Acts 20:7

The Journey to JerusalemThe Communion Feast and Miracle at Troas, 7-12.

Acts 20:7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together. This was evidently no accidental coincidence, this meeting together of the disciples on the first day of the week, because Paul was about to depart on the morrow. The particular day ‘the first day of the week' need not have been mentioned if it had only been a farewell gathering for the old teacher to share in. We have here an unmistakable allusion to the practice, which began evidently immediately after the resurrection of the Lord, of assembling on the first day of the week for religious purposes (see Excursus A., ‘On the Universal Observance of Sunday by the Early Christians,' at the end of this chapter).

To break bread. This solemn assembly of disciples met together evidently for no ordinary meal The ‘breaking bread' can only signify the Lord's Supper, the communion of the body and blood of Christ, which, in these early days, seems to have been generally united with the Agape or love-feast. Well-nigh all commentators, Protestant and Roman, are agreed that this is the signification of this expression. The ceremonial took place on the first day of the week, as Alford remarks, ‘in the evening, after the day's work was ended; and at the end of the assembly, after the preaching of the word.'

Paul preached unto them. Thus, in this early period of the Church of the first days, the liturgical order was much the same as that developed and elaborate service which has come down to us after eighteen centuries. The disciples came together; and the especial object of their assembling was then, as now, the celebration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper; then, as now, the prayers and sermon preceded the solemn breaking of bread.

And continued his speech until midnight. The assembly was held at night; this was the ordinary practice among the early Christians. The ‘breaking of bread' in the Holy Communion followed, at this early period of the Church's history, the ‘Agape' meal. It seems that this brotherhood on ‘the Lord's day,' after the day's work was ended, met together, partook of the simple evening meal, after which prayer and preaching of the word followed; and before they separated, each Christian shared in the solemn breaking of bread, in compliance with their dear Master's last command the evening before His death on the Cross.