THE APOSTLES AND THE SABBATH.
By W. L. Iles
Meeting on the First Day.
SOME persons claim it was the custom of the disciples to meet on the first day of the week, after the resurrection of Christ, to commemorate that event. If it were true, as some claim, it would still be a fact that it is the “first day of the week,” and not the Sabbath. It was not their custom to meet on that day, or at least we have no record that it was. We have record of one meeting being held on that day, and then it is called the first day of the week, not the Sabbath. “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.” Acts 20:7. This meeting was held upon the first of the week, or first day of the week, or Sunday. The Sabbath always comes on the last of the week, and not on the first of it. How could the first day of the week become the Sabbath without divine appointment? Where is such an appointment? Does a religious meeting, held on that day, make the day the Sabbath? Those who keep the seventh day very often meet upon the first day of the week for religious services, and to “break bread.” Does that make it the Sabbath? If the disciples had met upon the second day of the week, and broken bread, would that make Monday the Sabbath? We ask the reader to consider the following facts concerning this meeting:— 1. If the day was reckoned from midnight to midnight, then they broke bread Monday morning. Paul preached until midnight, and, after healing the young man who fell out of the window, they returned to the room in the third story and broke bread. The breaking of bread was after midnight, and, if the meeting was Sunday night, the breaking of bread was Monday morning. Acts 20:7-14. 2. According to the Bible, the day begins at6even, or sunset, and lasts until the next evening at sunset. “The evening and the morning were the first day.” “From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbaths.” The Jews did not believe in healing on the Sabbath, but after the Sabbath was over, then they would bring the sick to Christ. “And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.” Mark 1:32. “And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath.” Neh. 13:19. The “first day of the week,” upon which the disciples held their meeting, began Saturday evening, and closed Sunday evening. The sun rules the day, and at the going down of the sun, one day closes and another begins. As this meeting was upon the “first day of the week,” and in the evening (for there were many lights burning), and the evening is the first part of the day, we conclude it was held upon what we now call Saturday evening. Seventh-day Adventists quite often meet upon the evening of the first day to “break bread,” but who ever thought of referring to an Adventist meeting on that day to prove that that day was the Sabbath? If the Adventists could keep the Sabbath, and yet “break bread” on the “first day of the week,” could not the early disciples do the same? He who keeps Sunday should have better authority than is found in this text. 3. This was the last meeting Paul could enjoy with this company. Acts 20:22, 38. Paul’s brethren were sailing while he was enjoying this farewell meeting with his brethren. Sunday morning Paul started on his journey afoot, expecting to meet his companions in travel at Assos, a distance of nearly twenty miles. It is therefore evident that he did not consider it a sacred and holy day. How will you consider it? Even tho he had a direct command to meet on the first day of the week, to break bread, that would not affect the fourth commandment or the observance of the Sabbath. Many Christians suppose that the church is commanded to meet on the first day of the week, and take up a collection. That thought is based on a wrong understanding of the following text:— “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Cor. 16:2. This is called “a collection for the saints.” There are many ways of taking up collections. It may be done by passing the collection box or plate to those assembled together, or by sending men from house to house to gather up the money. In the time of Paul the churches donated means to support the needy poor in the church. “Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.” Gal. 2:10. Again he says: “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.” Rom. 15:25, 26. We now inquire, How was this contribution money gathered together, and how did it get to the saints at Jerusalem? Here is the reply: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.” How can any one “lay by him in store” by putting it in the collection box? In putting it in the collection box, instead of laying by himself, he has given it to another. He does not have it by himself in store. If he should take from his means a certain portion each week, and lay it by itself, “by him” in his own home, and not at the church, he would be fulfilling the text. Again the apostle exhorts them:— “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, Ye may be ready; lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of covetousness.” 2 Cor. 9:1-5. Paul had boasted of Achaia for their liberality, and in their forwardness in supplying means for the poor saints. He had told the brethren of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a year ago. Paul expected soon to make a trip through Achaia, and he did not know but some of the brethren of Macedonia would go with him. Lest Paul’s boasting should be in vain, and he be ashamed, he sent some brethren before him to make up their bounty. If the brethren of Achaia had met every Sunday and had passed the collection box, and the money was in the hands of the treasurer, why did Paul need to fear lest the bounty might not be ready? How could it be possible for Paul to come and “find them unprepared” if from week to week they had been putting it in the collection box? How could the brethren “make up” the bounty, if they had been making it up every Sunday by putting it in the collection box? If the brethren had obeyed Paul, and laid by itself that which they could give to the poor, it would be but a natural thing to have the brethren make up the bounty. When the bounty was made up, it was then taken to Jerusalem. “And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.” 1 Cor. 16:3. If Sunday has no stronger foundation for its divine appointment than the unwarranted inferences drawn from such texts as Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor. 16:2, it certainly is built upon the sinking sand. W. L. ILES.