The Apostle Paul and the Festivals of YHVH:

Some biblical scholars have tried to argue that the Apostle Paul (Sha'ul) only attended Pentecost (Shavuot) because that was where the crowd was so he could preach the Good News, and that this was the ONLY festival he attended! In other words some Christian theologians try to argue that after his Damascus Road experience, the Apostle Paul no longer observed the Jewish festivals and the 'trio' listed in Colossians 2:16-17.

I have already listed many of the ways in which the Apostle Paul demonstrated that he remained a practicing orthodox Jew after his Damascus road experience. - see my articles 'Living the Way' and 'Siblings of the King' for the details - at www.circumcisedheart.info

However, as I have just stated some scholars continue to read Col 2:16-17 back to front and believe that Paul was exhorting the Gentile followers of Yeshua NOT to keep the 'trio'!

So here is a short, non-exhaustive list of Paul's keeping the 'trio' (as recorded in the NT):

Paul observed and/or supported many of the Feasts, New Moon(s) (Yom Teruah) and the Sabbath(s), either by a direct reference to it, by attending the festival or making some supportive implication or reference to it:

Shabbat: Acts 13:14-16; Acts 18:4; 4:16 – Paul imitated Yeshua (1 Cor 11:1)
Pesach (Passover) – 1 Cor 5:7; Acts 27:9
Festival of Unleavened Bread – Acts 20:6
Shavuot (Pentecost) – 1 Cor 16:8; Acts 20:16
Yom Teruah – 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16 (New Moon Day, Rosh HaShannah)
Yom Kippur – Acts 27:9 (the Fast Day)
Sukkot – Acts 18:21

While this list does not include all 7 'Feast' days, as they are grouped into 3 (Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot), with the first and last being week long and including the others, attendance at Sukkot would by inference assume attendance at Simchat Torah (the Joy of Torah celebration) for example.

As Shaul/Paul said we should be imitators of him, as he was of Yeshua – 1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6; 1 Thess 2:4

Does that mean we should use expediency and duplicity to attend these festivals only to evangelize? 

No, I don't believe Shaul was a hypocrite. 

Thus, I think the evidence most strongly indicates that, as he himself declared, he observed the 'trio' and hoped Gentile followers would do likewise and imitate him, and not allow the 'judgment' and ridicule of their pagan neighbours to stop them embracing these great indicators of even greater feasts in the Coming Age!


For details see my 'Colossians 2 and the Sabbath' article at www.circumcisedheart.info