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Signs of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 30.

THE CONFLICT ENDED

Signs of the Times

Aug 8, 1878

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 8, 1878

THE CONFLICT ENDED.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

WHEN Christ cried out, "It is finished," all Heaven triumphed. The controversy between Christ and Satan in regard to the execution of the plan of salvation was now ended. For Satan to have come into power would have been death to the world. The implacable hatred he felt toward the Son of God was revealed in his manner of treating him while he was in the world. Christ's betrayal, trial, and crucifixion were all planned by the fallen foe. His hatred, carried out in the death of the Son of God, placed Satan where his true diabolical character was revealed to all created intelligences that had not fallen through sin.
The holy angels were horror stricken that one who had been of their number could fall so far as to be capable of such cruelty. Every sentiment of sympathy or pity which they had ever felt for Satan in his exile, was quenched in their hearts. That his envy should be exercised in such a revenge upon an innocent person was enough to strip him of his assumed robe of celestial light, and to reveal the hideous deformity beneath; but to manifest such malignity toward the divine Son of God, who had, with unprecedented self-denial, and love for the creatures formed in his image, come from heaven and assumed their fallen nature, was such a heinous crime against Heaven that it caused the angels to shudder with horror, and severed forever the last tie of sympathy existing between Satan and the heavenly world. Satan had put forth extraordinary efforts against Jesus from the time he appeared as a babe in Bethlehem. He had sought in every possible manner to prevent him from developing a perfect childhood, a faultless manhood, a holy ministry, and an infinite sacrifice in yielding up his life without a murmur for the sins of men. But Satan had been unable to discourage him, or to drive him from the work he had come on earth to do. The storm of Satan's wrath beat upon him from the desert to Calvary; but the more mercilessly it fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of his Father, and press on in the bloodstained path before him. All the efforts of Satan to oppress and overwhelm him, only brought out in a purer light the spotless character of Christ.
In the controversy between Christ and Satan, the character of God was now fully vindicated in his act of banishing from heaven the fallen angel, who had once been exalted next to Christ. All heaven, and the worlds that had not fallen through sin, had been witnesses to the controversy between Christ and Satan. With what intense interest had they followed the closing scenes of the conflict! They had beheld the Saviour enter the garden of Gethsemane, his soul bowed down by a horror of darkness that he had never before experienced. An overmastering agony had wrenched from his lips the bitter cry for that cup, if possible, to pass from him. A terrible amazement, as he felt his Father's presence withdrawn from him, had filled his divine spirit with a shuddering dread. He was sorrowful, with a bitterness of sorrow exceeding that of the last great struggle with death; the sweat of blood was forced from his pores, and fell in drops upon the ground. Thrice the same prayer for deliverance had been wrung from his lips. Heaven had been unable to longer endure the sight, and had sent a messenger of consolation to the prostrate Son of God, fainting and dying under the accumulated guilt of the world.
Heaven had beheld the victim betrayed and hurried from one earthly tribunal to another with mockery and violence. It had heard the sneers of their persecutors because of his lowly birth, and his denial with cursing and swearing by one of his best loved disciples. It had seen the frenzied work of Satan, and his power over the hearts of men. Oh, fearful scene! the Saviour seized at midnight in Gethsemane as a murderer, dragged to and fro from palace to judgment hall, arraigned twice before the priests, twice before the Sanhedrim, twice before Pilate, and once before Herod, mocked, scourged, and condemned, led out to be crucified, bearing the heavy burden of the cross amid the wailing of the daughters of Jerusalem and the jeering of the crowd!
Heaven had viewed with grief and amazement Christ hanging upon the cross, blood flowing from his wounded temples, and sweat tinged with blood standing upon his brow. From his hands and feet the blood had fallen, drop by drop, upon the rock drilled for the foot of the cross. The wounds made by the nails had gaped as the weight of his body dragged upon his hands. His labored breath had grown quick and deep, as his soul panted under the burden of the sins of the world. All Heaven had been filled with admiration when the prayer of Christ was offered in the midst of his terrible suffering—"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Yet there stood men, formed in the image of God, joining with Satan to crush out the last spark of life from the heart of the Son of God.
In Christ was the embodiment of God himself. The plan and execution of man's salvation is a demonstration of divine wisdom and power mysterious to finite minds. The unfathomable love of God for the human race, in giving his Son to die for them, was made manifest. Christ was revealed in all his self-sacrificing love and purity; man could now obtain immortal life through his merits. When the justice of God was expressed in judicial sentence, declaring the final disposition of Satan, that he should be utterly consumed with all those who ranked under his banner, all heaven rang with hallelujahs, and "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to have all authority and power, and dominion, and glory."
When we dwell upon the justice of God, we look upon only one side of his character; for in his greatness and might he has condescended to our feebleness in sending his Son to the world that man may not perish. In the cross we may read his tender mercy and forgiveness, harmoniously combined with his stern, unwavering justice. The severity of God is felt when we are separated from him; but when we repent of our sins, and make our peace with him through the virtue of the cross, we find him a merciful Father, reconciled to men through his Son.
The body of Jesus was hastily placed in the tomb because of the near approach of the Sabbath, that the disciples might keep the day according to the commandment. The two Marys were the last at the sepulcher. This was a never-to-be-forgotten Sabbath to the sorrowing disciples, and also to the priests, rulers, scribes, and people. The passover was observed as it had been for centuries, while the antitypical Lamb, which it prefigured, had been slain by wicked hands, and lay in Joseph's tomb. Crowds of worshipers filled the courts of the temple and presented their morning and evening sacrifices as heretofore. Many minds were busy with thoughts started by the scenes of Calvary. Many sleepless eyes, from the crucifixion to the resurrection, were constantly searching the prophecies; some to learn the full meaning of the feast they were then celebrating; some to find evidence that Jesus was not what he claimed to be; and others, with disappointed hopes and sorrowful hearts searched for convincing proof that he was the Messiah. Though searching with different objects in view, they were all convicted of the same truth—that prophecy had been fulfilled in the events of the past few days, and that the crucified one was indeed the world's Redeemer.
The priests who ministered before the altar had gloomy presentiments as they looked upon the vail, rent by unseen hands from top to bottom, and which there had not been time to replace or to fully repair. The uncovering of the sacred mysteries of the most holy place brought to them a shuddering dread of coming calamity. Many of the officiating priests were deeply convicted of the true character of Jesus; their searching of the prophecies had not been in vain, and after he was raised from the dead they acknowledged him as the Son of God.
The faith of the disciples was clouded with doubt. They were too thoroughly perplexed and uncertain to recall the words of Jesus, warning them beforehand of the things which would take place. They were indeed as sheep scattered without a shepherd. But they had never loved their Lord as now. They had never felt his worth and their need of him as when they were deprived of his society.
Nicodemus, when he saw Jesus lifted upon the cross, remembered his words in that private interview at night in the mountains. On that Sabbath, while Christ lay silent in the grave, he had a favorable opportunity for reflection. A clearer light now illuminated his mind and the words which Jesus had addressed to him were no longer mysterious. He felt that he had lost much by not connecting himself with Jesus while he was upon earth. When the Saviour was lifted upon the cross, Nicodemus remembered that he had told him that the Son of man should be lifted up as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness. The prayer of Christ for his murderers, and his answer to the petition of the dying thief while he himself was suffering the excruciating tortures of a death upon the cross, spoke with powerful distinctness to the heart of the learned councilor. And that last cry: "It is finished," spoken like the words of a conqueror, together with the reeling earth, the darkened heavens, the rent vail, the shivered rocks, forever settled the faith of Nicodemus.
Joseph had believed on Jesus, though he had kept silent. Now all the fears of both these men were overcome by the courage of a firm and unwavering faith. During that memorable passover the scenes of the crucifixion were the theme of thought, and the topic of conversation. Hundreds had brought with them to the passover their afflicted relatives and friends, expecting to see Jesus and prevail upon him to heal and save them. Great was their disappointment to find that he was not at the feast; and when they were told that he had been executed as a criminal, their indignation and grief knew no bounds. No hope of their ever meeting him again, of hearing his words of reproof and warning, of comfort and hope in the streets of Jerusalem, by the lake, in the synagogues, and in the groves.
The events of his death were recounted to these strangers by two parties. Those who helped put him to death made their false statements; and those who loved him, those whom he had healed and comforted, related the terrible truth, together with their own experience, and the wonders he had done for them. The sufferers who had come with the expectation of being healed by the Saviour sank under their disappointment. The streets and the temple courts were filled with mourning. The sick were dying for want of the healing touch of Jesus of Nazareth. Physicians were consulted in vain; there was no skill like that of Him who lay in state in Joseph's tomb. The afflicted, who had long looked forward to this time as their only hope of relief, asked in vain for the Healer they had sought.
Many whose voices had swelled the cry of "Crucify him, Crucify him!" now realized the calamity that had fallen upon them, and would have as eagerly cried, "Give us Jesus!" had he still been alive. The mourning cries of the sick and dying, who now had no one to save them, brought home the truth to thousands of minds that a great light had gone out of the world. The death of Jesus left a blank which could not be supplied. The priests and rulers were ill at ease; they heard the people calling for Jesus of Nazareth, and they avoided them as much as possible.
Upon this occasion those who were suspected of being attacked by the leprosy were examined by the priests. Many were forced to hear their husbands, wives, or children pronounced unclean, and doomed to go forth from the shelter of their homes and the care of their friends, and to warn off the stranger with the mournful cry, "Unclean, unclean!" The friendly hands of Jesus of Nazareth, that never refused to touch with healing the loathsome leper, were folded silently upon his breast, bearing the marks of the cruel nails. Those lips, that had answered his petition of relief with the comforting words: "I will; be thou clean," were silent now in death. Men never knew how much Christ was to the world, till his light was quenched in the darkness of the tomb. They heard the sufferers helplessly calling for Jesus until their voices were lost in death.
The revenge which the priests thought would be so sweet had already become bitterness to them. They knew that they were meeting the severe censure of the people; they knew that the very persons whom they had influenced against Jesus were now horrified by their own shameful work. As they witnessed all these proofs of the divine influence of Jesus, they were more afraid of his dead body in the tomb than they had been of him when living and among them. The possibility of his coming forth from the sepulcher filled their guilty souls with indescribable terror. They felt that Jesus might at any time stand before them, the accused to become the accuser, the condemned to in turn condemn, the slain to demand justice in the death of his murderers.

For Me.

By J. S.

THE blessed one hath looked on me, And, though my sight is very dim, I feel within the "hidden life" That makes me look in love to Him. I look—and oh, what do I see? His hands, His feet, are pierced! for me!
He did no sin—and yet He dies! A cursed death upon the cross; His "precious blood" is trickling down, Compared with which the world is dross! I look—and oh, what do I see? That blood is flowing down! for me!
I gaze upon the scene with awe, And wonder—why the need of this? A voice replies, "The broken law! Thus only man can taste of bliss!" I look—and oh, what do I see? The Christ who lived—now dies! for me!
The soldiers come and pierce His side, And blood and water freely flow; His death is proved—they take Him down— And now . . . unto the grave they go! I look—and oh, what do I see? He lies in that dark tomb! for me!
A guard is set, that none may come And steal that precious corpse away. I wait! He bursts the prison-house; He rises on the appointed day! I look—and oh, what do I see? The Saviour lives again! for me!
Angels attend the sacred spot, And when disciples come, they say, "Seek ye the living 'mongst the dead? He is not here! 'tis the third day!" I look—and oh, what do I see? He lived, He died, He rose! for me!
I follow Him where'er He goes, Until to Bethany I'm led. He rises! Heaven is open now To that "same Jesus" that was dead! I look and oh— what do I see? The heavens receive the Christ, for me!
But what glad sounds rejoice my ear, As the disciples in amaze Stand rooted to the spot, and all With up-turned eyes in wonder gaze? I look—and oh, what do I see? Angelic ones draw near—for me!
They tell his waiting ones that now To linger there will be in vain, But for their comfort they declare In glory He will come again! I look—and oh, what do I see? The Lamb in heaven now pleads for me!
—J. S.

VINDICATION OF THE TRUE SABBATH.

By J. W. Morton

Divine Appointment of the Seventh Day.

BY J. W. MORTON.
[In the following able treatise on the divine appointment of the Sabbath of the Bible; the writer makes use of an argument or two which we might not employ. Yet we can commend it to the readers of the Signs, especially to those who have been, and still are, misinformed in regard to a very plain, important, and ancient institution of Jehovah. This brief discussion of a small, but intensely interesting, portion of the Sabbath controversy, is designed especially for the perusal of those Christians, styled orthodox, who do not keep holy the seventh day of the week.]

CHAPTER IV.

Fourth Reason.

My fourth reason for believing this proposition is, That God has never blessed and sanctified any day of the week but the seventh.
In sustaining this reason, as I occupy negative ground, I shall simply defend it against your usual Scripture arguments in defense of your favorite doctrine, that God blessed and sanctified the first day of the week, in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ.
In arguing this doctrine you do not pretend to offer positive, but only inferential, proof. You quote certain texts, and say, Hence we infer that the first day of the week is the Sabbath. Now, as there are many possible and even plausible inferences that are not necessarily true, I intend to be governed in the examination of your Scripture proofs by the following rule of interpretation:—
"The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture.
Brethren, I intend, with God's help, to show that according to the above rule, which you admit to be correct, all your inferences in favor of a first-day Sabbath are unnecessary, and some of them wholly inadmissible.
YOUR FIRST PROOF.
Heb. 4:9, 10: "There remaineth, therefore, a rest [sabbatism] to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."
Your premises consist of four assertions, First, That the rest, or sabbatism, that remaineth is something different from the ancient Sabbath. Secondly, That the person who "hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his," is the Lord Jesus Christ. These two assertions I most cheerfully admit. Thirdly, That Christ entered into his rest on the day of his resurrection. Fourthly, That the sabbatism of God's people is enjoyed in this life. These last two assertions I utterly deny.
Your inference is, that the first day of every week, that being the day of the week on which Christ arose, is the sabbatism of God's people. Of course, if I prove that the last two assertions are false, your inference will be shown to be inadmissible.
I assert then,
1. That Christ did not "enter into his rest" on the day of his resurrection, for the following reasons: (1) Because the Scriptures do not say so. (2) Because this earth is not the place of his rest. He was to the last day he spent here, "a pilgrim and a stranger in the earth," and had not therein "where to lay his head." But his resurrection took place on earth, and he continued on earth for "forty days" afterward. (3) Because the Scriptures plainly teach that the Mediator did "enter into his rest" when he "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Heb. 1:3. "Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength." Ps. 132:8. This was the prayer of David and the congregation of Israel when they removed the ark from the house of Obededom to the place that "David had pitched for it." When Solomon and the elders of Israel brought up the ark from the city of David and placed it in the holy of holies, in the temple "made with hands," they prayed in like manner, "Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength." 2 Chron. 6:41. Now the ark was a type of Christ, while "heaven itself" is the true "holy of holies," "whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec." Heb. 6:20. If, then, the ark entered into its rest when it was placed in the holy of holies, Jesus Christ, the antitypical ark, entered into his rest when he sat down on the right hand of God, in the antitypical holy of holies. (4) Because the apostle's great design, in this epistle, was to convince the church, and especially the Hebrews, that Christ, having "by himself purged our sins," as they all admitted he had done, "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (chap. 1:3), as our ever-living Intercessor. Yes; the "one idea" that runs through the whole epistle is, to illustrate and magnify the doctrine of the glorious intercession of Christ the Mediator, who, "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God." Do you ask proof? Take, then, the apostle's own assertion (chap. 8:1): "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." All that is said in the third and fourth chapters about the rest of Christ, and the sabbatism of the people of God, is included in this summary; so that it is to Christ's eternal rest in the heavens that the verses under consideration refer. Indeed, we have evidence of this fact satis-
factory enough in the immediate context—Chap. 3:1: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus,"—compared with chap. 4:14: "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." (5) Because there is not in this epistle one solitary reference to the resurrection of Christ, except in the concluding benediction; but it abounds in references to his ascension and intercession.
2. If I have reasoned correctly above, your assertion that the sabbatism of God's people is enjoyed in this life scarcely needs refutation. As Christ entered into his rest when he received the crown of glory from the Father; so believers shall enter into his rest, when they "shall be glorified with him." Moreover, as Christ did not enter into his rest on the first day of the week, your inference that that day is the Sabbath is not only unnecessary, but wholly inadmissible.
But bear in mind also, brethren, that if Christ did not enter into his rest on the first day of the week, then your great philosophical argument for the first-day Sabbath, founded upon the fact that the work of redemption is greater than that of creation, vanishes at once into smoke, or, at least, becomes useless for your purposes.
YOUR SECOND PROOF.
Ps. 118:22, 24: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
Acts 4:10, 11: "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."
You premise that "the day which the Lord hath made" is the day of the resurrection of Christ. Whence you infer that the first day of the week is the Sabbath.
1. If what you premise were true, the inference would not follow. The prophet does not say, We will rejoice and be glad in the same day of every week; but, We will be glad and rejoice in it, that is, in that day, whatever it may be. Now, Christ did not rise on the first day of every week, but on one single day; and we may very well rejoice and be glad in that one day without keeping any Sabbath in connection with it. Abraham rejoiced and was glad in the day of Christ; but he kept no Sabbath in honor of it. So, doubtless, you rejoice and are glad in the day of his crucifixion, though you do not celebrate it on any particular day of the week. But,
2. You are evidently mistaken in referring this language of the psalmist to the resurrection of Christ, for the following reasons:—
First. Because "the day which the Lord hath made" is the same in which Christ went in by the gates of righteousness. Ps. 118:19, 20. "Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and will praise the Lord: this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter." Now, though Christ did come up from "the gates of death" on the day of his resurrection, he did not formally "enter" by "the gates of righteousness," till that day when he ascended from Mount Olivet, which was not the first day of the week. His Almighty power and eternal sonship were declared most gloriously on the day of his resurrection; but it was on the day of his ascension that his mediatorial righteousness was formally approved by the Father; while it was visibly manifested, in the presence of the universe, that the door of Heaven had been opened to all true believers. Then shouted the seraphim, and all the host of heaven, while the door-posts of the New Jerusalem trembled at the voice, "Arise, O Jehovah, into thy rest, thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy!" Therefore this is not the day of Christ's resurrection, but that of his ascension.
Secondly. Because "the day which the Lord hath made" is the same in which "the stone which the builders refused" became "the head stone of the corner" (verse 22). Christ did not become "the head of the corner" till he "sat down on the right hand of God." You assert that he did, and refer to Acts 4:10, 11, quoted above, as proof. From what the apostle there sets forth, you draw the inference that, as he was set at naught by the builders when he was crucified, so he became the head of the corner when God raised him from the dead. The apostle does not say, however, that this took place on the same day that he rose from the dead; and all that we must necessarily infer from what he does say, is that he became the head of the corner after his resurrection, which is cheerfully admitted. But whether it was on the same day, or two, or ten, or forty days after, the apostle saith not. Still your inference would be entirely natural and proper if it were not contrary to the analogy of faith and to the teachings of the same Spirit in other parts of the Scriptures.
I suppose it will be admitted that when Christ became the head of the corner, he became "the head over all things to the church," and that then "all things were put under his feet." Now the apostle clearly teaches that these things took place when he sat down on the right hand of God, as appears from the following texts:—
Eph. 1:20-22: "Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead [or, having raised him from the dead], and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church."
Heb. 2:8, 9: "But now we see not yet all things put under him [man]; but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor." Observe that the apostle's great object in this epistle is to show that Christ is in Heaven, forever interceding for the church.
Now, is it not manifest from these texts that Christ became the head of the corner when he ascended to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God? Nor is there anything in Acts 4:10, 11, that contradicts this idea.
Brethren, the glorious building of grace has its foundation, not on earth, where we are pilgrims and strangers, but in heaven, where Jesus, the corner stone "elect and precious," sitteth at the right hand of God, and is constantly occupied in gathering from afar the "lively stones" of the glorious edifice. Blessed forever be his holy name!
YOUR THIRD PROOF.
John 20:10, 26: "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you." See also Luke 24:26.
You premise that the disciples, on the two days referred to above, one of which certainly was, and the other might have been, the first day of the week, had met together for public or social worship, when Christ appeared to them. Whence you infer that the first day of the week is the Sabbath.
Now what you premise seems to be mere assumption, for which there is not a shadow of proof, either in text or context. No one of the evangelists says that they met for worship, nor did they worship, so far as we know, when they met together. In regard to the first of those occasions, we are told that they were "assembled for fear of the Jews;" and, as to the second, we are simply informed that they "were within," which means, probably, that they were at home; for Luke tells us that on the day of the ascension the eleven "abode" in an upper room. Acts 1:13.
Again, your inference is not necessary; for the matter may be explained thus: On the day of the resurrection, the eleven, having procured a common lodging room, "assembled for fear of the Jews," and Christ appeared to them before the close of the same day, in order that they, who were to be witnesses of the resurrection, might have ocular demonstration of the fact that he rose "according to the Scriptures." On the other occasion, "after eight days," he met them "as they sat at meat" (Mark 16:14), probably because Thomas, who had not seen him since his resurrection, was then with them.
These reasons are surely sufficient to account for his appearing on those occasions. But why demand reasons at all? Had he not a right to meet his disciples on any day of the week he chose, without telling us why? Can you tell us why he appeared to the brethren when they were fishing? Christ has done many things for which the only reason we can give is that it seemed good to him.
YOUR FOURTH PROOF.
Acts 2:1: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."
Your premises are, 1. That the feast of Pentecost fell that year on the first day of the week. 2. That the disciples were, for that reason, "with one accord in one place." Whence you infer that the first day of the week is the Sabbath. I reply:—
Whether the feast of Pentecost fell that year on the first day of the week, or not, the disciples did not meet to keep the Sabbath, but to celebrate Pentecost. They would have been, in like manner, "with one accord in one place," if it had been the fourth day of the week, because it was the day of Pentecost. Therefore your inference is not only unnecessary, but wholly inadmissible.
YOUR FIFTH PROOF.
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."
You premise that the disciples came together in this instance to celebrate the Lord's supper, and to hear the word. Whence you infer that the first day of the week is the Sabbath.
What you premise is very uncertain; for,
1. There is no evidence that they met to hear the word. The object of the meeting was "to break bread;" and the preaching of Paul seems to have been incidental, and not by appointment.
2. It is not certain that "to break bread" means to partake of the Lord's supper. The Greek word translated to break, is used very often in the New Testament in reference to ordinary meals. An instance occurs in Luke 24:35: "And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them, in breaking of bread."
But if what you assert were true, your inference would not be necessary; for,
1. It is entirely proper, for aught we know to the contrary, to celebrate the Lord's supper and hear preaching on any day of the week.
2. Perhaps this meeting was held at that particular time because the apostle and his company were "ready to depart on the morrow." It was probably a farewell meeting, as many learned men think, and the text itself seems to hint.
3. There is not one word said in the text about Sabbath-keeping; nor is there the least intimation, either in the text or context, that the disciples were accustomed to meet on the first day of the week for any purpose whatever.
But you say, Paul waited there seven days, and we have no account of his preaching till the last night of his stay, which was the first of the week. We reply, This is no evidence that he did not preach during the six other days. Luke tells us, in this same chapter, verses 2, 3, that "he came into Greece, and there abode three months;" and he does not say that he preached once during that time. But a small part, indeed, of the doings of the apostle is recorded.
It is a remarkable fact that this text, which is the only one in the New Testament that speaks of public religious exercises on the first day of the week, is, at the same time, the only one in the Bible that directly proves that this day is not the Sabbath. I have already proposed to give up the argument in favor of the seventh day, if you produce one apostolic example of unnecessary labor performed therein. Will you give up your argument for the first day on the same condition? I believe this verse furnishes such an example.
The text proves nothing for you, if Paul's sermon and the breaking of bread were not on the first day. The sermon was preached between evening and midnight, and the bread was broken between midnight and break of day, and then Paul set out on his journey. According to the Roman method of computing time, the breaking of bread, at least, was in the morning of the same day in which Paul traveled from Troas to Assos, and thence to Mitylene; and according to the Jewish method, the sermon, the breaking of bread, and the journey from Troas to Mitylene were all within the compass of the same "first day of the week." That Luke should follow the unnatural Roman method, is so unlikely as hardly to be supposable. Now, if Paul traveled unnecessarily from Troas to Mitylene, as it seems he did, on the first day of the week, surely that day was not then the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. This text, therefore, proves positively that the first day is not the Sabbath, on which account it is of no little value in this controversy.
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