What About Romans 14?

"I still do not have a clear understanding of how you seemingly ... dismiss Romans 14 (especially vs 5)."

What is Romans 14 talking about? By saying that it is important to know which day is the Sabbath, am I dismissing Romans 14, or am I reading it in context and dismissing a false understanding of what Sha’ul was really talking about? Let’s take a look and see.

The typical Christian understanding is as follows: We should not get stuck on the seventh day Sabbath worship command. Romans 14:5-6 makes it clear that under the New Testament all days are alike. Christians need not be legalistic and shouldn’t get stuck on celebrating the "Jewish" Sabbath.

First of all, the Sabbath is not a Jewish institution. The Sabbath goes back to creation. The first mention of of the Sabbath in the King James translation of the Scriptures is before the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. Exo 16:23 And he said to them, “This is what יהוה has said, ‘Tomorrow is a rest, a Sabbath set-apart to יהוה. That which you bake, bake; and that which you cook, cook. And lay up for yourselves all that is left over, to keep it until morning.’ (For more on this, see "The Sabbath in the Book of Moses.") So the argument that the Sabbath was first given at Sinai is an invalid argument.

Let's look at Romans 14. Please note the highlighted areas. The word “Sabbath” is nowhere to be found in this passage and the reason is because Sha’ul isn’t talking about the Sabbath. He is talking about EATING.

Rom 14:1 And receive him who is weak in the belief, not criticising his thoughts.

Rom 14:2 One indeed believes to eat all food, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

Rom 14:3 He that eats, let him not despise him who does not eat, and he that does not eat, let him not judge him who eats, for Elohim received him.

Rom 14:4 Who are you that judges another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he shall be made to stand, for Elohim is able to make him stand.

Rom 14:5 One indeed judges one day above another, another judges every day alike. Let each one be completely persuaded in his own mind.

Rom 14:6 He who minds the day, minds it to יהוה. And he who does not mind the day, to יהוה he does not mind it. He who eats, eats to יהוה, for he gives Elohim thanks. And he who does not eat, to יהוה he does not eat, and gives Elohim thanks.

Rom 14:7 For not one of us lives to himself, and not one dies to himself.

Rom 14:8 For both, if we live, we live unto the Master, and if we die, we die unto the Master. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Master’s.

Rom 14:9 For unto this Messiah died and rose and lived again, to rule over both the dead and the living.

Rom 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah.

Rom 14:11 For it has been written, “As I live, says יהוה, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to Elohim.”

Rom 14:12 Each one of us, therefore, shall give account of himself to Elohim.

Rom 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another any longer, but rather judge this, not to put an obstacle or a stumbling-block in our brother’s way.

Rom 14:14 I know and am persuaded in the Master יהושע that none at all is common of itself. But to him who regards whatever to be common, to him it is common.

Rom 14:15 And if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not by your food ruin the one for whom Messiah died.

Rom 14:16 Do not then allow your good to be spoken of as evil.

Rom 14:17 For the reign of Elohim is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Set-apart Spirit.

Rom 14:18 For he who is serving Messiah in these matters is well-pleasing to Elohim and approved by men.

Rom 14:19 So, then, let us pursue the matters of peace and the matters for building up one another.

Rom 14:20 Do not destroy the work of Elohim for the sake of food. All indeed are clean, but evil to that man who eats so as to cause stumbling.

Rom 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine, nor to do whatever by which your brother stumbles.

Rom 14:22 Do you have belief? Have it to yourself before Elohim. Blessed is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

Rom 14:23 But he who doubts, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not of belief, and all that is not of belief is sin.

For 2,000 years these verses have been butchered, often times intentionally, to discourage believers from maintaining an Hebraic identity. These verses, when taken in context, do not refer to Sabbath observance or Sunday observance. It is abundantly clear that what is being discussed is eating habits, as well as fasting habits. Rav Sha'ul tells us not to judge another brother or sister who eats only vegetables or one who may eat everything. Certain believing vegetarians (verses 5 - 6) set aside a certain day of the week for eating certain foods. Other believing vegetarians ate vegetables every day. Some believers refrained from certain foods. Others ate only meat. Rav Shaul instructs us not to pass judgment upon another regarding either food preference or a day chosen to eat that food.

When the early Christian church divorced itself from its Jewish brethren, it became greatly disadvantaged. The more time that went by, the more they forgot their Hebrew roots and Hebrew understanding, instead adopting Western (Greek) thinking, which is considerably different from Hebrew thinking. When the HEBREW Scriptures are approached with a Hebrew mindset, they come alive and a lot more sense. That may be why in these last days, the Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) is drawing multitudes of believers to seek out their Hebrew roots once again.

So the question here becomes, where did the church get the idea that Rav Sha’ul, a Torah observant Jew, was forbidding Sabbath observance for saved Israelites, and encouraging believers to "pick their own" worship day? Obviously, these verses discuss eating preferences, not Sabbath keeping.

In “Does Yahuwah Care What We Eat?”, Jim Staley also discusses these verses. It will probably take about an hour to listen to both parts. Do you have the time to search out the truth in this matter?

Shalom Aleichem,

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