COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 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. Acts 20:7 KJV.

The first day of the week;

This day was Sunday, which is known to us the resurrection day. The disciples including Paul after a week long revival at Troas saw the need to have communion service with Paul and his entourage before they leave the subsequent day. So, after the Sabbath worship, which is their usual custom (Luke 23: 54-56; 24: 1), they settled to meet on Sunday, the next day after the Sabbath, the first day of the week for the service. The primary objective of this meeting gathering of Believers was not to change the day of worship but to celebrate a Christian ritual or ordinance which was instituted by the Savior (Christ) himself; (Matt. 26: 17-29; Mark 14: 12-25; Luke 22: 7-23). The Lords Supper as was celebrated by all the Disciple in most of their gatherings with their fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Sabbath observance has been their custom through ages. Luke 23:56 “And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.”

The disciples never commissioned the first day (Sunday) to be the substitute of The Sabbath (Saturday) in worship. They kept the Sabbath as it was not changed by Christ and as it was instituted by God from Eden (Genesis 2: 1-3; Exodus 20: 8-11; Ezekiel 20: 20, Mark 15: 42, 43; 16: 16: 1, 2). God gave the Sabbath to His creature as a memorial of his creative power. Who are we to change what the Omnipotent God has instituted?  k

Jesus throughout his earthly ministry observed the Sabbath. Christ sometime associated the Sabbath with His redemptive work and
creative work (John 8: 58; Ex 3: 14). Mark 2:27, 28 "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath".

Luke 4:16 "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read".   
 

The Apostles whom Christ elect and ordained followed the precept of their master. As had Christ, the Apostle worshiped on the seventh - day Sabbath. Paul entered most synagogue on the Sabbath and preached Christ (Acts 13: 14; 17: 1, 2; 18: 4). Sometimes, the Gentiles even invites Him to Preach to them on the Sabbath; Acts 13: 42 - 44;  "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. The Sabbath is an ordained day for the Lord, Which He expect all to obey till eternity (Isaiah 58: 13),

To break bread;

Bread breaking, in other words the Lords Supper was instituted by the Lord Jesus (Matt. 26: 17-29; Mark 14: 12-25; Luke 22: 7-23). It was given to us to be a holy ritual or ordinance in place of the Jewish Passover in commemoration of the death and resurrection power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus with His disciple instituted this on Thursday evening in the upper room Matt. 26: 17-29. After the ascension the disciples and other followers took this Holy ritual at different setting, times, and days (I cor. 11: 24; Acts 2: 24). 

By: Otchere Benjamin Danquah.