Paul's words

Part 11

"Words are the voice of the heart." - Confucius

Dear Gentle reader,

We come to that part in this mini study in which we will separate the “men from the boys” or if you like the ‘women from the girls” or better still those who love the Word from those who play with the baby things of what we call Christianity!
If your in the habit of reading the 4 Gospels then you have never in your life meet someone like Paul the Apostle! He wanted everything that he could receive from God. Now I would like to say that I wish that I could put myself in that category but I am just beginning to understand Scripture even after teaching not only Scripture, but Hebrew and Greek for more than (do I have to tell?) Well let’s just say a lot of years. What the average believer doesn’t realize is there is a depth of meaning that is hard to translate into English but the better teachers/pastors do try to get it across to those who are truly interested in learning more about this One that we have committed to follow all the days of our life. Paul (thank God for a teacher who understood not only the Jewish mind and Scriptures but could bring to bear for us Gentiles the deep truths hidden in plain sight). For example the Greek word: The word κοινωνια, which we properly translate fellowship(s), [ what we call churches today] was used among the Greeks to signify their religious communities; here it may intimate the association of Jews and Gentiles in one Church or body, and their agreement in that glorious mystery which was now so fully opened relative to the salvation of both.


Paul addressed the believers in those days as Brothers or [Adelphoi] This was the normal term, both in Paul and Luke, for the followers of Jesus. In the short 1st letter to the Thessalonians, Paul uses it 3 times in direct address and 3 times in description. Though the masculine noun was used generally for the whole Brotherhood, Paul addresses specific woman followers of Jesus as Sister [Adelphe] the wife of Peter and the Lord’s brothers 1Co 9:5 “have we not authority a sister--a wife--to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?”
The term of Christian was first used by pagan opponents of Christianity- by Pliny the Younger, for instance, or Tacitus, or Lucian. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles says that the followers of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch. Act 11:26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for a whole year they assembled with the church and instructed many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Religious groups often ended up being called by names that were initially derisory. But neither Luke or Paul uses it of the fellow in the faith . King Agrippa is the only person quoted by Luke as referring to a Christian Act 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian People we now call Christians had a number of expressions for each other. Stressing their affective bonds. And we find so many terms precisely because Christian had not been accepted to adsorb them all. More next time....
Love to all of my brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Denis