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While it is clear from Scroll 4Q317 that "the 1 to the Sabbath" corresponds to two specific
lunar quarter-phases (spaced at opposite halves of the lunar cycle, and thus spaced 14 and ½ days
apart), it isn't fully or exactly clear -- from the cited scroll -- whether "the 1 to the Sabbath" should
refer to the first-phase (or first quarter) and to the third-phase (or third quarter), or to the new-
phase and to the full-phase. Essentially, the moon (of perceptually 29 total parts) could commence
"entering the day" after the third quarter (14 ½ parts revealed) and it could begin "entering the
night" after the first quarter (14 ½ parts obscured), etc., etc..

The early understanding of the term "the 1 to the Sabbath" (as shown on Scroll 4Q317) can
hardly have been that of the first day of the literal seven-day week. Instead, the reoccurring date
"the 1 to the Sabbath", spaced at 14 ½ day intervals, is indicated to distinctly pertain to the two
nodes of the lunar-half-cycle. This early understood distinction between the two specific waxing
and waning halves of the lunar-cycle seemingly is referred to in The Stromata as follows:

[Peter] inferred thus: "Neither worship as Jews...[for] if the moon be not visible, they do
not hold the Sabbath, which is called the first; nor do they hold the New Moon [where the
Sabbath and the New Moon combination presumably refers to a time-span equal to half of
the lunar cycle]...". (The Stromata, Clement of Alexandria, Chapter 5).

Thus, it is somewhat clear that each specific quarter division of the lunar cycle was spe-
cially celebrated under the Second-Temple. Each 7th day of the lunar-cycle was celebrated as
Sabbath time, while at each half of the lunar-cycle an extended interval (the time of "the Sab-
baths", or "Sabbatwn") was additionally celebrated.

This early recognition of formal divisions in the lunar half-cycle can seemingly be identi-
fied in the Book of Luke -- as follows:

"And it came to pass, on the Deuteroprotos Sabbatw [or the 'Second-First Sabbath'], as he
is going through the corn fields..." (AV Text of Luke 6:1).

A special festival observed in association with the half lunar-cycle (also referred to as
"Sabbatwn") is recited in the Apocryphal Book of Judith as follows:

"[Feasting occurs at]...'Sabbatwn' [or presumably at the half-month]...and 'Noumhniwn' [or
perhaps at the alternate half-month]" (Judith 8:6).

The composite Judith verse seems to specifically refer to all 4 of Sabbaths of the lunar-
cycle -- as follows:

"...[Feasting occurs] at 'pro-Sabbatwn' (or before 'Sabbatwn'), and at the 'Sabbatwn', and
at 'Pro-noumhniwn' (or before 'Noumhniwn'), and at the 'Noumhniwn', and on the solemn
days..." (8:6).

The composite Judith verse shows that one of the Sabbath Feasts occurred in the lunar-
cycle in advance of the "Sabbatwn" Feast, and another of these Sabbaths Feasts is indicated to
have occurred in the lunar-cycle in advance of the "Noumhniwn" Feast).

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