NT ASSEMBLY LIFE

NT ASSEMBLY LIFE
By Kent Secor

I wrote this originally as a series of posts, in a thread discussion on meetchristians.com in response to a direct question to me as to what I thought meetings should be like. As I considered the question and studied out the NT to answer it, I found what I now present in this little booklet.

My life in Christ has always been a radical, iconoclastic one. If some one said that something was true, I wanted proof. Early on I learned that the scriptures are the basis for our knowledge of faith and life in Christ, so I would only accept the scriptures as the proof for a doctrine or practice.

The answers I got to some of my questions, even though they were supported by scripture quotes, didn't always set right with me. Some teachers encouraged me to dig deeper into the scriptures and study what other scholars and teachers said. For 25 years I practiced my faith within the confines of the institutional Churches. I knew no other way to be the Body of Christ. I believed what I had been taught, that the modern Church fulfilled the NT teaching for the Body of Christ. Yet, some things didn't set right with me, questions persisted.

My seeking of the Lord for answers led me to go back, back to the Book, and the writings of the early church. I wanted to try to gain the ideas that the first and second generations of believers lived with. I wanted to learn what they did in their day because of their faith in Jesus the Christ.

What I discovered was simple truth, and a simple lifestyle of faith and love. They were a community of believers who lived out their love for God by simply and practically loving one another. They sought to serve one another out of a pure heart. They sought to meet each others needs in real practical ways, giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the naked and shelter to the homeless.

They saw themselves as a living sacrifice, a new priesthood in Christ, a temple made by God's hands for Him to dwell in, a people of God. Two peoples, Jew and Gentile, joined into one people in Christ.

They met in each others' homes or the home of a wealthy believer who could accommodate all. They met to eat a meal, a celebration feast unto the Lord Jesus who had redeemed them and placed them in the body of believers. They functioned in an open meeting format, with each one bringing to the meeting what the Lord in His grace had given them to share. Elders who in their maturity knew the Lord and His voice, provided oversight as the Body functioned as a whole under the headship of Jesus and unto the praise of His glory. They came together to encourage each other in their walk in Christ.

I present this study as a compilation of my studies. I do not mean this to be a comprehensive teaching. I do not believe in systematic theologies. I see teaching as a means to encourage others in the Way of Christ, like a road map shows the way to travel from one land to another. I offer this work as such a map, it is the way I have trod to arrive at the place in the road I now stand and travel on from. It is the discovery of freedom in Christ, the way the early believers lived, the way we are called to live this new life in Christ Jesus.


FOUNDATIONS TO ASSEMBLY PRACTICES

JESUS THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE

Christ and Christ alone is the first foundation of our faith, He alone is the cornerstone by which all the other foundation blocks are laid by.

For those who don't know basic stone masonry, the cornerstone is the first block laid. Special care is taken to make it perfect in every way, square and straight. It is laid in perfect alignment according to the building plans upon the building site. All the other foundations stones are laid off of this cornerstone. A poorly laid cornerstone will cause the foundation to be skewed and the foundation will produce a weak, faulty and possible dangerous building.

So too in the Christian assembly, if the cornerstone is wrong all the rest will be off of plan. Without Christ and His loving redemptive work for us as the only cornerstone, our assembly lives will be faulty and possible dangerous.

There are a few foundation blocks in the teaching of NT assembly practice and life. I will not suppose to know them all, or know them all well enough to teach them. But a few of them do come to mind and seem germane to this discussion. Now I am referring to foundational ideas relating to the community of the redeemed in Christ. I pre-suppose the laying of the foundational ideas and realities of a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus and the work of the cross in one's life. These are prerequisites for life in the community of believers. The NT church was a community of believers; the idea of it being an evangelistic outreach meeting is a modern development, from the Revivalist movement of the 17th and 18th centuries.

FIRST AND SECOND FOUNDATION STONES

Jesus' teaching lays the foundation for the all the practices of the NT assembly.

In Matt 22:34-39 (NIV) (parallel passage; Mk 12:28-31), we read:
"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands."
(Cross references: Dt 6:4, 5 Lev 19:18)

These two commands are the foundation of all believers' lives in Christ. It is the central message of scripture, how we were made to live from the moment of the creation of our father Adam. All the Law and Prophets, all of God's revealed will for Israel and for the Body of Christ are based on these two commands.

All the practices of the New Testament Assembly are based on these commands. The 'one another' statements of NT teaching are built on the 'love one another' command, as we shall see.

So the first standard by which I judge any practice of my life on is; is it loving? And the first standard to judge our church practice on is the same one; does it focus first on God and direct us to love HIM? And does it spur us on to love one another and our neighbors as our self?

After the chief cornerstone of Christ and Christ alone is laid in our lives, I see this as the supreme foundational teaching. Love God with our all, and love one another/neighbor as ourselves.


JESUS TEACHES FURTHER ON LOVING ONE'S NEIGHBOR

Jesus applies his teaching on the greatest commandments to his students (disciples), who will then teach it to the rest of the followers of Jesus, after Pentecost.

John in his gospel account gives us these teachings from Jesus:

John 13:34-35 (NIV)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples (students or followers), if you love one another.”

And again in John 15:1-17 (NIV) (I won't quote the whole passage here, just the relevant parts, please read it though to see the context.)
“I am the true vine...Remain in me, and I will remain in you.....
...Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
....My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.......
...This is my command: Love each other. “

Jesus' command expresses his teaching of the two greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

This is a community command. It is not an individual command, you can not “love one another” all alone. It takes a group of people, more than one, to love one another. This takes a community of believers, whereas you can 'love God’ to some extent alone. Yet, even to love God involves a community expression, as we shall see later in John's letter.

It is a popular teaching today to stress the individual's relationship with Jesus. But little is taught today about the community and Jesus.

The NT principally is addressed to communities of believers, and deals with corporate life rather than individuals.

The letters were written to the church at large, yes, they were addressed to certain assemblies, but with the understanding that they would be copied and shared with all the churches in a given area, as was the custom in that day.

One of the keys to proper interpretation, in how to apply these teachings today, is the understanding that when the address “you” is used it is a plural you, addressing the whole assembly, a ya' all, (if you will allow my southern vernacular to come through). Unless the context is clearly addressing an individual, like in some of the closing statements.

So the commandment of Jesus is to "Love one another". I've looked and can identify no other clear commandment Jesus made. Yes, there are some practices enjoined, "Breaking bread", but so is foot washing at that same last supper, (And how many do that so called "ordinance"?); and water baptism, are the only two that come to mind. Yet these were not commandments. Jesus never said they were. Only thing Jesus is recorded to have said is his commandment is to "Love one another as I have loved you."

Jesus said to love each other as I have loved you. He uses himself as our example of loving each other. Now remember when he gave this commandment. It was before his sacrifice on the cross. Either he was referring to his life with the disciples (students) for the last three years, or was giving them another statement that would be clear to them later, after the resurrection and pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

Either way Jesus is the example of how to "love one another".

THE THIRD FOUNDATION STONE OF NT ASSEMBLY PRACTICE:
JESUS' TEACHING ON SERVANTHOOD

First let's look at Matthew 20:20-28 (NIV)
"Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

"What is it you want?" he asked.

She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at you right and the other at your left in your kingdom."

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"

"We can," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many." "


Jesus in this passage gives a clear instruction that the order of things in the Body is one of service, even slavery to each other. He uses himself as an example of servanthood, and this was before his death, though he did allude to it.

In the next passage he repeats this teaching. Servanthood is so foundational to the practice of the Body that Matthew chooses to state this teaching twice.

Now let’s look at Matthew 23:8 - 12 (NIV)
“But you are not to be called 'Rabbi' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father', for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher', for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus shared this some time after the discussion about the greatest commandments. Servanthood naturally builds upon those commands. We shall see more on this in the NT letters.

Now let's look at John 13:14, 15
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set the example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Is Jesus giving us some new 'ordinance' here? Some think so and practice 'foot washing' along with their observance of the 'Lord's Supper'. Yet no where is this practice discussed in any NT letter. So I don't see the early church teachers taught this 'ordinance' at all, or that the early assemblies practiced this.

So what was the point? Jesus demonstrated, one area of loving one another, serving one another in a real, practical way. It was the custom of that day that a servant of the house would wash a guest's feet when they entered the house. At least a bowl of water and towel would be provided for the guest, by the host.

There were no house servants there to do this service to the group, so Jesus used this opportunity to teach real service. Service, like love, must be sincere in deeds and not in words alone. This is greatly expounded on in the letters.

We can clearly see that servanthood is central to Jesus teaching. Remember those he taught were his hand picked future teachers in the body of believers. He taught them to serve one another.

This is one solid rock foundation block for assembly practice.

The foundations I've laid here are:

1) Love God with your all (We love Him, because He first loved us) means believers only, make up assembly.

2) Love one another.

3) Service to one another is primary and to be practical, not just in word.


JOHN'S TEACHING BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF JESUS

The next step in trying to understand the teaching of the practice of the NT assembly is to go to the teaching of the first teachers, those who were Jesus' students (followers, disciples). Historically it is thought 1 John was written late, about 80-90 AD, yet it reflects accurately the teaching of Jesus and how the early disciples understood it.

To properly understand scripture you must keep it in its entire context, within the context of the writing it is in, the context of the historical period in which it was written, and the cultural context; there is also the context of the language in which it was written. Translators have the task of translating the original thoughts into words and terms that their intended readers can understand.

One of the dangers of taking verses out of context is they can seem to have a meaning that is different then the author intended them to have. Many today have built doctrines based on out-of-context verses strung together, the Jehovah's Witnesses are great at this ploy of false teaching, and I find too many teachers in the Church do this, to the detriment of the truth. Keeping the verse in context, the way the text was written, reading it in context is how you will find the true meaning of any given verse.

Let's look at John's first letter and see how he built upon the foundational teaching laid down by Jesus.

I will not quote all the passages I'm referencing, just the highlights, please read the passages in the whole to see the whole context and that I am not changing the meaning by taking them out of context.

1John 1:5-7 (NIV)
"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

John wrote this letter in response to Gnostic teaching that was being formed in the assemblies. That is why some of the language he uses is so symbolic, that was the way the Gnostic teachers taught, with symbols that their initiates understood.

What does it mean to “walk in darkness” or “walk in the light“? John tells us,”...if we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. “To walk in the light then, means to speak the truth and live by the truth. When we live by the truth, we have fellowship with one another.

The point here is that our fellowship together is based on the truth.

Now let's look at 1 John 2:3-11 (NIV), {I will not quote this whole passage, please read it all.}
"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.....if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

...Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light..."

Here John tells us that one who is living in the truth, the truth about and from Jesus, loves his brother, or loves one another. This is how Jesus walked (lived) among us; it was what John experienced when he lived with Jesus for those years. So out of his own experience he calls his readers to imitate Jesus, by loving your brothers.

Remember to be in the light means to know, speak and live by the truth. The truth as Jesus taught it, and lived it.

Next let's look at 1 John 3:10-23 (NIV), {again just quoting portions, please read the whole passage.}
"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God: nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. .....We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our bothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

...if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God ....And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them...."

Here John tells us plainly how to know if someone is in Christ, or as we say today, is saved. By whether they love the brethren or not. He doesn't give a standard of doctrine; the standard he gives is one of love. Even John's test for whether one has true doctrine (being in the light), is whether they love their brothers.

John reminds us that this is the same message we had from the beginning; the foundational teaching was laid by Jesus, as we have seen. And again the proof of whether one is saved, “passed from death to life” is whether one loves his brothers.

Love for the brethren comes out of the life we now have, it is a fruit of that life, as we shall see in Paul's writings to the Galatians.

John also reminds us of Jesus' example, how out of his love for man, he gave his life for us. We ought to live as he did, we too should “lay down our lives for our brothers”. Then he makes sure we understand this is not just something we say to each other, but is a real and practical thing.

I see implied in this passage a couple of things, for one they needed to be in intimate contact with each other. How else could they know when each other was in real need? And this was not just a weekly greeting at meeting kind of life they had, it was a close relationship. How else could they know one another's need of material things?

John calls to mind the passage he wrote in his telling of the Good News, in chapter 15, where Jesus tells how to remain in him, the vine, by obedience to his commands, and what is that command: Love one another.

One more passage from John's letter: 1John 4:7-21 (NIV)
"....let us love one another...This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear children, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another...

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen can not love God, whom he has not seen. Whoever loves God must also love his brother."

Again John brings it home, one who loves God does love his brothers, the two greatest commands are tied up together, and one proceeds from the other. Love God with your all (personal, individual), causes you to love your brother (corporate).

We love God and one another, because He first loved us and died for us.

This is a true building on the foundations laid by Christ's teaching, and proper building for practice in the assembly. It is founded on a real and practical love for each other. We shall see that the other NT teachers saw this as foundational to our lives together.


WHAT IS THE GOAL OF NT ASSEMBLY PRACTICE?

I see in all of the Bible revelation that the right character of the believer is the goal that God is after. Any practices were for the purpose of shaping the believer's character. Consider the sin offering of an animal for a substitution of yourself under the Law. You laid your hands upon it, gave it over to the priest for sacrifice, to make atonement for your sins.

What happened in this giving over of a harmless lamb, ox, cow, dove... for slaughter for your sins? It made the very real point that death is the requirement for your sins; it built a gentler attitude towards others, as the believer regarded his own sinful state before a Holy God. There is a purpose to the believer's religion (I define religion as those things you do because of your faith in God. There is true religion, of works based on Faith and false religion, trying to win God's favor with works.)

What is the goal of NT Assembly Practice? If we know why we meet and the goal of our meetings, it is easier to judge whether the form we use is right or not. It does matter what form we use, as form determines function. Within the NT teaching I see that the function is to build each other up in Christ, unto the Head, as Paul says, and that their form of assembly was for that purpose. This building up was done by encouraging one another, to see the character of Christ in each individual and in the life of the assembly.

Let us look more at the basic character of believers as Paul taught it.

PAUL'S TEACHING ON THE FOUNDATION OF JESUS

Paul is the main teacher whose writings we have in the NT. He had a lot to say about what the believer was to be like and how they were to function in the local assembly.

I'd like to start by looking at what Paul communicated in the letter to the Romans. Remember Paul had not yet been to Rome at the writing of this letter, probably AD 57. Paul sent this letter to Rome to prepare them for his intended visit; he was on his way to Jerusalem with the collections for the needs of the saints in Jerusalem. As he was not personally acquainted with any problems in Rome, he gives a basic theological treatises as introduction to his teaching and soon (hoped for) visit.

Paul very well lays out the nature of our relationship in Christ, and the themes of salvation by faith in Christ alone. He lays out how in Christ, both peoples, those in Israel and those out side of Israel are joined into one, new people. He shows that salvation in Christ is not for Israel alone, but is for all men and women everywhere, Jew, Greek, master, slave, men and women. All are included in the offer, of “whosoever will come...”

Let us look at the change in Paul's discussion, in chapter 12. Paul changes subjects, building on the teaching he just shared, which is one's salvation relationship with Christ (individual and corporate), he now moves to the subject of how one's life is changed. Now that you are saved, how then should you live?

Let's read the opening statement of Romans 12. (NIV)
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."

We see here the transition from the subject of “God's mercy” in salvation in Christ; to a how now should we live, in; “offering your bodies as living sacrifices”.

Many today have a lot to say about “worship”; many have an agenda of selling their tapes and books to teach us how to have a proper worship service/meeting. We have “worship” leaders in most churches today, who lead the singing and praise times. We do all kinds of religious activities (remember I define religion as the works you do because of your faith in Christ), that we call “worship”. We offer the sacrifices of praise, and think that God inhabits the praises of his people. We offer up words and declarations. We attend meetings where the “worship leaders” sing repetitious phrases over and over, seeking to lead people into an “attitude of worship. “

This is not the idea that Paul here applies to the term “worship.” The teaching of Paul is that our lives are to be our worship. We live as sacrifices to God, holy and pleasing. As Paul says elsewhere, “Whatever you do, do as unto the Lord.” In Paul's teaching I do not see a difference drawn between the “sacred and secular”, another popular idea today. We are in Christ 24/7, therefore we live as a living sacrifice 24/7, and therefore we are in worship 24/7. All we do, all we are is living as a sacrifice. We can not do otherwise, except to live a carnal life, one devoid of the works of Christ in it, and is such a one really saved???

Now Paul finishes his letter discussing this new theme, offering your bodies as living sacrifices.

Remember this is a corporate thing, a 'you all’; it is in the plural; he was addressing the whole church in Rome to discuss their lives together as a community. This is not a “me and Jesus“ discussion, but an ”us and Jesus“ discussion.

Remember the two greatest commandments: Love the Lord your God with all....and Love your neighbor as yourself. Then Jesus' commandment: Love one another. Upon these Paul builds.

Romans 12:1, 2 (NIV)
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Paul in this transition to the new subject of life in Christ calls the Romans to make a complete change in the thinking; “do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This change is brought about by changing the standards you use, the patterns of thought and action. This is what Paul continues in this passage to do, teach a different standard then the one they knew previously when they were in the world and not in Christ.

The term “world” does not mean the physical earth, or the people upon it. Paul uses this term to talk about the world's system and way of thinking. To just think about the temporary things of this life in comparison to thinking about things the way God reveals to us. The world's way is to live just for today, satisfying the desires for this life, food, clothes, things, and others, just for you. It is a selfish way, with little thought for others. It is the way of the sinner, living by the dictates of his own mind and ignoring the God who created Him, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...”

Here also is a key, a very vital key to understand scriptures. This being “transformed by the renewing of your mind,” gives one an ability to know what God's will is. See what Paul says here; “Then ...” this is a connection to the preceding phrase. First you conform yourself to the way of God, then you understand his will.

Obedience precedes understanding.

To understand the will of God, obey what you clearly understand of his word. Look again, do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, (system of doing things, i.e. love your self), but conform yourself to the Lord's way (live in obedience to his commands, especially to love one another), then you will understand, “be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Paul now expands his discussion to show how this works in real life. He takes all his theology and shows how this is practically applied to real life. Romans 1-11 is the foundational theological treatises for Romans 12-15, which is about Assembly life in Christ.

I will not quote the whole passage, please do read it to see the whole context. I will look at passages that in particular apply to how we are to relate to one another. Paul here does deal with how we as a community relate to those outside the body of believers. I will not address those topics in this discussion. But to say that it is important, because as Jesus said, “...all the world will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.”

Paul starts with a discussion of what I term “Body Life”.

Romans 12:3-8 (NIV)
"For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

Paul here lays the foundation for the rest the discussion to follow. What are the main points in this passage? Some think that each one of us are a different assigned part of the Body and correspond to some determined part; eye, mouth, arm, hand, leg, foot, etc.... but Paul does not make such an emphasis here.

The emphasis is that we are all part of one body, we all are necessary and all of us function differently. Let me list it this way:

1) We function in the body according to the measure of Faith God has given us. No room for pride, it is the gift of God that allows us to function in the Body.

2) We do not all have the same function. All have a function; all are necessary in their functioning.

3) We all belong to each other, as the members of our own body all belong to the whole. This means he is talking to the community of believers and not individuals. The importance here is the whole community, not one's individual function.

4) We each have different gifts according to the grace given to us. Grace here means talents, or positions, like ability to teach, time available to serve others, or moneys to give to those in need (you must have something to give away to give to the needs of others, this is grace from the Lord, an abundance to give out of). Grace is receiving something you do not deserve. So it is something the Lord gave us, graced us with, for the good of the whole body, in this discussion.

Following this introductory passage Paul gives a lot of guiding principles and statements to show the practical nature of the community's life together. These are what I refer to as the “one another” statements of NT teaching. I will just quote the applicable verses.

Romans 12:9 "Love must be sincere."

Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

Romans 12:13 "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Romans 12:16 "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."

Romans 12:17, 18 "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

Romans 13:8-10 "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.....are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefor love is the fulfillment of the law."

Romans 14:1 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters."

Romans 14:13 "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put a stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."

Romans 14:15 "...you are no longer acting in love. Do not let your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died."

Romans 14:19 "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."

Romans 15:1-3 "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. Even as Christ did not please himself..."

Romans 15:5, 6 "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 15:7 "Accept one another, then just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."

Romans 15:14 "I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another."

(This word instruct here is the Greek word; mutheto, which means to 'put in mind’; KJV uses admonish. This does not mean to teach, as we think of teaching!)

This is a long list of practices, all based on the commandment of Jesus to “love one another”. There are many more “one another” statements which I will reference next.

Why do I see these as foundational to the actual NT Assembly practice? These give us no idea of meeting times or formats. No idea if music is allowed or instruments.

Yes, that is true, but is shows us what the priority of our communities really are, according to Paul. These ideas, guiding principles, relationship practices are the foundation to NT Assembly gatherings. To find the correct form, you must know how it is to function.

Let me sum up what I've said here in this section:

1) We are a community, likened to the body; each has a function and is necessary to the whole community.

2) We each need to function.

3) The “one anothers” of NT scripture are the foundational ideas for Assembly practice.

ONE ANOTHER STATEMENTS IN THE NT TEACHING.

As I stated in the previous article, the “one another” statements, based on Jesus' teaching to love God, one another, and serve one another, are the foundational principles for NT Assembly practice. We've looked at Paul's discussion of the “saved” life, and seen the emphasis is on our lives together, or community. Now let's look at the “one another” statements throughout the NT.

Galatians 5:13, 14 (NIV)
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”"

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)
"As a prisoner of the Lord, then I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Ephesians 4: 25- 5:2 (NIV) {Just quoting part, please read the whole passage to see the context.}
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor for we are all members of one body......

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that is may benefit those who listen....Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other , just as in Christ God forgave you.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Ephesians 5:17-21 (NIV)
"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Philippians 2:2-5 (NIV)
"...being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..."

Colossians 3:11-17 (NIV)
"...but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach {Greek word here is; didasko, means to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them} and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

1Thessalonians 5:10, 11, 14, 15 (NIV)
"He died for us so that, whether we are awake of asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing....And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else."

Hebrews 3:12-14 (NIV)
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first."

{Here the writer is calling the believers to continue and not turn back, he has been using the example of Israel in the desert to warn them to continue “firmly till the end”. For Israel the end was to enter the promised land of Canaan, for us it is Christ and His kingdom, which is now in our hearts, but will yet be upon the earth, after His return

Notice that the teaching is to “daily” “encourage one another” with the goal that “none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turn away from the living God.}

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV)
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

{Here we are taught the reasons to meet, spurring “one another on toward love and good deeds“and “encouraging one another. “}

1Peter 1:22
"Now that you have purified your selves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."

{Again obeying the commands or in this case the truth is equated with loving one another}

1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)
"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)
"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in it various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

{Peter here almost quotes Paul, about using the gifts we have received by serving one another}

1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)
"...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another..."

And we have already looked at John's letters.

These quotes build upon the foundational teaching, the foundation stones laid by Jesus, as recorded in the Good News, the Gospels. Love one another, serve one another.

These are the foundational ideas that show how we are to behave towards one another, what community character is to be like. These are the foundational ideas or how we are to function together in community. The form of our gatherings must therefore be towards these ends, as form dictates function.

PETER ON THE NATURE OF THE ASSEMBLIES

Much has been said since the start of the Reformation regarding the priesthood of all believers, little seems to have affected church practice. Let's look at where this idea comes from and what else Peter had to say about us, the assembly of Jesus.

First let’s look at who Peter addressed this letter to:

“To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit , for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:”

This was addressed to a large area of assemblies, keep this in mind, it is addressed to communities so the 'you' used in this letter is a plural you.

Let's look at a couple of descriptions Peter gives us of the assemblies.

1Peter 2:4, 5 (NIV)
"As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."


Peter says we are

1) living stones,

2) are being built into a spiritual house,

3) are...to be a holy priesthood

4) offer spiritual sacrifices

Remember, this is referring to all believers, no where in the text does the subject change from the original addressees, Peter is still referring to the communities of believers in their entirety.

We are living stones; being built into a house......this refers to the fact that it takes us all together to make this building. We all of us must be functioning together.

The term “a spiritual house” gives us two pictures, one is a building, the Temple in Jerusalem, where the priests performed the sacrifices for the other people. The other is a family, like the house of Aaron who were selected to be priests from out of the tribe of Levi.

Spiritual sacrifices are our lives lived in obedience to Christ's commands (Love one another, the foundational command). Paul built this idea in Romans 12-15. Jesus is used as an example of being a sacrifice.

So I see it like this: We are living stones, we are the temple, we are the priesthood offering up ourselves as living sacrifices by loving one another, which is acceptable to God in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 2:9, 10 (NIV)
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

We are:

1) a chosen people,

2) a royal priesthood,

3) a holy nation,

4) a people belonging to God

Again the subject here is the whole community of believers, not some special clerical class.

According to Peter we are a living house for, us, the priesthood to offer up, us, the living sacrifices. We are a special chosen people; we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.

This means all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, whether slave or free, whether man or woman. The offer held out to Israel at the Mount, (Exodus 19:6 “...'you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'”) to be a holy nation of priests, that they rejected, (Exodus20:8 “the people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.”) is made real in the assemblies of Jesus, His body. The people of Israel rejected the offer of fellowship directly with God at the mount that day, “...They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, 'speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.' ” (Exodus 20:18, 19).

My point here is that we now, all believers, those who are in Christ, we are his holy nation of royal priests.


End of part 1

In 70AD What Was Finished?

Preterism is the understanding that eschatology was centrally focused on the Messiah and the establishment of the Messianic kingdom, with the end of the Mosaic covenant kingdom and the judgment upon rebelling Israel.

All theological traditions accept the coming of Messiah, Jesus miraculously born as a baby to Mary. He grows up and when 30 years old begins to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. He spends three years teaching about the kingdom, discipling numerous Jews, with twelve picked out to be his emissaries to the nation of Israel. He dies at the hands of the rebelling Jewish leaders, and by the agent of Rome was crucified. Three days later he rose from the dead, for about forty days after his resurrection he met with his apostles and disciples, proving he was alive and finishing the teaching of the kingdom with them. He then ascended to his throne in heaven, next to the Father.  Then on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples empowering them to do the work that Jesus had given them to do.

This part is agreed upon, where preterit doctrine diverges from the other views is that it is held that within the generation of the disciples, about a forty year period, Jesus did return as the Messiah and agent of judgment upon those who pierced him, that wicked and rebellious generation of Jews, who set aside the covenant law of Moses to follow the teaching of their elders. This brought to a close the age of the Mosaic covenant and the kingdom of Israel formed under it.

My question is what all was finished in 70AD with the end of the Mosaic covenant? There seems to be some differing ideas being communicated within preterism.





First I think we need to consider the nature of the teaching in the NT. We have the teaching of the establishment of the Messianic kingdom. There is the prophetic warning of the judgment coming on that wicked and perverse generation of Jews. There is also teaching in kingdom living, often given as loving and serving one another.

With the birth of the Messiah, we entered into a transition period. The Messiah had come, Isaiah records that the government is on his shoulders, he was born to be the king of Israel, to sit upon the throne of David. Many of his later disciples fully expected him to restore the kingdom to Israel, leading a revolt against the Roman occupiers and take the throne of David in Jerusalem.

What we see in Jesus teaching is that his kingdom is a spiritual one. He answered Pilate when asked if he was a king, that he was but his kingdom was not of this earth. He taught his disciples that leadership in his kingdom was to be by servant-hood, and not by ruling it over others, a spiritual and serving kingdom.


Jesus taught and warned about the coming judgment. He taught his disciples that it would take place in their lifetime and gave them signs of to look for, so that they would know it was time to get out of Judea and Jerusalem to escape the judgment wrath of God and the destruction of the temple.

Historic records, such as that of the Jewish Josephus priest and general, tells us of the ruin of the land of Israel, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the deaths and dispersal of the Jews to the nations. All of this were elements of God's judgment upon rebellious Israel.


This all preterists accept as true. What all ended with the destruction of Jerusalem was the age of the Mosaic covenant, the temple practice and the people of the covenant, Israel. The Mosaic covenant is done with, it is fully ended. God's covenant is no longer with the physical people of the ancient father, Israel.

The temple practice is completely finished, along with all of the law of the ceremonies, fixtures, sacrifices, feasts and holy days. The priesthood of the tribe of Levi, is finished. The scrolls that contained the genealogy of the Levites were burnt up in the destruction of the temple, as was the genealogy of the other tribes. There is no way today to ascertain who is a legal priest under the law of Moses.

This end of one age, was the marked beginning of a new age, the one we presently live in. It is the age of the Messianic new covenant kingdom. In this kingdom there is no physical temple, His glory lives within the people of God in the Messiah. The Messiah is enthroned in his people, as illustrated in the imagery of the New Jerusalem city which is His people, His bride. He rules his people through the indwelling Holy Spirit, who leads and guides us in how to be pleasing to him, to will and do his good pleasure.

What remains enforce in scripture for us in this Messianic new covenant age? The teaching regarding righteousness, and the work of reconciliation. Paul stated that they were continuing the work of reconciliation that Jesus began. This work continues as the kingdom of Messiah increases to fill the whole world. We continue this work by loving and serving one another in our own fellowships of believers, and by reaching out with the same love and service to those around us, specially those in need, widows, orphans and the homeless.

Some are teaching that everything has been done by Jesus. That there is no work for us to do in this age, but sit back and enjoy the kingdom. Others say that the whole law is gone, dead, that none of it applies to us in this age, so that there is no sin, for sin is breaking the law, therefor there is no grace, for grace abounds towards those who sin.

Nothing could be further from the truth. We are in the new covenant, in which as God promised, the law is written upon our inner most man. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth still today, writing the law upon our hearts. The law is still enforce. Sin is still judged by it, and all men still need to repent and enter into the new covenant kingdom in the Messiah. The main sin today, is the denial of the rightful king and ruler, a refusal to accept his salvation and grace, a rejection of his covenant.

What part of the law of Moses is still in effect? The Ten Words, all are also taught as effect in the NT, except that of keeping the Sabbath, which I understand that Messiah/Christ is our Sabbath rest, and we honor God by living as he lived every day of our life, giving the worship of our service and dedicated life in obedience to him.

Petra and Water from the Rock, Two Eschatological Bookends

Reading on the Patterns of Evidence web site on the next project, is a note about Israel having camped in Jordan at Petra, and that being the site where Moses struck the rock to give water to Israel. 

 

 Numbers 20:7-11

7  And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 

8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron. And speak to the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth its water; and you shall bring water out of the rock to them; so you shall water the congregation and their animals.
 

9  And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as He commanded him. 10  And Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock. And he said to them, Hear now, you rebels, shall we bring forth water to you out of this rock? 11  And Moses lifted up his hand and smote the rock with his rod twice; and much water came out; and the congregation and their animals drank. 

Two Bookends

 

 In studying eschatology, one of the threads of thought is the congruence between the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and the start of the Mosaic covenant and the Exodus from the Promised Land of Israel of the followers of the Messiah Jesus and the start of the New Covenant.

The reference to Israel camped at Petra, receiving life giving water before entering into the Promised Land, connects like one bookend, with the remnant of Israel, who followed the Messiah, living physical Jerusalem and the physical promised land, to camp in Petra, Jordan during the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

Bookend events. With the camping of the people of the covenant kingdom at Petra. Before the start of the Mosaic covenant kingdom and at the end of the Mosaic covenant kingdom, and the start of the Messianic covenant kingdom.

Before the Mosaic covenant kingdom the people receive water from a physical rock in the desert of Jordan at Petra.

At the start of the Messianic covenant kingdom, the people once again are camping at Petra, but their life giving water is the spiritual water from God through the Messiah Jesus, the water of life.

Reading the end of the Revelation of Jesus the Messiah/Christ, we find the description of the New Jerusalem which is the bride of Christ, the people of the new covenant kingdom. Within this description is that of the water of life, flowing from the throne of God and the Messiah.

Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, coming forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Here is the final and spiritual water from the Rock, the Lamb, the Messiah of God to the people of his new covenant kingdom.

From the physical water to the physical tribes of Israel who were the people of the Mosaic covenant kingdom to the spiritual water of life to the spiritual Israel who are the people of the Messianic new covenant people.

Two book ends, Petra and water from the rock for the covenant people of the kingdom of God.

A Day to the Lord is as a Thousand Years

2Peter 3:8, 9 (LITV, eSword ed.)

8  But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is "as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (Psalm. 90:4)  9  The Lord of the promise is not slow, as some deem slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not having purposed any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

In the context where this is found, Peter is encouraging those who scoff and are saying that the words of Jesus regarding his coming are not to happen. Peter heard Jesus’ words that day in the garden on the mount of Olives. He knew that Jesus said he was coming in his life time, that his generation of disciples would see Him coming in His kingdom.

Some use this passage to support a futurist view of the coming of Messiah/Christ. Trying to add thousands of years to the fulfillment of Jesus’ words. But this is not what is being said by Peter to his fellow disciples.

At Peter’s writing of this letter, it had been about thirty years since Jesus’ pronouncement in the garden. The disciples  had been under persecutions from the Jews and Rome.  They were taught that Jesus would return in his kingdom within their life times, and here thirty years later it still had not occurred. 

Peter is writing them to encourage them to not give up hope, that God is not slow in keeping his promises. The time period between Jesus’ ascension and the day of Pentecost, was one of evangelizing Israel. Taking the gospel of the kingdom to all the tribes of Israel in all the nations of the Roman Empire in which they lived.  It was a time period for them to repent and accept the Messiah King sent by God to them. For them to enter into the New Covenant in His blood.

Judgment was coming on all who refused the Messiah of God.

2Peter 3:7  But the heavens and the earth now, having been stored up by the same Word, are being kept for fire to a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The ungodly of Israel, who did not keep the law of the Mosaic covenant, who rejected the Messiah of God, and were complicit in the murder of the Son. 

Peter is reminding them that the judgment of the Jews is at hand, it will happen soon. The phrase “the heavens and the earth now” is referencing that time period, “now” means this immediate heaven and earth. Heaven and earth in prophetic language refers to the kingdom of God among men, where the rule of heaven is carried out on the earth by a kingdom of men. Many eschatological references are about the passing of the old heaven and earth and the birth of a new heaven and earth. So too here in Peter’s letter, where that present heaven and earth are stored up for fire in the soon coming day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly men of the Jews.

Some futurists want to make Peter’s quote of a thousand years to God as one being of a formulaic nature. One thousand years equals exactly one day to God, they say. They also say that a millennium is exactly one thousand years. They take a very wooden, mathematical stance on this and base a lot of their futurist theology on it. Some Rabbis also consider it this way, making the time of the world as seven thousand years, as exampled by the week of creation, with the Messiah coming in the six day, or millennium, and a seventh day,or millennium Sabbath.

Peter is quoting from the Old Testament.

Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in Your eyes are as a day, yesterday, when it passes, and as a watch in the night.

I see this as a figurative one thousand years. Because it is compared to either a single 24 hour day, or yesterday or a single watch in the night which is only a few hours long.

There is nothing formulaic about this, Peter only quotes a part of this original statement which in context is talking about the short life span of a man in comparison to God's infinite life and great majesty as creator and judge over mankind.

For those who want Peter's statement to read as a formula 1,000 years = one day to God, they have the necessity to return to the original and also form the formula, 1,000 years = 6 hours of night watch to God. Logically it can't be both, unless you take both as figurative, saying that God's accounting of time is not the same as man's accounting of time.

As Peter said to his readers, God is not slow in keeping his promises. The day of the Lord came as Jesus told Peter and the other three disciples that day in the garden on the mount of Olives, within their life time. At the time Peter was writing it had been about 30 years from that garden discussion, they only had to wait about ten more years for the fulfillment of that promise.

The judgment of God and His Messiah came in their generation and ended in 70AD with the destruction of Jerusalem (earth) and the temple (heaven), bringing to an end the Old Mosaic covenant kingdom age and ushering in the New Covenant Messianic Kingdom age. The old heaven and earth seated in Jerusalem was destroyed in the judgment of the Jews, and the new heaven and earth ruled by the Messiah King replaced it. The New Jerusalem which is also the people of the Messianic kingdom, the bride of Christ where the new rule of heaven is found in the earth.

The Olivet Discourse: Historical Fulfillment: False Christs and Prophets, Wars

Many never read the historic record of Josephus regarding the Wars of the Jews. His history is about the time period of the first century ending with the time of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. In his record we find many reports that are a fulfillment of the prophesies of the end times recorded in the Bible.


I am working to provide the corresponding record of Josephus showing the first century fulfillment of end times prophesies. I am using the Olivet Discourse as my main reference. All quotes are from the eSword bible software publications. http://www.e-sword.net/index.html

During the reign of Nero, Josephus reports of numerous small wars taking place, with many false Messiahs and prophets leading the people in rebellion and deceit.

Matthew 24:4-6   (LITV, eSword edition)
4 And answering, Jesus said to them, See that not any leads you astray.
5  For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ. And they will cause many to be led astray. 6  But you are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See, do not be terrified. For all things must take place, but the end is not yet.


Josephus reports in the Wars of the Jews, book 2, that many made war with Rome and many false prophets rose up in the time period after the death of Herod. We have the record of Herod’s death in the book of Acts.

Josephus, War of the Jews
Book 2
CHAPTER‭ ‬13

NERO ADDS FOUR CITIES TO AGRIPPAS KINGDOM‭; ‬BUT THE OTHER PARTS OF JUDEA WERE UNDER FELIX.‭ ‬THE DISTURBANCES WHICH WERE RAISED BY THE SICARII THE MAGICIANS AND AN EGYPTIAN FALSE PROPHET.‭ ‬THE JEWS AND SYRIANS HAVE A CONTEST AT CESAREA.


1.‭ ‬NOW as to the many things in which Nero acted like a madman,‭ ‬out of the extravagant degree of the felicity and riches which he enjoyed,‭ ‬and by that means used his good fortune to the injury of others‭; ‬and after what manner he slew his brother,‭ ‬and wife,‭ ‬and mother,‭ ‬from whom his barbarity spread itself to others that were most nearly related to him‭; ‬and how,‭ ‬at last,‭ ‬he was so distracted that he became an actor in the scenes,‭ ‬and upon the theater,‭ ‬-‭ ‬I omit to say any more about them,‭ ‬because there are writers enough upon those subjects every where‭; ‬but I shall turn myself to those actions of his time in which the Jews were concerned.


2.‭ ‬Nero therefore bestowed the kingdom of the Lesser Armenia upon Aristobulus,‭ ‬Herod's son,‭ ‬(17‭)‬ and he added to Agrippa's kingdom four cities,‭ ‬with the toparchies to them belonging‭; ‬I mean Abila,‭ ‬and that Julias which is in Perea,‭ ‬Tarichea also,‭ ‬and Tiberias of Galilee‭; ‬but over the rest of Judea he made Felix procurator.‭ ‬This Felix took Eleazar the arch-robber,‭ ‬and many that were with him,‭ ‬alive,‭ ‬when they had ravaged the country for twenty years together,‭ ‬and sent them to Rome‭; ‬but as to the number of the robbers whom he caused to be crucified,‭ ‬and of those who were caught among them,‭ ‬and whom he brought to punishment,‭ ‬they were a multitude not to be enumerated.


3.‭ ‬When the country was purged of these,‭ ‬there sprang up another sort of robbers in Jerusalem,‭ ‬which were called Sicarii,‭ ‬who slew men in the day time,‭ ‬and in the midst of the city‭; ‬this they did chiefly at the festivals,‭ ‬when they mingled themselves among the multitude,‭ ‬and concealed daggers under their garments,‭ ‬with which they stabbed those that were their enemies‭; ‬and when any fell down dead,‭ ‬the murderers became a part of those that had indignation against them‭; ‬by which means they appeared persons of such reputation,‭ ‬that they could by no means be discovered.‭ ‬The first man who was slain by them was Jonathan the high priest,‭ ‬after whose death many were slain every day,‭ ‬while the fear men were in of being so served was more afflicting than the calamity itself‭; ‬and while every body expected death every hour,‭ ‬as men do in war,‭ ‬so men were obliged to look before them,‭ ‬and to take notice of their enemies at a great distance‭; ‬nor,‭ ‬if their friends were coming to them,‭ ‬durst they trust them any longer‭; ‬but,‭ ‬in the midst of their suspicions and guarding of themselves,‭ ‬they were slain.‭ ‬Such was the celerity of the plotters against them,‭ ‬and so cunning was their contrivance.

The Sicarii considered themselves freedom fighters against the Roman occupiers. At one point these “daggermen” were after the apostle Paul, because he advocated peace with Rome.


False prophets deceiving and leading men into the wilderness as Jesus prophesied.

4.‭ ‬There was also another body of wicked men gotten together,‭ ‬not so impure in their actions,‭ ‬but more wicked in their intentions,‭ ‬which laid waste the happy state of the city no less than did these murderers.‭ ‬These were such men as deceived and deluded the people under pretense of Divine inspiration,‭ ‬but were for procuring innovations and changes of the government‭; ‬and these prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen,‭ ‬and went before them into the wilderness,‭ ‬as pretending that God would there show them the signals of liberty.‭ ‬But Felix thought this procedure was to be the beginning of a revolt‭; ‬so he sent some horsemen and footmen both armed,‭ ‬who destroyed a great number of them.

False prophet from Egypt deceiving and leading 30,000 men into the wilderness and into an assault upon Jerusalem.

5.‭ ‬But there was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former‭; ‬for he was a cheat,‭ ‬and pretended to be a prophet also,‭ ‬and got together thirty thousand men that were deluded by him‭; ‬these he led round about from the wilderness to the mount which was called the Mount of Olives,‭ ‬and was ready to break into Jerusalem by force from that place‭; ‬and if he could but once conquer the Roman garrison and the people,‭ ‬he intended to domineer over them by the assistance of those guards of his that were to break into the city with him.‭ ‬But Felix prevented his attempt,‭ ‬and met him with his Roman soldiers,‭ ‬while all the people assisted him in his attack upon them,‭ ‬insomuch that when it came to a battle,‭ ‬the Egyptian ran away,‭ ‬with a few others,‭ ‬while the greatest part of those that were with him were either destroyed or taken alive‭; ‬but the rest of the multitude were dispersed every one to their own homes,‭ ‬and there concealed themselves.

More wars among the factions of the Jews.

6.‭ ‬Now when these were quieted,‭ ‬it happened,‭ ‬as it does in a diseased body,‭ ‬that another part was subject to an inflammation‭; ‬for a company of deceivers and robbers got together,‭ ‬and persuaded the Jews to revolt,‭ ‬and exhorted them to assert their liberty,‭ ‬inflicting death on those that continued in obedience to the Roman government,‭ ‬and saying,‭ ‬that such as willingly chose slavery ought to be forced from such their desired inclinations‭; ‬for they parted themselves into different bodies,‭ ‬and lay in wait up and down the country,‭ ‬and plundered the houses of the great men,‭ ‬and slew the men themselves,‭ ‬and set the villages on fire‭; ‬and this till all Judea was filled with the effects of their madness.‭ ‬And thus the flame was every day more and more blown up,‭ ‬till it came to a direct war.

Warring between Syrian Jews and Greeks in Cesarea.

7.‭ ‬There was also another disturbance at Cesarea,‭ ‬-‭ ‬those Jews who were mixed with the Syrians that lived there rising a tumult against them.‭ ‬The Jews pretended that the city was theirs,‭ ‬and said that he who built it was a Jew,‭ ‬meaning king Herod.‭ ‬The Syrians confessed also that its builder was a Jew‭; ‬but they still said,‭ ‬however,‭ ‬that the city was a Grecian city‭; ‬for that he who set up statues and temples in it could not design it for Jews.‭ ‬On which account both parties had a contest with one another‭; ‬and this contest increased so much,‭ ‬that it came at last to arms,‭ ‬and the bolder sort of them marched out to fight‭; ‬for the elders of the Jews were not able to put a stop to their own people that were disposed to be tumultuous,‭ ‬and the Greeks thought it a shame for them to be overcome by the Jews.‭ ‬Now these Jews exceeded the others in riches and strength of body‭; ‬but the Grecian part had the advantage of assistance from the soldiery‭; ‬for the greatest part of the Roman garrison was raised out of Syria‭; ‬and being thus related to the Syrian part,‭ ‬they were ready to assist it.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬the governors of the city were concerned to keep all quiet,‭ ‬and whenever they caught those that were most for fighting on either side,‭ ‬they punished them with stripes and bands.‭ ‬Yet did not the sufferings of those that were caught affright the remainder,‭ ‬or make them desist‭; ‬but they were still more and more exasperated,‭ ‬and deeper engaged in the sedition.‭ ‬And as Felix came once into the market-place,‭ ‬and commanded the Jews,‭ ‬when they had beaten the Syrians,‭ ‬to go their ways,‭ ‬and threatened them if they would not,‭ ‬and they would not obey him,‭ ‬he sent his soldiers out upon them,‭ ‬and slew a great many of them,‭ ‬upon which it fell out that what they had was plundered.‭ ‬And as the sedition still continued,‭ ‬he chose out the most eminent men on both sides as ambassadors to Nero,‭ ‬to argue about their several privileges.

The Messiah King has Come

One of the errors that has arisen from John Darby’s dispensationalism is the two fold coming of Messiah. As I have heard it many times, Jesus came the first time as the suffering servant and will come the second time as triumphant king. They also teach that the Jews of Jesus day were all confused to this as they were expecting the Messiah to come, reestablish the throne of David and drive out the presence of the Roman Empire occupiers, returning the glory of the kingdom of Israel.

This is not what scripture teaches. Jesus was born the Messiah King. His kingdom started with his birth, when he came into his majority, he was revealed as Messiah by his herald, his cousin John and started to gather citizens into his kingdom. He taught the immediate coming kingdom to his disciples, and proclaimed it to Israel. He warned of the soon coming judgment of God upon Israel for their rebellion to God and his commands.

Daniel recorded that the Messiah would come within a certain time period. seventy sevens from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity.

Daniel 9:24-26
24  "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.

25  "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

26  After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

The Jews knew that they were living in the time period that the Messiah would come, based on when the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was issued. They knew it was time and they were looking for the promised Messiah.

Note that this time period would bring an end to sin, an atonement for wickedness, and bring everlasting righteousness, as well as fulfillment of vision and prophecy.  This is the salvation and redemption work of Messiah Jesus. Who fulfilled all things spoken of him in the law and prophets.  This redemptive work established the new covenant in his blood, which is the foundation of the Messianic kingdom just as the old Mosaic covenant was ratified with the blood sacrifices of bulls and rams and was the foundation of the kingdom of God in Israel.

Daniel calls the Anointed One, the Messiah, the ruler, giving when he would come, within sixty two sevens. He was born Messiah King as Isaiah states.

Isaiah 9:6,7

6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

We also read that in this same time period that, “ The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. “

This is the final part of the establishment of the Messianic kingdom, the end of the old kingdom rule. Both the city of Jerusalem, where the old throne of David stood, and the temple where the mercy seat of God stood were to be destroyed during a war. We see the fulfillment of this in what Josephus calls the Wars of the Jews happening in the time of 63-70AD.

Some in their dispensational zeal have suggested a indeterminate time gap between when the Messiah is cut off and the final last week of Daniel’s prophecy. But in reading this passage there is no time gap suggested.  Instead it reads as one time period, starting at a set time after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, the coming and work of the Messiah, King, ending with the destruction of the city and temple.

Let me end here with an excellent quote from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Daniel 9: 20-27 (eSword ed.). (I present Matthew Henry’s (1622-1740) comments here as an example of what was understood and taught in the church before the teaching of John Darby’s dispensationalism was accepted by American and other Evangelicals, which is the foundation of  modern futurist eschatological teaching. )

(2.) Concerning the Messiah and his undertaking. The carnal Jews looked for a Messiah that could deliver them from the Roman yoke and give them temporal power and wealth, whereas they were here told that the Messiah should come upon another errand, purely spiritual, and upon the account of which he should be the more welcome.
 
     [1.] Christ came to take away sin, and to abolish that. Sin had made a quarrel between God and man, had alienated men from God and provoked God against man; it was this that put dishonour upon God and brought misery upon mankind; this was the great mischief-maker. He that would do God a real service, and man a real kindness, must be the destruction of this. Christ undertakes to be so, and for this purpose he is manifested, to destroy the works of the devil.

He does not say to finish your transgressions and your sins, but transgression and sin in general, for he is the propitiation not only for our sins, that are Jews, but for the sins of the whole world. He came, First, To finish transgression, to restrain it (so some), to break the power of it, to bruise the head of that serpent that had done so much mischief, to take away the usurped dominion of that tyrant, and to set up a kingdom of holiness and love in the hearts of men, upon the ruins of Satan's kingdom there, that, where sin and death had reigned, righteousness and life through grace might reign. When he died he said, It is finished; sin has now had its death-wound given it, like Samson's, Let me die with the Philistines. Animamque in vulnere ponit - He inflicts the wound and dies.

Secondly, To make an end of sin, to abolish it, that it may not rise up in judgment against us, to obtain the pardon of it, that it may not be our ruin, to seal up sins (so the margin reads it), that they may not appear or break out against us, to accuse and condemn us, as, when Christ cast the devil into the bottomless pit, he set a seal upon him, Rev_20:3. When sin is pardoned it is sought for and not found, as that which is sealed up.

Thirdly, To make reconciliation for iniquity, as by a sacrifice, to satisfy the justice of God and so to make peace and bring God and man together, not only as an arbitrator, or referee, who only brings the contending parties to a good understanding one of another, but as a surety, or undertaker, for us. He is not only the peace-maker, but the peace. He is the atonement.

     [2.] He came to bring in an everlasting righteousness. God might justly have made an end of the sin by making an end of the sinner; but Christ found out another way, and so made an end of sin as to save the sinner from it, by providing a righteousness for him.

We are all guilty before God, and shall be condemned as guilty, if we have not a righteousness wherein to appear before him. Had we stood, our innocency would have been our righteousness, but, having fallen, we must have something else to plead; and Christ has provided us a plea. The merit of his sacrifice is our righteousness; with this we answer all the demands of the law; Christ has died, yea, rather, has risen again.

Thus Christ is the Lord our righteousness, for he is made of God to us righteousness, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. By faith we apply this to ourselves and plead it with God, and our faith is imputed to us for righteousness, Rom_4:3, Rom_4:5.

This is an everlasting righteousness, for Christ, who is our righteousness, and the prince of our peace, is the everlasting Father. It was from everlasting in the counsels of it and will be to everlasting in the consequences of it. The application of it was from the beginning, for Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and it will be to the end, for he is able to save to the uttermost. It is of everlasting virtue (Heb_10:12); it is the rock that follows us to Canaan.

     [3.] He came to seal up the vision and prophecy, all the prophetical visions of the Old Testament, which had reference to the Messiah. He sealed them up, that is, he accomplished them, answered to them to a tittle; all things that were written in the law, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning the Messiah, were fulfilled in him. Thus he confirmed the truth of them as well as his own mission.

He sealed them up, that is, he put an end to that method of God's discovering his mind and will, and took another course by completing the scripture-canon in the New Testament, which is the more sure word of prophecy than that by vision, 2Pe_1:19; Heb_1:1.

     [4.] He came to anoint the most holy, that is, himself, the Holy One, who was anointed (that is, appointed to his work and qualified for it) by the Holy Ghost, that oil of gladness which he received without measure, above his fellows; or to anoint the gospel-church, his spiritual temple, or holy place, to sanctify and cleanse it, and appropriate it to himself (Eph_5:26), or to consecrate for us a new and living way into the holiest, by his own blood (Heb_10:20), as the sanctuary was anointed, Exo_30:25, etc.

He is called Messiah (Dan_9:25, Dan_9:26), which signifies Christ - Anointed (Joh_1:41), because he received the unction both for himself and for all that are his.

     [5.] In order to all this the Messiah must be cut off, must die a violent death, and so be cut off from the land of the living, as was foretold, Isa_53:8. Hence, when Paul preaches the death of Christ, he says that he preached nothing but what the prophet said should come, Act_26:22, Act_26:23. And thus it behoved Christ to suffer. He must be cut off, but not for himself - not for any sin of his own, but, as Caiaphas prophesied, he must die for the people, in our stead and for our good, - not for any advantage of his own (the glory he purchased for himself was no more than the glory he had before, Joh_17:4, Joh_17:5); no; it was to atone for our sins, and to purchase life for us, that he was cut off.

     [6.] He must confirm the covenant with many. He shall introduce a new covenant between God and man, a covenant of grace, since it had become impossible for us to be saved by a covenant of innocence. This covenant he shall confirm by his doctrine and miracles, by his death and resurrection, by the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper, which are the seals of the New Testament, assuring us that God is willing to accept us upon gospel-terms.

His death made his testament of force, and enabled us to claim what is bequeathed by it. He confirmed it to the many, to the common people; the poor were evangelized, when the rulers and Pharisees believed not on him. Or, he confirmed it with many, with the Gentile world. The New Testament was not (like the Old) confined to the Jewish church, but was committed to all nations. Christ gave his life a ransom for many. ‘

     [7.] He must cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. By offering himself a sacrifice once for all he shall put an end to all the Levitical sacrifices, shall supercede them and set them aside; when the substance comes the shadows shall be done away. He causes all the peace-offerings to cease when he has made peace by the blood of his cross, and by it confirmed the covenant of peace and reconciliation.

By the preaching of his gospel to the world, with which the apostles were entrusted, he took men off from expecting remission by the blood of bulls and goats, and so caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease. The apostle in his epistle to the Hebrews shows what a better priesthood, altar, and sacrifice, we have now than they had under the law, as a reason why we should hold fast our profession.

(3.) Concerning the final destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Jewish church and nation; and this follows immediately upon the cutting off of the Messiah, not only because it was the just punishment of those that put him to death, which was the sin that filled up the measure of their iniquity and brought ruin upon them, but because, as things were, it was necessary to the perfecting of one of the great intentions of his death.

He died to take away the ceremonial law, quite to abolish that law of commandments, and to vacate the obligation of it. But the Jews would not be persuaded to quit it; still they kept it up with more zeal than ever; they would hear no talk of parting with it; they stoned Stephen (the first Christian martyr) for saying that Jesus should change the customs which Moses delivered them (Act_6:14); so that there was no way to abolish the Mosaic economy but by destroying the temple, and the holy city, and the Levitical priesthood, and that whole nation which so incurably doted on them.

This was effectually done in less than forty years after the death of Christ, and it was a desolation that could never be repaired to this day. And this is it which is here largely foretold, that the Jews who returned out of captivity might not be overmuch lifted up with the rebuilding of their city and temple, because in process of time they would be finally destroyed, and not as now for seventy years only, but might rather rejoice in hope of the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up of his spiritual kingdom in the world, which should never be destroyed. Now,

     [1.] It is here foretold that the people of the prince that shall come shall be the instruments of this destruction, that is, the Roman armies, belonging to a monarchy yet to come (Christ is the prince that shall come, and they are employed by him in this service; they are his armies, Mat_22:7), or the Gentiles (who, though now strangers, shall become the people of the Messiah) shall destroy the Jews.

     [2.] That the destruction shall be by war, and the end of that war shall be this desolation determined. The wars of the Jews with the Romans were by their own obstinacy made very long and very bloody, and they issued at length in the utter extirpation of that people.


     [3.] That the city and sanctuary shall in a particular manner be destroyed and laid quite waste. Titus the Roman general would fain have saved the temple, but his soldiers were so enraged against the Jews that he could not restrain them from burning it to the ground, that this prophecy might be fulfilled.

     [4.] That all the resistance that shall be made to this destruction shall be in vain: The end of it shall be with a flood. It shall be a deluge of destruction, like that which swept away the old world, and which there will be no making head against.

     [5.] That hereby the sacrifice and oblation shall be made to cease. And it must needs cease when the family of the priests was so extirpated, and the genealogies of it were so confounded, that (they say) there is no man in the world that can prove himself of the seed of Aaron.

     [6.] that there shall be an overspreading of abominations, a general corruption of the Jewish nation and an abounding of iniquity among them, for which it shall be made desolate, 1Th_2:16. Or it is rather to be understood of the armies of the Romans, which were abominable to the Jews (they could not endure them), which overspread the nation, and by which it was made desolate; for these are the words which Christ refers to, Mat_24:15, When you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel, stand in the holy place, then let those who shall be in Judea flee, which is explained Luk_21:20, When you shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies then flee.

     [7.] That the desolation shall be total and final: He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, that is, he shall make it completely desolate. It is a desolation determined, and it will be accomplished to the utmost. And when it is made desolate, it should seem, there is something more determined that is to be poured upon the desolate (Dan_9:27), and what should that be but the spirit of slumber (Rom_11:8, Rom_11:25), that blindness which has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in? And then all Israel shall be saved.

The Olivet Discourse: Historical Fulfillment

Introduction.

In my first thirty years in Christ, I was not taught or studied history outside that of the Bible. I learned about historic records that supported the record of the bible, and of archaeology finds that proved the existence of many cities recorded in the bible, but I learned little about the history of the first century beyond the book of Acts.

I had a copy of Josephus a reliable historian of the first century, but read little in it.

It was about seventeen years ago, in an online discussion about eschatology that the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70AD was mentioned. I knew there was no temple in Jerusalem, and that it had to have been destroyed some time in the past, but I never placed any significance on it not existing. I knew from the teaching I read and heard that end times prophesies includes the desecration and destruction of the Jerusalem temple, and was taught that it had to be rebuilt for the end and the return of Christ to occur. None of these teachers mentioned when the temple of Jesus day was destroyed, it just was not addressed at all.

In my online discussions it was mentioned that the destruction of the temple in 70AD placed it within a forty year biblical generation, as was prophesied by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse, recorded in Matthew 25,25; Mark 13 and Luke 21. This started me to consider and come to understand the truth of fulfilled eschatology or preterism.

We have a record of 70AD and the times leading up to the destruction of the temple. The historian Josephus had been a Jewish general in the early stages leading up to the Roman war of the Jews. He was captured and made a slave, recognizing his learning as a priest and his knowledge of Israel as a general he was tasked with making a report and writing a history on Israel up to and through the war of Rome with Israel.

Josephus is a recognized authority and historian on his contemporary times and first century Israel. There are other historians of the time, but their writings are more centered on the Roman Empire in general, while Josephus’ writings are centered on Israel and of great importance to understanding the first century fulfillment of eschatology.

I will continue my studies on the context of the Olivet Discourse, by comparing it to the historical record of Josephus, showing the record of its fulfillment during the time he titled the War of the Jews. I am using the eSword edition and will present annotated copy of the text with the passages of the Olivet Discourse that coincides with it.


The title is: “The Wars of the Jews or The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, Book 2, Containing the interval of of sixty-nine years. From the death of Herod till Vespasian was sent to subdue the Jews by Nero.”


Interesting note by the translator, William Whiston,

‭“(‬3‭)‬ That these calamities of the Jews,‭ ‬who were our Savior‭’‬s murderers,‭ ‬were to be the greatest that had ever been since the beginning of the world,‭ ‬our Savior had directly foretold,‭ ‬Mat‭_‬24:21‭; ‬Mar‭_‬13:19‭; ‬Luk‭_‬21:23-24‭; ‬and that they proved to be such accordingly,‭ ‬Josephus is here a most authentic witness.”