The morals of some of the converts to Christianity at Corinth and Ephesus had been such that when we read the list of sins that had been committed by them (1st Corinthians 6:9-11), we might be tempted to say that we would not associate with such characters if they happened to be among us today. However, we must remember that the Gospel was primarily for sinners. Had not Jesus said that he came not “to call the righteous but sinners to repentance?”
It was necessary, however, for them to abandon these vices. “Henceforth”, the apostle reminded them, “let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The chief aim of the Gospel is to make saints and new creatures in Christ Jesus out of sinners. Let us never forget this, for the issues of life and death depend upon our remembrance of the manner of people we were, and what we are now in Christ Jesus since we have been cleansed by His saving blood.
Early Christians not illiterate
The early Christians had books, and, by any standard, were not illiterate. The Old Testament, of course, was their sacred book. It had the approval of Jesus, and He told them to search the Scriptures, for they spoke of Him, and in them was eternal life. The passages that spoke of the coming of the Messiah were all collected into proof texts, and these were called “Testimonies.” For example, when Matthew 27:9,10 ascribes to Jeremiah the purchase of the potter’s field for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:13), we may infer that the “Testimony Book” had already combined the passage from Zechariah with the story of the visit to the potter’s house in the 18th chapter of Jeremiah.
The same Scriptures were collected from Isaiah and Malachi concerning John the Baptist as the “voice crying in the wilderness” and from the verses speaking of him as Christ’s messenger: “Behold, I send my messenger before thee.” Also the “Stone” prophecies were gathered into one group, much the same as we today group passages that refer pertinently to the same prophecy. In tracing this “Testimony” collection, it takes us back to Jesus Himself. To the two on the way to Emmaus, he began at Moses and all the prophets and expounded unto them the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27). It was not the first time that Jesus had explained to them that the Scriptures were filled with prophecies about Himself, and after Pentecost the disciples made full use of this knowledge, no doubt quoting from the “Testimony Book” that had been compiled for that reason and circulated among the early ecclesias. The teachings and sayings of Jesus were also committed to writing, and were greatly treasured by the early followers of “The Way.” In fact, one reputable Bible student states that shorthand notes were taken of the sayings of Jesus at the time they were spoken, possibly by Matthew, who, no doubt, had been educated along business lines, as he was a tax collector in the revenue office and was obliged by Roman law to keep a detailed account of all transactions. However, we have no absolute proof of this and must not be dogmatic on the subject. We do know that the preface to Luke’s Gospel tells us that the teachings of Jesus were committed to writing when Luke decided to write his treatise on the things which are most surely believed among us (Luke 1:1-4).
They read the Bible
Thus it is obvious that their reading habits were centered in the Scriptures; and the things revealed in them, grouped together and supplemented by other writings that illuminated their minds, strengthened their faith to believe that the things revealed by God would surely come to pass. The teachings of Jesus were written upon their minds and engraved upon their hearts, so that they became the most important thing in their lives. It gave them courage to withstand the evil days just ahead of them, and gave them strength to endure the trials recorded in Hebrews, Chapter 11, which were mentioned at the beginning of these remarks.
The joy and exaltation that followed the resurrection of Jesus, and the knowledge that He was to come again, found expression in spiritual songs and hymns that many times burst spontaneously from hearts overflowing with gratitude for what Jesus had done for them. We remember that the apostle said: “Is any merry, let him sing psalms”, and it is quite true that the Psalms had been set to music. But many other passages of Scripture also found joyous expression in song. For example, the baptismal lines of Ephesians 5:14 were put to music by the early ecclesias. They sang: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.” The 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians. called the hymn in praise of heavenly love, and verses one to five in the first chapter of John were also sung. What more beautiful words could find expression in song from grateful and loving hearts?
First Century Hymns
There was also a collection of first century hymns known as “The Odes of Solomon”, which seems a peculiar title for a group of hymns. Long before Handel, in his oratorio “The Messiah”, put to music the immortal words, called among the first century believers “the comfortable words” (Matthew 11:28-31), they were sung in strange circumstances many times. The walls of the catacombs in Rome reverberated with them, as they did also with the 23rd Psalm, and many of our early brethren and sisters marched into the Roman amphitheaters with these wonderful words on their lips. What better can we do than re-echo them from grateful hearts:
“Come unto me, all ye wearied and burdened,
and I will refresh you.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me;
For I am meek and lowly of heart,
And ye shall rest your souls.
For my yoke is easy.
And my burden light.
As we have said, it was during the first part of the first century that the faith grew and prospered; it was God’s way of giving time for the seed to take root and grow in the hearts of the disciples that they might have strength to meet the trials soon to come upon them. It was not long before Peter’s words were fulfilled and the fiery trial came. It started when, from being a recognized legitimate group inside Judaism, and protected by Roman law, the new movement was declared by the authorities to be illegal, and persecution became the lot of the followers of “The Way.” Many renounced their belief, but others were faithful unto death, heeding the words of the Revelator: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Our trials are real
Centuries have passed, and we who are followers of “the Truth” have not as yet been called upon to suffer persecution even unto death. However, our trials today are no less real, and are, perhaps, more insidious than those of the early church. So let us review our own reading habits, knowing that the same things that strengthened them will also strengthen us. Let us fill our minds with the literature of “the Truth.” In this way we will obtain a real concept of the wonderful things that God has promised to those who love and obey Him. Then we shall be certain of “The Way”, and when He who is our life shall appear, we shall also appear with Him in glory. Then will the ecstatic song of Moses and the Lamb, which can be sung only by immortal voices burst from our grateful lips: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9,10).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One