Jerusalem Community Acts 2:42 – 5:11. Life of the Early Church They devoted themselves to the...
-
Upload
zechariah-herrell -
Category
Documents
-
view
225 -
download
1
Transcript of Jerusalem Community Acts 2:42 – 5:11. Life of the Early Church They devoted themselves to the...
Jerusalem Community
Acts 2:42 – 5:11
Life of the Early Church
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42)
Perseverance in these areas; major themes of the early Christian church (J. Gonzales)
Apostles' Teaching – verbal, but also through wonders and miraculous signs (2:43)
Fellowship – gathering together, sharing of goods, and meeting needs (2:44-45)
Breaking of Bread – a new developing form of Christian worship (2:46) A celebration
Prayers – praising God, Jewish traditions (2:47)
Life of the Early Church (cont.)
Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar
Acts 3:1-8 By Julius
Schnorr von Carolsfeld
1851-60 Engraving
Lame ManHealed
Acts 3:1-8 Unknown
artist
Miracle Story: Five Stages
Introduction: Peter and John go to Jerusalem Temple; crippled man brought in (3:1-2)
Conflict/Delay: Crippled man asks for money; Peter addresses him; he expects money (3:3-6a)
Action: Peter tells the man to get up; takes him by the right hand; lifts him up (3:6b-7a)
Confirmation: The man jumps up, stands, walks, enters the temple (3:7b-8)
Reaction: People notice, observe, are amazed (3:9-10)
Observations
John – more proactive in 1st depiction Crippled man carried to the temple gate Observers inside the temple Man walks and jumps Peter raises his arm in the air – shows that the
healing power is of God, not his own Gate called Beautiful – Nicanor’s gate?
Beautiful because it was of burnished bronze
Believers Share Possessions(Acts 4:32-37)
Share everything (32) No needy person among them People sold their land and houses
Placed the money from the sales at the apostles’ feet
Distributed to those in need
Why?
J. Gonzales: A result of the gift of the Holy Spirit Eschatological expectation
One of Luke’s themes is helping the poor and giving up one’s possessions
Eschatological reversal Method for distribution of resources – apostles Ideal community?
Barnabas
Acts 4:36-37 Positive
example
By Johann Cristoph Weigel
1695 Woodcut
Ananias
Acts 5:1-5 Negative
example
By Caspar Luiken
Dutch, 1712 Copper
engraving
Sapphira
Acts 5:1-2, 7-10
Negative example
By Nicolas Poussin
1652 Oil on
Canvas
Sapphira
Unknown Artist
1702 Woodcut
Observations
Money laid at the apostles’ feet (5:2) Ananias & Sapphira both lie (5:3-4, 8-9) Both are struck dead (5:5,10) Great fear seizes the people (5:5,11) Young men carry out the bodies (5:6,10) Pointing to Ananias & Sapphira, and pointing up
Lying to the Holy Spirit / God (5:3,4)
Observations (cont.)
No young men to carry out Ananias' body Unclear if other men with Peter are apostles or
observers Depiction of a dove – reference to Holy Spirit
“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” (Acts 5:9)
“…you have lied to the Holy Spirit…” (5:3b)
Conclusions
Goals and actions of the early Christian church Both Jewish and new practices
Miracle – through the power of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles
New community – both positive and negative examples The Spirit – love and truth
Sin of Ananias and Sapphira = lying Ideal community/Church vs. reality