This morning I was reading Acts 17-20. I was struck by a couple of things. First, does anyone agree with me that Apollos was re-baptized? If the Ephesians in Acts 19 were commanded to do so, isn’t it reasonable to assume that Apollos was too?Also, every time I read Acts 20:7 these days, I think about how we have preached it over the years. I mean, THAT’S the definitive text that tells us that communion is on Sunday, every Sunday, and only on Sunday? Really?
6 comments:
Yes i agree that we can assume Apollos was rebaptized but its only an assumption. An argument from silence is kinda weak and we both know that. Yes Acts 20:7 is that definite verse but like you i think, when i read it im not so definite. I believe Communion every Sunday bc we can infer it from Scripture and its the way the early Church practiced and we KNOW the early Church definitely did it every Sunday. But i do not think that strictly from Scripture we can make an airtight case of communion every Sunday. Even Alexander Campbell in his writings like "Christianity Restored" and "The Christian System" argued for Communion every Sunday by using examples from the Early Church Fathers more than he did from Scripture
Hey Mike,
I agree that Apollos must have been baptized into Christ.
Why else would God had allowed: "explained to him the way of God more adequately." to be recorded?
I do not know where you are going with the Acts 20:7. I can not hear your voice on this. Are you saying it is or is not a text to follow their example? I remember hearing at the Northmen Mr. Faull Sr. speak about how we had better go all the way with this text and not have communion on Saturday or any other day than Sunday. That was a while ago and I could have misunderstood him being that I may have been too young to fully grasp what the man was saying. No test of fellowship on this one I don't think if one wants to preach it as being only on the first day of the week or as often as we meet. Should we take it as often..Sunday thru Saturday or once a week; or even once a quarter? Once a quarter or anything less than weekly I think we can take issue of though.
Take care Mike. Look forward to your wisdom on this though. I humbly bow to wiser men like you.
John
BTW we need to make sure we are not to legalistic on Communion every Sunday bc im pretty sure the Apostle Paul missed it a few times when he was being beaten and locked up in a jail cell. If someone misses it bc of willful negligence then i think its bad but if someone misses it bc of some dire circumstance i dont think God counts it against them. Anyways that my 2 cents, u asked for it lol
I favor the practice of communion every Sunday for the reasons already mentioned. Some in our movement haev gone too far (IMHO) in trying to prohibit any other communion celebrations outside of Sunday based on Acts 20:7. I used to be in that camp, but not now. Something that is an example, perhaps even a pattern of sorts, proves too much when it is pressed into a form of inflexible dogmatism. This hermeneutical approach is what gets the acappella brethren in so much trouble & division.
I am a proponent of weeekly communion. I just think that when we make the "apostolic example" of Acts 20:7 binding, we do a disservice to the text. It's an historical narrative, not an imperative for all Chritians for all time. In addition, we are inconsistent with the application. Why do we not insist that we meet in an upper room, at night, with the preacher preaching until midnight? After all, that's the example. And if part of it is binding, then all of it should be binding.
I think you can make a better case with 1 Cor. 11:20 (while it is in the negative, it appears that they were missing the point of their gathering -- even though technically they were partaking).
I think it's a stretch to make Acts 20:7 a test of fellowship. If God wanted to make sure that we partake on Sunday, every Sunday, and only Sunday (and any other way is a sin), surely He would have said so plainly, rather than leaving us to connect-the-dots.
I think your last point is the best point Mike. If it was soooo important (not downplaying Communion) then God would have expressed it in His Word
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