Acts 20:7 Questions & Answers
Acts 20:7 "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.
Q1: Is “upon the first day of the week” referring to Sunday evening or Sunday morning?
A: The Bible’s evening of the first day (Genesis 1:5).
God taught in the in Genesis chapter 1 that each day He created begins on an evening followed by a morning (daytime / daylight).
Genesis 1:5 “… And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
In mercy to our forgetfulness, God generously repeated “… And the evening and the morning" Genesis 1:8, 13, 19, 23, and 31, were the next day.
Q2: After Sabbath day (called Sunday evening or evening of the 1st day of a new week), why did “the disciples came together to break bread” ?
Note: The Bible’s evening of the first day of the week is the same as our Roman calendar's Saturday evening.
A: Its alright to do it on Sunday or any day of the week. We may break bread often (1 Corinthians 11:26), even daily and “from house to house” (Acts 2:46). Our Lord Jesus broke bread during the Bible’s Friday evening (i.e., Thursday evening according to our Roman calendar). But He did NOT imply that Thursday became a sacred day for weekly worship. So Sunday did NOT become a sacred day either.
Q3: Why did “Paul preached unto them” after Sabbath day?
Note: After Sabbath day comes the evening of the new week i.e., evening of the 1st day of the week.
A: Because he was “ready to depart on the morrow” or tomorrow i.e., the Bible’s Sunday morning. Also in Acts 20:11 “and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.”
Q4: Why did Paul departed on Sunday morning?
A: Sunday morning was Paul’s appropriate time (daytime) to travel or journey on foot up to Assos, and then by ship to Mitylene (Acts 20:13-14). Also, Sunday morning was Jesus’ first work day of the week. Notice that after His resurrection, He travelled -- ascended to His Father in heaven afterwards back to earth, walked to Emmaus with two disciples (Luke 24:13-35), and visited His other disciples who were hiding "for fear of the Jews" John 20:19-30.
Q5: Which day then is the New Testament's holy day?
A: God never changed His blessed and sanctified day since creation week (Genesis 2:3), and will still be, even forever (Isaiah 66:22-23).
“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Genesis 2:3
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD." Isaiah 66:22-23
"The Son of man is also Lord of the sabbath day" Mark 2:28, Luke 6:5. And John testifies “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's (sabbath) day …” Revelation 1:10.
To Jesus and to all His disciples, their Lord’s day is and as always has been -- God's seventh day Sabbath (and not Sunday).
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. “ Revelation 22:14
"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:16-17
Q1: Is “upon the first day of the week” referring to Sunday evening or Sunday morning?
A: The Bible’s evening of the first day (Genesis 1:5).
God taught in the in Genesis chapter 1 that each day He created begins on an evening followed by a morning (daytime / daylight).
Genesis 1:5 “… And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
In mercy to our forgetfulness, God generously repeated “… And the evening and the morning" Genesis 1:8, 13, 19, 23, and 31, were the next day.
Q2: After Sabbath day (called Sunday evening or evening of the 1st day of a new week), why did “the disciples came together to break bread” ?
Note: The Bible’s evening of the first day of the week is the same as our Roman calendar's Saturday evening.
A: Its alright to do it on Sunday or any day of the week. We may break bread often (1 Corinthians 11:26), even daily and “from house to house” (Acts 2:46). Our Lord Jesus broke bread during the Bible’s Friday evening (i.e., Thursday evening according to our Roman calendar). But He did NOT imply that Thursday became a sacred day for weekly worship. So Sunday did NOT become a sacred day either.
Q3: Why did “Paul preached unto them” after Sabbath day?
Note: After Sabbath day comes the evening of the new week i.e., evening of the 1st day of the week.
A: Because he was “ready to depart on the morrow” or tomorrow i.e., the Bible’s Sunday morning. Also in Acts 20:11 “and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.”
Q4: Why did Paul departed on Sunday morning?
A: Sunday morning was Paul’s appropriate time (daytime) to travel or journey on foot up to Assos, and then by ship to Mitylene (Acts 20:13-14). Also, Sunday morning was Jesus’ first work day of the week. Notice that after His resurrection, He travelled -- ascended to His Father in heaven afterwards back to earth, walked to Emmaus with two disciples (Luke 24:13-35), and visited His other disciples who were hiding "for fear of the Jews" John 20:19-30.
Q5: Which day then is the New Testament's holy day?
A: God never changed His blessed and sanctified day since creation week (Genesis 2:3), and will still be, even forever (Isaiah 66:22-23).
“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Genesis 2:3
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD." Isaiah 66:22-23
"The Son of man is also Lord of the sabbath day" Mark 2:28, Luke 6:5. And John testifies “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's (sabbath) day …” Revelation 1:10.
To Jesus and to all His disciples, their Lord’s day is and as always has been -- God's seventh day Sabbath (and not Sunday).
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. “ Revelation 22:14
"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:16-17