First Day of the Week
Concerning the time and frequency of these early Christian meetings, Paul has little to say. He does request that contributions for the Jerusalem collection be set aside “upon the first day of the week” (I Corinthians 16:2). But this refers to an individual rather than communal action, as the words “lay by him in store” indicate, so may not allude to a weekly gathering. This expression, “upon the first day of the week,” recurs in Luke’s account of Paul’s final meeting with the Christians in Troas (when all were “come together to break bread” (Acts20:7)). But we cannot tell for certain whether the church regularly met on that day, or had chosen it because of Paul’s departure the following morning …
The Lucan passage describes a night meeting – understandable enough in view of the obligation upon most people to work during the day. Which evening is in view then, the Saturday or the Sunday? It is generally assumed that Luke had in mind the latter. But it is just possible that it was on the Saturday night that the Christians in Troas gathered together, the “first day of the week” having begun at sunset.
Robert Banks
Paul’s Idea of Community, pages 40‑41
Tags: Body of Christ, Church, Ecclesia, Outside the Camp
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