Commentaries:
People's Commentary (NT)
Acts 20:7
On the first [day] of the week, when, etc. The language shows that
it was the custom to meet on the first day of the week, and shows the
leading object of that meeting. This was not a farewell meeting for
Paul, for then the day of the week would not have been mentioned, but
the regular weekly assemblage of the saints. They came together,
primarily to
break bread, i.e., to observe the Lord's Supper. Dean Howson says:
``We have here an unmistakable allusion to the practice, which
began evidently immediately after the resurrection of our
Lord, of assembling on the first day of the week for
religious purposes.'
He also shows that the Lord arose on the first day of the week, showed
himself to the apostles a second time one week later on the first day
of the week, that the church was founded and the Holy Spirit shed forth
on Pentecost, which was on the first day of the week. On the same day
the disciples at Troas meet to break bread, the Corinthians meet, take
collections, and eat the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 16:2 11:20), and the
Lord on Patmos reveals himself to John (Revelation 1:10). In addition to
this, the early church writers from Barnabas, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus,
to Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Cyprian, all with one consent,
declare that the church observed the first day of the week. They are
equally agreed that the Lord's Supper was observed weekly, on the first
day of the week.
Paul preached. Though it was the special object of this weekly
meeting "to break bread", preaching was a part of the worship.
Continued his speech until midnight. About to depart, probably
never to see them more, all were anxious to hear the great apostle, and
he had much to say.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Acts 16:10
Acts 20:7
Acts 21:4
1 Corinthians 16:2
Revelation 1:11
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