“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given
order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first
day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as
God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I
come.”[382]
From this text it is argued in behalf of the first-day Sabbath, 1. That
this was a public collection. 2. That hence the first day of the week
was the day of public worship in the churches of Corinth and Galatia. 3.
And therefore that the Sabbath had been changed to that day. Thus the
change of the Sabbath is inferred from the public assemblies for divine
worship on the first day at Corinth and Galatia; and the existence of
these assemblies on that day is inferred from the words of Paul, “Upon
the first day of the week, let every one of you lay _by him_ in store.”
What, then, do these words ordain? But one answer can be returned:
They ordain precisely the _reverse_ of a public collection. Each one
should lay by himself on each first day of the week according as God had
prospered him, that when Paul should arrive, they might have their bounty
ready. Mr. J. W. Morton, late Presbyterian missionary to Hayti, bears the
following testimony:—
“The whole question turns upon the meaning of the expression,
‘by him;’ and I marvel greatly how you can imagine that it
means ‘in the collection box of the congregation.’ Greenfield,
in his Lexicon, translates the Greek term, ‘_With one’s self,
i. e., at home_.’ Two Latin versions, the Vulgate and that
of Castellio, render it, ‘_apud se_,’ with one’s self; at
home. Three French translations, those of Martin, Osterwald,
and De Sacy, ‘_chez soi_,’ at his own house; at home. The
German of Luther, ‘_bei sich selbst_,’ by himself; at home.
The Dutch, ‘_by hemselven_,’ same as the German. The Italian
of Diodati, ‘_appresso di se_,’ in his own presence; at home.
The Spanish of Felippe Scio, ‘_en su casa_,’ in his own house.
The Portuguese of Ferreira, ‘_para isso_,’ with himself. The
Swedish, ‘_nær sig self_,’ near himself.”[383]
Dr. Bloomfield thus comments on the original: “παρ ἑαυτῶ, ‘by him.’
French, _chez lui_, ‘at home.’”[384]
The Douay Bible reads: “Let every one of you put apart with himself.”
Mr. Sawyer thus translates: “Let each one of you lay aside by himself.”
Theodore Beza’s Latin version has it: “_Apud se_,” _i.e._, at home. The
Syriac reads thus: “Let every one of you lay aside and preserve at home.”
It is true that an eminent first-day writer, Justin Edwards, D. D., in a
labored effort to prove the change of the Sabbath, brings forward this
text to show that Sunday was the day of religious worship with the early
church. Thus he says:—
“This laying by in store was NOT laying by AT HOME; for that
would not prevent gatherings when he should come.”[385]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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