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How do today's Christians' values compare with the values of the earliest Christians? Earliest Christian values Values & practices of Jesus & earliest Christians - quotations from writings before 313 A.D. (version 5.1.4.1) |
| The quotations below are representative of all known pre-313 A.D. writers on each particular topic. The purpose here is to present unedited, genuine Christianity as understood and practiced by the earliest Christians. | To view and print only this table, without the quotations, click here. | |
* Those taught by Jesus are marked with an asterisk.
CHRISTIAN STANDARDS & HOW THEY WERE APPLIED -- Beginning in 313 A.D., Christian teachings and practices began to dramatically change, but prior to 313 A.D. the Christian attitudes and practices listed above were standards advocated by most Christians within their own Christian communities. Christians did not attempt to force those attitudes or practices on non-Christians. Christians did feel free to include them as part of the gospel, the Good News, they preached to non-Christians -- not as a judgmental rebuke but as joyful witness to the freedom of their own life in Christ. As Christians today, if we try to force our moral standards on the entire population of our nations or on the world, we are abandoning primitive Christianity, and we are participating in the reenactment of the Constantine's cooption and corruption of Christianity that began in 313 A.D. (See http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/313ad.htm.) On the other hand, we, like our earliest Christian brothers and sisters, are free to include our moral values as part of the gospel, the Good News, we live and preach to others -- not as a judgmental rebuke but as a joyful witness to the freedom of our own life in Christ.
OTHER RESOURCES YOU CAN EXPLORE -- In additional to the representative quotations below, the following are a few resources to further explore the attitudes and practices of Jesus and earliest Christians prior to 313 A.D.:
All biblical quotes below are from the Today's English Version (a.k.a., Good News Bible), unless otherwise designated.
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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. 40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres.
17 If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. 18 Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. 19 Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God’s anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” 20 Instead, as the scripture says: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.” 21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.
They [Christians] comfort their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies.
We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies.
We used to be filled with war, mutual slaughter, and every kind of wickedness. However, now all of us have, throughout the whole earth, changed our warlike weapons. We have changed our swords into plowshares, and our spears into farming implements.
We have learned not to return blow for blow, nor to go to law with those who plunder and rob us. Instead, even to those who strike us on one side of the face, we offer the other side also.
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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. 40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres.
19 Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God’s anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” 20 Instead, as the scripture says: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.” 21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.
They [Christians] comfort their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies.
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38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands--all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you."
8 ...Whoever shares with others should do it generously; ...whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully... 13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers... 20...as the scripture says: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink...
14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it for people to say that they have faith if their actions do not prove it? Can that faith save them? 15 Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. 16 What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!”—if you don’t give them the necessities of life? 17 So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead. 18 But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.”
16 This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for our brothers and sisters! 17 Rich people who see a brother or sister in need, yet close their hearts against them, cannot claim that they love God. 18 My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
Let the strong take care of the weak; let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich man minister to the poor man; let the poor man give thanks to God that he gave him one through whom his need might be satisfied. Let the wise man manifest his wisdom not in words but in good deeds.
| Other "Characteristics of earliest Christianity" |
41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres.
8 ...Whoever shares with others should do it generously; ...whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully... 13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers... 20...as the scripture says: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink....
They [Christians] comfort their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies.
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Mat 10:8 (Jesus)
7 Go and preach, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons. You have received without paying, so give without being paid.
9 One and the same Spirit gives faith to one person, while to another person he gives the power to heal.
Healing, religious: Overcoming bodily weakness or disease by divine power. Religious healing was as persistent a feature of early Christianity as of the pagan religious cults of the Greco-Roman world... Accounts of healing, from an early time (John 20:30f.), were designed to elicit faith or were said to have done so (1 Cor. 2:4; 2 Cor. 12:12; Acts 2:43; 3:6-10; 5:12-16; 9:32-35; 14:3; A. Paul. 50-55; A. Jo. 38-45). Healings by those awaiting martyrdom (e.g., Eusebius, Mart. Pal. 1.1; Pass. Perp. 9:1; 16:4) and by ascetics (e.g., Athonasius, V. Ant. 80; Gregory of Nyssa, V. Gr. Thaum. [PG 46.916A]; Jerome, V. Hilar. 8.) were frequent. Bishop Novatian of Rome was said to have been converted through being healed (Eusebius, H.E. 6.43.14). This phenomenon of healing was an important factor in the growth of the church... Healings thus witness to God's purpose to free the whole creation for eternal life with him. In general, early Christians assumed that healings were manifestations of the redemptive power of God; they were more concerned to keep them in this perspective than, as in our time, either to promote healing as central to Christian experience or to deny their their occurence.
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48 You must be perfect—just as your Father in heaven is perfect!
11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip [literally, "to perfect" or "to complete"] the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity [litarally, "to the perfect man"], to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
1 Therefore let us go on toward perfection,
2 My brothers and sisters, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, 3 for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. 4 Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all.
As I conceive it, sanctity is perfect pureness of mind, deeds, thoughts, and words. In its last degree, it is sinlessness in dreams.
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34 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are are members of my family, you did it to me.'
38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands--all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you."
8 ...Whoever shares with others should do it generously; ...whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully. 9 Love must be completely sincere... 10 Love one another warmly as Christian brothers, and be eager to show respect for one another... 13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers... 16 Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties... 18 Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody... 20...as the scripture says: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will make him burn with shame." {Proverbs 25:21,22} 21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.
16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
12 Speak and act as people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. 13 For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgement. 14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it for people to say that they have faith if their actions do not prove it? Can that faith save them? 15 Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. 16 What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!”—if you don’t give them the necessities of life? 17 So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead. 18 But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.”
Let the strong take care of the weak; let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich man minister to the poor man; let the poor man give thanks to God that he gave him one through whom his need might be satisfied. Let the wise man manifest his wisdom not in words but in good deeds.
They [Christians] love one another. They do not overlook the widow, and they save the orphan. He who has ministers ungrudgingly to him who does not have. When they see strangers, they take him under their own roof and rejoice over him as a true brother, for they do not call themselves brothers according to the flesh but according to the soul.
Then Proteus was apprehended as a Christian and thrown into prison.... The Christians, regarding the affair as a great misfortune, set in motion every effort to rescue him. Then, when this was impossible, every other attention was paid him, not cursorily but diligently. At dawn there were to be seen waiting at the prison aged widows and orphan children, and their officials even slept inside with him, having bribed the guards. Varied meals were brought in, and their sacred words were spoken... There were some even from the cities in Asia who came, the Christians sending them from their common fund to succour, defend, and encourage the man. They exhibit extraordinary haste whenever one of them becomes such a public victim, for in no time they lavish their all.
And instead of the tithes which the law commanded, the Lord said to divide everthing we have with the poor. And he said to love not only our neighbors but also our enemies, and to be givers and sharers not only with the good but also to be liberal givers toward those who take away our possessions.
For he who holds possessions... and houses, as the gifts of God; and ministers from them to the God who gives them for the salvation of men; and knows that he possesses them more for the sake of the brethren than his own; and is superior to the possession of them, not the slave of the things he possesses; and does not carry them about in his soul, nor bind and circumscribe his life with them, but is ever labouring at some good and divine work, even should he be necessarily some time or other deprived of them, is able with cheerful mind to bear their removal equally with their abundance. This is he who is blessed by the Lord, and called poor in spirit, a meet heir of the kingdom of heaven.
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15 If your brother sins against you, go to him and show him his fault. But do it privately, just between yourselves. 16 If he listens to you, you have won your brother back. But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other persons with you, so that ‘every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses,’ as the scripture says. 17 And if he will not listen to them, then tell the whole thing to the church. Finally, if he will not listen to the church, treat him as though he were a pagan or a tax collector.
My brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in any kind of wrongdoing, those of you who are spiritual should set him right; but you must do it in a gentle way. And keep an eye on yourselves, so that you will not be tempted, too.
You should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely. And so I beg you to let him know that you really do love him.
19 My brothers and sisters, if any of you wander away from the truth and another one brings them back again, 20 remember this: whoever turns a sinner back from his or her wrong way will save that sinner’s soul from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
Let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always "providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man;" abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting [an evil report] against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin.
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Mat 8:5-13 - the Roman army officer's faith was commended by Jesus as having faith greater than the Jews.
Mat 19:12 - Jesus' inclusion of the outcast eunuchs as worthy of admiration. (See also http://www.bibletexts.com/qa/qa133.htm#eunuchs.)
Mat 20:25-28 - those serving, not those being served, are the great ones.
Mat 23:8-11 - the humble, not the proud, are exalted.
Mat 25:31-40 - the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, those inadequately clothed, the sick, the prisoners all should be attended to as if they were Jesus himself.
Luk 7: 36-50 - woman sinner, rather than self-righteous Pharisee, was commended.
Luk 10:30-37 - a religiously despised Samaritan, rather than a religious Jew, was the hero who rescued a half-dead Jew. (See also http://www.bibletexts.com/texts/parables.htm#good-samaritan.)
Luk 18:15-17 - children, with the same low status as no-count slaves, provide the standard for participation in the kingdom of God.
Luk 21:1-4 - the poor widow's small donation was of greater value than the rich men's large donations.
Joh 17:22 - Jesus' followers received from Jesus the glory God gave to Jesus.
Joh 17:23,26 - God loves Jesus' followers as he loves Jesus.
Act 10:34,35 - in every nation anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Act 17:24,26 - God made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth.
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, being also a minister [a deacon, not even just a deaconess!] in the church at Cenchreae 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the holy ones, and help her in whatever she may need from you; for she herself has been a helper to many people and also to me.
24 At that time a Jew named Apollos, who had been born in Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker and had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he proclaimed and taught correctly the facts about Jesus. However, he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home with them and explained to him more correctly the Way of God.
3 I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-workers in the service of Christ Jesus; 4 they risked their lives for me. I am grateful to them—not only I, but all the Gentile churches as well. 5 Greetings also to the church that meets in their house.
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners; they are prominent among the apostles and they were in Christ before me.
1Co 12:12-26 - Jews, Greeks, slaves, free people, all members of the church body are all vital to the entire church body of Christ.
Gal 3:28 - labels of Jew, Greek, slave, free, male, female do not apply to God's people.
Eph 2:11-22 - the uncircumcized and the circumcized all are part of the same sacred temple/body.
Col 3:11 - labels of Greek, Jew, circumcized, uncircumcized, barbarian, savage (Scythian), slave, free do not apply to God's people.
1Ti 2:1-4 - God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Rev 14:6 - every nation, tribe, tongue, and people are called to worship God.
Rev 22:2 - God provides healing for every nation.
God does not reject any of His servants as being unworthy of the divine mysteries. He does not value the rich man more highly than the poor. He does not despise the poor man because of his poverty. He does not disdain the barbarian, nor does He reject the eunuch as being no man. He does not hate the female because of the woman's act of disobedience in the beginning. Nor does He reject the male because of man's transgression. Rather, He seeks everyone and desires to save everyone.
God, who produces and gives breath to men, willed that all should be equal, that is, equally matched. He has imposed the same condition of living on all. He has opened wisdom to all. He has promised immortality to all. No one is cut off from His heavenly benefits... In His sight, no one is a slave; no one is a master. For if all have the same Father, by an equal right we are all children. No one is poor in the sight of God but he who is without justice. No one is rich, but he who is full of virtues... For this reason, neither the Romans nor the Greeks could possess justice. For they had men differing from one another by many degrees: the poor and the rich, the humble and the powerful, private persons and the highest authorities of kings. However, where all persons are not equally matched, there is no justice. And, by its nature, inequality excludes justice...
However, someone will say, "Are there not among you some who are poor and others who are rich? Are not some servants and others masters? Is there not some difference between individuals?" There is none. Nor is there any other cause why we mutually bestow upon each other the name of brothers, except that we believe ourselves to be equal. We measure all human things by the spirit, not by the body. Although the condition of our bodies is different, yet we have no servants. For we both regard and speak of them as brothers in spirit and as fellow-servants in religion... Therefore, in lowliness of mind, we are on an equality: the free with the slaves and the rich with the poor. Nevertheless, in the sight of God we are distinguished only by virtue... The person who has conducted himself not only as an equal, but even as an inferior, he will plainly obtain a much higher rank of dignity in the judgment of God.
Jesus typically spoke in parables -- very socially disturbing parables. They turned the world upside down and inside out for his hearers. Some parables illustrate his challenge to Jewish men as the only ones having power or deserving a role as an example. [See the parable of the leaven (Mat 13:33, Luk 13:20-21, Thomas 96), the parable of the lost coin (Luk 15:8-9), and the commentaries on them at http://www.bibletexts.com/texts/parables.htm#leaven and http://www.bibletexts.com/texts/parables.htm#lost-coin.]
That Jesus talked freely with woman -- even a Samaritan woman (!) -- was another social/religious taboo that Jesus broke. Jesus is pictured as unaffected by such restrictions.
When Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luk 17:20,21, Thomas 3:1-3, Thomas 113, Thomas 51:2, Gospel of Mary 4:4-5, Dialog of the Savior 9:3), the overall message of his words and his life would indicate that he was not limiting how much of that kingdom was present in his hearers -- whether male or female.
In the earliest record of the crucifixion and resurrection (Paul's account in 1Co 15:3-7, which Paul "had received"), there is mention of "the twelve." In fact Paul seems to be saying that according to what he had been told (by James, Peter, and/or John in Jerusalem?), Cephas (Peter) was the first to see the risen Christ. Then the twelve saw him. Then five hundred "brethren" saw him. Then James. Then Paul.
Were all four gospels completely wrong in saying that women were the first to encounter evidence of Jesus' resurrection? Three of the gospels, Matthew (Mat 28:9-10), Mark (Mar 16:9-11), and John (Joh 20:14-18) describe women (always including Mary Magdalene) as the first to see and speak with the risen Jesus. Luke simply says that the women (again, including Mary Magdalene) were the first to be told (by two men/angels) that Jesus had risen. All four of these gospel accounts are not synoptic but clearly are from different sources.
Had the report that Paul had "received" been filtered by Peter or someone else to eliminate all mention of the women that were really the first to see Jesus? Why would such filtering take place? Was it because during the actual ministry of Jesus those women had real clout and that now -- without Jesus around -- the male disciples could recapture the more culturally traditional male authority? Did Peter revert back to his male-dominant Jewish ways, just as in Antioch he had reverted to his don't-eat-with-Gentiles ways? For more on this, see http://www.bibletexts.com/qa/qa078.htm#2.
There are no definitive answers for any of these questions, but there are serious concerns about how accurately the role of women during Jesus' ministry was reported and "received" by the church in the first 2 or 3 decades after Jesus' crucifixion. If filtering did take place, Paul may have been unaware of it. He may have just reported what he had been told. Paul, of course, was really a champion for women's active roles in the early church. For more on Paul's advocacy of women, see http://www.bibletexts.com/women.htm; whereas, James and Peter showed some strong Jewish tendancies (see Gal 2:1-14).
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It is clear that Jesus expected his itinerant disciples, who traveled in pairs from town to town, to be provided for by those grateful for the Good News and for redemption and healing. From Paul's writings we know that Paul felt deserving of financial support from Christians to whom he ministered, but he declined it. Instead he did manual labor to earn his food and lodging. Paul was also collecting money to take back to the poor in Jerusalem, and he expected and instructed believers in each locale to contribute to the fund. Near the end of the 1st century, the Didache communities also were expected to provide their "first fruits" for the prophets and teachers that stayed with them. With all of the above, generosity towards the poor they encountered was expected of all.
Up to this point there was no mention of tithes or any other fixed percentage of income or property that should be contributed to the support of the house churches, the clergy, or to the poor. After 70 A.D., when the temple was destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Jewish revolt, the priests no longer had a temple to maintain, which was the original purpose of tithing. By that time, there was considerable theological conflict between the mainstream Jews and the Jewish Christians, so it is highly unlikely that tithing per se was done by those earliest Christians. As Everett Ferguson, a recognized authority on early Christian history, points out below, "Tithing was not practiced, being suspended with the end of the Old Testament."
Tithing is a practice that seems to have been resurrected by clergy in later centuries as a means of supporting the growing and more sedentary clergy, in contrast to the "first fruits" that supported the more itinerant apostles and prophets of earlier years. Like Paul, some who preached and taught simply continued their day jobs to support their ministry. Whatever were the circumstances of each of the earliest Christian churches, giving was expected, but the amount given was up to each individual. Each believer's contributions were considered blessed to the extent that they represented a heartfelt love for and gratitude to God, an appreciation of and support for the Christian ministers and teachers, and an unconditional love of the poor, of enemies, and of others in need. After all, whatever each believer had -- possessions, income, and abilities -- was really God's. Each believer was just a trustee of -- a witness for -- what was in fact God's. It was to be used in His service as each believer was inspired to use it to represent God's purpose, goodness, mercy, and love.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others.
1 Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God’s people in Judea. You must do what I told the churches in Galatia to do. 2 Every Sunday each of you must put aside some money, in proportion to what you have earned, and save it up, so that there will be no need to collect money when I come. 3 After I come, I shall give letters of introduction to those you have approved, and send them to take your gift to Jerusalem.
1 There is really no need for me to write to you about the help being sent to God’s people in Judea. 2 I know that you are willing to help, and I have boasted of you to the people in Macedonia. “The brothers and sisters in Achaia,” I said, “have been ready to help since last year.” Your eagerness has stirred up most of them. 3 Now I am sending these brothers and sisters, so that our boasting about you in this matter may not turn out to be empty words. But, just as I said, you will be ready with your help. 4 However, if the people from Macedonia should come with me and find out that you are not ready, how ashamed we would be—not to speak of your shame—for feeling so sure of you! 5 So I thought it was necessary to urge these brothers and sisters to go to you ahead of me and get ready in advance the gift you promised to make. Then it will be ready when I arrive, and it will show that you give because you want to, not because you have to. 6 Remember that the person who sows few seeds will have a small crop; the one who sows many seeds will have a large crop. 7 You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly. 8 And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. 9 As the scripture says: “He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts for ever.” 10 And God, who supplies seed to sow and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. 11 He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts which they receive from us. 12 For this service you perform not only meets the needs of God’s people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God. 13 And because of the proof which this service of yours brings, many will give glory to God for your loyalty to the gospel of Christ, which you profess, and for your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else. 14 And so with deep affection they will pray for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown you. 15 Let us thank God for his priceless gift!
Every true prophet that wishes to abide among you is worthy of his food. Likewise, a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman of his food. Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of the wine-press and the threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you will take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you haved no prophet, give it to the poor beggars. If you make a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the commandment. So also when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the prophets. Of silver and of clothing and of every possession, take the first-fruits, as it seems appropriate to you, and give according to the commandment.
The wealthy among us help the needy... As for the persons who are prosperous and are willing, they give what each thinks fit.
And instead of the tithes which the law commanded, the Lord said to divide everthing we have with the poor. And he said to love not only our neighbors but also our enemies, and to be givers and sharers not only with the good but also to be liberal givers toward those who take away our possessions.
The class of offerings in general has not been set aside. For there were both offerings there [among the Jews] and there are offerings here [among the Christians]. Sacrifices there were among the [Israelite] people; sacrifices there are, too, in the church. Only the outward form has been changed. For the offering is now made, not by slaves, but by free men... [The Jews] had indeed the tithes of their goods consecrated to Him. In contrast, those who have received liberty set aside all their possessions for the Lord's purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of better things.
At the beginning, God accepted the gifts of Abel, because he offered with single-mindedness and righteousness. However, He had no respect for the offering of Cain, because his heart was divided with envy and malice... For if anyone will endeavor to offer a sacrifice merely for outward appearances, .. such an offering will not profit him anything... Sacrifices, therefore, do not sanctify a man. For God stands in no need of sacrifice. But it is the conscience of the person offering that sanctifies the sacrifice when it is pure.
On the monthly day, if he likes, each puts in a small donation -- but only if it is his pleasure and only if he is able. For there is no compulsion; all is voluntary.
They used to sell houses and estates so that they might lay up for themselves treasures in heaven. They presented the proceeds from them to the apostles, to be distributed for the use of the poor. However, now, we do not even give the tenths from our patrimony!
Let him [the bishop] use those tithes and first-fruits, which are given according to the command of God, as a man of God; as also let him dispense in a right manner the free-will offerings which are brought in on account of the poor, to the orphans, the widows, the afflicted, and strangers in distress, as having that God for the examiner of his accounts who has committed the disposition to him. Distribute to all those in want with righteousness, and yourselves use the things which belong to the Lord, but do not abuse them; eating of them, but not eating them all up by yourselves: share with those that are in want, and thereby show yourselves unbameable before God.
Luk 11.41-42 suggests the probability that, in at least some churches, the Pentateuchal precepts were applied by analogy for the benefit of the Christian poor. Matthew 23:23 suggests that the custom of tithing was preserved somehow. The New Testament nowhere explicitly requires tithing to maintain a ministry or a place of assembly.
Support for the physical needs of the Christian communities was constantly urged in New Testament times and in subsequent centuries (Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:3-12). For the eastern church, at least, the practice of tithing was treated as a matter of obligation (Did. 13; Const. app. 2.25; 7.29; 8.30), but on the basis of Jesus' advice to the rich young man about selling all his possessions (cf. Matt. 19:21; Mark, 10:21; Luke 18:22), the church fathers argued that Christians should go beyond what is done in Judaism (Clement of Alexandria, Str. 2.18; Irenaeus, Haer. 4.18). At the same time, complaints were often voiced that Christians fell far short in their generosity (Cyprian, Unit. eccl. 26; John Chrysostom, Hom. in Eph. 4.2), and Matthew's warning, "Unless your justice exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees...," (5:20) is frequently echoed by early writers on the subject (Origen, Hom. in Num. 11:2; Augustine, In Psalm. 146.17; Serm. 9:19; 85.5). Tithing in a Christian context follows the practice of late Judaism both in extending the obligation to cover all of one's possessions and in stipulating that the offerings be used for support of the clergy and for acts of charity (Const. app. 2.25; Cyprian, Ep. 1; Origen, Hom. in Jos. 17:3). Although there seems to have been a consensus during the early centuries about the obligation to tithe, the first collective statement on the subject appears at the Synod of Macon in 585 (can. 5 [Mansi 9.951-952]), which imposed the tithe on all citizens to support the work of the church. Tht practice of tithing remained irregular, however, until it became an issue of law in the time of Chrlemagne (771-814).
First fruits were not to be confused with tithes. First fruits refer to "a token amount" (Sanders 199: 289) of the agricultural harvest of grapes or grains gown on the land that the Lord gave to Israel. The first fruits belonged to the Lord -- "Because God had given them the land, they wer to return a portion of its produce in ratitude for God's benevolence" (Horsley 1985: 53). The tithe, on the other hand, refers to a precise amount: one-tenth of the harvest. The English term "tithe is derived from the Middle English word for "tenth." "Tithe" is the only appropriate translation for the Hebrew maaser and the Greek dekate, since in each of these languages, the term popularly meant "tenth" (Sanders 1990: 290). The tithe belonged to the Levites and their families since they were restricted from owning or cultivating land for their task was to maintain and operate the Jerusalem temple. The distinction between "first fruits" and "tithes" cannot be missed within the Hebrew Scriptures themselves (e.g., Nm 18:12-32; Neh 10:35-38).
In the Mishnah, the distinction between first fruits and tithes becomes even more elaborate (m . Bikkurim 2:3f.)... Here again it becomes clear that the first fruits of the soil involved a token quantity of high quality set aside as an offering to the Lord.
From this it can be surmised why first fruits would be embraced while tithes would be set aside. Tithing was designed to support the priests, the Levites, and their families. To be consistent, the Didache would have had to give tithes "to the prophets for they themselves are your high priests" (13:3). Since tithing involved a "tenth," the practice of tithing would have quickly destroyed the identity of prophets -- their lack of possessions and their wandering. even when prophets settled down in the Didache communities and were given free room and board, the Didache was never tempted to regard this as their "tithe." When one discovers, however, that first fruits and tithes were very different in the minds of Jews, it becomes possible to understand how the framers of the Didache could so strongly embrace one [first fruits] while flatly rejecting the other [tithes].
The succession of the three final phrases is noteworthy. Labon ten aparchen (take the firstfruits") again recalls the cultic nature of the gifts; hos an soi doxe ("as you think best") liberates the givers from any kind of niggling legalism and appeals to the generosity of individuals; dos kata ten entolen finally makes clear again, in conclusion, that the offering here demanded rests on a binding "commandment" of the Kyrios [Lord].
The congregation's offerings might be made in produce, out of which the bread and wine for the communion was taken, but our sources quoted above refer to monetary contributions. This was a part of the service, and later sources describe the formal offering by the faithful of their gifts at the table where the eucharist was spread. Tithing was not practiced, being suspended with the end of the Old Testament. Justin makes the act of giving a regular feature of the weekly assembly. Tertullian says the donation was put in "on the monthly day" or whenever one wished, perhaps indicating whenever he received income. In Tertullian's time or congregation there may have been a change in practice from the weekly offering. Another possibility, however, is to be considered. The private clubs and associations of the Roman world commonly had monthly dues and generally might meet only once a month. It is possible that Tertullian [as an apologist] is describing Christian practice according to what was known in the pagan world and is identifying the church in the minds of his [Roman] readers with the legal associations of their experience. The Christian sources stress the voluntary nature of the giving. The "small contribution" is to allay governmental fears of this secret organization accumulating vast sums of money which might be used for subversive purposes. (pages 88-89)
Not a great deal is said about the use of contributions for other than benevolent purposes -- for example, the support of Christian ministers...
If one takes a composite look at the texts, an impressive list can be drawn up of the types of individuals who were recipients of Christian assistance. Aid was extended to the following classes: the poor, the aged, widows, the sick, victims of shipwreck, exiles, the imprisoned, laborers in the mines.
The slaves who were condemned to work in the government mines were the most unfortunate of the ancient world's outcasts. Prisoners of war, criminals, and sometimes Christians were sent to the mines. The labor was extremely hard, the hours long, and the working aland living conditions incredibly hard. Few lived long under the circumstances. (page 214)
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25 And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done.”
34 Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing.”
5 Now, if anyone has made somebody sad, he has not done it to me but to all of you—in part at least. (I say this because I do not want to be too hard on him.) 6 It is enough that this person has been punished in this way by most of you. 7 Now, however, you should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely. 8 And so I beg you to let him know that you really do love him.
31Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.
12 You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.
If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive; for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and "we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself." (The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, Chapter VI)
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43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message. 44 You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.
In conclusion, my brothers and sisters, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable.
23 Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, 24 and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy. 25 No more lying, then! Each of you must tell the truth to one another, because we are all members together in the body of Christ.
9 Do not lie to one another, for you have taken off the old self with its habits 10 and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself.
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Humaneness*
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Inclusiveness*
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Modesty*
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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. 40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres.
19 Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God’s anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” 20 Instead, as the scripture says: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.” 21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.
We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies.
We used to be filled with war, mutual slaughter, and every kind of wickedness. However, now all of us have, throughout the whole earth, changed our warlike weapons. We have changed our swords into plowshares, and our spears into farming implements.
We have learned not to return blow for blow, nor to go to law with those who plunder and rob us. Instead, even to those who strike us on one side of the face, we offer the other side also.
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9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
18 Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.
20 Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: let God change you from enemies into his friends!
22 But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these.
1 Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another. 2 I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. 3 Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble towards one another, always considering others better than yourselves. 4 And look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own. 5 The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had:
Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith. Nothing is more precious than peace, by which all war, both in heaven and earth, is brought to an end.
Pray also for kings, and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that ye may be perfect in Him.
It is not in war, but in peace, that we are trained.
The one instrument of peace is what we employ: the Word alone, by whom we honor God. We no longer use the ancient psaltery, trumpet, timbrel, and flute. For those who are God puts His prohibition on every sort of man-killing by that one inclusive commandment: "You shall not kill."
"Nation will not take up sword against nation, and they will no more learn to fight." Who else, therefore, does this prophecy apply to, other than us? For we are fully taught by the new law, and therefore observe these practices ... The practice of the old law was to avenge itself by the vengeance of the sword. It was to pluck out "eye for eye," and to inflict retaliatory revenge for injury. However, the teaching of the new law points to clemency. It changes the primitive ferocity of swords and lances to tranquility. It remodels the primitive execution of war upon the rivals and enemies of the Law into the peaceful actions of plowing and cultivating the land.
For what difference is there between provoker and provoked? The only difference is that the former was the first to do evil, but the latter did evil afterwards. Each one stands condemned in the eyes of the Lord for hurting a man. For God both prohibits and condemns every wickedness. In evil doing, there is no account taken of the order... The commandment is absolute: evil is not to be repaid with evil.
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Pray also for kings, and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that ye may be perfect in Him.
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It is important to note that beginning in 313 A.D., Christian teachings and practices began to dramatically change. Prior to 313 A.D. the Christian attitudes and practices listed above were standards advocated by most Christians within their own Christian communities. Christians did not attempt to force those attitudes or practices on non-Christians. Christians did feel free to include them as part of the gospel, the Good News, they preached to non-Christians -- not as a judgmental rebuke but as joyful witness to the freedom of their own life in Christ.
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21 “You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.’ 22 But now I tell you: whoever is angry with his brother will be brought to trial, whoever calls his brother ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Council, and whoever calls his brother a worthless fool will be in danger of going to the fire of hell.
19 What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; 20 in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; 21 they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God.
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Such are the demons. These are the ones who laid down the doctrine of Fate. Their fundamental principle was the placing of animals in the heavens. For they dignified the creeping things on the earth with celestial honor... They did this so that they themselves might be thought to remain in heaven. By placing the constellations there they attempt to make the irrational course of life on earth appear to be rational... Let them have their Fate! I am not willing to workship wandering stars!
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35 Then Jesus asked his disciples, “When I sent you out that time without purse, bag, or shoes, did you lack anything?” “Not a thing,” they answered. 36 “But now,” Jesus said, “whoever has a purse or a bag must take it; and whoever has no sword must sell his coat and buy one. 37 For I tell you that the scripture which says, ‘He shared the fate of criminals,’ must come true about me, because what was written about me is coming true.” 38 The disciples said, “Look! Here are two swords, Lord!” “That is enough!” he replied.
The instruction to sell their coats and buy swords is an example of Jesus' fondness for violent metaphor (cf. Matt. 23:24, Mark 10:25), but the disciples take it literally, as pedants have continued to do ever since. The words 'It is enough' indicate, not satisfaction with the disciples' military preparedness, but a sad dismissal of the subject (cf. 1 Kings 10:4, Mark 14:41).
47 Jesus was still speaking when a crowd arrived, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. He came up to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?” 49 When the disciples who were with Jesus saw what was going to happen, they asked, “Shall we use our swords, Lord?” 50 And one of them struck the High Priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” He touched the man’s ear and healed him.
50 ...Then they came up, arrested Jesus, and held him tight. 51 One of those who were with Jesus drew his sword and struck at the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his ear. 52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “All who take the sword will die by the sword."
We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies.
We used to be filled with war, mutual slaughter, and every kind of wickedness. However, now all of us have, throughout the whole earth, changed our warlike weapons. We have changed our swords into plowshares, and our spears into farming implements.
When a man has become a believer and faith has been sealed, there must be either an immediate abandonment of the military office, which has been the course of many -- or else all sorts of quibbling will have to be resorted to in order to avoid offending God. And such quibbling is not allowed even outside of military service.
Overcoming violence, terrorism, and revenge (topical index with links to many online articles/resources)
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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too.
We cannot endure even to see a man put to death, though justly... We consider that to see a man put to death is much the same as killing him. Therefore, we have sworn away from such spectacles. We do not even look on, lest we might contract guilt and pollution. So how can we put people to death?
Christians could not slay their enemies. Nor could they condemn those who had broken the Law to be burned or stoned, as Moses commands.
Christians do not attack their assailants in return, for it is not lawful for the innocent to kill even the guilty.
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25 “If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest.
35 If a fellow-Israelite living near you becomes poor and cannot support himself or herself, you must provide for them as you would for hired servants, so that they can continue to live near you. 36 Do not charge them any interest, but obey God and let your fellow-Israelites live near you. 37 Do not make them pay interest on the money you lend them, and do not make a profit on the food you sell them. 38 This is the command of the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt in order to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God..
1 Lord, who may enter your Temple? Who may worship on Zion, your sacred hill? 2 Those who obey God in everything and always do what is right,... 5 They make loans without charging interest
8 If you get rich by charging interest and taking advantage of people, your wealth will go to someone who is kind to the poor.
5 “Suppose there is a truly good man, righteous and honest... 7 He doesn’t cheat or rob anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security; he feeds the hungry and gives clothing to the naked. 8 He doesn’t lend money for profit. He refuses to do evil and gives an honest decision in any dispute. Such a man obeys my commands and carefully keeps my laws. He is righteous, and he will live,” says the Sovereign Lord.
Usury = Charging any interest -- not just high interest -- on a loan: The Greek word tokos <Strong's # 5110>, which is translated as "usury" in the KJV, is correctly translated simply as "interest" in all major modern translations of the two somewhat differing versions of Jesus' parable of the talents and the three servants in Mat 25:27 and Luk 19:23. These are the onle two places in the New Testament where tokos (usury) is used.
(It should be noted that Jesus did not advocate all of the actions taken by the characters in his parables, such as assassination, war, plundering a strong man's house, investing money with bankers, etc. He heavily utilized metaphor and even shock to get his point across. He used his parables to make his hearers think. He challenged them to a new vision of God's rule that always radically turned up-side down the common views -- whether religious, cultural, ethnic, and/or social views. For a more detailed introduction to Jesus' parables, see http://www.bibletexts.com/texts/parables.htm#intro. To specifically explore the parable of the talents and the three servants, see http://www.bibletexts.com/texts/parables.htm#talents.)
Louis J. Swift in his comprehensive article on "Usury" in Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, Second Edition (edited by Everett Ferguson (NY: Garland Publishing, 1998, pages 1150-1151) writes in part:
Although in modern times "usury" commonly refers to excessive rates of interest on the use of capital, in the ancient world the term applied to any type or amount of interest on a loan. Within early Christianity, it is difficult to find a social practice recognized in Greek and Roman law that is more adamantly and consistently condemned...
Commentators are virtually unanimous in describing usury as greviously harmful to lender and borrower alike. The creditor is not only plagued with incessant worries about recouping his money..., but by profiting from the destitution of others and actually increasing the poor man's sorry state, he becomes like a thief..., who offends God in the person of the poor... and forecloses hope of his own salvation...
34 And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! 35 No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.
"His money he will not give on usury and will not take interest." ... These words contain a description of the conduct of a Christian.
Let it suffice to remark that the Law prohibits a brother from taking usury..
Now, on the subject of a loan, he [Jesus] asks, "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what reward have you? [Luk 6:34-35]"... The first step was to eradicate the interest from the money lent -- making it easy to prepare a man for the possible loss of the money itself.
You have lent on interest, taking 24 percent! Yet, now you wish to bestow charity that you may purge yourself ... with what is evil. The Almighty absolutely rejects such works as these.
We must not take usury... "You will not lend to your brother with usury of money" [Deu 23:19].
If a Christian has lent any money, he will not receive interest -- so that the benefit that relieved necessity may be unimpaired... For it is his duty in other respects not to be sparing of his property, in order that he may do good. But to receive more than he has given is unjust..
Let a bishop, presbyter, or deacon who charges interest to those to whom he lends either cease doing so, or else let him be deprived.
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43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your friends, hate your enemies.’ 44 But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. 46 Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! 47 And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! 48 You must be perfect — just as your Father in heaven is perfect!
27 “But I tell you who hear me: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who ill-treat you. 29 If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. 30 Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back. 31 Do for others just what you want them to do for you. 32 “If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! 34 And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! 35 No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.
19 What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; 20 in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; 21 they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. 25 The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives.
9 Those who say that they are in the light, yet hate their brothers and sisters, are in the darkness to this very hour. 10 Those who love their brothers and sisters live in the light, and so there is nothing in them that will cause someone else to sin. 11 But those who hate their brothers and sisters are in the darkness; they walk in it and do not know where they are going, because the darkness has made them blind.
15 All who hate others are murderers, and you know that murderers have not got eternal life in them.
We may not hate. And we please God more by rendering no return for wrong. Therefore, we exhort you to make satisfaction to God. Do this while you have the power, while there yet remains in you something of life... We do not envy your comforts, nor do we conceal the divine benefits. We repay kindness for your hatred. In return for the torments and penalties that are inflicted on us, we point out to you the ways of salvation. (c. 250, ANF 5.465)
The Christian has departed from rage and carnal contention as if from the hurricanes of the sea. He has already begun to be tranquil and meek in the harbor of Christ. Therefore, he should allow neither anger nor discord within his breath. For he must neither return evil for evil, nor bear hatred. (c. 250, ANF 5.488)
He who retaliates thinks that he is manfully resisting aggression; in fact, he is making an unconditional surrender to evil. Where before there was one under the control of evil, now there are two. Evil propagates by contagion. It can be contained and defeated only when hatred, insult, and injury are absorbed and neutralized by Love. (Saint Luke, by G.B. Caird, Philadelphia: Westminster, 1963, "The Law of Love, Commentary on Luke 6:27-38" pages 103-105. For a larger excerpt, see http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/agape-c.htm.)
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2 “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses’ Law. 3 So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don’t practise what they preach. 4 They tie on to people’s backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren’t willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. 5 They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks! 6 They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues;
This is how those who are consecrated to Christ should appear. And they should frame themselves in their whole of life just as they fashion themselves in the church -- for the sake of gravity. They should seek to actually be meek, pious, and loving -- not merely to seem to be so. I cannot understand how people change their fashions and manners, depending on the place. It is said that polypi become assimilated to the rocks to which they adhere and become one in color with the rocks. Similarly, [some Christians] lay aside the inspiration of the assembly. And after their departure from it, they become like others with whom they associate. Nay, in laying aside the artificial mask of solemnity, they are proved to be what they secretly were. After having paid reverence to the discourse about God, they leave behind what they have heard.
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12 Those who think they are standing firm had better be careful that they do not fall. 13 Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out. 14 So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols.
14 Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together? 15 How can Christ and the Devil agree? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 How can God’s temple come to terms with pagan idols? For we are the temple of the living God!
19 What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; 20 in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; 21 they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God.
21 My children, keep yourselves safe from false gods!
The principal crime of the human race, the highest guilt charged upon the world, the whole procuring cause of judgment -- is idolatry.
God prohibits an idol as much to be made as to be worshipped.
The zeal of faith will direct its pleadings to this matter. It bewails that a Christian would come from idols into the church. It bewails that he would come from an adversary workshop into the house of God. It bewails that he would raise to God the Father hands that are the mothers of idols... In fact, those very hands deliver to others what they have contaminated. For idol makers are chosen even into the ecclesiastical order! Oh wickedness!
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34 “Be on your guard! Don’t let yourselves become occupied with too much feasting and drinking and with the worries of this life, or that Day may suddenly catch you 35 like a trap...
12 The night is nearly over, day is almost here. Let us stop doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for fighting in the light. 13 Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day—no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy. 14 But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop paying attention to your sinful nature and satisfying its desires.
19 What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; 20 in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; 21 they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God.
It is good, then, neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine... Yet, if one partakes of them, he does not sin. Only let him partake temperately, not being dependent on them.
Therefore, I admire those who have adopted an austere life, and who are fond of water, the medicine of temperance. I admire those who flee as far as possible from wine, shunning it as they would the danger of fire. It is proper, therefore, that boys and girls should keep away from this medicine as much as possible... And, besides, it suits divine studies not to be heavy with wine... But towards evening, about supper time, wine may be used, when we are no longer engaged in more serious reading.. But even then it must only be a little wine that is to be used.
Althought Jesus made water into wine at the marriage, He did not give permission to get drunk... The scripture has named wine as the symbol for the sacred blood. However, reproving the sordid excessive drinking with the dregs of wine, it says: "Intemperate is wine and insolent is drunkenness" [Prov. 20:1].
He says, "Be not mighty at wine; for wine has overcome many." The Scythians, the Celts, the Iberians, and the Tracians are all warlike races, and they are greatly addicted to intoxication. They think that it is an honorable, happy pursuit to engage in. But we, the people of peace, feast for lawful enjoyment, not to wantonness. We drink sober cups of friendship...
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“Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way as you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others. 3Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? 4How dare you say to your brother, ‘Please, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ when you have a log in your own eye? 5You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
1 Do you, my friend, pass judgement on others? You have no excuse at all, whoever you are. For when you judge others and then do the same things which they do, you condemn yourself. 2 We know that God is right when he judges the people who do such things as these. 3 But you, my friend, do those very things for which you pass judgement on others! Do you think you will escape God’s judgement? 4 Or perhaps you despise his great kindness, tolerance, and patience. Surely you know that God is kind, because he is trying to lead you to repent. 5 But you have a hard and stubborn heart, and so you are making your own punishment even greater on the Day when God’s anger and righteous judgements will be revealed.
4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servants? It is their own Master who will decide whether they succeed or fail. And they will succeed, because the Lord is able to make them succeed. 5 Some people think that a certain day is more important than other days, while others think that all days are the same. We should each firmly make up our own minds. Those who think highly of a certain day do so in honour of the Lord; those who will eat anything do so in honour of the Lord, because they give thanks to God for the food. Those who refuse to eat certain things do so in honour of the Lord, and they give thanks to God.
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27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.
We are so far from practing promiscuous intercourse, that it is not lawful among us to indulge even a lustful look. "For," He says, "he that looks on a woman to lust after her has committeed adultery already in his heart."
Concerning chastity, the Holy Word teaches us not only not to sin in act, but not even in thought. We are not even in the heart to think of any evil, nor look on another man's wife withour eyes to lust after her.
Much more must we keep pure from shameful deeds. On the one hand, we must not exhibit and expose parts of the body that we should not. And on the other hand, we should not look at what is forbidden.
The baths are opened promiscuously to men and women. And there they strip for licentious indulgence (for from looking, men get to loving). It is as if their modesty had been washed away in the baths.
What of those [virgins] who patronize indecent baths?... They who disgracefully look at naked men and are seen naked by men -- do they not themselves afford enticement to vice?... The honor and modesty of the body is laid aside along with the covering of garments. Virginity is exposed, to be pointed at and to be handled. And now, then, consider whether, when you are clothed, you are modest among men -- after the boldness of nakedness has conduced to immodesty!
For he did not simply say "whoever shall desire," since it is possible for one to desire even when sitting alone in the mountains. Rather, Jesus said, "whoever looks with lust," that is, one who thinks about another solely for the purpose of lusting, who, under no compulsion, allows the wild beast to intrude upon his thoughts when they are calm. This intrusion no longer comes from nature but from self-indulgence. The ancient Scripture corrects this from the first, saying, "Don't gaze upon another's beauty" [Sirach 9:8]. And then, so that no one should say, if I gaze but am not taken captive, he punishes the look, lest through a false security you should some time fall into sin. "What then," one may say, "if I should look, and desire indeed, but do no evil?" Even so you find your place among the adulterers.
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| Other "Characteristics of earliest Christianity" |
Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
27 Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who ill-treat you.
...The Greek language has three words for love, which enable us to distinguish Christian love (agape) from passionate devotion (eros) and warm affection (philia). Jesus did not tell his disciples to fall in love with their enemies or to feel for them as they felt for their families and friends. Agape is a gracious, determined, and active interest in the true welfare of others, which is not deterred even by hatred, cursing, and abuse, not limited by calculation of deserts or results, based solely on the nature of God. Love does not retaliate (vv. 27-31), seeks no reward (vv. 32-36), is not censorious (vv. 37-38).
The men who were bidden to love their enemies were living in enemy-occupied territory, where resentment was natural and provocation frequent. They were not just to submit to aggression, but to rob it of its sting by voluntarily going beyond its demands. To those who believe in standing up for their individual or national rights this teaching has always seemed idealistic, if not actually immoral. But those who are concerned with the victory of the kingdom of God over the kingdom of Satan can see that it is the only realism. He who retaliates thinks that he is manfully resisting aggression; in fact, he is making an unconditional surrender to evil. Where before there was one under the control of evil, now there are two. Evil propagates by contagion. It can be contained and defeated only when hatred, insult, and injury are absorbed and neutralized by Love...
1 I urge that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgivings be offered to God for all people; 2 for kings and all others who are in authority, that we may live a quiet and peaceful life with all reverence towards God and with proper conduct. 3 This is good and it pleases God our Saviour, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to know the truth.
We offer prayer for the safety of our rulers to the eternal, true and living God... We offer prayer without ceasing for all of our emperors. We pray for their prolonged lives and for security to the empire. We pray for protection of the imperial house, for brave armies, a faithful senate, a virtuous people, and a world at peace.
Celsus urges us "to help the king with all our might, to labor with him in the maintenance of justice, and to fight for him. Or if he demands it, to fight under him or lead an army along with him." To this, our answer is that we do give help to kings when needed. But this is, so to speak, a divine help, "putting on the whole armor of God." And we do this in obedience to the commandment of the apostle: "I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men; for kings, and for all who are in authority." So the more anyone excels in godliness, the more effective the help is that he renders to kings. This is a greater help than what is given by soldiers who go forth to fight and kill as many of the enemy as they can. And to those enemies of our faith who demand us to bear arms for the commonwealth and to slay men, we reply: "Do not those who are the priests at certain shrines... keep their hands free from blood, so that they may offer the appointed sacrifices to your gods with unstained hands that are free from human blood? Even when war is upon you, you never enlist the priests in the army. If, then, that is a praiseworthy custom, how much more so that when others are engaged in battle Christians engage as the priests and ministers of God, keeping their hands pure. For they wrestle in prayers to God on behalf of those who are fighting in a righteous cause, and for the king who reigns righteously. They pray that whatever is opposed to those who act righteously may be destroyed.
Our prayers defeat all demons who stir up war. Those demons also lead persons to violate their oaths and to disturb the peace. Accordingly, in this way, we are much more helpful to the kings than those who go into the field to fight for them. And we do take our part in public affairs when we join self-denying exercises to our righteous prayers and meditations, which teach us to despise pleasures and not to be led away by them. So none fight better for the king than we do. Indeed, we do not fight under him even if he demands it. Yet, we fight on his behalf, forming a special army-an army of godliness-by offering our prayers to God. And if Celsus would have us "lead armies in defense of our country," let him know that we do this too. And we do not do it for the purpose of being seen by men or for vainglory. For in secret, and in our own hearts, our prayers ascend on behalf of our fellow-citizens, as from priests. And Christians are benefactors of their country more than others. For they train up citizens and inculcate piety to the Supreme Being. And they promote to a divine and heavenly city those whose lives in the smallest cities have been good and worthy.
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You shall not commit adultery; you shall not commit pederasty.
Tatian (written 160 A.D., ANF 2:77)
Show me yourself whether you are not an adulterer, a fornicator, a thief, a purloiner, or a thief. Show me that you do not corrupt boys... For God is not manifest to those who do these things.
The fate of the Sodomites was judgment to those who had done wrong, and instruction to those who hear. The Sodomite had fallen into uncleanness through much luxury. They practiced adultery shamelessly, and they burned with insane love for boys.
Despite the classical role played by erotic relationships with boys, such relationships do not attain by any means to moral recognition. Yet the verdict of the Romans is far sharper than that of the Greeks.
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What kind are your pictures? Dimuitive Pans, naked girls, drunken Satyrs, and phallic tokens -- painted naked in pictures disgraceful for filthiness! More than this, you are not ashamed before the eyes of all to look at representations of all types of licentiousness that are portrayed in public places. We donounce not only the use of them, but the very sight and mention of them.
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| Other "Characteristics of earliest Christianity" |
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2 “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses’ Law. 3 So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don’t practise what they preach. 4 They tie on to people’s backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren’t willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. 5 They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks! 6 They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues;
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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. 40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres.
They [Christians] comfort their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies.
We have learned not to return blow for blow, nor to go to law with those who plunder and rob us. Instead, even to those who strike us on one side of the face, we offer the other side also.
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22 When Judgement Day comes, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God’s message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!’ 23 Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!’
29 “How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You make fine tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who lived good lives; 30and you claim that if you had lived during the time of your ancestors, you would not have done what they did and killed the prophets. 31 So you actually admit that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets! 32 Go on, then, and finish what your ancestors started! You snakes and children of snakes! How do you expect to escape from being condemned to hell? 34
36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him, and Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat. 37 In that town was a woman who lived a sinful life. She heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house, so she brought an alabaster jar full of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus, by his feet, crying and wetting his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured the perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives!” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Yes, Teacher,” he said, “tell me.” 41 “There were two men who owed money to a moneylender,” Jesus began. “One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42 Neither of them could pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Which one, then, will love him more?” 43 “I suppose,” answered Simon, “that it would be the one who was forgiven more.” “You are right,” said Jesus. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your home, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You did not welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since I came. 46 You provided no olive oil for my head, but she has covered my feet with perfume. 47 I tell you, then, the great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little love.”
14 When the Pharisees heard all this, they sneered at Jesus, because they loved money. 15 Jesus said to them, “You are the ones who make yourselves look right in other people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For the things that are considered of great value by human beings are worth nothing in God’s sight.
9 Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. 10 “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 11 “The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. 12 I fast two days a week, and I give you a tenth of all my income.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For all who make themselves great will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be made great.”
1 My brothers and sisters, how I wish with all my heart that my own people might be saved! How I pray to God for them! 2 I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God; but their devotion is not based on true knowledge. 3 They have not known the way in which God puts people right with himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so they did not submit themselves to God’s way of putting people right.
3 If someone thinks he or she is somebody when really they are nobody, they are only deceiving themselves.
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16 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a young servant woman who had an evil spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They announce to you how you can be saved!” 18 She did this for many days, until Paul became so upset that he turned round and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!” The spirit went out of her that very moment.
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Both magic and divination were strongly opposed in both OT and NT (Isa. 8:19; 44:25; 47:12-15; Deut. 18:10-12; Acts 8:9-24; 13:6-11; 19:13-20; Rev. 21:8; 22:15). The Bible teaches that humans have direct access to God, and the NT especially emphasizes that the role of demons and other intermediaries was made superfluous by Jesus Christ.
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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. 40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres.
1 If any of you have a dispute with another Christian, how dare you go before heathen judges instead of letting God’s people settle the matter? 2 Don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? Well, then, if you are to judge the world, aren’t you capable of judging small matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge the angels? How much more, then, the things of this life! 4 If such matters come up, are you going to take them to be settled by people who have no standing in the church? 5 Shame on you! Surely there is at least one wise person in your fellowship who can settle a dispute between fellow-Christians. 6 Instead, one Christian goes to court against another and lets unbelievers judge the case! 7 The very fact that you have legal disputes among yourselves shows that you have failed completely. Would it not be better for you to be wronged? Would it not be better for you to be robbed?
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BibleTexts.com commentary:
The Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is silent on the subject of abortion. Jesus and New Testament Christians did not comment on abortion itself. Interestingly, the only biblical reference to abortion is where in 1Co 15:8 Paul refers to himself as an abortion (Greek: ektromati; Strong's #1626). James Moffatt translates that verse: "And finally he was seen by myself, by this so-called 'abortion' of an apostle." The Twentieth Century New Testament translates that verse: "Last of all, he appeared even to me, who am, as it were, the abortion."
What we do know is that Jesus enfranchised the disenfranchised, recognized the value of the outcasts and the marginalized, including women, who had previously been considered as property, without decision-making authority. We also know that in early Christianity some women felt so strongly the need to opt out of the patriarchal system inherent in marriage that they chose to stay single and celebate. Any conclusions regarding Jesus' teachings regarding abortion would be entirely speculative, even though Robert Grant (see below) presents first century cultures, including Jews, as generally opposed to abortion.
This topic will be updated as additional verifiable information is obtained. Since the views on abortion among first century Christians is unknown, the question mark (?) will remain, until/unless there is definitive resolution. This seems to be the fairest and most objective way of dealing with this issue, especially since, at the end of the first century and the beginning of the century, the attitudes of church leaders regarding women changed considerably away from Paul's support of women in decisionmaking and leadership roles and back to more patriarchal ways. The writer/s of the Pastoral Epistles, which were written around 115 A.D., even assigned Paul's name to those letters, which included instruction for women to remain silent in church. (1Ti 2:11,12. For more information on revisionism regarding women in 1Ti 2:11,12 and in the pseudononymous interpolation of 1Co 14:33b-36, see http://www.bibletexts.com/women.htm, especially http://www.bibletexts.com/qa/qa078.htm#3.)
Abortion as such is not discussed in the Bible, so any explanation of why it is not legislated or commented on is speculative. One possibility is that the cultural preoccupation with procreation evident in the Hebrew Bible ruled out consideration of terminating pregnancy. Archaeological evidence indicates that in ancient Israel the infant mortality rate was as high as fifty percent. It is also possible that, given the diet and living conditions at the time, female fertility was low. Male control of reproduction and a belief that numerous decendants are a sign of divine blessing are also found in the Bible. These factors support the view that abortion would not have been common.
Alternatively, it can be argued that abortion was practiced without censure. Many women died in childbirth, a strong incentive to avoid carrying a pregnancy to term. Biblical legislation, as in Leviticus 27:3-7, indicates that the lives of children as well as women were not valued as highly as those of adult men, while no value whatsoever was given to a child under the age of one month. There is no indication that a fetus had any status.
A key text for examining ancient Israelite attitudes is Exodus 21:21-25: "When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman's husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine..." ...The monetary judgment given to the woman's husband indicates that the woman's experience of the miscarriage is not of significance, and that the damage is considered one to property rather than to human life. The latter observation, is further supported by the contrast with the penalties for harm to the woman herself.
You shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill one who has been born.
You shall not kill the child by obtaining an abortion. Nor, again, shall you destroy him after he is born.
We say that those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder. And we also say they will have to give an account to God for the abortion.
In the third century when the Christian Hippolytus discussed contraception and abortion, he criticized well-born and rich Christian women who had begun to use contraceptive drugs only recently and were wearing tight bindings to abort what had been conceived. In view of their family and great wealth, they did not want to have a child by a slave or a worthless man.
[BibleTexts.com explanation: Plutarch in his Marital Advice 17:140C, notes, "Many husbands have shared their sexual pleasures, offering not only their girl friends but also their wives." One may conclude that non-Christian husbands sometimes offered their Christian wives to friends, colleagues, or even slaves for sexual gratification. Those wives may have been among the Christian women to whom Hippolytus referred as having used contraception and abortion.]
Backgrounds of Early Christianity, Second Edition, by Everett Ferguson (Grand Rapids, MI, Eerdmans, 1993), pages 73-74, 175.
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1996-2004 Robert Nguyen Cramer
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