@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'

What Kind of Home?

People make the difference

Just like homes today, first century dwellings differed in their size, design, and décor, but most homes in the Holy Land were typically modest, reflecting the humble and practical
lifestyle of their inhabitants. These houses were usually constructed from locally available materials such as stone, mud, brick, and wood. The typical layout included a central courtyard, which served as the heart of the household's daily activities. Surrounding the courtyard were rooms used for sleeping, storage, and work. The roofs were often flat and made of wooden beams covered with reeds and mud, providing additional space for drying crops or sleeping during hot weather. These homes were designed to accommodate extended families, emphasising the communal and family-oriented nature of the society. This environment fostered close relationships among family members and neighbours, making it an ideal setting for the early Christian home-based church gatherings. As will always be the case, the life of the home was never a product of its grandeur but derived from the warmth and welcome of its
inhabitants. There can be little doubt that a home best promotes Christian family but let us always remember that neither the finest dwelling nor the grandest cathedral can ever substitute for it.