Articles
First Day Of The Week
First Day Of The Week
Luke 24:1 — 1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.".
Its a new day! Its a new era! Behold, all things have become NEW. With the rising of the sun on this great morning came the resurrection of the Son of God. All of His claims that brought about His rejection and crucifixion are now vindicated. Are you the son of God? they asked. When He affirmed he was, they crucified him. They mocked him on the cross: “If he is the son of God, let him come down!” If He is God’s son, let God save him! Well, for our sake, God let him die and then raised him from the dead and glorified him above all power, authority, might, and name. He was declared with power to be the Son of God by the resurrection of the dead (Rom. 1:4).
Christ was raised on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1, 13, 21, 46; Mark 16:1-9).
He was thus declared to be the Son of God on the first day of the week - Roman 1:4.
After the resurrection, He met with the apostles several times on the first days of the week - John 20:1, 19, 26.
The first gospel preaching of the resurrection came on the first day of the week as that was how the Jews of the early first century reckoned the day of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-47. [see the note below].
The Holy Spirit came and began working through the Apostles’ message on the first day of the week - Acts 2:1-4.
The church was thus begun with the baptizing of 3000 people on the first day of the week - Acts 2:41, 47.
The disciple came together on the first day of the week to ‘break bread’ - the memorial of the Lord’s supper to remember Jesus death - Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 11:23-33.
With the dawning of this 1st day, we see many changes. There is now a new covenant (Heb. 8:13; 10:9-10). There is the new body of people, the church (Eph. 1:20-23; Matt. 16:18). There is the new and greater commandments - 1 Cor. 14:37; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 10:47-48. There is a new day - the Lord’s day - Rev. 1:10.
When we were baptized INTO Christ we became NEW CREATURES in Him. Paul wrote: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17). As God’s people we are putting off the old man that was corrupt and are putting on the new man that is created in the image of Him who saved us (Eph. 4:20-21).
With great sadness the disciples waited through the Sabbath day. With sorrow they set out early on the first day of the week to finish the burial process. With great joy they experienced that dawn of a whole new era.
Hugh DeLong
In the first century the Sadducees were the ruling authority in Judaism. They interpreted Lev. 23:15 to be on a regular Sabbath day. Hence, the day of Pentecost being the 50th day after that, was on the first day of the week. Later, after the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, the Pharisees became the ruling authority and they interpreted Lev. 23:15 to NOT be a ‘regular’ Sabbath but a feast day. By their interpretation, the day of Pentecost therefore came on different days depending on when they held the Passover to begin.
