“FOR SO HAD HE APPOINTED.”
By J. O. Corliss
With whom was this appointment made? who made it? and what was the appointment? “And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.” Acts 20:4. Here are seven persons named as Paul’s companions in travel, besides Luke, who made the record. He says that these went on to Troas, and waited there for the two great apostles, who did not leave Philippi for some days after. But when they met, and had tarried at Troas till the time came to depart, Paul felt that he must have one more meeting with the brethren to break bread, and accordingly met them on the first day of the week for that purpose. Luke gives a brief account of what transpired at the meeting, and of Paul’s departure from the place; but says, “And we [meaning himself and the seven who accompanied him] went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul; for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.” Verse 13. Then in order to gain time, Paul appointed that while he stayed over at Troas long enough to have another meeting, Luke, with the others, should take the vessel and pull round to Assos, where he would overtake them by walking across the country after meeting. Thus, at the commencement of his meeting, on what would now be Saturday evening, Luke and his companions went to the ship, and Paul remained to preach. At whatever time Paul held that meeting, he certainly could not have considered it holy time, and be consistent with his profession as an apostle of Jesus Christ; for, by his own appointment, Luke and the others used it in a secular employment. More than that, there is nothing to show that Luke had any scruples in using the time as Paul had directed. It is therefore safe to say that we have in the gospel dispensation both precept and example for secular labor on the first day of the week. But one may ask, Did they observe the seventh day at that time? We unhesitatingly answer, Yes. Luke was an apostle of Christ, and as such must have obeyed the commands of his Master. At one time he, with the other disciples, listened to a solemn admonition from the Saviour concerning the future destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and the church’s consequent flight from the country, and on that occasion Jesus commanded them to pray that they might not be obliged to flee on the Sabbath. Matt. 24:20. Day by day, then, for forty years, or until the city was destroyed, Luke, with the others, would look forward to that predicted calamity and offer earnest petitions to God that they might be spared from profaning the Sabbath. But would Luke be acting consistently to offer such a prayer daily, and yet deliberately disregard the Sabbath every week? No. Then of course the disciples kept the Sabbath, at least till after their flight from Jerusalem, which did not take place till A. D. 70. But was not the meeting at Troas after that event? No; it was at least ten years before; for at that time Paul and Luke were going to Jerusalem, and upon their arrival met James and the brethren there. Chap. 21:17, 18. The appointment made by Paul for his brethren to do secular labor on the first day of the week was therefore perfectly in keeping, not only with his profession, but with the Sabbath commandment of the decalogue, the teachings of Christ, and all the writings of the Bible; hence his example is right and proper for Christians to follow. J. O. CORLISS.