First Day of Weeks

Our 3rd Hermeneutic Principle states, "The integrity of the grammar in the original languages must be upheld, with its subtleties and nuances serving as essential guides for accurate interpretation."

It is a difficult things to push back against practices which have existed for millenia. But this is the very heart of the Reformation & Restoration movements; our willingness to 'test all things', in the search for Scriptural truth and faithfulness to our Master, Jesus. During the 16th century reform movements, the Roman doctrine surrounding "Communion", particularly the dogma of Transubstantiation was reevaluated.

In this article, we will study the original language of the New Testament, and the Jewish Festivals, in the effort to discover insight into the frequency, if any, supported in the Writings of the New Testament.

The primary passage used to support the tradition of the Lord's Table occurring on "the first day of the week", is found at Acts 20.7, when Paul and his party stayed at Philippi for 5 days. "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread...". This has been understood to mean, "on Sunday". We find this exact phrase at Luke 24.1, translated as, "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."

The phrase translated "the first day of the week" in all three of these references is 'τη μια των σαββατων', literally, 'the first of the weeks.'

Unleavened Bread, Passover, First Fruits, Weeks, Pentecost