By Christian
In the last episode, we discussed the topic of “money and donations” in first-century churches. The two other topics we want to address in this episode are: baptism and the peaceful church.
Baptism in the 1st century
Who was it that did the baptizing in the first century? Or, to be more precise, who is mentioned in the New Testament? Of course, we read about John the Baptist again and again. But there are others as well:
Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John —
John 4:1 NEÜ
So Jesus baptized? What does the context say?
although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
Johannes 4:2,3 NEÜ
Well, the founder of this movement did not baptize. But he gave the order (Matthew 28:19). So we learn that Philip baptized (Acts 8:38). What about the apostles? In Acts 10:47,48 it does not sound as if Peter himself baptized. And in Acts 19:3-6, it doesn’t sound like Paul baptized either. Yet he did sometimes, and in this context, he points out a problem that can arise in the Zoom congregation today also:
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1 Corinthians 1:13-17 NIV
That is why we so often find the formulation that a person was baptized and not that so-and-so baptized a person.
And that brings us to the last topic for today.
The peaceful congregation
Sometimes the idea of doing it like Christians in the 1st century is also based on the wish that everything will be all right then because you are doing it ‚right‘.
And indeed, one could get this impression when reading the Acts of the Apostles: at the beginning, the early congregation in Jerusalem appears to be in a state of bliss:
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
Acts 1:14; 2:46; 4:32 NIV
That sounds wonderful. Through God’s blessing and the Holy Spirit, everything was fine, wasn’t it?
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews a among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Acts 6:1 NIV
Look, soon there was dissatisfaction. And there are reports of further difficulties – despite the Holy Spirit and the guidance of Christ:
This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them.
After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: … The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul …
They had such a sharp disagreement that they [Pauls and Barnabas] parted company.
When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
Acts 15:2,7,12,39; Galatians 2:11 NIV
In 1 Corinthians 3:3, Paul addresses an issue that surely also existed in other congregations:
You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?
1 Corinthians 3:3 NIV
There are many other texts that address certain problems, but these are enough: maybe we shouldn’t do everything exactly the same way as the first-century Christians after all…
Before we compare our findings from the text with our situation today, we will first deal with the historical context in the next episode.
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