Why Sunday Matters: A Timeline according to early sources.

Jews and God-fearers gathered on Sabbath Day (Friday night / Saturday morning) in the 1st Century.

 Philo of Alexandria (20-50AD) describes a Jewish synagogue gathering.

(Accordingly, on the seventh day there are spread before the people in every city innumerable lessons of prudence, and temperance, and courage, and justice, and all other virtues; during the giving of which the common people sit down, keeping silence and pricking up their ears, with all possible attention, from their thirst for wholesome instruction; but some of those who are very learned explain to them what is of great importance and use, lessons by which the whole of their lives may be improved. (The Works of Philo, Spec Leg 2.62).

 Synagogue gatherings consisted of:

·         scripture reading and prayer focussed on praise and thanksgiving.

·         a Torah reading and a homily or exegetical sermon.

This pattern is observed in early Christian Sabbath gatherings.

After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it.” (Acts 13:15, NLT)

Jesus rises from the dead on Sunday morning; “the first day of the week”. (30-33AD)

Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. (Mark 16:2, NLT)

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. (Matthew 28:1, NLT)

The early church, while still gathering on Sabbath days at the Synagogue also started to gather on “the first day of the week” (Saturday night / Sunday morning)

The early church was meeting on the first day of the week in the book of Acts.

On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. (Acts 20:7, NLT)

Believers were encouraged to set aside an offering for Jerusalem on the first day of the week.

On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. (1 Corinthians 16:2, NLT)

The “first day of the week” eventually became known as “the Lord’s Day”.

Revelation (90-100AD)

It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. (Revelation 1:10, NLT)

Didache (c100AD)

But every Lord’s day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. (Didache 14:1)

By 107AD Christians are gathering exclusively on “the Lord’s Day”.

Ignatius (107AD)

If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death… (Ign. Magn. 9:1)

By the middle of the 2nd century, as Christianity spreads to more non-Jews, Christians are gathering on Sunday morning.

Justin Martyr (150-165AD)

And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen… (Justin 1 Apol 67.7)

Sunday matters because it is the day Jesus rose from the dead.

The reason why Sunday mattered is implied in the early writings of Scripture. Followers of Jesus gathered on Sunday morning because that was when Jesus rose from the dead.

This reason is stated clearly by some early writers.

Justin Martyr (150-165AD)

But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. (Justin 1 Apol 67.7)

Early church historian, Eusebius, describes a Christian sub-group that still kept Jewish Sabbath yet also celebrated the Lord’s Day.

Eusebius (325AD)

The Sabbath and the rest of the discipline of the Jews they observed just like them, but at the same time, like us, they celebrated the Lord’s days as a memorial of the resurrection of the Saviour. (Hist. Eccl. 3.27.5)

As far as we can tell, a Sunday morning gathering was unique to Christianity.

Since there is no evidence for a pre-Christian use of this day for religious worship on a weekly basis among Greco-Romans or Jews, the only convincing reason seems to be that worship on the first day of the week was a celebration of the day on which Jesus had risen from the dead. (Anchor Bible Dictionary, 980)