Why did early Christians gather on the first day of the week in Acts 20:7? Context and Text of Acts 20:7 “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and because he intended to leave the next day, he prolonged his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7). The gathering is intentional (συνηγμένων), communal, centered on “breaking bread” (τὸν ἄρτον κλάσαι—an early term for the Lord’s Supper), and timed for “the first day of the week” (μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, literally “one [day] of the Sabbaths,” the Jewish idiom for Sunday). Resurrection Foundation 1. All four Gospels record Christ’s resurrection at dawn of “the first day of the week” (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). 2. Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance to the assembled disciples also occurs that same first day evening (John 20:19). 3. Exactly one week later, again on a Sunday, He appears to them with Thomas present (John 20:26). From the outset, therefore, Christ’s resurrection tied His living presence to the first day, making it natural for disciples who prized fellowship with the risen Lord to congregate that same day. Pentecost—The Spirit Given on a Sunday Leviticus 23:15-16 required counting seven complete Sabbaths after Passover and then holding the Feast of Weeks “the day after the seventh Sabbath”—always a Sunday. Acts 2 records the Spirit’s outpouring on that feast. Thus both the Son’s resurrection and the Spirit’s descent fell on the first day, further elevating it for worship. Apostolic Pattern Beyond Acts 20:7 • 1 Corinthians 16:2 directs believers, “On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of your income…,” showing routine Sunday meetings in Corinth and Galatia. • Revelation 1:10 speaks of “the Lord’s Day,” by late first century the recognized Christian designation for Sunday. • The Didache 14 (c. A.D. 50-70) instructs, “On the Lord’s own day gather and break bread.” • Ignatius (Magnesians 9, c. A.D. 110) contrasts “living according to the Lord’s Day” with keeping the old Sabbath. • Justin Martyr (Apology 67, c. A.D. 155) testifies that Christians met “on the day called Sunday” to hear Scripture and partake of the Eucharist “because Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead on that same day.” This continuous chain—Scripture, apostolic directive, and earliest extrabiblical witnesses—demonstrates that Acts 20:7 reflects a universal, not local, custom. Theological Motifs of the First Day 1. New Creation: Genesis begins with “Let there be light” on the first day. Christ, “the light of the world,” inaugurates the new creation by rising the same day. 2. Covenant Renewal: Sabbath memorialized the old creation; the Lord’s Day celebrates redemption accomplished (Hebrews 4:9-10). 3. Eschatological Foretaste: Early writers called Sunday the “eighth day,” symbolizing eternity beyond the seven-day cycle—anticipating final resurrection. Practical Considerations in the Roman World Work weeks ran Saturday evening to Friday evening. Christians, many being slaves or laborers, could only meet after the Sabbath guards released synagogue premises and when Sunday’s workday had not yet begun (hence Paul’s midnight sermon and Eutychus’ late-night drowsiness). Breaking bread after sunset Saturday counted as “the first day” by Jewish reckoning. Distinct yet Continuous with Sabbath The early church did not “move” the Sabbath; rather, it celebrated Christ on the first day while some Jewish believers still attended synagogue Sabbaths (Acts 13:14; 17:2). Over time, Gentile predominance and persecution in synagogues made the Lord’s Day the primary corporate worship time. Refutation of the “Constantine Origin” Claim Constantine’s A.D. 321 civil decree merely acknowledged an already universal Christian habit. Documentary evidence centuries earlier (Ignatius, Justin, Dionysius of Corinth) proves Sunday gathering was neither imperial invention nor later ecclesiastical novelty. Purpose of the Gathering: Word and Table Luke links preaching (λόγος) and breaking bread, mirroring Acts 2:42’s four devotionals: apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. Word and sacrament together defined Christian identity; the day best associated with Christ’s triumph became the natural context. Implications for Modern Believers Acts 20:7 is descriptive yet grounded in prescriptive realities (resurrection, Spirit’s coming, apostolic injunction, early universal practice). While Christian liberty allows worship any day, forsaking the Lord’s Day disconnects believers from an unbroken stream of biblical theology and church history that centers adoration on the risen Christ. Conclusion Early Christians gathered on the first day because the empty tomb redefined time itself. The resurrection, Pentecost, apostolic command, earliest church testimony, and theological symbolism of new creation all converge in Acts 20:7. Sunday worship is not a later accommodation but a Spirit-led, Scripture-anchored celebration of the living Lord who “was dead, and behold, [He is] alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:18). |
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