On what day of the week would the breaking of bread in Acts 20:7 have taken place? Would it be on our same calendar day in modern times?
"7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." Were these meetings for breaking bread observed any day, or on a specific day?
Acts 20:7
ESV - 7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
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Asked July 14 2014
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John Smith
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
James Kirven
This would be what we call Saturday night because God's people kept the time according to God's standards that began at the beginning of this world.
Jennifer Rothnie
It could have been Saturday night or Sunday morning, the text isn't clear enough to determine which. It only says they met on the first day of the week to break bread, it doesn't specify at what time they met. Saturday night is quite likely, given that there was a meal after the Sabbath to usher in the new week (the Havdalah). However, it could be referring to them coming together for breakfast.
I lean towards Saturday night, but there is no way to be "sure" (nor does it really matter) whether the meeting started just after sundown, or just after sunrise, or even at lunch.
James Kirven
Well you are right when you say Saturday night or Sunday morning. The scriptures let us know that the first part of a day was the evening and then the morning. When the Romans were a world power they changed the day to begin at 12 am. Gen. ch 1 is just one of many places we can see when a day began and ended. In other places we read things like 'as the day began to dawn or set towards the first day of the week'. In other words the 7th day was coming to an end when the sun was going down and the first day was beginning.
So you are totally right. We call Saturday night in our time what the bible refers to in Acts 20 v 7 as the first day of the week. In Acts 2 you can find that they met daily like this to break bread. This was no special thing. The brethren fellowshipped on the regular.
Jennifer Rothnie
However, the text only says they came together to break bread on the first day of the week (not what time). The sense of the verse is 'On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking'. [Not 'as soon as the first day started, we broke bread' or even 'the first time we met together to break bread on the first of the week'] The only specifics are that it was sometime on the first day of the week (Our Sat sundown to Sun sundown), and that they were specifically gathered in fellowship to break bread, when Paul began preaching.
I do think it's more likely that this was breaking bread on Saturday night - but there is no explicit scriptural reason to dismiss that it could have also been the first daylight breaking of bread (breakfast/Sunday daytime), or even an afternoon lunch.
In Acts 2:46 is referring to all the times the believers gathered and broke bread (for communion or sharing a meal) - not just evening suppers.
John Smith
Jennifer: This scripture does say Paul "continued the speech until midnight". This would have to put the time the speech started and ended was Saturday night our time. The 1st day ends in bible time at sunset Sunday not midnight.
The larger point here is that many Christian use this scripture as the basis for worshiping on Sunday the 1st day of the week. This is just not so and incorrect.
God Bless
James Kirven
Amen!! John Smith. I used Acts 20 v 7 for years myself until somebody explained that part of the scripture. If we wanted to be so much like the bible as we say then why don't we go to worship at midnight like they did and spend Sunday morning for other things as the example of that scripture does. Well, some parts of that people do today. That day is treated as any other day of the week in the churches today. I'm sure the NFL appreciates as well.
Jennifer Rothnie
As mentioned before, scripture does not mention an explicit 'start' time other than it was sometime on the first day of the week (Sat-sundown to Sun-sundown). So, if it was the Havdalah service Saturday night to break bread after the Sabbath, then midnight would have been that night (Sat night, Jewish Sunday), or possibly even Sunday night (Jewish Monday). However, if they came together Sunday morning to break bread, then midnight would have been after Sunday sundown at midnight, and Paul would have left Monday.
There are more details both in this discussion thread and under my answer. Basically, while a meeting beginning right after the Sabbath is likely, there is nothing in the passage that makes it 100% required that it was the Havdalah service vs. coming together later on Sunday for breakfast.
However, it is true that there is nothing in the passage showing Sunday as a common day of meeting, let alone a replacement for the Sabbath. The reason for the timing of the meeting was that Paul was leaving the next day [Which could either mean the next literal day, on the Jewish Monday, or the next daylight portion, in which case it could have been Sunday or Monday].
James Kirven
Yes but it does mention an explicit end time which means it began before the time people use this scripture to support. And according to scripture the first day of the week could not begin until sunset Saturday night. If there is no start time yet there is an end time why is this used for justification