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Let me stimulate you to consider what is behind Acts 20:6-7
Acts 20:6-7 6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (KJV)
Answer for yourself: Did you ever notice that the word "day" in Acts 20:7 is in italics; meaning that it is not in the Greek manuscripts but added later supposedly for clarity? More on this later.
Answer for yourself: Did you know that Paul, a Jew, is conducting a Hebraic worship service in these Scriptures?
Answer for yourself: Just where is Paul located when performing this worship service and who were in his audience? Troas in Asia Minor or let us say in Greece as we are know it today. This was a Gentile nation.
What we find upon close examination of the text in my King James Bible is that in Acts 20:7 the word "day" is in italics....meaning it is added to the text for smoothness of reading.
Answer for yourself: So what is the problem with that?
If you translate "On the first of the week" from English back to the "Greek" and then put in back into Hebrew context (remember Paul is a supposedly a Jew and that would have been his thought process since priding himself on being a "pharisee of pharisees) we find that the above phrase is literally rendered:
"as the day was beginning to dawn"
Here we have a terrible deception that goes overlooked by 2.5 billion Christians when reading this passage in English. We fail to realize that for Jews the day begins not at 12:00 midnight as we learned since influenced by Rome but according to Genesis "evening and morning was the first day." We have here a deception that is overlooked because we approach the Bible as Christians almost totally ignorant of the Jewish language and culture of the documents which we are reading. For a Jew the day begins at 6:00 p.m. and not at 12:00 p.m. (midnight).
In other words, verse seven, Acts 20: upon the first of the week (or as the first of the week was beginning to dawn) is a reference to sundown on Saturday which was the Sabbath. Let us say it another way; "as Sunday was approaching" (6:01 p.m. on Saturday is really when Sunday began in Jewish reckoning of time). What we find here is that on the evening of the Sabbath and before Sunday began (Saturday-for Paul kept the Sabbath and not Sunday) we find Paul was leading these Greeks (like you and me)...in what is called in Jewish terminology a Havdalah service. What we find is that these Greeks were observing not a Sunday morning service that is totally disjointed from a Sabbath service, but they were worshipping and were being led by Paul in a concluding part of the synagogue Sabbath Service.
Answer for yourself: Should we find that strange? No not really if we paid attention to what James said in Acts 15 when addressing what to do with the Gentile problem since so many were turning to God due to the ministry of Paul outside of Palestine:
Acts 15:21 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. (KJV)
We find again that these Gentiles, to whom the Great Commission was taken, when Jesus instructed that these Gentiles be taught "to observe those things that I commanded you" were being taught just that....obedience to the Commandments of God. In particular we are addressing in this article the observance and keeping of the Sabbath. We see in this veiled mention of Paul in Troas that he was teaching these Gentiles the observance of the Sabbath and this was one of the many "things they (the Gentiles) were taught to observe." The Havdalah service, as seen in James' reference and Paul's example, was part of the "pattern" of worship given to David and handed down through Solomon; even handed down past the crucifixion of Jesus, even the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. as the message that was to be taken to the Gentile nations. This pattern of worship (ie. Havdalah for instance) continued well into the third and fourth century for Gentiles before it was banished at the Council of Nicea by Constantine. Just read Constantine's "Easter Letter" and see how he changed the religion of Jesus as practiced in Gentile nations in so many ways in the early 4th century.
Answer for yourself: If Paul were alive to day and he came to Dallas, or you city (wherever) or any Greek or American city today, would he not teach us the same as he did in Troas? Remember, Paul was teaching Gentiles like you and me to keep Havdalah over 30 years after the cross.
Answer for yourself: We often hear by unknowledgeable pastors and teachers: "We don't have to do this any longer because Jesus 'fulfilled" it." Does this example in Acts 20:6-7 look to you as if the early church, James, or Paul for that matter who was out teaching Gentiles believed that Jesus life or death "fulfilled" and "nullified" the Sabbath? It sure does not? Should Christian pastors study more? I will let you answer that!
Acts 20:8 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. (KJV)
Also, notice, that there were many lights in the upper chamber
Answer for yourself: Why was this:
The reason for this is because that was part of the Havdalah service; the concluding part as the Sabbath left and as Sunday began at 6:01 PM in reckoning of time (as the day was dawning).
One needs only to read of how the Havdalah service was conducted to see that as the Sabbath was departing that everyone present lit his own candle as the center candle was extinguished (part of the service). The believers would light their own individual candles, thus the reference to there being "many lights in the upper chamber." Let us know forget that Paul was now preaching past sundown where he preached from 6:00 PM to midnight on the morning of Sunday (after sundown Saturday is when again Sunday began in Judaism).
Please don't discount what I say. Study the Hebrew roots of the early Gentile church, find when it was changed, by who, and why! Then ask yourself just "whom" you are following in keeping Sunday and not the Sabbath as both God commanded and as Jesus and the early Church instructed the Gentiles.
Answer for yourself: Lastly, if Paul taught them this, why have you not been taught this before?
You are not any more saved if you do or if you don't keep the Sabbath; you are only more obedient to those things Jesus taught we are to observe. The key is Isa. 56 where the Gentile Godfearers were instructed to choose those things that please God and take hold of His Covenant.
Isa 56:1-6 1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man (Gentiles are included) that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger (explicit reference to Gentiles), that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch (explicit reference again to Gentiles) say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs (explicit reference to Gentiles) that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the stranger (explicit reference to Gentiles), that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; (KJV)
Answer for yourself: Did you notice the repeated connection between Gentiles choosing to keep God's Sabbaths (holy days and weekly sabbath)?
This is what the early Church, James, and Paul were doing. They were instructing the Gentile nations to choose those things pleasing to God and in this reference in Acts 20 that included the Sabbath; something the vast majority of 2.5 billion Christians today in the world do not do because of being taught incorrectly.
Answer for yourself: Let us end this article by asking ourselves: "Who are we really following as Christians today....Constantine or Jesus?"
This should stimulate your thinking in the things I write. Blessings to all.