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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 20:7 - 20:7
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Upon the first day of the week (en de miāi tōn sabbatōn). The cardinal miāi used here for the ordinal prōtēi (Mar 16:9) like the Hebrew ehadh as in Mar 16:2; Mat 28:1; Luk 24:1; Joh 20:1 and in harmony with the Koiné[28928]š idiom (Robertson, Grammar, p. 671). Either the singular (Mar 16:9) sabbatou or the plural sabbaton as here was used for the week (sabbath to sabbath). For the first time here we have services mentioned on the first day of the week though in 1Co 16:2 it is implied by the collections stored on that day. In Rev 1:10 the Lord’s day seems to be the day of the week on which Jesus rose from the grave. Worship on the first day of the week instead of the seventh naturally arose in Gentile churches, though Joh 20:26 seems to mean that from the very start the disciples began to meet on the first (or eighth) day. But liberty was allowed as Paul makes plain in Rom 14:5.
When we were gathered together (sunēgmenōn hēmōn). Genitive absolute, perfect passive participle of sunagō, to gather together, a formal meeting of the disciples. See this verb used for gatherings of disciples in Act 4:31; Act 11:26; Act 14:27; Act 15:6, Act 15:30; Act 19:7, Act 19:8; 1Co 5:4. In Heb 10:25 the substantive episunagōgēn is used for the regular gatherings which some were already neglecting. It is impossible for a church to flourish without regular meetings even if they have to meet in the catacombs as became necessary in Rome. In Russia today the Soviets are trying to break up conventicles of Baptists. They probably met on our Saturday evening, the beginning of the first day at sunset. So these Christians began the day (Sunday) with worship. But, since this is a Gentile community, it is quite possible that Luke means our Sunday evening as the time when this meeting occurs, and the language in Joh 20:19 “it being evening on that day the first day of the week” naturally means the evening following the day, not the evening preceding the day.
To break bread (klasai arton). First aorist active infinitive of purpose of klaō. The language naturally bears the same meaning as in Act 2:42, the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper which usually followed the Agapē. See note on 1Co 10:16. The time came, when the Agapē was no longer observed, perhaps because of the abuses noted in 1Co 11:20. Rackham argues that the absence of the article with bread here and its presence (ton arton) in Act 20:11shows that the Agapē is ] referred to in Act 20:7and the Eucharist in Act 20:11, but not necessarily so because ton arton may merely refer to arton in Act 20:7. At any rate it should be noted that Paul, who conducted this service, was not a member of the church in Troas, but only a visitor.
Discoursed (dielegeto). Imperfect middle because he kept on at length.
Intending (mellō). Being about to, on the point of.
On the morrow (tēi epaurion). Locative case with hēmerāi understood after the adverb epaurion. If Paul spoke on our Saturday evening, he made the journey on the first day of the week (our Sunday) after sunrise. If he spoke on our Sunday evening, then he left on our Monday morning.
Prolonged his speech (Pareteinen ton logon). Imperfect active (same form as aorist) of parateinō, old verb to stretch beside or lengthwise, to prolong. Vivid picture of Paul’s long sermon which went on and on till midnight (mechri mesonuktiou). Paul’s purpose to leave early next morning seemed to justify the long discourse. Preachers usually have some excuse for the long sermon which is not always clear to the exhausted audience.