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Tag: John

  • Looking back at The Lord’s Day

    Looking back at The Lord’s Day

    The Lord’s Day in years just past

    You have heard this day called Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday or perhaps Pascha. But today, on the 17th day of April in the year of our Lord, 2022, I would simply like to look back at celebrating ‘the Lord’s Day’ as followers of Christ Jesus have done since His resurrection.

    HOLY Week (we once called it)

    CLICK the link above to read some of what I have said before about Holy and weeks and festivals. 

ALSO, Feel free to comment on anything from my fiery EDITORIAL which I have moved to Comments to get to my perspective about the Lord's Day of the first century Christ followers. - RH

    LENT, we once set aside as preparation of repentance preceding the death of Christ for our sins.

    Yet in this NOT so HOLY time, now universally referred to as, the “COMMON Era” (as opposed to years we once called, Before Christ, now known as Before the Common Era); HOW intolerant are we who insist that JESUS IS LORD (and no other), as the world continues in its most common and ordinary daily sin! HOW insensitive of followers of CHRIST to PROCLAIM: JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN TODAY!

    In the Holy Week of our Lord, A.D. 2022

    (In case you missed these posts which lead us to this Lord’s Day Sunday)

    Blood on the night in which He was betrayed
    Holy Week: Thursday, A.D. 2022
    What’s good about Good Friday?
    Holy Week: Good Friday, A.D. 2022
    He was what? A Man of sorrows?
    Palm Sunday thoughts of previous years

    The Gospel of Resurrection Sunday +++ in context

    photo of earth from the moon

    Have YOU shared the Gospel of the Lord Christ Jesus?

    The Lord’s Day witness to the everyday saints of the Church

    For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB – Verse of the Day via BibleGateway.com

    This epistle was most likely written in the first half of A.D. 55 from Ephesus (16:8, 9, 19) while Paul was on his third missionary journey.

    John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions – 1 Corinthians via BlueLetterBible.org

    Easter: a narrowed narrative that missed the Church

    Why do I start with a Scripture about the Cross, rather than a traditional narrative of Resurrection morning from the Gospels?

    (Think about this, now…)

    The Gospels were NOT written as an immediate message from the pulpit of A.D. 30.

    Yes, that’s about when the Lord Jesus was crucified, buried and rose in body and spirit from the grave!

    But the Apostles Matthew and John, and later disciples Mark and Luke recorded their GOOD NEWS of JESUS’s Resurrection for a much later following of the Church.

    On this Lord’s Day, in the year of our Lord 2022, we glance at just a few events of THEIR Church life.

    Why the Gospel was Good News on the Lord’s Day

    • A.D. 32 – Stephen martyred & Saul persecutes Christ followers
    • A.D. 37 – Caligula declares himself a god
    • A.D. 44 – the Apostle James, brother of John, is martyred
    • A.D. 46 – Julian calendar changes the year
    • A.D. 49 – the jews expelled from Rome
    • A.D. 50’s (~20 years after Jesus’ Resurrection)
      • + Mark writes his Gospel;
      • + Matthew writes his Gospel
    • A.D. 54-68 – Nero is Emperor
      • A.D 64-68 Nero persecutes Christians after burning Rome
    • A.D. 60 + Luke writes his Gospel
    • A.D. 62 – James, brother of Jesus and head of the Jerusalem church martyred
    • A.D. 66 – Jewish revolt against Rome
      • + Apostle Peter martyred in Rome
      • + Paul, Apostle to the gentiles, martyred in Rome
    • A.D. 70 – Jerusalem falls to Rome and is burned
    • A.D. 80’s + John wrote his gospel ca. A.D. 80–90, about 50 years after he witnessed Jesus’ earthly ministry. – J.M.
    Sources for above: Then and Now Bible Maps, Rose Publishing & BlueLetterBible.org commentaries

    Each Lord’s Day

    The saints of the A.D. first century church gathered each Lord’s Day to worship the Lord God by the grace of Christ Jesus and though the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Do YOU?

    For many centuries the Lord’s Day was set apart as Holy to the Lord for morning and evening worship, as well as study of doctrine from the Bible, as the business of the world (reluctantly) remained CLOSED on Sunday.

    They gathered frequently in each others homes to hear the Gospel and receive the letters of the Apostles.

    These saints (small ‘s’) of the church, “Christians” (as Christ followers came to be known), delighted to serve one another in Christ-like love.

    The saints of THE WAY, knowing that as one of the Lord’s SAVED and REDEEMED ones, suffering in a world violently opposed to JESUS CHRIST and the LORD GOD, endured for these brief times because of HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.

    We have begun eternal life and need not suffer the WRATH of GOD’s punishment for our many, many sins against God and against man.

    A.D. 90, The Lord’s Day

    The aging Apostle, lone survivor of many trials for Christ among those who Jesus first chose some sixty years ago, concludes his Gospel; a fourth, following that which has already been proclaimed to tens of thousands throughout a world of Rome’s temporary ownership by Matthew and two faithful gentile servants of The Way.

    The Apostle John writes of that glorious day:

    Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were together due to fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side.

    The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

    Gospel of John 20:19-21 NASB

    Talk of JESUS . com

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • The Testimony of Christ by Stephen

    The Testimony of Christ by Stephen

    “But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the [Sanhedrin; or Council] courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.

    Gospel of Mark 13:9 – Reply of Jesus to Peter, James, John and Andrew about signs of the beginning of the last days.

    μαρτύριον – Testimony

    • martyrion – From a presumed derivative of μάρτυς (G3144)

    WE know it by sometimes sworn oath:

    • Sworn testimony is evidence given by a witness who has made a commitment to tell the truth. If the witness is later found to have lied whilst bound by the commitment, they can often be charged with the crime of perjury. The types of commitment can include oaths, affirmations and promises.. – Source: Wikipedia
    • 第七十条 凡知悉案件的单位和个人，应当承担出庭作证的义务。有关单位负责人应当支持证人作证。证人确难以出庭的，经人民法院同意，可以提交书面证言。 任何不能适当表达意愿的人不得作证。
      • Note: Talk of JESUS .com will occasionally include a testimony of Christ in other languages for our readers in other countries. Above: from Chinese law

    Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later

    Hebrews 3:3 NASB20

    Stephen’s Testimony of their Hebrew Ancestors

    God will raise up for you a prophet
    Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. – Acts 7:44

    We have reached the point in his trial where Stephen’s testimony will quickly move on from Moses to David.

    Acts 7: continued

    7:45 Years later, when Joshua led our ancestors in battle against the nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it stayed there until the time of King David.

    Timeline: Moses *uncertain *(~15th or 13th c. B.C.); (Precise timeline of Joshua & the Judges of Israel uncertain.):
David *~1000 B.C. (dates differ between various sources); Solomon ~900's B.C. - First Temple of the United Kingdom of Israel (Judah in the south & Israel in the north) ended in 931 B.C. at Solomon's death.

Stephen's testimony before Jerusalem's leaders takes place about ten centuries (1000 years) after David, 
but just two years after these judges of Herod's temple reject their Messiah Jesus.
    First Temple
    Herod’s temple

    46 David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for Him..

    Herod’s temple

    Stephen then Testifies for the LORD from Scripture:

    Bereishit (Genesis) 14:22  וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל־מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם הֲרִימֹתִי יָדִי אֶל־יְהוָה אֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

    But it was Solomon who actually built it. However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,

    Acts 7:47-48 NLT

    ‘Heaven is My throne,
    And the earth is the footstool of My feet;
    What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,

    Acts of the Apostles 7:49a NASB

    ‘Or what place is there for My rest?
    Was it not My hand that made all these things?’

    Acts of the Apostles 7:49b NASB

    Another Rare Vision

    29:18  בְּאֵין חָזוֹן יִפָּרַֽע עָם וְשֹׁמֵר תּוֹרָה אַשְׁרֵֽהוּ׃

    Proverbs 29:18 WLC, ESV Where there is no prophetic vision [חָזוֹן]. the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

    The Lord God has kept silent for centuries between the Prophets and John the Baptist.

    These Judges of Jerusalem’s Sanhedrin have witnessed rare wonders and signs which have prompted the faithful to ask if certain men have been sent to them from the Lord God.

    Peter, John and the Apostles have healed many in Jerusalem for two years now.

    Acts testimony of Peter preaching to the crowds

    And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

    Before that, for three years Jesus, whom they called Son of David, performed many signs and proofs throughout Judah, Samaria and Galilee. Some had speculated that their Messiah from Nazareth could have been John the Baptist resurrected from the dead.

    (Others even claim to have seen Jesus after His crucifixion on a Cross and burial in a nearby tomb!)

    And many Jews, leaders of the Sanhedrin and even Herod had marveled at the preaching of John the Baptist.

    John the Baptist

    from the Good News of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (who had stood with Peter during his sign at the temple):
    This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you? ”
He didn’t deny it but confessed: “I am not the Messiah.”
“What then? ” they asked him. “Are you Elijah? ”
“I am not,” he said.
“Are you the Prophet? ”
“No,” he answered.
“Who are you, then? ” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself? ”

    He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord ​— ​just as Isaiah the prophet said.”

    Gospel of John 1:23 NASB20 – John the Baptist speaking of the Lord Jesus

    Jerusalem’s elders held a distant fear of the Lord, as when the Hebrew elders had asked Moses NOT to look upon the Face of the LORD. Isaiah and the Prophets of old had had visions like no earthly corporate vision of a gathering at the temple or in synagogues. So they had to be certain that men like John the baptizer and Jesus and Peter and now, Stephen (addressing them with the face of an angel) would not strike them down for their turning from God.

    It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    Hebrews 10:[28-]31

    Stephen’s Testimony Echoes Isaiah

    Israel's ruling council, now judging Stephen, would have been well familiar with these prophesies of Isaiah, 
*whose name means “The LORD is salvation,” and is similar to the names Joshua, Elisha, and Jesus; and ministered in and around Jerusalem as a prophet to Judah during the reigns of 4 kings of Judah, c. 739–686 B.C. - *Source

    Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies…

    And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

    Recall now from the testimony of Acts 6: 'All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel,' also used of Moses after having received the Law from the LORD and Isaiah's own testimony of having seen the Lord and heard Him speak.

    Isaiah – חֲזוֹן יְשַֽׁעְיָהוּ

    The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

    Listen, heavens, and hear, earth;
    For the LORD has spoken:
    “Sons I have raised and brought up,
    But they have revolted against Me.

    “An ox knows its owner,
    And a donkey its master’s manger,
    But Israel does not know,
    My people do not understand.”

    Oh, sinful nation,
    People weighed down with guilt,
    Offspring of evildoers,
    Sons who act corruptly!
    They have abandoned the LORD,
    They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
    They have turned away from Him.

    2:12 For the Lord of armies will have a day of reckoning
Against everyone who is arrogant and haughty,
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be brought low.

3:14 The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and leaders of His people,
“It is you who have devoured the vineyard;
The goods stolen from the poor are in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing My people
And [m]oppressing the face of the poor?”
Declares the Lord God of armies.
    • 6:1 .. I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
    • .. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
    • .. Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

    “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”

    • .. “Send me.”
    • Then I said, “Lord, how long?”
    • And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people, And the land is utterly desolate..
    • 7:13 Then he said, “Listen now, house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?
    Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel - Isaiah 7-14 = picture of sleeping baby

    “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel…

    “The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah—the days of the king of Assyria.”

    Isaiah 7:14,17 NASB20

    Indictment

    66:2 וְאֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה יָדִי עָשָׂתָה וַיִּהְיוּ כָל־אֵלֶּה נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְאֶל־זֶה אַבִּיט אֶל־ עָנִי וּנְכֵה־רוּחַ וְחָרֵד עַל־דְּבָרִֽי׃

    Isaiah 66:2 – quoted by Stephen

    For My hand made all these things,
    So all these things came into being,” declares the Lord.
    “But I will look to this one,
    At one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.

    Isaiah 66:2 NASB

    NEXT: Stephen’s closing argument and Sentence of the Sanhedrin

    使徒行传 7: To be continued…

  • An Apostolic Model: Ministering to a Growing Church

    An Apostolic Model: Ministering to a Growing Church

    How did Twelve Apostles minister to multitudes of disciples of a growing Church?

    • Who would lead change after hearing their murmurings,
      • (And THAT, knowing that some came to Christ from one TRADITION,
      • while others came to the Lord from diverse ethnic standards of community, family and worship of God.)
    • How can WE help relieve so many PERSONAL problems for hundreds of families belonging to our growing church?
    • WHEN will we ever have time to minister to our church family?
    • What must we do for each and every saint of our Lord Christ Jesus?

    ACTS of the Apostles and the Jerusalem CHURCH 6:1-7

    Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

    ACTS of the Apostles 6:1 ESV

    Leading through diverse difficulties of a growing Church

    ‘.. but we have always done it THIS way?’

    (This isn't going to be so easy, is it?)

Luke reveals the cultural challenge of the church familiar to him, however most of us (in this 21st century) will not understand the root of the problem: 

Mixing gentiles with Jews. Even bringing the traditional challenge of some Jews joining in fellowship with other Jews divides political alliances in the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem.

Therefore I will begin by including a background for our scene in first century Jerusalem, as well as outcomes of church ministry which have occurred over two millennia. - RH

    First let’s clarify some ‘church‘ terms we derive from the Greek language of the New Testament.

    Who are Apostles? (and who are Disciples?)

    Acts Apostolos - Acts of the Apostles - the chronicles of Christ's Apostles - a history of Christ's Church
    • HOW MANY APOSTLES?
      • TWELVE (our standard answer)
    • WHO ARE THE APOSTLES?
      • No need here to recite them by name, but remembering:
    • ALL Apostles at this point in ACTS are leaders of the Church in Jerusalem.
      • Matthias has now replaced Judas.
    • Saul of Tarsus will soon encounter the risen Christ Jesus and join in ministry as Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

    ἀπόστολος – full definition linked here

    Disciples (disciples)

    μαθητής

    Strictly speaking, disciples are the ones taught; that is, anyone who follows the teachings or traditions of any teacher or rabbi.

    The disciple G3101 is not above his master [didaskalos], 

    nor the servant [doulos] above his lord [kyrios].

    Instruction of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10:24

    לִמּוּד

    54:13 וְכָל־בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְהוָה וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃

    And all thy children shall be taught H3928 of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

    prophesy of the Messiah by Yeshaiya (Isaiah) 54:13

    μαθητής mathētḗs, math-ay-tes’; from G3129; a learner, i.e. pupil:—disciple.

    • The Twelve were disciples of Jesus who followed their Teacher full-time for three years.
      • You’ve probably noticed that most translations of the Bible capitalize ‘disciple’ to avoid confusion when referring to the Twelve Disciples [Apostles].
    • Many others of the multitudes also became disciples and followed Jesus Christ in the early days before his crucifixion and resurrection.

    Now, in our scene in Jerusalem after the Lord’s resurrection, the Church in Jerusalem has many disciples – disciples of the Holy Spirit (who of course first receive the Holy Spirit, as we have just read from Luke’s account).

    Yet from Jesus’ instruction from the Gospel of the Apostle Matthew, note another distinction of this relationship between rabbi and pupil: that of master (or lord) and servant.

    These also apply in Luke’s account describing the model by which the Apostles lead the early Church.

    Our NEW Pastors 🙂

    (Some call them: ‘ministers‘)

    • FIRST: Jesus was the Rabbi. And Jesus was the Master.
    • THEN: The APOSTLES became the Rabbis. And the Apostles were then masters of their sheep (students; flocks, servants, community, school, fold, gathering, or whatever you may choose to call this multitude of the Church).

    Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

    Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

    Jeremiah 23:1, 50,17 KJV

    But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; G1249

    Gospel of Matthew 20:26 KJV – Teaching of Jesus to His disciples

    The Twelve, led by two of Jesus’ inner circle of Apostles, Simon Peter and John, now lead the New Testament Church as rabbis to a multitude of disciples.

    Lambs of the Apostles’ fold

    The Apostle John, who Luke records as standing at Peter’s side on the day of Pentecost, opens our eyes to the resurrected Jesus, where the Lord calls on Peter to restore the foundation of his calling:

    “Tend My lambs.” .. “Shepherd My sheep.” .. “Tend My sheep.

    The risen Master’s loving command to Simon Peter to minister to His church – Gospel of John 21:15,16,17

    These new disciples of the Twelve include NOT ONLY men from traditional Judaism, but also men, women and children accepted into fellowship, tender young lambs of Jesus who could NEVER before have been full members of their community of faith in the Lord God.

    “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back.

    Jesus teaching the Jews that He will Shepherd the gentiles, as scripture has said. – Gospel of John 10:16-17 NASB20
    • And what happens when ANY two groups of differing cultural traditions choose to follow one leader?
    • Dissension and murmuring by some unwilling to abide by rules and traditions imposed by others.

    Who is the master ministering to these NEW lambs?

    sheep by a manger

    “They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

    “Go; behold, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves.

    Instruction of the Master Jesus to seventy-two [72] disciples + Gospel of Luke 10:3 NASB20

    Master – διδάσκαλος – didaskalos

    The KJV translates Strong’s G1320 in the following manner: Master (Jesus) (40x), teacher (10x), master (7x), doctor (1x).

    Doctor:

    a teacher (from didasko, “to teach”), cp. didaskalia, “teaching, doctrine, instruction,” is translated “doctors,” with reference to the teachers of the Jewish religion, Luk 2:46. Cp. paideutes, “a teacher.”
    See MASTER, TEACHER.

    Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words 1 Strong’s Number: g1320 Greek: didaskalos – via BlueLetterBible.org

    The rabbis of Jerusalem quarreled with each other as they had also challenged the legitimacy that Jesus’ MANY disciples should call the Lord, ‘Master.’ Now that Peter, John and the Apostles have remained in Jerusalem as Jesus commanded, MANY disciples remained faithful to the church gathered under the leadership of the Apostles.

    Note from earlier, after Peter preached in the Temple,

    “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 

    Acts records the reactions of other rabbis

    These Apostolic Masters of the Church community now face division and opposition just as Jesus had encountered in Jerusalem prior to His execution and resurrection from the dead.

    Lord

    We will never understand our role as a servant of the Church until we know the sacrificial love of its servant-Master.

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
    "lord" occurs 7,790 times in 6,587 verses in the NASB20. Page 1 / 132

    Here too I urge caution and prayerful understanding of terms frequently used and misused by the church. i.e. Lord, Master, servant, slave (even God and ‘love,’ translated from several different Greek and Hebrew words in Scripture).

    • LORD – Yᵊhōvâ – יְהֹוָה
      • i.e. So Noah acted in accordance with everything that the LORD H3068 had commanded him.
    • From הָיָה (H1961)
      • i.e. Genesis 27:29 הָוָה

    May peoples serve you,
    And nations bow down to you;
    Be master of your brothers,
    And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
    Cursed be those who curse you,
    And blessed be those who bless you.”

    And God said to Moses, “I AM H1961 WHO I AM H1961”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM H1961 has sent me to you.’”

    Exodus 3:14 NASB20

    אָמַרְתְּ לַֽיהוָה אֲדֹנָי אָתָּה טוֹבָתִי בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃

    I said to the LORD [Yᵊhōvâ}, “You are my Lord [;ăḏōnāy];
    I have nothing good besides You.” – Tehillim (Psalms) 16:2
    For this is what the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said:
“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
Isaiah 30:15

    κυρίῳ kyrios – Lord

    "lord" occurs 106 times in 100 verses in the book of 'Act' in the NASB20.

    And increasingly believers in the Lord G2962, large numbers of men and women, were being added to their number,

    Acts of the Apostles 5:14 NASB20

    ἐκκλησία – ekklēsia – ‘Church‘

    Luke has only used the term ‘church’ once at this point in Acts of the Apostles to describe these ‘large numbers of men and women.’ He opens his second account describing the miraculous growth of the church:

    Acts of ALL with one accord
    Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
    • And now HOW has Luke just introduced the Church by name?
    A Church Seized by Signs and Wonders
    Acts 5:11 KJV And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
    • The Church (that is, the early church) lives as a community of love in fear of God, yet joyful of Christ’s anointing Spirit given to His disciples of the Church who will ‘follow Jesus, as their Master.’
    • The saints of the Apostolic community serve the Living God and obey the Apostles as their lords and masters.

    The disciple G3101 is not above his master [didaskalos], 

    nor the servant [doulos] above his lord [kyrios].

    Instruction of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10:24

    the servant [doulos]

    Now that we have defined some of these ‘Christian‘ terms so foundational to understanding Luke’s account of the Acts of the Apostles; NEXT, God-willing, we will examine the role the these servants of the Church. 

    ACTS of the Church 6: 
To be continued...