Happy New Year–may you have a great day!

But some people feel that however their New Year’s Day goes, that sets the tone for the entire year. (Hopefully they don’t have a hangover today.)

Paul complained that the Galatians, now considering a traditional Jewish calendar, were observing days, months, seasons and years (Gal 4:10), just as they did in their pagan past.

Here is the comment of Ambrosiaster on this passage (Ep. Gal. 4.10.1-2, in Mark J. Edwards, ed., Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians [Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT 8; Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1999], p. 58): “The observers of days are those who say, for example, “Tomorrow there must be no setting out on a journey.” … The observers of months are those who watch the course of the moon, saying, for example, “Contracts must not be sealed in the seventh month.” … People pay respect to the year when they say, “The first day of January is the new year,” as though a year were not completed every day. … For if God is loved with the whole heart, there ought not to be any dread or suspicion of these phenomena so long as he is near.”