What does Acts 20:6 reveal about the importance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread to early Christians? Text of Acts 20:6 “But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later we joined others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.” Historical and Literary Context Luke is recording the final leg of Paul’s third missionary journey (c. AD 54-58). As in Acts 12:3, 18:21, and 27:9, he timestamps events by Israel’s festal calendar, giving his narrative the precision of an itinerary log. The mention follows the “we-sections” (Acts 16:10-40; 20:5-15), which internal and stylistic studies, corroborated by Papyrus 74 (3rd cent.), Codex Sinaiticus (ℵ) and Vaticanus (B), identify as first-person travel notes that Ramsay called “a model of historical writing.” The five-day crossing from Neapolis to Troas fits prevailing spring winds in the northern Aegean, confirming Luke’s nautical accuracy that James Smith and modern marine historians have verified by comparison with present coastal patterns. Why Luke Dates Events by the Feast Calendar 1. Synchronization: The Jewish calendar was the universal time framework for the earliest church, still centered in Jerusalem (Acts 21:17). 2. Continuity: By tying Paul’s journeys to Passover-Unleavened and Pentecost (Acts 20:16), Luke shows the gospel fulfilling—not discarding—Old-Covenant redemption history. 3. Apologetic value: Precise dating invites verification; Theophilus (Acts 1:1), likely a Roman official, could compare Luke’s timeline to known shipping seasons and imperial records. Continuity Between the Exodus Narrative and the Gospel The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20) immediately follows Passover. In the Exodus it celebrates sudden deliverance; in the gospel it foreshadows the sinless Messiah (John 1:29) and the believer’s call to purity. Paul had already taught the Corinthian church—largely Gentile—“Cleanse out the old leaven… For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast…” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). By noting the date, Luke shows the church inhabiting that redemptive rhythm. Paul’s Missional Use of the Feasts Paul remained free from Mosaic obligation (Galatians 5:1) yet deliberately timed travel around feasts: • Acts 18:21—eager to be in Jerusalem for an unnamed feast. • Acts 20:16—hastening to reach Jerusalem for Pentecost. This served evangelistic strategy (Romans 1:16). Feasts gathered Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in predictable places and times, multiplying gospel opportunities (Acts 13:14; 17:2). Acts 20:6 therefore reveals more than a date stamp; it shows tactical gospel planning. Evidence of Ongoing Celebration Among Gentile Churches Philippi was a Roman colony with few Jews (Acts 16:13). Yet Paul’s team still scheduled around Unleavened Bread. This indicates: 1. Gentile believers learned Israel’s calendar through apostolic teaching. 2. Observance (or at least awareness) of the feast had catechetical use: linking the Lord’s Supper’s unleavened bread with the historical Exodus and Christ’s sinlessness. The Didache (c. AD 50-70) echoes this by urging disciples to examine themselves before the Eucharist, an ethic rooted in the leaven metaphor (Did. 14). Typological Teaching Embedded in the Feast of Unleavened Bread Leaven in Scripture often pictures pervasive sin (Matthew 16:6). Removing it for seven days (Exodus 13:7) typifies the believer’s sanctification. Paul’s sailing “after the Feast” subtly parallels the apostolic team’s departure from Philippi—symbolically leaving old leaven behind—and converges with their seven-day ministry in Troas (Acts 20:7-12), climaxing in the breaking of bread on the first day of the week. Theological Weight: Holiness, Redemption, Resurrection Passover memorialized deliverance by shed blood; Unleavened Bread memorialized living in that delivered state. Christ’s resurrection, occurring during the feast (Luke 24:1), validates both aspects. Acts 20:6 therefore reminds readers that the risen Lord anchors Christian chronology. By marking time around the feast, the early church tacitly confessed the resurrection as history, not myth—exactly what Paul defends in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, a creed scholars date within five years of Calvary. Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Corroboration • Philippi’s Krenides River bank, with the 1st-century prayer-house inscription (“proseuche”) found in 1920, shows an active worshiping community consistent with Acts 16 and the kind of group that would teach festal dates. • The synagogue mosaic of Troas (3rd cent.) depicting a shofar and matzah round supports a long-term Jewish presence, explaining why Luke’s company could stay seven days and gather on the first Sunday night without civic disturbance. • Ossuaries inscribed “Yehosef bar Caiapha” and the Pilate Stone (1961) provide external confirmation for officials cited in passion narratives, tying Passover chronology to verifiable figures and underscoring that Luke’s festal references sit in genuine history. Addressing Objections on Legalism and Freedom in Christ Some argue that continued feast-keeping contradicts apostolic teaching on grace. Acts 20:6 dispels this false dilemma. Paul refused circumcision for Titus (Galatians 2:3) yet circumcised Timothy for mission (Acts 16:3). He volunteered Nazarite vows (Acts 21:23-26) but denounced compulsory law-observance (Galatians 5:2-4). Observing Unleavened Bread as a missional or didactic tool violates no principle of freedom; it illustrates 1 Corinthians 9:20-23 in action. Practical Implications for Contemporary Disciples 1. Time Orientation: Ordering life around redemptive events cultivates a God-centered calendar. 2. Holiness: Removing leaven mirrors daily repentance (1 John 1:9). 3. Witness: Intelligent use of cultural and religious festivals can open gospel conversations, as evidenced by countless testimonies where Passover Seders conducted by believers have led skeptics to faith in the Messiah. Summary Acts 20:6, while a brief travel note, reveals the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a significant chronological, theological, and missional marker for the early church. It demonstrates continuity with Israel’s story, the centrality of Christ’s sinless sacrifice and resurrection, the reliability of Luke’s historiography, and the practical outworking of apostolic freedom that employs, rather than discards, the sacred calendar for the glory of God and the spread of the gospel. |
    |