Q: Is there a proper day to take communion?

A: The issue at hand is called "historic precedent." In other words, are we to patter our church after the example of the Apostles? The answer is a qualified "yes." Of course we want to imitate the apostles but not in everything. For instance, one would not argue for selection of church leaders by casting lots (Acts 1:26), striking opponents blind (Acts 13:10-11), praying during Jewish times of prayer (Acts 3:1), etc. So how does one determine which example to follow? Very simply, we look for patterns, not proof-texts. That is, we look for a series of actions, examples or statements rather than single verses.

Pertaining to communion, there is only one verse that says an Apostle (Paul), took communion on the first day of the week, Acts 20:7: "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight." Now, should we construe this as a command to take it on the first day of the week and only on the first day of the week? Allow me to make a few observations:

1. The passage does not tell us why Paul took communion on this day. He could have merely been waiting for the ship to leave the next day and found this a convenient time to meet with the body.

2. This was an evening church service. So are we also going to argue for only evening worship services? We also don't know if it was a Saturday evening (Jewish reckoning of days was from sundown to sundown) or Sunday evening (Greco-Roman reckoning from sunrise). So the communion was received either on Sunday morning (1-2 a.m.) or Monday (1-2 a.m.) neither of which are followed today.

3. Paul preached until midnight . . . but we don't follow that example.

4. The clearer example was of the church breaking bread daily (2:46; cf. 6:1).

5. Since Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper on a Thursday I find it odd to suggest it could only be received now on Sunday.

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