1. For a brief historical survey of this interpretation, see Samuele Bacchiocchi, “Paul and the Sabbath,” in From Sabbath to Sunday (Rome, 1977), Appendix, pp. 339-343.
 2. Paul K. Jewett, The Lord's Day: A Theological Guide to the Christian Day of Worship (Grand Rapids, 1971), p.45.
 3. “The Sabbath in Acts and the Epistles,” Bible Study prepared by the Worldwide Church of God and posted in its web page(www. wcg. org, September, 1998), p. 2.
 4. Ibid.
 5. Dale Ratzlaff, Sabbath in Crisis: Transfer/Modification? Reformation/Continuation? Fulfillment/Transformation? (Applegate, California, 1990). pp. 173-174.
 6. Ibid., p. 174.
 7. Commenting on Colossians 2:14,15, Ratzlaff writes: “What was the ‘certificate of debt’ or the ‘decrees’ which were nailed to the Cross? In context, Paul has been speaking about the old covenant” (note 5, p. 156). This cannot be true, because in the context Paul refutes the Colossian heresy by affirming the fullness of God's forgiveness.
 8. Dale Ratzlaff (note 5), pp. 155-156.
 9. Ibid., p. 156.
 10. Ibid., pp. 156-161.
 11. Eduard Lohse, A Commentary on the Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (Philadelphia, 1971), p. 116. In a similar vein, Herold Weiss emphasizes that in Paul's argument (Col 2:8-19) the law “plays no role at all” (“The Law in the Epistle to the Colossians,” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 34 1972]: 311).
 12. Douglas R. De Lacey, “The Sabbath/ Sunday Question and the Law in the Pauline Corpus,” From Sabbath to Lord's Day. A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Investigation, ed. Donald A. Carson (Grand Rapids, 1982), p. 173. Emphasis supplied.
 13. For a lengthy list of commentators who interpret the cheirographon either as the “certificate of indebtedness” resulting from our transgressions or as the “book containing the record of sin,” see Samuele Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday. A Historical Investigation of the Rise of Sunday Observance in Early Christianity (Rome, 1977), Appendix, pp. 349-350.
 14. Martin Luther, “Wider die himmlischen Propheten,” in his Sämtliche Schriften, ed. by Johann Georg Walch(1890), volⅩⅩ , col. 148.
 15. Dale Ratzlaff (note 5), p. 163.
 16. Ibid., pp. 161-162.
 17. Douglas R. De Lacey (note 12), p.182.
 18. Ibid., emphasis supplied.
 19. Troy Martin “Pagan and Judeo-Christian Time-keeping Schemes in Galatians 4:10 and Colossians 2:16,” New Testament Studies 42(1996), p.111.
 20. Eduard Lohse (note 11), p.155.
 21. For texts and discussion, see G. Bornhamm, “Lakanon,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel (Grand Rapids, 1967), vol. 4, p.67; also J. Behm writes in the same Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Ⅳ, p.297: “The Greeks and Romans knew that abstention makes receptive to ecstatic revelations.”
 22. For a discussion of Colossians 2:17, see Samuele Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday (note 1), pp. 356-357.
 23. Eduard Lohse (note 11), p.116.
 24. See the Septuagint on 2Chron 2:4; 31:3;Neh 10:33; Ezek45:17; Hos 2:11. Also Jub 1:14; Jos. Ber. 3:11; Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 8:4.
 25. See, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Washington D.C., 1957), vol. 7, pp. 205-206.
 26. This is the view of Nobert Hugedé, Commentaire de L' Epitre aux Colossiens (Paris, 1969), p.144. On the plural usage of “Sabbaths” to designate the week as a whole, see eduard Lohse (note 11), pp.7, 20.
 27. Gunter Bornhamm emphasizes this view when he writes: “Paul mentions New Moon and Sabbath (Col 2:16), days, months, season, and years (Gal 4:10), i.e., corresponding to the movement of the stars” (“The Heresy of Colossians,” in Fred E. Francis and Wayne A. Meeks, eds., Conflict at Colossae, SBL Soruces for Biblical Study 4, 1973, p.131.
 28. Texts and discussion are found in Samuele Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday (note 1), pp. 173f. and 243.
 29. “Paul and the Sabbath,” Bible Study prepared by the Worldwide Church of God and posted in its web page (www. wcg. org.September, 1998), p.1.
 30. “The Sabbath in Acts and the Epistles,” Bible Study prepared by the Worldwide Church of God and posted in its web page(www.wcg. org. September, 1998), p.2.
 31. Dale Ratzlaff (note 5), p. 169.
 32. The Nazarite's vow included abstention from all grape products (Num 6:2-4). This, however, was a temporary and voluntary vow. Some, such as Samuel (1 Sam 1:11) and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15) were nazarites for life. But we have no record of a person taking the vow voluntarily for life. Perpetual vows were taken by parents on behalf of children. The Rechabites led a nomadic life in tents and abstained from all intoxicating drinks (Jer 35:1-19). For a study on the Biblical teaching regarding the use of alcoholic beverages, see Samuele Bacchiocchi, Wine in the Bible(Berrien Springs, Michigan, 1989). My study shows that the Bible disapproves of the use of fermented wine but approves the consumption of unfermented wine, commonly called “grape juice.”
 33. Paul K. Jewett wisely acknowledges that “if Paul had introduced Sunday worship among the Gentiles, it seems likely Jewish opposition would have accused his temerity in setting aside the law of the Sabbath, as was the case with the rise of circumcision (Acts 21:21)” (note 2), p. 57.
 34. For texts and discussion, see Samuele Bacchiochi, From Sabbath to Sunday (note 1), p. 254.
 35. See, for example,Willy Rordorf, Sunday: The History of the Day of Rest and Worship in the Earliest Centuries of the Christian Chruch(Philadelphia, 1968), p. 131; C. S. Mosna, Storia della Domenica dalle Origini Fino agli Inizi del Ⅴ. Secolo (Rome, 1969), p. 183.
 36. Dale Ratzlaf (note 5), p. 165.
 37. For a discussion of scholarly views regarding the meaning of stoicheia, see Samuele Bacchiochi, From Sabbath to Sunday(note 1), pp. 344-345.
 38. Troy Martin(note 19), p. 119. See also idem, “But Let Everyone Discern the Body of Christ (Colossians 2:17),” Journal of Biblical Literature 114/2 (1995), p.255.
 39. For a discussion of the pagan calendar, see also E. J. Bickerman, Chronology of the Ancient World(Ithaca, New York, 1968), pp. 70-79.
 40. Troy Marty (note 19), pp. 117, 119.
 41. Ibid., pp. 108-109.
 42. Ibid., p. 109.
 43. The Roman adoption of the seven-day planetary week just prior to the beginning of Christianity is discussed at some length in Samuele Bacchiochi, From Sabbath to Sunday (note 1), pp.238-251/
 44. For a discussion of the observance and meaning of Passover/Unleavened Bread in the New Testament, see Samuele Bacchiocchi, God's Festivals in Scripture and History: Volume 1: The Spring Festivals (Berrien Springs, Michigan, 1995), pp. 75-77.
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