Biblical references to the early Church
In the New TestamentThe second part of the Christian Bible containing 27 books consisting of four types of literature: letters (epistles), gospels, history and prophecy. book of Acts (chapter 2:42-47), we read some of the characteristics of the early Church.
They devoted themselves to the apostles鈥 teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
People would have been familiar with the following elements from this passage.
- TheapostleOne of the twelve men chosen by Jesus to to spread the word about Christianity. teaching 鈥 this is unsurprising given the time that Jesus spent teaching his followers. This same activity, modelled by Jesus, is now central for the new Church. Luke does not tell us what this teaching entailed, but we can assume it focused on the life, death and resurrectionThe rising of Christ from the dead, three days after the crucifixion. of Jesus.
- Fellowship 鈥 at its most basic level this is the idea of sharing, but it includes intimacy between the family of God.
- Breaking of bread 鈥 this refers to the Last SupperThe meal that Jesus had with his disciples the night before he died where he gave them bread and wine to symbolise his body and blood.. It is the use of bread and wine to remind Christians of the death of Jesus.
- Prayer 鈥 this is communication with God and includes praising Him, confessing sin and asking for help for oneself and for others.
As part of this same passage in Acts 2, members of the Church shared their possessions. This does not mean that people could not own their own things, rather the Church was characterised by people鈥檚 care for one another. This was more than just nice feelings to each other or sympathy in hard times. Care extended to giving to one another and helping others in practical terms.
In the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians (chapter 11:23-25), Paul writes to the Church in Corinth in Greece.
In this passage he talks of the importance of the EucharistA service celebrating the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ involving the sharing of the bread and wine (body and blood of Christ) in church. The term can also refer to the bread and wine themselves (especially the bread). as a way of remembering what Jesus has done for them.
He points them back to the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples. Here he took bread and wine and used them to symbolise his body and blood, which was given over to death to save people from their sins.
As Christians began to meet in church they took these symbols to remember the central part of their faith 鈥 the death of Jesus.
Paul reminds them of the New covenantAn agreement or promise. made in Jesus鈥 blood. In the Old TestamentThe first part of the Christian Bible which corresponds to the Hebrew Bible but is arranged differently., God made a special covenant with Abraham which saw the Jews become God鈥檚 chosen people.
Today, through the blood of Jesus, the Church believes all people can belong to God.