This is Part Almost Finished of my series, How do the apostles refer to the church? There’s a lot here, and very rich, so let’s go!
The Epistle to the Hebrews
Church only occurs two times
Hebrews 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
When did Jesus ever sing in the midst of the church? At the last supper, and when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. The church was before the day of Pentecost.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
This should put us on what we used to call “shouting ground”! As I have been pointing out, even if we are members of a small, despised, persecuted church, we are part of something really big! Halleluah! The church of the firstborn is both on earth and in heaven, or as it has been called, the church militant and the church triumphant. This is also the communion of the saints because we are all in this together!
Brethren 8 times (7 times the church)
Hebrews 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
This is powerful! Through faith in Christ we are his brethren. This is truly amazing! Our primary relationship to him is we are his brethren, his family; that’s why our primary relationship with one another is brethren, family (see also 3:1,12; 10:19; 13:22).
The Epistle of James
James mentions church one time (it is organized and has elders), but 15 times he refers to them as brethren. In this respect he reads like the Book of Acts.
The Epistle of 1 Peter
Peter uses church 1 time the church at Babylon), brethren 3 times, and body 0 times. Yet he manages to have a very rich imagery of the church.
1 Peter 2:2-10
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
We are living stones and God is using us to build a spiritual house, that is, we are the new temple, where God’s presence is. At the same time we are a (spiritual and) holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Jesus is the chief corner stone (one of the most frequent OT quotations in the NT), we are either built on him or stumble over him.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Wow! These are all Old Testament descriptions of Israel, now applied to New Testament saints.
a chosen generation – generation or race; we are both chosen and new
a royal priesthood – we are all priests of God we are a kingdom of priests; we are not laity and clergy, lay people and priests, no we are all everyone priests
an holy nation – we are a holy nation, as Israel was then, we are now
a peculiar people – a purchased people; a people for his own possession
v 10 are now the people of God - we are a chosen race, a holy nation, the people of God
This is all so intimate – God has prepared us to be a place for His presence; we are His people, who show forth His praises; we are his priests, who offer spiritual sacrifices to Him! Peter does not use body of Christ, but what he says is rich!!
Peter, like Paul, freely applies Old Testament descriptions of and promises to Israel to the church.
1 Peter 4:16-17 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Christian only occurs in Acts and here in 1 Peter. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, that was by unbelievers; here the Spirit of God accepts this title and applies it to us. Then Peter says that as Christians we are the house of God, the family of God, which makes us . . . brethren!
5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Peter calls the church the flock of God, harking back to Jesus in John 10 (sheep, fold, shepherd). We are sheep and the elders are our shepherds, Jesus being the chief shepherd.
He also calls us God’s heritage. This word heritage is kleros. It is translated ‘lot, part, inheritance.’ The reason I point this out is this is the word which through Latin we get our word clergy. Peter said earlier we are all a royal priesthood. Well, we have devised a scheme in which we have clergy and laity, some are clergy or priests and the rest (most) are just lay people (who can’t do the spiritual things). This is not biblical. It is in fact anti-Bible! According to 2:10, Peter says all of us are the laity of God (laos, Greek word for people, from which cometh laity), the people of God; and according to 5:3 all of us are the kleros of God, we are all his heritage, his portion. We are all his people, and as his people we are all a royal priesthood.
Next: 2 Peter - Revelation
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