the church at Corinth, or that Christians generally, were required to
set apart a proportion of their worldly goods, as God prospered them,
for benevolent purposes. It is also clear that the act of setting apart
the required proportion of means was to be performed statedly, every
week, on the first day of the week.
Whatever may be the correct interpretation of the words, “lay by him in
store,” enough is beyond all doubt and agreed upon by all, to show that
the first day of the week was regarded by the apostle and the Christian
churches as a special day, and one more fitting than others for the
benevolent and religious duty enjoined.
The phrase rendered in our version “by him,” is unquestionably an
idiomatic Greek expression for “at home.” (Compare Luke 24:12, and John
20:10.) And even if we understand this phrase to be connected with the
word rendered, “in store,” which is a participle signifying “treasure
up,” the proof of first-day sacred observance is still clear and strong.
But the true connection of the words, “at home,” is with what precedes.
“Let every one place or devote at home.” Place what? The answer is not
hard to find—a proportion of the weekly earnings; a suitable part of
what God in his bounty had given. When this proportion was separated by
each Christian at home, from the rest of his weekly earnings, it was to
be treasured up. But where? This is the important question. Where was
the money each Christian set apart at home on the first day of the week,
from his weekly receipts, to be kept in store? It appears that this
treasuring up was not at each Christian’s home:
1. Because the phrase, “at home,” grammatically connects, not with the
word “treasuring,” but with the preceding verb. This verb does not mean
“lay by,” but “lay,” or “place.” The preposition rendered “by” is part
of the phrase, “at home.” If it is insisted that the idea of treasuring
in store is in the word rendered “lay,” then we have this tautology:
“Let every one place in store or lay by at home, placing in store.” Paul
did not write in this way.
2. The first day of the week must have offered a special facility for
doing what was required. True, if nothing more is meant than laying by
at home, even that marks the first day with distinguishing honor. But
the placing or putting of God’s portion by itself; separated from the
remainder of the receipts of the past week, on each first-day, in each
Christian’s home, was in order to something else, for which the first
day alone gave opportunity. On that day, as we have learned from Acts
20:7, and other portions of Scripture, Christians were accustomed to
meet for public religious services, and at these public gatherings, each
Christian put into the treasury of the church what he had set apart at
home from the rest of the gains of the week.
3. The most conclusive argument, however, is drawn from the end that
Paul desired to accomplish. He states expressly that his aim in giving
his directions was to avoid the necessity of gatherings or collections
when he should come. The force of this consideration is evaded by
explaining the apostle’s words as meaning “small collections.” But if
every Christian had his money laid by at home, whether it were much or
little, the “collections” would still have to be made. Each Christian,
it is true, would have his sum already made up, and would need to make
no personal gathering. But the apostle’s word is much more naturally and
fittingly applied to collections on a larger and wider scale. And to
effect the apostle’s end, and avoid such collections at his coming, the
Corinthians, like the Galatians, were to make a collection every Lord’s
day, of what each one at home had set apart or placed aside from the
proceeds of his business during the preceding week. In no other way
would the moneys needed be in perfect readiness for the apostle. If left
in the hands of individuals scattered around, there would be uncertainty
about the apostle’s receipt of them, and there would still be trouble in
connection with collections on his arrival. But with the moneys already
gathered, at the regular weekly meetings, into the common treasury of
the church, and there waiting his coming, his aim is satisfactorily
accomplished.
The only remaining passage is Rev. 1:10: “I was in the Spirit on the
Lord’s day.” It has been admitted by opponents of the first-day Sabbath,
that if, by the Lord’s day in this passage, the first day of the week is
meant, their cause is lost. And lost it is; for no other day can be
meant. Three interpretations have been given of John’s words:—
1. By the Lord’s day is meant the day of Judgment. Wetstein, in his
elaborate edition of the Greek New Testament, in the year 1752, first
advanced this view. His comment is; “Hunc diem judicii vidit in spiritu;
_i. e._, prævidit representatum.” “John saw in Spirit the day of
Judgment; that is, he foresaw it represented.” The phrase, “the day of
the Lord,” does mean in the Scriptures the day of Judgment. But that
phrase is different from the one here employed. The literal rendering of
the former is, “the day of the Lord.” The literal rendering of the other
is, “the dominical day.” This was not a day foreseen, but a day on which
John was in the Spirit—a day of weekly recurrence which the Lord claims
as his own, as he claims the dominical supper.
2. By the Lord’s day, it is maintained again, is meant the seventh-day
Sabbath. In support of this view it is said that the phrase employed by
John corresponds with such Old-Testament expressions as “a Sabbath to
the Lord,” and with the Saviour’s language: “The Son of man is Lord even
of the Sabbath.” But the very fact that the seventh day had a well-known
and distinctive name by which it was always designated, is strong
presumptive proof that this new and unusual phrase used by John cannot
apply to it. It would be most natural to suppose that some other day is
meant, and this is clearly proved to be the fact.
3. The phrase, the Lord’s day, was the common expression for designating
the first-day Sabbath from John’s time onward. As the meal which the
Lord hallowed as his own was called the Lord’s supper, so the day
hallowed by the Lord’s resurrection, by his repeated meeting with his
disciples after rising from the dead, by the descent of his Spirit, by
the weekly religious assemblies of his people with their communions,
preaching and hearing the word, prayers and almsgiving, was properly
termed the Lord’s day. It has been argued on the other side of the
question that the Lord had a day, and but one in the week, called
specially his own. But as has been shown, Jesus himself, after his
resurrection, paid no regard to the seventh day. His disciples did not
observe it. It could not, therefore, have been the Lord’s day. On the
other hand, Jesus did honor the first day, and the Christian churches
everywhere did the same; and thus this honored day is the only one of
which John could speak when he said he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s
day.” By this name, as will be seen in our next article, the first day
of the week was known in the early church.
A REJOINDER.
“TESTIMONY OF PAUL AND JOHN TO THE FIRST-DAY SABBATH.”
With no small degree of interest we have perused the article entitled,
“Testimony of Paul and John to the First-day Sabbath,” The two texts
which it brings forward in defense of the theory of a changed Sabbath,
are regarded by the friends of that theory, generally, as among the
strongest of its supports. The first of them (1 Cor. 16:1, 2), we had
assailed, and adduced a criticism, from the pen of Mr. J. W. Morton,
which was of great importance. In it, the very stronghold of the Sunday
argument had been fearlessly attacked, and, to our mind, carried beyond
all question. The writer whom we quoted presented twelve versions and
translations, all of which clearly sustained the position that the
expression, “by him,” was equivalent to the term, “at home” If this were
true, then beyond all dispute the Sunday argument had been denuded of
all its strength, provided it ever had any; for the support of its logic
was the assumption that the transaction brought to view in this text was
to take place in the respective assemblies of the saints.
It is, therefore, with the most profound satisfaction that—if we rightly
apprehend the remarks of our reviewer—we accept his concession of the
point that the words, “by him,” do indeed answer to a Greek idiom, of
which the original terms are equivalent to the expression, “at home.”
This being true, we are agreed that at least a _portion_ of the duty
which Paul commanded was to be performed, not at the house of assembly,
but at the _dwelling_ of _the individual Christian_. In other words, he
admits that the money which they were to “place or devote” to charitable
purposes, was first to be estimated and separated while yet they were in
their own houses. Having conceded thus much, he reasons that the money
was to be carried to the place of worship, and laid up in store, or
deposited among the collections regularly made on the first day of the
week. In order to sustain this view, he offers a grammatical criticism
to which it cannot be objected that it is not drawn finely enough to
meet the taste of the most fastidious. But the writer does not seem to
plant himself so squarely upon it as we would naturally expect one would
who feels that he is standing upon solid ground.
The _force of his logic_ seems to be drawn from the _object_ which Paul
had in view, in ordering beforehand this weekly laying aside of money
for the poor saints at Jerusalem. The writer thinks that the evident
reference of Paul, in the words, “that there be no gatherings when I
come,” is to contributions to be taken up in the congregation when he
should have reached the place. If he is wrong in this, he is wrong in
all; for no one will dispute that money _could_[7] be “laid by in store”
_at home_, as well as in the church, since to lay by in store, is to put
in some safe and accessible place.
Right here, then, we inquire, What were the “gatherings” which Paul
sought to avoid on his arrival? They could refer to but one of two
things; either, first, the collection of moneys in the church; or,
secondly, the collecting of them by individuals from those who were
indebted to them. That the first was not the sense in which Paul
employed the word, we submit is apparent, from the fact that the end to
be gained by writing months beforehand, in order to prevent the taking
up of a collection in the church, was not commensurate with the dignity
which is given to it by so prominent a place in the sacred epistle. So
far as the collection itself was concerned, it could have been brought
about, unquestionably, within the space of fifteen minutes. The amount
of time, therefore, which it would consume, is too insignificant to be
worthy of mention.
Again, as it regards the moral complexion of the act, it will not be
objected by our reviewer that it was to be avoided from any scruples in
that direction, since he believes that such collections were taken up on
every first day of the week. On the other hand, taking the second view
as being the one which properly expresses the facts, we find that it is
in perfect harmony with the circumstances of the case, and consistent
with the notion that Paul had a sufficient motive for writing before
hand, as he did, concerning the collections. He was about to make a
brief visit to Corinth. How long he should remain, he could not tell.
While there, he wanted the undivided attention of the people to be given
to religious purposes, and also that the money which he expected, should
be in readiness, so that no delay might be necessary.
This, however, could not be, since, not knowing the exact time of his
arrival, they would not be likely to have it on hand when he should
come, unless they laid it by, weekly, at their homes. Should he,
therefore, drop in upon them suddenly, they would be thrown into a
confusion of mind illy compatible with the purposes of daily worship
during his visit, since they would be annoyed and distracted by the
necessity of gathering from this direction and that, the amounts of the
weekly contribution which they had agreed to make for the benefit of the
suffering saints at Jerusalem.
But once more: Having settled the point that the explanation claimed
does not satisfactorily account for the mention of the subject in an
epistle, while the one which we present meets the requirements of the
case in every particular—since it both supplies the money, and furnishes
the apostle with a body of Christians ready to listen to the preaching
of the word—let us look at the matter from another stand-point.
The plan proposed by Paul could have been arrived at in but one of two
ways. Every Christian was expected, either, first, to give a fixed sum,
every week, of an amount equal to that which the general valuation of
his property would require; or, secondly, he was, as the writer
supposes, to pay in a fluctuating amount weekly, that amount to be
determined by the gains or losses of the week.
We will suppose, for a moment, that the first theory is correct, and
will test the plan in question thereby. While doing so, for convenience’
sake, we will employ the currency of our own time. Here is a Corinthian
Christian who is worth, say $10,000. He decides that he will give, for
the purposes mentioned, ten dollars per week. He has money in his purse,
and nothing to prevent his doing it at any time. Being anxious to obey
the injunction of Paul, he proceeds as the writer suggests. On Sunday
morning he is at home, knowing just what he must contribute on that day,
when he goes to church, having previously decided this point. The
amount, as we have seen, is precisely ten dollars. But Paul says he must
do something with it “at home,” before going to church. What was he to
do with it? The writer says, “to place or devote it.” Well, he takes out
his purse; from it he extracts just ten dollars. He holds it in his
fingers. Now, what shall he do with it? The writer says he must “_place_
or _devote_ it.” Yes, but we inquire. What does _place_ or _devote
mean_, in such a connection as this? In other words, What shall he do
with the money at home? Shall he take it out, and turn it over, and look
at it, and put it back into his purse again, and then go to church and
place it in the contribution box? We answer that this would be a solemn
farce. To say, also, that having taken it out of his purse he must not
put it back again, but must place it in some other pocket, and then
carry it to church, is simply ridiculous. So far, therefore, as the men
were concerned whose property was fixed, and whose contributions were
the same, weekly, all that was said by Paul about “devoting or placing”
at home was pure nonsense, in the light of the exposition offered.[8]
Now for the other class, or the men of fluctuating resources. How shall
they proceed? Were they to estimate the amount of their weekly gains,
and to collect in the sum, on the last day, which they were to give on
the first day of the week? If so, then in their cases, as well as in
those of the first order, the whole process was a mere sham, an empty
and meaningless form. For they also, at their homes, would simply have
to take out their money and look at it, and then put it back and go to
the church for the purpose of donating it.
But again; as we have seen, that unless the work of deciding how much
they ought to give, and separating the amount for that purpose while at
home on the first day of the week, was a part of the plan of the
apostle, the whole suggestion had in it neither rhyme nor reason, we now
turn to the only alternative left our opponent; which is the conclusion
that the work indicated by the term, “place or devote at home,” was that
of _deciding upon_, and _separating_ the sum which they could spare to
the weekly contribution.
What are the consequences of such a position? We reply, It overturns and
utterly uproots the whole theory of Sunday sanctity; for the lesson
taught by 1 Cor. 16:1, 2, instead of being favorable to the conception
that Paul held to such a theory, shows that he regarded the first day of
the week as secular time. Do you ask, How do you reach such a
conclusion? I answer, It is inevitable, since the men who were acting
under the instruction of Paul could not carry out the work prescribed by
him without devoting at least the morning of the first day of the week
to worldly business, such as that of figuring up and deciding upon the
losses and profits of the preceding week, and, perhaps, collecting from
outstanding matters the pro-rata amount necessary for the stated
collection at the church.
Should it be objected that our suggestion is open to the criticism that
the well-to-do class of Christians could have furnished their means at
any time, we answer, Very true; but that, should week after week elapse
without the separation, on the part of the wealthy, of the stipulated
sum, it might, before the arrival of the apostle, reach figures which it
would be difficult even for them to meet without perplexity. And
besides, the better, easier, more natural, and we think, spiritually,
the more profitable method, even for them, would be found in doing it
weekly. We might offer many reasons for this conviction, had we space.
Paul was giving a general rule to meet the condition of all classes. The
poor comprised the larger portion of these classes, and a principle was
laid down, therefore, which, while it was better for the rich than any
other, was indispensable, for the purposes in question, to the men of
moderate circumstances.
Our interpretation, stated in brief, is simply this: The apostle
instructed them on the first day of the week to lay by in store, at
home, what they proposed to give to the saints at Jerusalem, hoarding it
up until he should visit them, so that at his arrival they might put it
into the common treasury; thus avoiding the possibility of being unable,
on the one hand, to meet their pledges, and on the other, of being
necessitated to have their minds occupied with temporal affairs, during
his stay. This conception is free from embarrassments. Even were the
gentleman’s translation of the passage correct, it cannot be shown to be
unsound. He would read the scripture substantially as follows: “Let
every one of you devote at home, treasuring up, that there be no
gatherings when I come.” To our mind, there is no tautology, even in the
declaration of the apostle thus expressed, which is worthy of mention;
for should the term, “treasuring up,” be interpreted to mean the same as
placing or devoting at home, it is explanatory, not of the command, but
of the purpose of the command. A paraphrase, which is often employed
with profit in the writings of Paul, will make it all clear: “Upon the
first day of the week, let every one of you lay aside, or devote to the
Lord, an amount commensurate with the prosperity which he has bestowed
upon you, treasuring it up, so that there need be no gatherings when I
come.”
The only difference between the gentleman and myself, therefore, would
be as to the _place where_ it was to be treasured up; he insisting that
it was at the church, and we, at the house of the individual Christian.
We have shown that his opinion is not only unnecessary, but that it is
also absurd, since it divides a transaction which Paul does not divide;
and, after admitting that a part of it transpired at the home of the
individual, it represents the other part as having taken place at the
church; whereas, neither the _church_, the _contribution box_, nor the
_assembly_, are so much as mentioned. And besides, it presents Paul in
an attitude which certainly does not compliment his sagacity. Mark you,
it is “every one of you” that he instructs to “lay by at home.” It must
therefore be, not the church collectively, but its individual members
who are called upon to treasure up, or lay by in store. Just here we
submit that the language employed is literal, and not figurative, and
that, this being true, the moment that the saints at Corinth placed
their funds in the common treasury, they violated the injunction of the
apostle, which was that they should treasure it up, or lay it by in
store, individually. By way of enforcing our logic, we inquire of the
reader, who has doubtless contributed many times to church collections,
Can you look upon money thus bestowed as in any proper sense of the term
belonging to you individually? or as still treasured up or laid by in
store? We think that your answer will not be equivocal. To lay by in
store, as before stated, is to put in some safe and accessible place;
but money once donated is not accessible to the individual contributor,
since he has no longer any individual property in it.
Here we must terminate our remarks on 1 Cor. 16:1, 2. As we do so, we
have disposed of the last Bible text which will be cited in the support
of a supposed practice of Sunday-keeping on the part of the early
church. Error begets error. Having rejected the obvious teaching of Acts
20:7, that Paul, after holding a meeting on the first day of the week,
traveled nineteen and a half miles on foot, and having endeavored to
explain away this journey by inferring that it took place on the second
day of the week, which is not mentioned in the connection, our opponent
comes to the consideration of 1 Cor. 16:1, 2, lugging along in his arms
a precedent which God had clearly taught him was not designed to teach
the lesson which he sought to extract from it. With this precedent, thus
illegitimately obtained, he seeks to explain the language of Paul which
we have been considering. By this means, he has been led to indorse
error. But we need not recapitulate.
In conclusion on this point, we remark: How admirable is the providence
of God! He has instructed us in his word, in regard to duty, by clear
precepts, and has never told as to study its requirements simply in the
light of human example. How remarkable, therefore, that he should have
condescended to so order, by his Spirit, the record which has been made
in the case of every precedent brought forward, that the text and
context would utterly overthrow every effort of him who should attempt
to employ them in the interest of a false doctrine. On the day of the
resurrection, as if to show that it was not holy time, two disciples are
brought to view as traveling fifteen miles; a portion of the distance in
company with their approving Lord, and the remainder of it after he had
appeared to, walked and conversed with, them. In Acts 20:7, apparently
perceiving the use which might be made of it, he places, in the
foreground of the sacred record, the apostle, threading a weary journey
on foot from Troas to Assos; and lastly, in 1 Cor. 16:1, 2, he framed
the language so that it should inculcate, not the idea that the first
day of the week was holy time, but, on the contrary, that it might be
devoted to the secular work of casting up accounts and collecting funds.
With the exposition offered of the words, “I was in the Spirit on the
Lord’s day,” Rev. 1:10, we shall make short work. What we have
previously said on that passage is not sufficiently disturbed to warrant
extended remark. Be it remembered, then, that, as said above, the
passage proves that God has a day in this dispensation. At this point
commences our divergence. We say that the term, “Lord’s day,” refers to
the seventh-day Sabbath. The writer says that it refers to the first day
of the week. The declaration that Christ paid no attention to the
seventh-day Sabbath after his resurrection, needs no reply here, except
that he was under no obligation to do so, and there was no good reason
why he should, since he regarded it strictly in his lifetime, and
enjoined it upon his followers. Perhaps, however, it would be well to
add that he at least never did anything after his resurrection which
might be construed into a desecration of it; whereas, in the case of the
only first-day on which it can be _proved_ that he ever met with his
disciples, after his death, be devoted a portion of its hours to travel
on the highway.