Distinct Manifestation of the New Testament Church
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The New Testament church was originated on earth in first century Jerusalem with eternal function and form. It was designed in the form of a spiritual body to fulfill an eternal function; the facilitation of shared-life fellowship between God and man.
In the Temple and from House to House The spiritual body of the New Testament church was initially manifested on earth in a large group setting in the precincts of the ancient Jewish temple and in small group community from house to house (Acts 2:46). While each manifestation had a distinct purpose, only small group community was effective for the fulfillment of church mission beyond Jerusalem. The large group gatherings of the early church in the temple were not a precursor to the large group service of the modern church. Instead, they were an event unique to the first century, designed only to prepare the newly established ecclesia for its mission on earth. The large group gatherings of the early church provided the perfect venue for the apostles to teach the fundamentals of the faith to thousands of new believers. Once prepared, however, the body of the early church was not to remain static. It was to serve dynamically as a witness of the indwelling life (zoe) of God “…in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As clarified by the New Testament and church history, the most effective manifestation for the mission was small group community. The original language of the New Testament supports small group community as the primary manifestation of the ecclesia on earth. Gathering in the “temple” did not mean assembling in the temple sanctuary proper, but within the precincts of the temple. The predominant Greek word translated “temple” in the Book of Acts is hieron. It is used 71 times in the New Testament (Gospels 45x; Acts 25x; Epistles 1x). In relation to the gatherings of the early church, hieron is used 13 times in Acts 2-5 alone (2:46; 3:1, 3:2 (2x), 3:3, 3:8, 3:10; 4:1; 5:20, 21, 24, 25; 42). Generally speaking, hieron does not refer to the temple sanctuary proper, but to the entire area of the temple, including all of its precincts. In contrast, the Greek word naos is used 47 times in the New Testament, only three of which are found in the Book of Acts (7:48; 17:24; 19:24). Unlike hieron, it is used often in reference to the temple sanctuary proper (Gospels 19x; Acts 3x; Epistles 9x; Revelation 16x). However, naos is used only three times in the Book of Acts and never in relation to the gatherings of the church (7:48; 17:24; 19:24). The original language of the New Testament does not indicate the gathering of the early church in Jerusalem in the temple sanctuary proper, but in its outer precincts. During the early first century, the outer precincts of the Jewish temple included the ruins of the ancient temple of Solomon. The historian Josephus informs that Solomon’s Portico or Porch was the remaining portion of the original temple of Solomon.1 It was located on the east side of the outer court of the New Testament Temple of Herod. The New Testament reveals that much took place in the outer precincts of the first century Jewish temple. For example, Jesus’ removal of the moneychangers (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46; John 2:14-16); His healing of the lame and blind (Matthew 21:14); teaching (Mark 11:11; 12:35-40; 14:49; Luke 2:46; 19:47; 20:1; 21:37-38; John 7:14; 8:2); prayer (Luke 2:37); and praising God (Luke 24:53). In addition, Jesus walked in the precincts of the temple (John 10:23). According to the book of Acts, the early church gathered to hear the teaching of the apostles in the part of the ancient Jewish temple known as “Solomon’s Porch” (Acts 3:11, 5:12; cf. John 10:23). By the first century it is thought to still have been an immense structure. However, it is doubtful that the walls, once made of cedar, had lasted the test of time. As a consequence, there was a considerable amount of space in and around the ancient ruins. It presented an open air venue that was able to accommodate a large overflow of people. Solomon’s Portico would also have been relatively undisturbed by normal temple traffic. In all probability, it was the one and only place in ancient Jerusalem suitable to accommodate a large group numbering in the thousands (cf. Acts 2:41; 47b; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7). |
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Assembled in Solomon's Portico, the large group gathering of the early church consisted of Jewish apostles, who had been personally prepared by the incarnate Christ and a rapidly expanding body of Jewish brothers and sisters. It is likely that many of them were well-versed in the tenets of the Jewish faith. However, they had little or no knowledge of church doctrine and practice. The New Testament did not yet exist and, therefore, could not be used as a guide. Consequently, the early, eternal church gathered daily in a large group in Solomon’s Portico and devoted “themselves to the apostles' teaching” (Acts 2:42a). The large group gatherings permitted the twelve apostles to teach the essentials of the faith to thousands of new believers.
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As time would permit, the young ecclesia flowed into and out of the large group gatherings in Solomon’s Porch each day to hear the teaching of the apostles. Through the apostles teaching they were privileged to learn about their faith.
When the apostles teaching in Solomon’s Portico was completed for the day, the early New Testament church would regularly assemble in small group community from house to house throughout the city of Jerusalem. Gathered in small group community under the immediate headship of Christ, their primary activity was the celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Agape Meal or Love Feast) as a full meal. While celebrating and eating together with Christ, the new believers had the glorious opportunity to discuss and practice what they had been taught by the apostles earlier in the day. Thus, small group community from house to house allowed the early church to move beyond simply learning and experience living their new faith. “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple [precincts] (Solomon’s Portico), and breaking bread (celebrating the Lord’s Supper) from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:46-47a). According to eternal plan, the early church was privileged to learn and live their newfound faith in ancient Jerusalem. It was facilitated by gathering in both the large and small group venue. The large group setting was effective for the early church to learn foundational truth relevant to their new faith. In contrast, the small group setting provided the environment necessary for them to practice it in community. By design of God, the assembly of the early ecclesia in both large and small group settings was short-lived. Two years after the origination of the New Testament church on earth, near the middle of AD35, a profound event occurred. Persecution forced most of the early church to leave Jerusalem and scatter “throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1). Jesus had foretold His apostles that they would be His witnesses in “all Judea and Samaria” (Acts 1:8). His prophecy was fulfilled and, as a consequence, the New Testament church spread throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. The large group manifestation of the New Testament church was not suitable for the fulfillment of church mission beyond Jerusalem. Not only could it not survive persecution, it was by design inflexible, immobile and unable to effectively cross cultural boundaries. For nearly 300 years after being forced from Jerusalem, the eternal New Testament church gathered exclusively in small group community from house to house. According to archeologist Graydon F. Snyder, “The New Testament church began as a small group house church (Colossians 4:15) and it remained so until the middle or end of the third century. There are no evidences of larger places of meeting before [AD] 300…”2 Relative to the fulfillment of its divinely appointed mission, the New Testament church outside of Jerusalem was primarily manifested in small group community. It was conducive for cultivating and protecting shared-life fellowship with God and, thereby, serving as a witness of the His indwelling life (zoe). In addition, small group community was mobile, flexible, cross-cultural and able to survive persecution. The large group gatherings of the early church in Solomon’s Portico were an event unique in the history of the church. While they prepared the church for its mission, they were not conducive for the fulfillment of its mission beyond Jerusalem. |
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Small Group Community
Concordant with eternal plan, small group community was designed to be the primary manifestation of the New Testament ecclesia on earth. The church manifested primarily in small group community is evidenced by both the context of apostolic teaching and tradition and direct reference. First, small group community moving from house to house previously modeled in Jerusalem. Therefore, it can be surmised that it had been taught by the apostles. In addition, the house was typically the only place available for the gatherings of the church. It was true not only in the cities of the ancient Middle East, but “in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). First, it can be surmised that the effectiveness of small group community moving from house to house had been previously taught and modeled in Jerusalem. Not only was it congruent with the plan of God to reach the elect from among the Gentile nations, but it was typically the only place available for the gatherings of the early church in the cities of the ancient Middle East. Second, the apostolic teaching and tradition contained in the New Testament was written almost exclusively in the context of small group community. Therefore, it is clear that the ecclesia located in the ancient cities of the New Testament (i.e., Jerusalem, Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colossae, Thessalonica, etc.) consisted of small communities of believers. In point of fact, the New Testament epistles include apostolic teaching and tradition that is impractical and even nonsensical when viewed apart from the context of small group community (i.e., the celebration of the Lord’s Supper; spiritually gifted ministry to one another; church discipline; etc.). Third, the New Testament also provides specific reference of the ecclesia gathering in small group community from house to house. The Book of Acts describes the Jewish birth and establishment of the ecclesia in Jerusalem in both a large group setting and small group community (approximately 2 years, Acts 1-7). It specifically emphasizes that the small group community of the early Jewish ecclesia gathered from house to house (2:42b; 2:46b-47; 5:42b). The Book of Acts also provides detail of the predominantly Gentile expansion of the ecclesia into the ancient Mediterranean world outside of Jerusalem (approximately 35 years, Acts 8-28). It reveals a continued emphasis on small group community gathering from house to house (8:3; 12:12; 16:40; 17:1-9; 18:5-11; 20:20; 21:7-10). Fourth, the epistles of the New Testament further confirm that the early church gathered in small group community from house to house. For example, the Apostle Paul refers to the gathering of the ecclesia in the houses of Prisca and Aquila; Nympha; and Philemon (Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philemon 2; cf. 2 John 2:10). House to House The small group community of the early New Testament church did not gather from house to house only because it was easy or convenient. The common house was generally considered a place where inhabitants found rest from the stressful circumstances of the world. Rather than performance, labor, business and duty, it was associated with family, food, fellowship and relaxation. The common house was a place where formality could be discarded and pretense abandoned and, as a result, Christ could be central. Rather than performance, labor, business and duty, the common house was associated with family, food, fellowship and relaxation. Its warm, inviting environment was advantageous for the practice of shared-life. The common house was a place where formality could be discarded and pretense abandoned and, as a result, Christ could be central. Gathering from house to house presented an intimate, comfortable environment that was conducive for the ecclesia to grow progressively deeper together in the knowledge and experience of divine life (zoe). By collective submission to the immediate headship of Christ in fullness of Spirit, it presented an intimate environment that was favorable for every practice of the New Testament church, including the celebration of the Lord’s Supper as a full meal; prayer; the fellowship of the Spirit; interactive, spiritually gifted ministry; participatory worship in song; personal discipleship; giving to those in need; loving, corrective church discipline; and team-oriented outreach. Sharing life with God in Christ, the small group communities of the early New Testament church were representational of divine life (zoe) on earth. As a result, they were a welcoming beacon of light in the darkness of a fallen world characterized by individualism, fear of intimacy and loneliness. In small group community from house to house, the New Testament church was manifested on earth in a manner that was inviting, flexible, mobile, cross-cultural, inexpensive and capable of surviving persecution. It was without question the manifestation of the ecclesia most effective for reproducing eternal life (zoe) around the world. Large Group Meetings The temporal church manifested predominantly in large group meetings was not introduced until nearly 300 years after the founding of the eternal church on earth. It was largely the product of practicality and convenience. The human origination of the temporal church was characterized by a complex organizational form and function. Its predetermined organizational form was a physical congregation. The form was naturally suitable to accommodate its evolving organizational function; religious activity for God. The organizational form and function of the temporal church were logically manifested in large group meetings. The mission of the temporal church was the natural result of its form, function and manifestation. It was to enlarge the organization. Therefore, success was ultimately measured by growth in number of adherents. The large group manifestation of the temporal church was logical and reasonable for the performance of religious activity for God by a physical congregation. However, it was contrary to the plan of God for the eternal church. |
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Distinct Contrast The two different types of churches can be generally contrasted as follows: |
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Beyond Jerusalem
Often overlooked is the fact that only the small group, house to house communities of the early church were intended to survive in the world beyond Jerusalem. The large group gatherings of the early church in the precincts of the ancient temple were exclusive to the origination of the ecclesia on earth. While important to its founding, they were not expedient for its growth beyond Jerusalem. Endnotes 1Josephus, Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, 1511.3; 20.9.7; Jewish Wars 5.5.1 2Snyder, Graydon F., Ante Pacem: Archeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine. (Mercer University Press, © 1985) p. 166. © 2018 James Hiatt |
