Chapter I
Introduction
Background of the Problem
For
many Christian scholars the phrase of the “first day of the week,” (greek: κατα
μιαν σαββατων) in 1 Cor 16:2 is a proof that early Christians church began
meeting on Sundays regularly as a worship day. in honoring the Lord's resurrection, as a day
of worship replacing the Sabbath day.[1] Furthermore, Christians already were meeting
on the first day of the week.[2] They believe the transition
from Saturday to Sunday worship began right after the resurrection; even though
some believe the change as a gradual progression over the course of history. It
is universally agreed that this here denotes the first day of the week, or the
Lord's Day.”[3] In addition first day of the
week-already kept sacred by Christians as the day of the Lord's resurrection,
the beginning day both of the physical and of the new spiritual creations: it
gradually superseded the Jewish Sabbath on the seventh day (Ps 118:22-24; Joh
20:19, 26; Ac 20:7; Re 1:10).[4]
On the other hand, many Christian scholars
believe that the meaning of this text is not a proof Sunday worship in early
Christian. They oppose this notion and asserted that this text mean only for a
collection of money to help the saints in Jerusalem. The passage is used
incorrectly by some to support a change from Sabbath worship to Sunday worship.[5] In addition Barrett wrote:
“each of week (that is on Sunday) it is not mentioned here as a day when
Christians met for worship” [6]
Statement of the Problem
The Apostle Paul’s use of the term “first day of the
week” in 1 Cor. 16:2 would pose a problem to the interpretation of this text.
What does apostle Paul mean the “first day of the week” and what the original
reader’s understanding of this problematic text? Did early Christian in Apostle
Paul’s time conducted regular worship on Sunday? What is the correct
interpretation this text?
Purpose of Research
This research attempts to resolve the enigma of the
phrase of the “first day of the week” in correlation with the day of regular Christian’s
meeting or worship day in Paul’s time, historically and exegetically. Yet this
paper attempts to determine what day early Christian conducted a regular
meeting to worship God and what is the theology implication of this text into
our modern time.
Delimitation
The scope of this
paper is delimited on the investigation of the meaning and intend of the phrase
”first day of the week“ and its theology implication as well as its theology
application. The text of 1Corinthians 16:1-4 has been chosen for exegesis
because: (1) it is a complete self unit; (2) it present one of the most
difficult text in the Bible; and (3) it is concise enough for thorough
exegesis.
This research primarily uses the inductive method to arrive at answers. Through theological reflection the following steps will be taken: first the historical background of context and second literary analysis of the phrase of the “first day of the week” in its lexical-grammatical, structural, contextual aspects; third, broader and extra-biblical sources identified as well as a brief review of scholarly views on the topic. Finally summary and conclusion will be made.
[1]See Anthony C. Thielston, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdsmans,
2000), p. 1321
[2]Willi Rordorf, Sunday: The Historyof the day of Rest and
Worship in the Earliest of the Christian Church (Philadelphia: Westminster
Press, 1968).
[3]Francis D. Nichol, ed., SDA Bible Commentary (SDABC), rev. ed. (Washington, DC: Review and
Herald, 1980), 7:575.
[4]Barnes, on the New Testament, Vol. 5.
[5]W. Larry Richard, The
Abundant Life Bibile Amplifier; A practical Guide to Abundant Christian Living
in the Book of 1 Corinthians (Nampa, Idaho;Pacipic Press Publishing Association,
1997), p.227.
[6]C.K. Barrett, The
First Epistle to the Corinthians (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publisher,
1968), p.387.
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