The First-Century Christian Congregation
At Pentecost 33 C.E., holy spirit was poured out on 120 disciples of Jesus, and in many languages they began speaking about the magnificent things of God. This was the founding of the Christian congregation. About 3,000 new disciples were baptized on that day.—Acts, chapter 2.
The congregations in different localities grew in numbers as the apostles and others continued speaking the Word of God with boldness. As recorded in the book of Acts, the preaching soon spread throughout the Mediterranean area, from Babylon and North Africa to Rome and perhaps Spain.—Romans 15:18-29; Colossians 1:23; 1 Peter 5:13.
Wherever people became disciples, they formed congregations. Qualified, mature men were appointed as elders, or overseers, to maintain the standard of right teaching and conduct in the congregations. But they did not constitute a clergy class; they were ministers and fellow workers for the Kingdom of God.—Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 3:5; 5:13; Colossians 4:11; 1 Timothy 3:1-15; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4.
The apostles and other close coworkers served as a governing body. They took the lead in the preaching work. They resolved problems in the Jerusalem congregation. They sent qualified brothers to Samaria and Antioch to strengthen new believers there. They handled a dispute about circumcision, sending out their decision for all congregations to observe. Yet these men were not masters over others but were servants and fellow workers of the entire congregation.—Acts 4:33; 6:1-7; 8:14-25; 11:22-24; 15:1-32; 16:4, 5; 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; 4:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 1:24.
The early disciples were identified as Christians, being called such by divine providence. They also had teachings that distinguished them; these were called the teaching of the apostles, or the pattern of healthful words. This Scriptural teaching was also known as the truth.—John 17:17; Acts 2:42; 11:26; Romans 6:17; 1 Timothy 4:6; 6:1, 3; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Peter 2:2; 2 John 1, 4, 9.
They were a worldwide association of brothers united in love. They showed an interest in their fellow believers in other countries. When traveling abroad, fellow believers welcomed them into their homes. They maintained a high standard of moral conduct, being a holy people separate from the world. They kept close in mind the time for the day of Jehovah’s presence and zealously made public declaration of their faith.—John 13:34, 35; 15:17-19; Acts 5:42; 11:28, 29; Romans 10:9, 10, 13-15; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:23; 13:15; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 2:9-12; 5:9; 2 Peter 3:11-14; 3 John 5-8.
However, as foretold, a great apostasy began to develop, in the second and third centuries. This resulted in large church systems that did not maintain the purity of the early Christian congregation as regards teaching, conduct, organization, and position toward the world.—Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43; 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2.
Jesus foretold, though, that there would be a restoration of true worship at the conclusion of the system of things. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this restoration can be seen in their worldwide activities in our time, about 1,900 years after Jesus’ prophecy. The following pages will explain why.
• How was the Christian congregation founded, and how did it grow?
• How was that congregation supervised?
• What things clearly distinguished first-century Christians?
[Map on page 7]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Black Sea
Caspian Sea
Great Sea
Red Sea
Persian Gulf
Areas reached by the good news in the first century
ITALY
Rome
GREECE
MALTA
CRETE
CYPRUS
BITHYNIA
GALATIA
ASIA
CAPPADOCIA
CILICIA
SYRIA
ISRAEL
Jerusalem
MESOPOTAMIA
Babylon
Some from these areas became believers
ILLYRICUM
MEDIA
PARTHIA
ELAM
ARABIA
LIBYA
EGYPT
ETHIOPIA
[Pictures on page 7]
The early Christians preached God’s Word with boldness
Christians were welcome in the homes of fellow believers wherever they traveled