Act 2:42, 46, 20:7 | PNT | STEP | They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine . In the things taught by the apostles. And fellowship . Contribution to the common fund and its distribution. In the breaking of bread . The Lord's supper. From this time it is observed as an ordinance of the church. In prayers . I think the prayers of the regular worship are meant. These four items are all features of the public church life.

Acts 2:42

They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine. In the things taught by the apostles.

And fellowship. Contribution to the common fund and its distribution.

In the breaking of bread. The Lord's supper. From this time it is observed as an ordinance of the church.

In prayers. I think the prayers of the regular worship are meant. These four items are all features of the public church life.

Acts 2:46

Continuing daily . . . in the temple. They gathered there for the purpose of teaching the multitudes.

Breaking bread from house to house. Eating their food from house to house. It may refer to observing the Lord's Supper in private residences.

Acts 20:7

On the first [day] of the week, when, etc. The language shows that it was the custom to meet on the first day of the week, and shows the leading object of that meeting. This was not a farewell meeting for Paul, for then the day of the week would not have been mentioned, but the regular weekly assemblage of the saints. They came together, primarily to break bread, i.e., to observe the Lord's Supper. Dean Howson says: ``We have here an unmistakable allusion to the practice, which began evidently immediately after the resurrection of our Lord, of assembling on the first day of the week for religious purposes.'' He also shows that the Lord arose on the first day of the week, showed himself to the apostles a second time one week later on the first day of the week, that the church was founded and the Holy Spirit shed forth on Pentecost, which was on the first day of the week. On the same day the disciples at Troas meet to break bread, the Corinthians meet, take collections, and eat the Lord's Supper (1Co 16:2 11:20), and the Lord on Patmos reveals himself to John (Re 1:10). In addition to this, the early church writers from Barnabas, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, to Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Cyprian, all with one consent, declare that the church observed the first day of the week. They are equally agreed that the Lord's Supper was observed weekly, on the first day of the week.

Paul preached. Though it was the special object of this weekly meeting "to break bread", preaching was a part of the worship.

Continued his speech until midnight. About to depart, probably never to see them more, all were anxious to hear the great apostle, and he had much to say.