Olive Tree Image

Olive Tree Image
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction,
upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NASB95)

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Breaking bread on Sunday?

Breaking bread on Sunday?

Q. It says in Acts 20.7 that Paul and the disciples came to break bread on the first day of the week, which my KJV Study Bible says is a Sunday. In fact, the Study Bible says the New Testament churches had their primary services on Sunday. But, in the very next sentence the notes say that Paul "consistently" preached on the Jewish Sabbath "because that was the day the Jews would gather in the synagogues." So which is it, Saturday or Sunday? This is very confusing to a young believer. A .This is another verse that has been mishandled by people who do not know the Scriptures and they twist the meaning to fit their false doctrines. When you look up "first day of the week" in Greek it means literally "on one of the Sabbaths." Paul was meeting with these believers on a Sabbath day, so that rules out the false premise that this was a Sunday. It was a Saturday and he was having a Sabbath meal with them, which was very customary. It says he was talking with them and planned on leaving the next day, which was a Sunday. It doesn't say he was planning on having a "church" service, so that can be ruled out. He was leaving them on a Sunday, not having church. But, as he was teaching them he kept going till midnight Saturday night. In v 8 it says "there were many candles (or lamps) in the room. This was a Havdalah service. Havdalah means "separation" and it separates the Sabbath from the rest of the week.

This ceremony is 2500 years old and is seen being done in our passage, and this was done on a Sabbath as the sun set, ending the Sabbath. There are certain prayers said and a large candle is extinguished in wine, spices are passed around and the aroma fills the room. As the large lapidot candle is extinguished, smaller candles are lit by those present and that is why Acts 20.8 it says there were many candles, or lamps, in the room. This service is very symbolic of the Messiah and anyone who follows the Torah knows exactly what is going on. Far from being evidence of a "Sunday" service, it is proof that they were keeping the Sabbath and ending it in a very customary fashion.

You said your KJV Study Bible notes said that Paul preached on the "Jewish" Sabbath, but there is no such thing as a Jewish Sabbath. It is G-d's Sabbath, His day and that's why they call it "the L-rd's day." The Jews didn't come up with these laws, G-d did and they are His laws and His commandments (Lev 23.1-4, ISA 58.13). Paul went to the synagogues because that is where he was supposed to be on the Sabbath, and that is where believers in Yeshua were sent, including Gentiles, to hear Moses
(Torah) being taught (Acts 15.19-21). This verse, when understood, is just another one that shows that the believers of the 1st century continued to keep the Sabbath and this was not a Sunday service. The doctrine that Sunday is now the L-rd's day and the Sabbath was created by man, and any reasonable research on the subject will tell you that. You can't change a commandment of G-d, but apostate Christianity did and that lie has been perpetuated through the centuries. But once you know the L-rd and His Word, these false doctrines can easily be spotted and refuted. So, in conclusion, Acts 20.7-8 is a Sabbath day and Paul was teaching, he shared a Sabbath meal with his friends and had a traditional Havdalah service before departing sometime early Sunday morning after teaching past midnight.

1 comment:

  1. So, where in Torah does God say to leave the "O" out of his name and put a dash in?

    ReplyDelete