22. The First Day of the Week – Proclamation! Online Magazine

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread

A study on the topic of the Sabbath would not be complete without an examination of the New Testament “first day” and “Lord’s day” references. Most Christian groups worship on Sunday but their reasons for doing so vary widely. Some believe the sacredness of the old covenant seventh-day Sabbath was transferred over to Sunday in the new covenant and they keep Sunday holy (some call it Sabbath) by not working on this day. Others worship on Sunday “in honor of the Lord’s resurrection,” and make no attempt to “keep” the day. They feel perfectly free to return home from church and go to work, or to engage in other activities which would be forbidden by old covenant Sabbath law. I hope the findings of this chapter, when integrated with the other material in this book, will give the worshipping Christian greater insight regarding the day of worship.

We will examine every first-day text in the New Testament to discover what is taught or not taught regarding the first day of the week.

Resurrection Day, First-day References

Now late on the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave (Mt. 28:1).

And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen (Mk. 16:1,2).

Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb (Lk. 23:55−24:2).

From these three passages several facts emerge. (1) Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week. (2) The women who followed Jesus felt it more important to keep the Sabbath “according to the commandment” than to anoint the body of Jesus. (3) There was no mix-up in days at the time of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

First-day Appearances of the Resurrected Lord

Scripture records seven appearances of the resurrected Lord. Five of these occurred on the first day of the week. In the other two accounts, by the sea of Tiberius (Jn. 21) and the ascension (Acts 1:6–10), there is no record of what day it was. Jesus appeared on the first day of the week to:

Mary, the morning of the resurrection

(Mt. 28:8−10; Mk. 16:9; Jn. 20:11−18)

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary…departed from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples and behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me” (Mt. 28:8−10).

The two disciples on their way to Emmaus

(Lk. 24:13−33; Mk. 16:12,13)

In this account Cleopas and an unnamed disciple were traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

Jesus himself approached, and began traveling with them… And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!”…And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures…And it came about that when He had reclined at table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight…(Lk. 24:15−31).

The First Day of the Week 279

Simon

(Lk. 24:34)

The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon.

The disciples on the evening of resurrection Sunday

(Mk. 16:14−18; Lk. 24:36−44; Jn. 20:19−23)

When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you, as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained” (Jn. 20:19−23).

To the eleven “eight days later”

(Jn. 20:26–29)

And after eight days [a week latersee margin] again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Summary of first-day appearances

Several things should be mentioned from these records of first-day appearances. First, there are no planned “first day of the week” meetings, as if Christ had told His disciples before His death to meet on the first day of the week. Rather, the disciples were taken by surprise. They were apparently afraid for their own lives and were hiding behind locked doors “for fear of the Jews.”

Second, while the events which happened on this day seem not to have been planned by the disciples, that in no way diminishes the importance of what did transpire in the sovereign will of God.

When a day is mentioned in connection with Christ’s post resurrection meetings, it is always on the first day of the week. There is no record that the risen Christ ever met with His disciples on Sabbath.

We should also remember that the gospel accounts as well as the book of Acts, were written years after the events described therein. The fact that the first day of the week is mentioned repeatedly indicates that some significance was given to that day in New Testament times.

On Sunday morning Mary “worshipped Him.”
On Sunday evening Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it andbegan to give it to the disciples in Emmaus. It is of importance to note that these two disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Only a few days earlier He had broken bread, given it to His disciples and said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk. 22:19). When they did recognize Jesus, He suddenly vanished from their sight.
Sunday night Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” two times.
Sunday evening Jesus commissioned His disciples by saying,“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
On the evening of the first day of the week Jesus breathed onHis disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Sunday evening Jesus gave His disciples the authority to proclaim forgiveness to those who believe in Him. The meeting on the Sunday evening a week after the resur- rection is of interest on two accounts. First, why were the disciples meeting on Sunday evening? This question, for our purposes, has only two possible answers. If the disciples were purposely meeting on the first day of the week it would show that some significance was given to this day. On the other hand, they may have been meeting together on many evenings or even living together and it just happened to be on this evening that Jesus appeared to them. If the former is correct then it appears that the disciples were giving some significance to the first day of the week. However, if the latter is the case, then Jesus is theone who chooses to reveal Himself on the first day of the week.
In either case, some significance must be given to the fact that Jesus appeared to the disciples “eight days later”—a commonly accepted term for “next week.”¹
It was on this occasion that Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!”
When a day is mentioned in connection with the appearances of the risen Lord it is always the first day of the week.

Pentecost

While there is no mention of the first day of the week in the record of the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2, the fact that Pentecost fell that year on the first day of the week is well attested.² John 19:31 states that the day Jesus was in the grave was a “high day.” This term was used when the annual sabbath of the Passover and the weekly Sabbath came together. If we accept this, then fifty days later would bring us to the first day of the week. Again, very significant events happened on this day, but the fact that the first day of the week is not mentioned in connection with these events may mean little significance should be given to the fact that Pentecost fell on Sunday. In other words, the importance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit eclipsed the day upon which it was given. We would expect this under the new covenant, where reality takes precedence over form.

Acts 20:6–12

And we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days. And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. And there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a certain young man named Eutychus sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon him and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” And when he had gone back up, and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

This is a very complex section, as we will soon see. If Luke is using Jewish time this evening meeting was on Saturday night. In Jewish reckoning the new day always started at sundown. However, this was a gentile Christian church which probably used Roman time. Nevertheless, Luke says this meeting took place on the first day of the week. The fact that there were “many lamps in the upper room” where they were gathered (Acts 20:8) is evidence that this evening meeting was not a holdover meeting from a Sabbath morning service as some have argued. The many lamps show that the people came prepared for the evening service. The weight of evidence is that this was a Sunday evening meeting, probably the regular meeting time for the Christians in Troas.³

Luke states they “were gathered together to break bread,” indicating this was the purpose of their meeting together. Some have argued this was a specially called meeting as Paul was “intending to depart the next day.” Paul could have left Troas earlier and gone by ship but he chose to wait and then walk some thirty miles to Assos. Why did he wait? The most probable reason was that Paul wanted to address the Christian believers in Troas before he left and he waited until their regular meeting time to do so.

The term “break bread” should not be confused with the Jewish expression “to eat bread.” The latter is a common Jewish term for a regular meal. To “break bread,” however, is commonly associated with the Lord’s Supper in the early church.⁴

And having taken some bread, when He had given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk. 22:19).

And it came about that when He had reclined at table with them, He took bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight (Lk. 24:30,31).

And they began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread (Lk. 24:35).

And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart (Acts 2:46).

There are several other things we should note regarding the last verse (Acts 2:46) above. First, it is clear that the early Christians continued, at least for some time, to worship in the temple. We should also recognize that the Jews would not have allowed the Christians to practice the Lord’s Supper in the Jewish temple or synagogue. This necessitated their meeting “from house to house” in order to practice the Lord’s Supper. Second, the fact that this breaking of bread was said to be a daily occurrence does not mean every home was visited on a daily basis. Third, the Lord’s Supper was often taken at a fellowship meal. The fact that Luke records they were “breaking bread from house to house” and “taking their meals together,” would make him redundant if he were not speaking of two different things: communion and a fellowship meal. Therefore, the evidence is weighted heavily in favor of interpreting “breaking bread” in Acts 2:46 to be the Lord’s Supper.

In 1 Corinthians 11:23,24 we find,

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

In the early church “to gather together” and “to break bread” appear to be a standard formula for Christian meetings where the Lord’s Supper was practiced.⁵

The weight of evidence seems to support F. F. Bruce’s conclusion regarding Acts 20:7.

The statement that at Troas the travelers and their fellow Christians dwelling in that port met together for the breaking of the bread “upon the first day of the week” is the earliest unambiguous evidence we have for the Christian practice of gathering together on that day.⁶

To summarize: (1) This meeting was “on the first day of the week.” (2) It was probably Sunday evening. (3) Luke says they were “gathered together to break bread,” indicating the purpose of the meeting. (4) “Breaking bread” was probably the Lord’s Supper. (5) This was a Christian church meeting. (6) It is the earliest strong evidence of Christians meeting on the first day of the week.

1 Corinthians 16:1, 2

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collection be made when I come.

This is an important verse because the instruction given this church is the same instruction Paul had given to a number of other Christian churches. This instruction includes specific mention of the first day of the week. From my research I have been unable to find any good reason for Paul to specifically mention the first day of the week, unless this day held a degree of importance to the New Testament Christians.

The Greek construction “put aside and save” literally means, “put by himself.” However, it is not proof that it could not have been at a church meeting, although nothing is said about a church meeting or putting this money into the collection plate. Perhaps Paul was telling the believers to save some of their offering money at home before they went to church each Sunday. This would keep them from putting all their offering money into the local church expense. Therefore, when Paul came he would simply call for the money which the believers would by then have already saved up for the saints in Jerusalem. This hypothesis provides a possible reason for the facts in this verse.

In summary we have the following: (1) Paul saw some significance in the first day of the week. (2) Paul instructed all the churches of Galatia to follow the instruction given here. (3) The Greek construction suggests that the money may have been put aside privately.

Revelation 1:10

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet…

At first this verse seems to say very little regarding the Sabbath or the first day of the week. This verse is found in a section of Scripture which is dealing with other subject matter. But what does it say? Really all it says is that John received a vision “on the Lord’s day.” What did He mean? One can hardly use this text to form a theology of Sabbath or Sunday, rather this is a verse which must fit into that theology and it must also fit the history of the early church. This verse, for all practical purposes, will be inter- preted on the basis of other study and other conclusions.

The Reformation/Continuation, Saturday sabbatarian school of thought reasons like this. Here it says the Lord has a day. Matthew 12:8 (Mk. 2:27) says that “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Therefore, John must have been “in the Spirit” on the seventh-day Sabbath.⁷ In fact Adventism’s The Clear Word Bible⁸ renders Revelation 1:10 as follows:

One Sabbath morning when I had gone to the rocky island shore to meditate and worship…

Those who place significance on the first day of the week use the same reasoning, but instead of Sabbath being the Lord’s day, they see the first day of the week, the day of the resurrection, as the Lord’s day. While they do not have any specific Scripture which calls the first day of the week “the Lord’s day,” they point to the frequent mention of the first day of the week in connection with the risen Lord, and to extra-biblical use of the “Lord’s day” in connection with the first day of the week.⁹

Which is correct? First we must note that the phrase “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Mt. 12:8) does not mean that the Sabbath is the Lord’s day. Rather, as we saw in Chapter 10, the context shows that Jesus was not submitting Himself to old covenant Sabbath law but He was exercising His authority over Sabbath law. He made this statement in the context of excusing His disciples’ questionable Sabbath activities.

Second, we know from the historical record that the term “Lord’s day” was a common title for the first day of the week.

Pliny wrote to Trajan concerning the Christians: “They were wont to meet together, on a stated day before it was light, and sang among themselves alternately a hymn to Christ as God.”—Home’s Introduction (vol. 1, chap. 3, sec. 2, p. 84). Early in the morning the Christians assembled “before it was light.” These meetings were on a “certain stated day.” On what day were the early morning meetings held? Eusebius the historian answers: “By this is prophetically signified the service which is performed very early and every morning of the resurrection day throughout the whole world.”—Sabbath Manual (p. 125). The day on which Christ rose was the “stated day” on which the Christians met for worship. Pliny was governor of Bithynia, Asia Minor, A. D. 106–108. This was the very place where the apostles labored, and the time only eleven years after John died.¹⁰

In the Epistle to Barnabas, written between 70–132 AD we read,

“…your new moons and Sabbaths I cannot stand.” Therefore he has abolished these things, in order that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is free from the yoke of compulsion, might have its offering, one not made by man.¹¹

….this is why we spend the eighth day in celebration, the day on which Jesus both arose from the dead, after appearing again, ascended into heaven.¹²

Ignatius of Antioch, 107–110 AD, wrote,

… for if we continue to live in accordance with Judaism, we admit that we have not received grace…If, then, those who had lived in antiquated practices come to newness of hope, no longer keeping the Sabbath but living in accordance with the Lord’s day, on which our life also arose through him…”¹³

The above statement was authored only a few years after Revelation was written.

Justin Martyr, ~150 AD wrote,

But Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day of the week and Jesus our saviour on the same day rose from the dead.¹⁴

Those wishing to do more research into the Sabbath/Sunday practices of the early church in general and the use of “Lord’s Day” specifically are encouraged to read, R. J. Bauckham’s extensive research as published in From Sabbath to Lord’s day. Here is his conclusion:

It seems clear that by the end of the second century this [the Lord’s day] (with its Latin equivalent dies dominica) was the ordinary designation of the weekly day of worship throughout the greater part of the Christian world.¹⁵

From the latter second century onwards it is clear that Sunday was the regular day of Christian worship everywhere, and there is no record of any controversy over whether worship should take place on Sunday…It therefore becomes extremely likely that “Lord’s day”¹⁶ in Revelation 1:10 also means Sunday….to claim that Revelation 1:10 refers to Easter (or to the Sabbath) is mere speculation with no evidence whatever to support it. The wholly consistent usage of second-century writers indicates Sunday.¹⁷

The weight of evidence is in favor of accepting “The Lord’s day” in Revelation 1:10 as a reference to Sunday.

The Lord’s Day Is a Voluntary Celebration
of the Resurrection of Christ

It seems evident that the early Christians did not worship on the first day of the week because the Sabbath had been changed to Sunday. Rather, they chose that day because of the many important events that happened on the first day of the week, the greatest of which was the resurrection of Christ. First-day worship is a voluntary celebration of Christ’s gift of new life to the Christian. Just as a wedding anniversary or a birthday celebration is not a thing to be legislated, so first-day worship is a joyous occasion for us to reflect back to the greatest event in world history: the resurrection of Christ from the dead! This was the theme of the new covenant proclamation.¹⁸ This event is the basis of all the new covenant blessings and promises. Therefore it is most appropriate to make the first day of the week a special day for gathering together with other Christians to celebrate the Christ event.

That the early church voluntarily started this practice is not wrong or unusual. Throughout biblical history God’s people have voluntarily celebrated important events to help them remember the mighty works of God. Following are just two examples, many could be given.

After Esther succeeded in delivering the Jews from the wicked Haman who wanted to exterminate them, then,

Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same month, annually, because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor (Esth. 9:20–22).

In John 10:22 and following, we find that Jesus went to the temple during the feast of Hanukkah, sometimes called the Festival of Lights, which was a voluntary celebration of the cleansing of the sanctuary by Judas Maccabaeus after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes.¹⁹

Therefore, we should not be surprised that the people of God would celebrate the greatest event in world history by voluntarily meeting together on the first day of the week in honor of the resurrection to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, read the gospel and encourage one another in Christ! It is the most appropriate thing to do!

The first day of the week and sun worship

Some sabbatarians accuse those who worship on the first day of the week of sun worship because in Roman times this day was called “Sunday”. There is no evidence that any body of main- stream Christians ever worshiped on the first day of the week to worship the sun. When Christians met at sunrise, it was not to worship the sun, but to celebrate the resurrection event which took place early Sunday morning. The fact that the first day of the week is called Sunday is no more significant to Christians than the seventh day of the week is called Saturday. As sabbatarians do not worship Saturn, neither do those who worship on Sunday worship the sun.²⁰

Chapter Summary

Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.
There was no mix-up in days at the death, burial and resur-rection of Jesus.
The women who were associated with Jesus felt it moreimportant to keep the Sabbath “according to the command-ment” than to anoint Jesus’ body.
Mary worshipped Jesus on resurrection Sunday.
Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to two ofHis disciples on the first day of the week.
Jesus spoke peace to His disciples on the first day of theweek.
Jesus commissioned His disciples on the first day of the week. “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
On the first day of the week Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive you the Holy Spirit.”
On the first day of the week Jesus gave His disciples the authority to proclaim forgiveness.
Of the seven recorded post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, five of them were on the first day of the week.
Every time a day is mentioned in connection with the appearance of the risen Lord, it is always the first day of the week.
Pentecost, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, took place on the first day of the week, but that fact is not mentioned in Scripture.
The Christians in Troas “gathered together to break bread” on the first day of the week. This was probably a Sunday evening meeting where the Lord’s Supper was celebrated.
Paul told all the churches in the region of Galatia and Corinth to “put aside and save” money for the Jerusalem saints on “the first day of every week.”
John, when writing the book of Revelation, speaks of the “Lord’s day.” There is good evidence to believe this has reference to the first day of the week.
Every time the first day of the week is mentioned in the New Testament it is in connection with believing Christians.
Every time the first day of the week is mentioned in the NewTestament it is in a positive setting.
There is no specific command to keep any day holy in theNew Testament.
There is no specific command to worship on the first day ofthe week in the New Testament.
Worship on the first day of the week is a voluntarycelebration of the Christ event.
There are many biblical examples of God’s people celebrat-ing the mighty acts of God.
Worship on the first day of the week is not sun worship.

Endnotes

See Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, The New International Commentary of the New Testament, p. 852, (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI, 1971)
F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1983), p. 53.
Max M. B. Turner, “The Sabbath, Sunday, and the Law in Luke/ Acts”, in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day, p. 130.
Ibid., p. 130.
Ibid., p. 132.
O. Cullmann, Early Christian Worship, as quoted by F. F. Bruce, The New International Commentary of the New Testament, The Book of Acts, pp. 407, 408.
See Desmond Ford, The Forgotten Day, (Desmond Ford Publications, Newcastle, CA, 1981), p. 224.
Jack Blanco, The Clear Word Bible, (Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, MD. 1994). This work has been revised since this date and is now simply titled The Clear Word but continues to be advertised and sold with other Bibles in Adventist book centers.
See R. J. Bauckham, “The Lord’s Day”, in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day, pp. 224 −250 for a thorough study of this verse.
H.M. Riggle, (Faith Publishing House, Guthrie, OK, 1922) p. 121.
Epistle of Barnabas, in The Apostolic Fathers, Translated by J.B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, (Baker book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1989), p. 163.
Ibid., p. 183.
Ignatious of Antioch, Epistle to the Magnesians, in The Apostolic Fathers, Translated by J.B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, (Baker book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1989), p. 95.
First apology of Justin, chapter 68. See also H.M. Riggle, The Sabbath and the Lord’s Day, p. 123.
Ibid., p. 230.
“Lord’s Day” in the quote is given in Greek letters.
R. J. Bauckham, “The Lord’s Day”, in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day, p. 231.
The resurrection is mentioned over 75 times in the New Testament outside of the Gospels.
1 Maccabees 4:36–61.
See Riggle, The Sabbath and the Lord’s Day, for extensive documentation on this topic.

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Dale Ratzlaff

Dale Ratzlaff (1936–2024), is the founder of Life Assurance Ministries and Proclamation! Magazine. He served as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor for 13 years, seven at Monterey Bay Academy where he taught Bible. He and his wife Carolyn left the Adventist church in 1981 when he realized he could no longer teach the investigative judgment with a clear conscience. He has authored several books on Adventism that are available through his website, SabbathInChrist.com.