One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do no constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always.
A.W. Tozer

 

 

 

 

Special thanks to  Christianity Through the Centuries by Earle Cairns. All page numbers refer to this book.

 

Rebellions, hierarchy issues, martyrdom, heresies and fights over church polity were all part of the life of the early church. We know because this because a number of the writings of the earliest church fathers have been preserved. These were not included in the canon, but, instead, are supplements that serve to give us a window into the period of time after the death of the apostles. The study of these writings, and those who wrote them is called patrology (patristics).
 

These church fathers were theologians and highly recognized bishops. Their scholarly writings set a precedent for both theology and early church functioning for several centuries. Even today, serious students of theology as well as detractors of the faith study their writings.
 

Years ago, I became interested in learning whether the church today followed the practices and teachings of the early church. I was surprised to learn of the many writings that have survived. Sorting out the sound doctrine from the heretical has been the subject of study for theologians and historians for the last two millennia.
 

Actually, conflicting documents arose just after the Resurrection of Jesus.

Luke 1:1-4 mentions this issue. Note the word “many.”

(NIV) 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

 

In spite of these voluminous writings, the New Testament canon (the books of the Bible) was essentially established by the end of the first century. We will write more on this subject in coming weeks.
 

The first group to of writers to come along was called, aptly, the apostolic fathers. Why? All of them knew the apostles and some were the disciples of the apostles and their teachings. Their goal was to teach the nascent church about the practicalities of the faith and to warn them of heresies.
 

Interestingly, many of them were concerned about establishing a hierarchy in church.
 

 

Clement of Rome (@30-100) wrote an epistle to the Corinthians, which is believed to be the earliest writing outside of the New Testament. It was addressed to the members of the church in Corinth who were rebelling against their elders.
 

In fact, it appears this document is the first time that the subject of apostolic succession is spelled out. He states that Christ appointed the apostles and that the apostles made sure that the office of elders and deacons were an integral part of the church.
 

He also mentions that the role of bishop is important to maintain church and advocated for a separation of clergy and laity.
 

 

Ignatius of Antioch (@50-@120) was a student of the Apostle John. He wrote a number of letters, seven of which have survived and have been authenticated. Among these were letters sent to the Romans, the Ephesians and to Bishop Polycarp.
 

He not only opposed Gnosticism but Docetism. Docetics believed that Christ was purely a spiritual being and that only a ghost of Christ suffered on the cross.
 

Like Clement, he believed that the only way to promote unity and to avoid heresy was to have the churches subjected to the bishops and the elders. The bishops were in authority over a group of churches. The presbyter or elder was the ranking authority in each church followed by the deacon.

 

Ignatius was arrested by the Roman authorities and was sentenced to die in the arena filled with lions. Although a number of his followers wanted to stop the proceedings, he was convinced that a martyr’s death was glorious. In his letter to the church in Rome, shortly before his death he said,

 
"I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ."

 

 

Polycarp of Smryna (@65-155) was reported to be a disciple of John the Baptist. His sole surviving work is his letter to the Phillippians. Much of what he wrote was quoted directly from Paul’s Epistles. He showed little interest in church polity and instead, served as an exhorter of the church, emphasizing virtuous living and steadfastness in persecution. He died a martyr’s death
 

I want to point out a quote from Wikipedia LINK which is taken from Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Polycarp". Encyclopædia Britannica (eleventh ed.). Cambridge University Press.

 

I think a few people, like Mark Dever who will not let his friend Ligon Duncan take communion in his church because Duncan believes in pedobaptism, could learn a lesson from this beloved Bishop who sought to keep the church unified in spite of great disagreements.
 

“According to Irenaeus, during the time his fellow Syrian, Anicetus, was Bishop of Rome, in the 150s or 160, Polycarp visited Rome to discuss the differences that existed between Asia and Rome "with regard to certain things" and especially about the time of the Easter festivals. Irenaeus said that on certain things the two bishops speedily came to an understanding, while as to the time of Easter, each adhered to his own custom, without breaking off communion with the other. Anicetus— the Roman sources offering it as a mark of special honor— allowed Polycarp to celebrate the Eucharist in his own church."
 

I think this is important to consider. Although they had their own churches and decided to observe Easter on different dates, they still celebrated communion TOGETHER in each others’ churches! May Mark Dever and others like him take a hint. By the way it was this split that caused my father, Russian Orthodox to celebrate a different Easter than myself, a Protestant. 

 

The Epistle of Barnabas is also known as Pseudo-Barnabas because the Barnabas noted in the New Testament did not write it. This epistle was meant to dissuade the converts from Judaism from continuing to observe the Mosaic law. The writer expounds on the full sufficiency of the sacrificial of Christ.

 

The following quote is found in Wikipedia LINK which is taken from Bart D.Ehrman (2005). Lost Christianities: the battles for scripture and the faiths we never knew. Oxford University Press. p. 146. (yes, yes, I know but it is a good quote)

“The Epistle reinterprets many of the laws of the Torah. For example, the prohibition on eating pork is not to be taken literally, but rather forbids the people to live like swine, who supposedly grunt when hungry but are silent when full: likewise, the people are not to pray to God when they are in need but ignore him when they are satisfied. Similarly, the prohibition on eating rabbit means that the people are not to behave in a promiscuous manner”
 

There were other important writings:

• The Epistle of Diognetus (written to the tutor of Marcus Aurelius as an apologetic defense of the faith) (p.77)
• The Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (Based on a sermon), The Interpretations of the Sayings of our Lord written by Pappias which claims that Mark was the interpreter of Peter and that Matthew wrote his work in Hebrew (p. 78)
• The Sheherd of Hermas (written about a revelation received through visions by Hermas, the brother of Pius, the bishop of Rome.

 

In the end, it is important for Christians to realize that many writings from that period of time survive and we know a great deal about the successes, the struggles and the martyrdom of those whose courage combined with the strength of the Holy Spirit established the foundation of a faith that changed a world.

 

Lydia's Corner: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39 John 13:1-30 Psalm 119:1-16 Proverbs 15:29-30