The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 11)

Now, as we have already discussed, and as the original generation of Christians began to die off, some of the folks recognized the necessity for committing many of the stories which had been repeated about Jesus over and over again to writing. The opening to "Luke's" Gospel account gives us some insight into this phenomenon. We read: "Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught." (Luke 1:1-4) 

Likewise, the author of the last of the canonical gospels to be written wrote: "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31) Moreover, at the very end of the account we read: "Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, 'Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?' When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, 'Lord, what about this man?' Jesus said to him, 'If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!' So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, 'If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?' This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:20-25) Notice, that the author's purpose was to give enough information to convince his audience that Jesus was the Christ, and that he is giving context and truth to a story that had already been widely circulated among believers of that time.

We should note that there were other writings circulating during this period which did not make it into the canon, but they also provide valuable insights into the history of the Church and what early Christians actually believed and taught. One of the most important of these was the epistle attributed to Barnabas. In this letter, the author reminds his readers that the sacrifices of Torah have been fulfilled in Jesus, and that they are no longer necessary for those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus. He went on to remind his audience that God's covenant with Israel had been broken by the Jews, and that Christians should strive to avoid following their example. He went on to stress the fact that the New Covenant was founded on the sufferings of Jesus, and that it had been predicted by the Hebrew prophets many years prior to his appearance on earth. Barnabas continued by pointing out that the rituals surrounding the Jewish Day of Atonement had pointed to Jesus Christ - that he had fulfilled them. In similar fashion, he explained how the red heifer, circumcision, and clean and unclean foods pointed to Christ; and how baptism and the cross were foreshadowed in the Hebrew Bible. He also pointed out that Christians, not Jews, were the true heirs of the covenant.

Finally, Barnabas explained why Christians had abandoned the weekly Sabbath and embraced the Lord's Day instead. He wrote: "Further, also, it is written concerning the Sabbath in the Decalogue which [the Lord] spoke, face to face, to Moses on Mount Sinai, And sanctify the Sabbath of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart. Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12 And He says in another place, If my sons keep the Sabbath, then will I cause my mercy to rest upon them. Jeremiah 17:24-25 The Sabbath is mentioned at the beginning of the creation [thus]: And God made in six days the works of His hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it. Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, He finished in six days. This implies that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifies, saying, Behold, today will be as a thousand years. Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. And He rested on the seventh day. This means: when His Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge the ungodly, and change the-sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day. Moreover, He says, You shall sanctify it with pure hands and a pure heart. If, therefore, any one can now sanctify the day which God has sanctified, except he is pure in heart in all things, we are deceived. Behold, therefore: certainly then one properly resting sanctifies it, when we ourselves, having received the promise, wickedness no longer existing, and all things having been made new by the Lord, shall be able to work righteousness. Then we shall be able to sanctify it, having been first sanctified ourselves. Further, He says to them, Your new moons and your Sabbath I cannot endure. Isaiah 1:13 You perceive how He speaks: Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Me, but that is which I have made, [namely this,] when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is, a beginning of another world. Wherefore, also, we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead. And when He had manifested Himself, He ascended into the heavens." (See The Epistle of Barnabas)

In addition to that letter, there were two other writings which belong to this period which were widely circulated among early Christians, and which offer us similar important insights into the beliefs and practices of the First Century Church. They are: The Shepherd and The Didache. The Shepherd of Hermas began with five visions and then proceeded to offer twelve commandments for Christians to focus on in their daily lives. The book concluded with ten similitudes which focused on exhibiting a life filled with spiritual fruit and continuous repentance from sinful practices. (See The Shepherd of Hermas)

The Didache, or The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations," was kind of an early catechism of the Christian faith. It began with contrasting the way of life with the way of death. The book focused on the Two Great Commandments and elaborated on their importance to how a Christian should live his life on a daily basis. The author went on to warn against false teachers and consuming food that had been offered to idols. He went on to give instructions about baptism, the Lord's Prayer, the Eucharist, prayer, and Church leadership. Like the epistle of Barnabas, the author emphasized the Christian's obligation to weekly worship. He wrote: "But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations." The book concluded with an admonition to be prepared for the Lord's return. He wrote: "Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord comes." (See The Didache)

Now, it is generally agreed that the last book of the New Testament canon was composed during this last part of the First Century - the book of Revelation. The book is addressed to the seven churches of Asia, and the opening is indicative of what was to follow. We read: "Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." (Revelation 1:4-7) The author then proceeded to identify himself and provide some context for the remarks that would follow. He wrote: "I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." (Revelation 1:9-11) Notice the nonchalant reference to being in the Spirit on the Lord's Day - as if the practice were so commonplace by this time that it barely warrants a reference!

To be sure, the book of Revelation is a difficult book. It is a book that is full of symbolism, numbers, and apocalyptic imagery. In his Church History, Eusebius noted that some Christians rejected the book for inclusion in the canon of the New Testament. Nevertheless, the book was accepted by enough folks that it obviously eventually made the cut. From my perspective, the controversy which has surrounded this book is unfortunate and unnecessary. As The Bible Project pointed out, the author's intent was "not to confuse but to communicate." Their article on the book went on to note that "Almost all the imagery is drawn from the Old Testament, and John expects his readers to interpret by looking up the texts to which he alludes." Moreover, I think that Bible Project hit the proverbial nail on the head when they described the main theme of the book as being that "Every human kingdom, like Babylon, eventually becomes corrupt and oppressive. We should resist evil kingdoms by loving people and trusting that Jesus will not let evil go unchecked. He will return to remove evil from the world and make all things new." Indeed, this message made a lot of sense when we consider the context of the times - the persecutions of Nero and the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Thus, the book's message came into sharp focus for Christian's who were nearing the end of the first one hundred years of the Church's story: Christians should NOT participate in or rely on the governments instituted by unconverted humans! As the epistle to the Hebrews noted, God's people should regard themselves as "strangers and exiles on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13-16)