Did The Early Church Worship On Saturday or Sunday?

There is much confusion among believers as to which day of the week the early church
met to worship God. I've been often condemned for 'buying into' what many people
believe to be the Roman Catholic Sabbath, better known as Sunday. I do not 'buy into'
anything, or embrace anything without first studying it.

The pope may have legalized Sunday as the "new Sabbath". However, he did not start
this trend. I have said it many times, that if you give a monkey a typewriter, he will
eventually type a word - give a pope a Bible, and he will eventually stumble over a truth
and try to canonize it.

There is something that most people do not realize, and that is, that the church met in
the first and second centuries on both Saturday (the 7fi day of the week), and sn Sunday
(the 1" day of the week). The reason; On Saturday, the apostles would find the religious
Jews with their leaders, the Pharisees, in the synagogue on their Sabbath (Saturday). All
church historians will tell you that the early Christians reserved the 1'' day of the week
(Sunday), as a special day when all believers met together to preach and to feast on the
Word of God. This is not merely a fact of church history. The scripture is the final proof:

Acts 20:7 - "And upon the first dav o f the week when the disciples came together to
break bread, Paulpreached unto them, and continued his speech until midnight. "

The reason that they set up the 1" day of the week for meeting in their homes (from
house to house) is because Jesus rose from the dead on the lS' day of the week. This
'house to house' fellowship on Sunday began in Acts 2:44-46:

Acts 2r44-46 - And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) and
sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
(46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread&
house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. "

Luke 24:1, 2, 21 - "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they
came unto the sepulchre, they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. "-today is
the third day since these things (concerning Jesus' crucifixion) were done (this 1" day of
the week was the day on which Jesus said He would rise from the dead).
Jesus emphasized this meeting day, putting his approval on this special day by meeting
with his apostles for fellowship immediately after his resurrection.

I

John 20:19 - "Then the same day of the evening, being the first dav ofthe week when.the
doors were shut where the disciples were assembledfor fear of the Jews, came Jesus and
stood in the midst, and saith to them, peace be unto you.

This first day of the week Jesus revealed himself to them, showing the wounds in his
hands and side (verse 20). This day he sends them forth as his preachers (verse 21- "even
so I send you"). This day (Sunday), they received the ability to understand the truth - the
Holy Spirit (verse 22). This is also the day in which Jesus gave them the power of
remitting (forgiving sins to those who repented) sins (John 20:23).

It is no wonder that the apostles set aside this day as their day of fellowship.and
preaching. It was, after all, their first day of meeting with him after his death and
resurrection. It was also the day that they received the Holy Spirit.

This day of his resurrection was the day that Jesus met and preached to His apostles:

Luke 24:27 - "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in
all the scriptures the things concerning Himself:"

Jesus ~reached Sunday, the day of his resurrection.
on

Paul points to this first day of the week (Sunday), as the day in which the church would
be gathered together in order for the believers to give their financial support in offerings
to the church:

I Cor. 16:2 - "Upon the first day o f the week (Sunday), let every one ofyou (a gathering
l
of gJ believers) lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come. "

Jesus and the awstles ~reached the Sabbath. It was the dav of fellowshio. feasting.
on
*
and preaching. The first day of the week (Sunday) was never intended to take the place of
the Old Testament Sabbath. It was of a completely different institution. It was the
meeting day in scripture of New Testament believers to commemorate the death and
resurrection of Jesus.

This weekly feast began in the first century to take on another title. The church
historians tell us that it was called the "Agape love feast", or, "The feast of charity".

2 Peter 2:13 - (speaking of evil men - natural brute beast, made to be taken dnd
destroyed) - "Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own
decievings while theyfeast with you."

The parallel chapter of 2 Peter is the book of Jude (which is one chapter long).

"

Jude I2 - "These are spots in your feasts of charity (agape), when they feast with you,
feeding themselves withoutfear ... "

The following is a church history account of this feast of charity, held in a home on "the
first day of the week":

(From: McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical
Literature):
The mode of celebrating thefeast was simple. The bishop or presbyter presided. Thefood
appears, to have been either dressed at the houses of the guests, or to have beenprepared
at the place of meeting, according to circumstances. Before eating, the guests washed
their hands, andprayer was offered. The Scriptures were read,(I remind you that this was
on a Sunday) and questions proposed by the person presiding. Thenfollowed the recital
of accounts respecting the aflairs of other churches, such accounts being regularly
transmitted from one church to another, so that a deep sympathy was produced; and, in
many cases, assistance was furnished to churches in trouble. At the close of the feast,
money was collectedfor orphans and widows,for the poor, and for prisoners. The kiss of
charity war given, and the ceremony concluded with prayer (Rom I6:16; I Cor I6:20; I
Thess 5r26; I Peter 5:14).
Rom 16:16 -Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
I Cor 16:20 -AN the brethren greet you. Greetye one another with an holy kiss.
I Thess 5:26 - Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
I Peter 5:14 - Greetye one another with a kiss ofchariw. Peace be with you all that are
in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Church historian, Williston Walker, says that this common meal of breaking bread (on
Sunday) sewed a two-fold purpose. It was a bond of both fellowship, and a means of
support for the needy. The support of the less well to do was provided the gifts of the
better able, so that they "had all things common". This meal was an occasion for
offerings of the needy.

Until the second century, Christians were not permitted to erect churches, but were
compelled to worship in private houses, in open fields, or to escape persecution, met in
the catacombs and other concealed places. Upon the suspension of persecution from A.D.
202 and forwards, we find notices of church edifices in Nicomedia, Edessa (Odessa), and
other cities.

The church began meeting on the first day of the week (Sunday) from house to house in
the 2nd
chapter of Acts, and when church buildings were permitted in the 3'* century (long
before Roman Catholicism's founding), the common meal, or agape love feast of the first
day of the week, was moved into the church buildings. This is a picture of the
evolutionary process of meeting on Sunday.

Paul spoke of this agape love feast for fellowship as a time to give support for the poor.
It is commonly reported by most historians that there began to be an abuse of this feast.
Some of the Christians who gathered, began to drink all the drinks and eat all of the food

at this Sunday feast. Paul indicts these believers for their in consideration in 1 Cor.
11:21,22:

21 For in eating every one raketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and
another is drunken. (Paul is saying that one eats everything he has brought to this IS' day
feast, while those who have nothing, probably the poor, go hungry, and one drinks so
much that he is drunk)

22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and
shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall Ipraise you in this? Ipraise
you not.

Paul is saying we didn't come here to stuff and glut ourselves; we can do that in our
homes. This weekly Sunday (1'' day) Charity Meal is a time of fellowship and
refreshment - not a time and place to deprive the poor. This was one of the primary
reasons for the institution of this meal to begin with.

This is why Paul makes the following statement in verse 33:

1 Cor 11:33
another.

"Tany" is the Greek word ekdechomai, meaning to accept from some source, to await
or wait for.

The historians tell us that those who were glutting and making pigs of themselves were
not waiting for the poor to get there so they could offer them food. Paul is saying await
and tarry till everyone expected is there before you begin to eat. Eat moderately and drink
very little. Leave some food, not only for the poor to eat, but also that there may be
plenty left for them to cany home. This is the reason for Paul's statement in 1 Cor. 11:34:

1 Cor 11.34-12:l - "And if any man hunger, let him eat at hoke; that ye come not
together unto condemnation. And the rest will Iset in order when I come. "

Paul is saying, that if you are hungry after the feast, because you gave most of the food
to the poor, then go home and eat so that you are not condemned for your actions in your
lack of charity to the poor.

It is a biblically established fact that the early church met on the first day of the week for
fellowship, a meal, and compassion to the poor, as well as the reading of scripture, and
the preaching of the gospel. This was the whole reason for meet in^ on the is' day
[Sundav). to read the scri~tures to take care of the ~ o o r Sunday was never intended
and
.
to "take the place" of the Old Testament Sabbath. It had a totally different purpose.

The apostles also went into the synagogue on the Sabbath to preach the gospel. The
reason is obvious: They would find the Pharisees and devout Jews there for their Sabbath

-

Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for

rituals. These were the men who would become enraged with the apostle's message and
attempt to kill them (few would be converted).

Acts 13:14 - (speaking of Paul and Barnabas) "But when they departed from Perga,
they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat
down" (then Paul stood up and preached on this Sabbath (verse 16) and the Jews invited
him back the next Sabbath).
Acts 13:44 - "And the next Sabbath dav came almost the whole city together to hear the
word of God. "

The Word was always preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath.

Acts 15.21 - "For Moses of old time hath in every city them thatpreach him, being read
in the synagogues every Sabbath day. '"

Acts 16:13 - "And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer
was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spakc unto the women which resorted
thither. " (Lydia was converted here)

Acts 17:2 - "And Paul, as his manner was ('manner' is the Greek word, 'etho ' meaning
,
to be used by habit or custom - it war not a requirement to preach on the Sabbath, but
Paul's custom to catch the Jews), went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the scriptures, "

Acts 18:4 - (speaking of Pauo "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and
persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. '"

If you will notice, it is not in the Old Testament temple that Paul is preaching on the
Sabbath, but rather, the Babylonian synagogue. The synagogue began in the captivity in
Babylon - the synagogue was not commanded in the Law. It was a tradition of the
Rabbis, not a part of the Law. Therefore, when Paul was preaching in the synagogue, he
was not keeping the Sabbath day by performing any of the Law on-the Sabbath. He was
merely using the Sabbath as a means to reach Jews. When it was his custom (Acts 17:2)
to reason and persuade Jews to Christianity (Acts 18:4) on the Sabbath, this custom of
Paul had nothing to do with keeping the Sabbath under Jewish Law.

Paul says that the rituals of the Sabbath were blotted out and what remains now is the
spiritual Sabbath, which is every day.

Col2r14 - "Blotting out the handwriting ofordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out ofthe way, nailing it to his cross;"

Col 2:16 - "Let no man therefore judge you (by the rituals of the Law) in meat, or in
drink (dietary laws of the Jews), or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon (1" day
of the monthfestival), or o f the Sabbath davs: "

Col2:17- "Whichare a shadow of things to come; bur the body is of Christ. "

Paul is saying that the Old Testament rituals, of which is the Sabbath, were a shadow -
they were not the real thing. The real thing is the spiritual - the literal has been blotted
out. Now the Sabbath, which is spiritual, is every day.

You can see then, how the early church, they worshiped on Saturday (7Ih day of the
week), and on Sunday (1'' day of the week). This is not merely church history. We have
documented this from scripture.

Later on, the church began to meet on Wednesdays and Fridays as well. This brought
the church to meeting four days a week (Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday). At
some places, for those who had the time in their lives, they went from house to house
daily.

I'm quite sure that when we get to the judgment, God is not going to say, "You just met
too many days a week in My name. I only wanted you to meet and fellowship for one
day". We are to meet and fellowship every day possible.

In my next letter I will address the daily spiritual Sabbath. Note: Sabbath does not mean
'seventh', but rather, 'rest'.