BREAKIN' BREAD???

So is the Seventh day Sabbath Saturday or every day of the week? We certainly worship God everyday but if we kept the Sabbath everyday, we would be Lazy, not Holy. God specifically said the Seventh day and He has never told us to the contrary and until such time that He does so in unmistakable words, that is what we should be doing. It is sin not to do so and wilful, unrepented sin cannot be forgiven. See Hebrews 10:26-29.
 
In Bible times, the days did not start at midnight but began and ended at sunset. This first day of the week meeting was in fact after sunset and before midnight. So this meeting was in fact on what we would call Saturday evening or Saturday night. So much for a supposed Sunday meeting! Paul was about to depart the next day and so this was a Sabbath meeting that had been extended very late into the night. So much so that Eutychus fell asleep while listening to Paul’s long hours of preaching, and fell out the window. (Acts 20:9) The Greek word parateino translated continued in Acts 20:7 means to (to stretch); to extend along, that is, prolong (in point of time).

Because the majority of Christians are familiar with the term “breaking bread” being associated with communion, it has become a mind set to automatically associate this phrase with communion. But this is yet another wrong assumption. Breaking of bread was something done at every meal. When those seated at the meal table wanted some bread, they would take the bread from the table and break of a piece. The last supper with Jesus and His disciples was also a meal and the bread was broken just as it would have at any other meal. The only difference was that Jesus was also using the bread and the wine as an analogy. The following two scriptures demonstrate this well. The first is the Lord’s Supper and the second Jesus breaks bread and feeds the multitudes. Both circumstances involved giving thanks and breaking bread. One was communion and one was not. There is a lot of confusion over this issue with many Christians and even some theologians. In any case, this took place on Saturday night and this is something that many have apparently failed to notice. The Greek word used in both cases is also the same.

1 Corinthians 11:24 “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.”
Matthew 15:36 “And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”

Observe how the Good News Bible translates the breaking of bread to the “fellowship meal” and note also how this Bible translates “first day of the week” to “Saturday evening” to avoid confusion for the reader. At least some translators were observant and translated it accordingly.
Acts 20:7 King James Version “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.”

Acts 20:7 Good News Bible “On Saturday evening we gathered together for the fellowship meal. Paul spoke to the people and kept on speaking until midnight, since he was going to leave the next day.”
Acts 2:46 King James Version “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,”
Acts 2:46 Good News Bible “Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts,”

When Eutychus fell asleep and fell out the window, Paul went downstairs, prayed over him and the Lord restored him to life. Paul then went back up stairs and preached ALL night as he was leaving them first thing in the morning. Would Paul and those listening have been hungry? Would they have had refreshments such as bread and other food to get them through the night? Of course. Paul says that if we take of the Lord’s Supper to satisfy our hunger we take it to our condemnation (1 Corinthians 11:34). The context of the verse is that this was done for sustenance to get through a long night of preaching and was not done in reverence. In any case, this was a Saturday meeting that extended right through the night to Sunday morning and so it is not really relevant if this were communion or not but it seems more than likely that it was just a meal.

Acts 20:11 “Now when Paul had gone back upstairs, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.”

Here is one more situation where food was required for sustenance and is clearly not communion but yet again we find Paul giving thanks and breaking bread. This was a meal for strength and survival as verse 34 states.

Acts 27:34-36 “Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.”

Here is a quote from those responsible for the final change of the Sabbath to Sunday and even they know that these two first day of the week scriptures are not a new day of worship. Note also that they know that 1 Corinthians 16:2 was laying aside goods for charity that would not be done on Sabbath but the first day after.