November 19, 2023
Problems and Solutions in the Early Church
The New Testament is an amazing story of God’s incarnation in the person of His Son, followed by Jesus effectively passing on that incarnation to His followers. Jesus’ time on earth was unexpectedly short, but no worries: He turned over His ministry of revealing what God is like to His disciples. It’s almost unbelievable:
“Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12); “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). That’s good news. But the devil doesn’t let this go on without a lot of interference.
QUESTION: Remembering that “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), what are ways the devil sought to thwart what Jesus came to do? And then, also, to put a stop to what Jesus’ followers were supposed to do?
Two unfortunate developments in the early church are often overlooked, and they threatened to destroy the power of the gospel to change lives. One revolved around ethnic tensions; the other doctrinal.
QUESTION: Any ideas about what the problems were?
On the one hand, the Jews had hoisted the church’s sails.Unfortunately, within a couple of decades most jumped ship. While the Apostles had faithfully declared the word of the Lord, regrettably, another gospel would soon make headlines. The church of Jews over here ended up separating from the church of Gentiles over there.
The other problem was false teaching that began slipping inthe back door of the church. This problem is especially evident in the last books of the NT: 2 Timothy, 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation. (We’ll explore this topic in the month of December when we read those books.)
QUESTION: Was it possible that the devil might win these battles and the church come close to self-destructing? What was the solution?
The following passages expose the rising tension between Jews and Gentiles. Misunderstanding, even hatred, had been in their history for a long time, and though the hopes were that the gospel could solve the issue, it wasn’t going to be an easy road. Reading between the lines in what follows, we may be able to grasp some of the trouble that was brewing.
· John the Baptist said to the Jewish leaders, “You should not think you can make this claim forever saying, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up true children for Abraham!” (Matthew 3:9).
· The Jews said, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus answered, “If you were Abraham’s children, you’d do what Abraham did . . . But you are doing the works of your own father!” The Jews protested: “We are not illegitimate children; the only Father we have is God himself!” (John 8:39-41).
· Jesus said about the Jews, “The subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!” (Matthew 8:12).
· On their first missionary journey while visiting the city of Antioch in Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas replied in shocking terms to accusations from some Jews: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles! (Acts 13:46).
· In writing to the Galatians, Paul bemoaned what had happened: I am dumbfounded that you have so readily turned aside to a perverted gospel, away from the Messiah who called you by his grace (Gal 1:6). You thoughtless Galatians! Who has jinxed you? (Galatians 3:1).
· Jews from Jerusalem traveled to Antioch and shamelessly declared to the Gentile believers: “If you do not get circumcised in compliance with the law of Moses, you cannot be saved!” (Acts 15:1).
· On Paul’s second missionary journey, the turmoil was escalating. In Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth, Jews were antagonistic against Paul’s preaching. When Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” (Acts 18:6).
· Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: A person is not a true Jew who is only one outwardly (Romans 2:28). And, Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel (Romans 9:6).
· Paul’s boldest move of all was returning to his roots in Jerusalem, by then a seething hotbed of Judaizers. Paul could have written a letter (maybe he should have), but no, this was too important. He would do anything to bring his kin back into the fold, and he needed to be there in person (Acts 20:22-24; 21:10-36). He even had a donation in hand, a generous offering collected from Gentile churches inGreece (Acts 24:17; Romans 15:25-27; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4). All possible preparations were in order. Upon arrival in Jerusalem, things fell apart quickly. Some rabble-rousers saw him at the temple and began shouting, “Help! Fellow Israelites. This man is an enemy of our people, our religion, our law, and this temple. He travels around the world subverting our holiest customs!” (Acts 21:28). Except for some Roman soldiers intervening, the Jews would have mob-lynched Paul on the spot. Thankfully, the Romans locked him up in prison, sparing his life—to the chagrinof the Jews—but, in so doing, consigning him to years of confinement.
· Later Paul was sent to Rome for trial. Though chained, he was able meet with the leaders of the Jewish congregations. Unfortunately, they stiff-armed him, making clear that they were not convinced about the Jesus he was proclaiming. In utter frustration Paul reminded them of Isaiah’s comment about deaf ears and calloused hearts (Is 6:9-10) and declared: “Let it be known to you! This salvation from God, has been transferred to the Gentiles. You had your turn. At least they will listen!” (Acts 28:26-28).
· Sometime later Paul wrote to the Ephesians and spoke in glowing terms about Gentile privilege, essentially leaving the Jews in the dust: “Though once excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise—without hope and without God in the world—now inChrist Jesus, you who once were far away, have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12-13).
· The letters to the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia in the book of Revelation declared: “I know the slander of those who say they areJews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Rev 2:9). “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you!” (Rev 3:9).
Paul was apparently on death row, or soon would be. The Jews were apparently dead in their tracks, or soon could be. While there was good news that the churches were exploding with more and more Gentiles, the bad news was the Jewish segment was imploding, moving farther and farther from the gospel of grace.
QUESTION: Why does it appear there was more fanning of the flames of division between Jew and Gentile than dousing them with water? What could possibly solve this problem?
On the night before his death, Jesus declared, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Part of the backdrop was what the prophet Isaiah had said: The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel (Isaiah5:7). In other words, Jesus was the true Israel, the true Jew. Geography, ethnicity, ancestry would no longer cut it . . . if it ever did!
QUESTION: Backing up to the end of the Old Testament: How did God feel about the Chosen People? And as Jesus’ earthly ministry drew to aclose, how did He feel about them? Note the following verses:
· “I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me” (Malachi2:9).
· “Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them” (Malachi 3:7).
· “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate” (Luke13:34-35).
· As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke19:41-44).
QUESTION: Was God giving up on the Chosen People? Had they really miserably failed the God of the Old Testament and the Lord of the NewTestament that badly? After the OT, had God let the people self-destruct for 400 years? And after Jesus’ ascension, did the people again fail God by subverting the message of the true gospel? And is God still letting the Chosen People go their own way, deluded by the devil?
Maybe all this explains, at least in part, why the Jews (now known as “Messianic” Jews) seem to be only a token remnant in the body of Christ (Isaiah 10:22-23; Romans 9:27). It’s an urgent prayer request that more Jews would recognize Jesus as their Messiah!
