Together In Unity

by J. Miller | Category: Together In Unity | Apr 1961

In the two previous articles we have dealt with the Greek words Epi to Auto (and the Hebrew word Yachad, of similar meaning) as used in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament Scriptures. Now we turn to the use of these words in the Acts and 1 Corinthians. It may be well to quote the different passages from the R.V. and the A.V. in the New Testament because of differences in these two versions, 50 that the reader may quickly follow what is here written.

1."And there was a multitude of persons (names, marg.) gathered together"

(R.V.).

"The number of names together were" ... (Acts 1.15, A.V.).

2."They were all together in one place" (R.V.).

"They were all with one accord in one place" (Acts 2.1, A.V.).

3."And all that believed were together, and had all things common" (R.V.).

"And all that believed were together, and had all things common"

(Acts 2.44, A.V.).

4."The Lord added to them (together, marg.) day by day those that were being saved" (R.V.).

"The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts

2.47,A.V.).

5."The rulers were gathered together" (R.V.).

"The rulers were gathered together" (Acts 4.26, A.V.).

6."And may be together again" (R.V.).

"And come together again" (1 Corinthians 7.5, A.V.).

7."when therefore ye assemble yourselves together" (R.V.).

"When ye come together therefore into one place" (1 Corinthians 11. 20,

A.V.).

8." If therefore the whole church be assembled together" (R.V.).

"If therefore the whole church be come together into one place"

(1 Corinthians 14. 28, A.V.).

It will be seen that the R.V. renders Epi to Auto as "together," save in Acts 2.1. The A.V. renders Epi to Auto as "together," except in Acts 2.1, where it also gives "in one place," and in 1 Corinthians 11.20, and 1 Corinthians 14.28 it gives "into one place." (See note (2) below, as to Greek in. Acts 2. 1).

(1) Generally speaking where a word is used for the first time in the Scriptures, the meaning attached to it then is that which is attached to it afterwards. There may be variations in application, but in the main the basic meaning of the word runs on. The first use of Epi to Auto in the New Testament is in Acts 1.15. Here it has to do with a number of names together (not "persons," as in the R.V. text. The R.V. marg. corrects this by saying that the Greek word is "names"). It should be noted that the reference to the names that were together is in parenthesis. This means that those names were enrolled as forming a unity of persons who were waiting, according to the Lord's command, for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Those amongst whom Peter stood up in the midst were all brethren, that is, men, as we learn from the beginning of Peter's address, when he said, "Men, brethren (A.V.)." Indeed, I judge, that those who were present were the eleven apostles, who were come together for the purpose of carrying out the scriptures quoted by Peter in verse 20 relative to one taking the place of Judas, from which place of overseership he fell away. The choice, by divine revelation, through the casting of lots, fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

(2) As will be seen in the list of occurrences in the R.V., Acts 2.1 is the only place where the words Epi to Auto are rendered "in one place." We do not enter into any discussion on whether the reading in Acts 2.1 should be Homothumadon Epi to Auto, rendered in the A.V. "with one accord in one place," or Homou Epi to Auto, rendered in the R.V. "together in one place," but we are disposed to adhere to the thought, in keeping with how the Revisers have rendered the words elsewhere in the New Testament as "together," that it would have been well to have adhered to the same rendering here. That the disciples were gathered in one place of assembly we do not for a moment doubt from the reading of what follows, but their being together was much more than a company of people being gathered together in the same room, "the upper chamber, where they were abiding" (Acts 1. 18). They were there together at the express command of the Lord, a divine unity which formed the nucleus of the church of God soon to come into being upon the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven.

(3)To this company about three thousand were added, upon their repentance, through receiving the word of Peter, and being baptized as he instructed them. MI such in Jerusalem as believed were together (Epi to Auto, together in unity), and we are told that they had ail things common (Acts 2. 44). This fact is further stated as to having all things common, in Acts 4.82:

"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common." The Greek word for "common" is the word Koinos, which means "belonging equally to several." From Koinos is derived Koinonia, which means, "Community, society, fellowship, communion." We can see that the church of God in Jerusalem were truly "together in unity," when we read that they "were of one heart and soul," and how truly the words Epi to Auto applied to them! But what do the words "they had all things common" mean? Do they mean that there was a common pool into which each person in that Community or Fellowship put all that he had and from that pool all persons in the Fellowship were supplied? Quite evidently, from Acts 4.32, that was not the case, for though it says, in Acts 2.44, that "they. had all things common," yet we read, in Acts 4.82, that "not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own." So that after the time of Acts 2.44 there were those in the church of God in Jerusalem who were in possession of certain things. Thus, "they had all things common," does not mean that there was a common pool for all possessions, of which the apostles with certain others were the trustees and had the responsibility of distribution. The supplies on which the apostles, first of all, drew were the possessions of the multitudes that believed, and these wisely said that what they possessed was not their own. Each one was the trustee of what he possessed to give as the free grace of God instructed him to give. There was no compulsion to give, as we gather from the words of Peter to Ananias, "Whiles it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power?" But Ananias and his wife lied to God, the Holy Spirit, by bringing only part of the price of their land and saying that that was the price they sold the land for (Acts 5. 1-11). In this world there is no such thing as owning anything in an absolute sense. What we possess today will be shortly in the possession of others, houses, lands, goods and clothing, etc. The human race passes on to weal or woe, and the believer is a stranger and a pilgrim on earth, going on to his heavenly country, and he ought to recognize himself as such.

(4)The last words in the Greek, in Acts 2.47, are Te Ekklesia (to the church), and the first words, of chapter 3.1, are Epi to Auto (together). The R.V. reading follows a number of the great textual critics by deleting Epi to Auto in chapter 3.1, and putting them in the place of Te Ekklesia. Thus the reading of Acts 2.47 should be, "And the Lord added together" (R.V. marg.). It is of course true that those that were being saved (not "should be saved," A.V.)

were added to the church of God in Jerusalem, as were those in Acts 2.41, but following the R.V. marginal reading the Holy Spirit would instruct us that these disciples were added by the Lord to a people who were together in unity. It may be said that "to the church" implies that, but the Holy Spirit would have it definitely stated.

(5)In Acts 4.26 we have the rulers of the people of Israel together in unity, sitting in solemn counsel in the Sanhedrim against the LORD and His Anointed (Christ) (John 11.47-53). Their decision was to put the Lord to death. This council of seventy elders, which sat in Moses' seat (Matthew 23.2), upon whom God put His Spirit which was upon Moses so that they might share with him the onerous work of ruling the people of Israel, ended, so far as God recognized them, by being in counsel with the powers infernal. It is sad that a divine arrangement should come to such an end.

(6)In 1 Corinthians 7.5 giving advice that by agreement between a husband and wife they may cease for a season cohabitation so that they might give themselves unto prayer, after which they may be together (Epi to Auto) again, the A.V. does not give "in or into one place," but renders the Greek words as "together," as does the R.V.

(7)We have here, in 1 Corinthians 11.20, the church of God in Corinth assembling together, Epi to Auto ("into one place" A.V.), for the purpose of keeping the Lord's supper, which He instituted for His remembrance in the breaking of the bread on the night of His betrayal. It is evident that great disorder existed in their assembling together, so that it was impossible to keep the Lord's remembrance as He instituted it, and as Paul had delivered it to them. No unity existed among them, each one was taking before the other his own supper, one was hungry and another was drunken. As the church came together in church, that gathering which should express the unity of those together, divisions existed among them, even to the most disorderly individual action by some. Though it was very grievous at the time, we are most grateful for the apostle's outline of how the Lord's remembrance should be kept. This is the great central gathering of a church of God, which expresses their unity as a people together. What is characteristic of one church should of course be characteristic of all such churches.

(8) Now we come to the last use of the words Epi to Auto in the New Testament. In contrast to the use of the words in connexion with the breaking of the bread, in chapter 11. 20, they are here connected with the ministry of the word which took place at that gathering of the church. No doubt this gathering of the church together was longer in duration than the time spent now at the Lord's remembrance, but I am firmly of the belief that the Scriptures teach that the word of the Lord was read and suitable ministry given on that occasion. That ministry is called frequently in this chapter prophesying, which I take to mean giving a message from God. As the church had been engaged in thanksgiving, in sending up their messages of grateful appreciation to the throne for the bestowal of God's grace in Christ, so the messages in prophesying should be from the throne, in which should be felt and recognized the voice of God to His people. The fact that there may have been unsuitable ministry by unsuited brethren at such a gathering should not make us shun ministry at all. God's good things are often misused, but that does not mean that we should give up God's good things. What have not men misused? In these somewhat scrappy articles I have sought to emphasize the unity which did exist and which should exist in the churches of God.

J. Miller | Apr 1961
Together In Unity