Outline:
Recap:
- Scripture was written as a communal work by the communities of God
- We see God trying to form community at the beginning of Scripture
- We see God's emphasis on community through the Judges and people's rejection of it through the Kings
- We see the impact of the individual on the community through David
- The Prophets speak to the community
- The exiles returning to Israel tried to reemphasize community
- Jesus built a community around Himself
- Jesus reached out to non-Jews around Him to bring them into community
Acts of the Apostles:
- Could also call this "Luke Part 2"
- Also written to Theophilus
- Where Luke focused on Jesus' ministry, Acts focuses on what immediately followed
- Focus is on Jesus' followers as they start ministry without Him
- Begins with the arrival of the Holy Spirit
4 Features of Community (Acts 2:42-47):
- Common Goods (Acts 2:44-45)
- κοινά (common) is related to κοινωνία (community)
- Other moments we see this in Acts
- Acts 4:32-35
- Another instance of sharing goods in common
- told were "one heart and soul"
- Acts 6:1-7
- Hellenists complain that Hebrew believers aren't helping their widows and orphans
- Hellenist- Jewish Christians who spoke only Greek
- Apostles appoint people to distribute to Hellenist
- Passage used for Deacon ordinations
- Moments we see Paul collecting for the poor in Jerusalem
- Scholars unsure if this sharing things in common actually happened
- At the very least, it is an ideal the early church aspired to
- Prayers (Acts 2:46)
- Specifically the prayers in Temple
- Equivalent could be our Sunday worship
- Breaking of the Bread (Acts 2:46)
- Unclear if this is Eucharist as we understand it
- Appears to be more of a private practice in the home
- Likely that they maintained their Jewish practices of worship while taking on new practices from accepting Christ Jesus as Lord
- Equivalent could be our own private prayer practices, with others or alone
- Teaching of the Apostles (Acts 2:43)
- Note: laying of hands on the Bishop in Ordination
- Not about transferring power/authority
- About continuing the line of the Apostles' teaching to the modern day
- In The Episcopal Church- trace this back through Church of England, formed before the Roman Church arrived in Britain.
Unity:
- Important to the early Christians to maintain unity
- Why the issue in Acts 6 was resolved the way it was
- Focus was on belief over practice
- 1st Council of the Church (Acts 15:1-35)
- Issue was maintaining unity
- Do Gentiles have to become Jewish, or are they accepted as are?
- Note that Gentiles are asked to follow certain rules, though not circumcision
What is Community?:
- Maintained Jewish Practices, at first
- Didn't form a separate nation
- Paul still claims his Roman Citizenship (Acts 22:27-28)
- Were a group of people who belonged to Christ Jesus
- Looked after each other
Bibliography:
- Brown, Raymond E. Brown. An Introduction to the New Testament. Yale University Press: New Haven, 1997.