“On the first day of
the week we came together to break bread…”
(Acts 20:7)
Jesus’
church in its beginning was d
“seven days”, and were “in a
hurry to reach Jerusalem”, they did not
meet at
Jesus’ table on any
other day than “the first day of the
week”. (vs. 6, 16.)
Church historians from the second
century A.D. onward confirm this to be the biblical practice. Justin
Martyr. In his Apologia 1:67, writing about 140 A.D. observed: “And on the
day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to
one place, and the Memoirs of the Apostles or the Writings of the Prophets are
read, as long as time permits, then when the reader has ceased, the president
verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and as we
before said when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought and
the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgiving, according to his
ability, and the people assent, saying amen, and there is a distribution to
each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to
those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.”
George P. Fisher, (History of the Christian Church, pp. 67, 68), describing worship
“in the second century”, writes, The ordinary practice was for the communion to
be received on Sunday of each week.”
Augustus
Neander (Lutheran) comments in his History
of the Christian Religion and Church (Vol. I, p. 332): “As we have already remarked, the celebration of the
Lord’s Supper was still held to constitute an essential part of divine worship
every Sunday, as appears from Justin Martyr (A.D. 150)…”
John Wesley (Methodist), in a memorable
“Christmas letter”, read on
December 24, 1784 in Baltimore,
Maryland, wrote to “Dr. Cope, Mr. Francis
Asbury, and our brethren in America…I have learned from
reading the New Testament that Christian
people ought to observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week…”
This was Jesus’ command through his
inspired apostles. ((Matthew 28:1820;
Acts 2:42.) Uninspired history
confirms this weekly observance, each Sunday.
Jesus’ church today is guided by Jesus’ authority in this memorial – in
its significance, its manner of
observance, and in its weekly observance
each Sunday, and only on Sunday.
Tedd Kell, Brownwood, Texas
