@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Overcoming Evil

The power of good

One of the most powerful expressions of love in the early Jerusalem church was their response to wrong. Their love did not blind itself to wrongdoing, but was a force that
overcame wrong, which is why the apostle Peter wrote, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Paul unpacks the practical expression of this love when he writes, “’If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, givehim a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20,21). Amongst the many possible applications of this principle, one in particular stood out
in the life of the first church, and this was their capacity to forgive their enemies. Following the example of Jesus, who forgave those who crucified Him, the early Christians demonstrated remarkable forgiveness towards those who persecuted them. This forgiveness was not a sign of weakness but of profound spiritual strength and commitment to Christ's teachings. By forgiving their enemies, they broke the cycle of hatred and violence, offering a powerful witness to the transformative power of Christ's love. This act of forgiveness was a pivotal aspect of their evangelism, as it showcased the radical and unconditional nature of the love they professed.