannon 29: Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord's Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found do so, let them be anathema from Christ.