Singapore Moses Supporter Messenger of God, CEO in IT industry, Astronaut, Scientist

Greek: deuteroprotos (G1207) is used to refer the "second-first" sabbath, the ordinary weekly sabbath following the special sabbath that began the feast regardless of what day of the week it fell on. 

That is, the 7-day feast of unleavened bread always started on the 15th day of Nisan or April, regardless of what day of the week it was (Lev. 23:6-8). If it happened to be on Wednesday the regular weekly sabbath (or the second sabbath of the feast) would be 3 days later. The last day of the feast--also a sabbath, or the 3rd sabbath of the feast--would be on Tuesday, or 3 days after the weekly sabbath. 

The 1st and 7th days of the 7-day feast were special sabbaths and the regular weekly sabbath was between them, being the 2nd sabbath of the feast. That this was the weekly sabbath is clear from Mt. 12:1-8.

July 29 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

The phrase “the second Sabbath after the first,” Luke 6:1, is literally “on the second-first Sabbath,” (Greek ‘en sabbato deuteroproto,’ although missing in some Greek texts). It is found only once here in the New Testament and, so far, not found in any Greek literature. However, it must have been understood by the early readers of the gospel. 

Most scholars take it to be the second Sabbath after the Passover, counting toward the Pentecost holiday. One identified it as the first Sabbath of Tishri (in the autumn) during which the 24 priestly courses began their second cycle for administrating in the temple. These explanations have problems, but there is a satisfactory solution. 

A clue is that Luke 6:1-5 takes place during wheat harvest as determined by disciples plucking heads of grain. The word, ‘ears’ or ‘stalks’ (Greek ‘stachus’), always refers to wheat. Since it was a Sabbath, likely a holiday, it had to be the time of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks as Exodus 34:22 indicates. 

The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament offers another clue. The Hebrew word for ‘firstfruits’ is ‘bikkurim,’ as in Exodus 23:16, 19, and many other passages. In the Septuagint, this word ‘bikkurim’ is translated into Greek as ‘protogennamaton’ meaning ‘the first produce.’ The firstfruit offerings were at both the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks. Thus, there was the first firstfruit offering or ‘protogennamaton’ at the feast of Unleavened Bread and the second first-fruit offering or ‘deuteronproto,’ fifty days later at the Feast of Weeks. ‘Deuteronproto’ is very possibly an abbreviation of ‘deuteron protogennamaton.’ This makes sense if it is the presentation of the second offering of the firstfruits. 

When the disciples were picking (perhaps instructed to) and eating the grain, they plucked the heads of grain and rubbed them in their hands. Their actions would remind the Jews of a custom that happened at the Feast of Weeks. The priests went to a special, designated field to harvest three seahs (over ½ bushel) of wheat to make, according to Leviticus 23:17, two leavened loaves, which was an unusual offering – the only time leavened loaves were ever brought into the temple. It was also prepared entirely by human hands. Instead of threshing and winnowing to separate the grain and the chaff, the grains were rubbed and beaten with the fist in the other hand, much like what the disciples were doing. 

This ‘bread of the firstfruits,’ Leviticus 23:20, symbolizes what God did on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2, instituting the church, the second firstfruits to God – the first firstfruits being Christ. The two leavened loaves also signify the newly formed church made up of Jews and Gentiles. 

When the Pharisees challenged the disciples doing this on the Sabbath, Jesus showed that what was reserved for the priests could by grace feed the hungry, I Samuel 21:4, 6. So, a little grain could feed the disciples, demonstrating the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.

January 02 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report