Pentecost and the Jerusalem Council

As the Church grew and many new people were brought into the Faith, there was some controversy on how to receive them, mainly by a group who wanted strict adherence to Jewish law (known as the Judaizers) in such areas as circumcision and dietary regulations. Such there was an disagreement on whether Gentiles need become Jews first then Christians.  Also in questions was the need for replacements to their numbers as well as the apostleship of Paul and Barnabas.The Apostles gathered in Jerusalem around 48 AD for the first council of the Church (Acts 15 and Galatians 2). James, being bishop in the city, presided over the meeting. After many important speeches, including a key one by Peter, the Council made a decision on how to receive the gentiles into the Church. This decision was vitally important for two reasons, first it opened the doors for non-Jews (gentiles) to be received into the Faith. Secondly, it showed the Church on how it should meet and it what way decisions need to be made.

Peter made a major speech by showing that it was God’s will that Gentiles should hear the Gospel, that they had been given the Holy Spirit without discrimination, that the ceremonial law of the Jews was a yoke that they themselves could not bear, and finally that salvation was a Grace for both Jews and Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas reported on the remarkable success they had in growing the Church and believed that it would not have grown if God did not intend it to do so. James, considered a strict observer of the Law made the Scriptural argument God intended to save all (Gal 2) however, that there should be some general requirements, namely abstention from idolatry, fornication, eating of meat from strangled animals and the eating of blood. This was so that fellowship could be maintained. Plus, if they desired to become Jews, then they could go to any one of many synagogues around the Empire.

The major decision was the fourfold answer to the questions they faced and basically followed James’ recommendations. First was the repudiation of the Judaizers who began the controversy. Second was the support of the work of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles. Third was the authorization of Judas and Silas as delegates. And finally, the agreement that the people abstain from idolatry, from blood, from things strangled and fornication. It was insisted that the decision was of “The Holt Spirit and us.”

The results of these early decisions was the opening of the Church. It allowed for unprecedented growth among the gentile nations. Paul would go on and have 6 more missionary journeys bringing the Gospel all the way to the capital of the Empire, Rome. His great Epistles (or letters) not only established deep theological reflection of Christ and the Church but set down the first standards of operation and behavior within the Church. The other Apostles also went forth and brought the Gospels to all nations so that the Church began to spread throughout the known world. Many meet the fate of martyrdom in the name of Christ.

These early days also continued to see a more frictional relationship between the Jews and the Christians which eventually lead to their total break. Christianity as a whole were not accepted in the Empire and would not be until the Emperor Constantine legalized it in the early 4^th century. So what would follow would be periods of great martyrdom and persecution which would drive the Church underground until such time that it could come out in the open. This, however, brought rise to the great apologists of the Church who would write some of the classic tracts on what it means to be a Christian and what exactly is the Church. These would formulate the basis for serious theological reflections in the later centuries. It would also give us the evidence on life in the early Church and how it was organized, confirming the unbroken traditions of the Orthodox Church today.

The main people during this period were the Apostles Peter and Paul. They were the major missionaries of the Faith as it spread throughout the Empire. Both met their martyrdom in Rome. The other Apostles such as James were also especially important in the spread of the Gospel. In fact the Seventy as well as all those named throughout the New Testament contributed to the survival of the Church and are all canonized as saints, many spreading the message throughout the world and meeting their death.

The first and foremost source for this period is found in the New Testament. Specifically in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of Paul. They present a very accurate picture of the early Church and the issues that the people faced. It is worth reading Acts and Galatians for a specific view of the issues. There were, however, other writings being collected and disseminated to the Church which were from the same period and survived to this day. Key among them are the Didache (or The Two Ways), the Shepherd of Hermes, the Apostles’ Creed, the Epistles of Clement of Rome, Polycarp of Smyrna, Ignatius of Antioch, and Barnabas.