The standard of strictness

Generally, the perception by some Christians of the law of Moses is that of being the ultimate standard of strictness with no allowance or tolerance for any deviation. This is taken by some as a safe and true measure by which the church can gauge and tout its sound and faithful adherence to its message and practices. However these lofty notions have a way of taking on the form of yokes such as men are given to impose on the saints in Christ. One example of this is the observance of the Lord’s Supper, or communion, the breaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine compared with the Jewish observance of the Passover as the strict pattern to be followed and emulated.

The truth is just a casual reading of the Old Testament unravels these lofty notions with the example involving the observance of the Passover. The LORD God commanded the children of Israel that they were to observe the Passover beginning on the tenth day through the fourteenth day of the first month, that is, Nisan (Exodus 12:1-6).

When Israel fell into apostasy they ceased to observe the Passover as they had been commanded and as they had observed it for many years. More precisely the observance of the Passover, it seems, was probably limited to the relatively small numbers of those who resided in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. It was King Hezekiah, who did right in the sight of the LORD God. He determined to restore the temple worship. He determined they were to observe the Passover. The Passover was also called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Hezekiah decided to send out invitations near and far throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan for the children of Israel to come observe the Passover. There were some who scorned and mocked the invitation, but some men humbled themselves. They accepted the invitation of King Hezekiah to come to Jerusalem for the observance of the Passover. So many people came to observe the Passover that there were not enough priests who had consecrated themselves. The Levites, who were more conscious then the priests, had consecrated themselves and assisted their brothers. Some of the people were unclean, yet they too observed the Passover. Hezekiah, who may not have had the book of the law to guide him, did have the Asaph the seer who know by divine revelation about when Moses himself consulted with the LORD in behalf of some men who were unclean. The knew they were unclean, but they didn't understand why they should miss out on the Passover. The response from the LORD to Moses was that those men could observe the Passover.

Here are five deviations and irregularities in Israel’s observance of the Passover under the command of King Hezekiah of which the scriptures testify was according to the commandment of the LORD God.

1 There is no starting or ending date, only the month, for the observance of the Passover.

2 There were many who had not consecrated, were unclean and had not purified

    themselves.

3 The Passover was observed in the second month (Iyar) of the year for seven days.

4 The people continued to celebrate for another seven days beyond what the law

   prescribed.

5 The hand of God was with the king and princes as commanded by the word of the LORD.

Clearly, King Hezekiah and the children of Israel rejoiced as they pleased and glorified the LORD God in their observance of the Passover.

conclusion

The Lord’s Supper, as observed by Christians, has its origin with Jesus, He ordained it on the night in which Jesus was betrayed and arrested. Even that observance (which was likely on a Friday, not a Saturday or Sunday) is not without some discussion and dissent between some saints in Christ. Some of those points of dissent include observing the Lord’s Supper in the evening only, as it is argued, it is a supper. Another point of contention is the frequency of the observance being limited to the first day of the week on Sunday only. Yet, the apostle Paul declared to the saints in Christ in the city of Corinth that “as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup” believers proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (I Corinthians 11:23-26). The expression “as often” is hardly a law as to the frequency or day it was to be observed by the believers. It is hardly a law cast in concrete or written in stone anymore than to argue that the Passover could not be observed on the month of Nisan other than as it was ordained.

Would that when the saint in Christ had friends over for dinner or visit that they would observe the Lord's Supper and proclaim his death to their friends. A brief observance for their friends to witness can be powerful. Perhaps something like a two-part antiphony between wife and husband and children, "Jesus died" with the response "for your sins." Israel's observance of the Passover was not to include the alien or the sojourner unless these had been circumcised.

If we learn anything from Jesus it is that his invitation is not limited to his followers. There's no deception or compromise of faith here. Their observance is not to to be taught or allowed to be construed as the obedience of the gospel of Jesus as Lord and Savior. If there is anything we learn from the entirety of the revelation of the written will of God it is that our notions concerning a high standard of strictness is certainly there, it's just that it itself debunks the notions of man concerning such standards and the doctrines of men which they impose on the believers.