Judea And Samaria

by J.MILLER | Category: The Growth Of The Fellowship | Mar 1959

Having in our former article called attention to the rendering of the Greek words Epi to auto in Acts 1.15 (" together "in A.V. and "gathered together" in the R.V., "gathered" being in italics), and in Acts 2.1 ("in one place"), we now consider two other uses of the word, in Acts 2. 44, "And all that believed were together" (Epi to auto), and in verse 47, "And the Lord added to them." See the R.V. margin where "to them" is said to be " Greek, together." The Greek words are Epi to auto. In the A.V. the words Epi to auto are joined to chapter 3.1, where it is said that "Peter and John went up together (Epi to auto) into the temple." There seems little doubt that the correct reading of Acts 2.47 should be, "And the Lord added together" (Epi to auto), as in the R.V. marg., and in 3. 1 it should read, as in the R.V., "Now Peter and John were going up into the temple," the word "together" being joined to

2.47.These uses of Epi to auto, four in number, in Acts 1 and 2, show that the root idea in the words is "together in unity." These disciples formed that divine unity for which the Lord died: "Jesus should die ... that He might also gather together into one the children of God that arc scattered abroad" (John 11.51, 52), and for which He also prayed, "that they may all be one" (John 17.20-22).

The Lord's work in this dispensation, which began in Jerusalem, spread out to Judea and Samaria. This came about mainly by the persecution which arose on the day of the murder of Stephen, at least this was a contributory cause of the spread of the Lord's work. Thus we read, "And there arose on that day a great -persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. " They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word and Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ" (Acts 8. 1, 4, 5) It was a day of great persecution, and of great enthusiasm on the part of the Lord's disciples They formed a divine unity with a tremendous striking force on the consciences- of men. They were indwelt by the Spirit of God and had in their hearts and mouths that gospel which Paul says is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Romans 1.16). Let us not be ashamed of it, for there is nothing of which to be ashamed in it. In due time every soul will have to do with it and its Divine Subject, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let all who know its power and its preciousness lift their heads and voices and send forth the message of life to all, and not only the message of salvation, but of the truth relative to the obedience of believers after they have been saved by grace. May we catch the spirit of these early disciples, as, like a bed of sweet-smelling herbs, the more that they were trampled upon the more they exuded the sweet fragrance of Christ.

It may be that the words of Paul to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10.82) reminded them of the early chapters of the Acts : But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings." Paul himself was a chief cause in such sufferings, for it is said, " Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison" (Acts 8.8). The disciples' experience was like unto that of the children of Israel in Egypt during the days of oppression, "The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied (Exodus 1.12). Is not the blood of martyrs the seed-plot of the gospel? Paul could never lay waste the Church which is Christ's Body. That will be presented by the Lord to Himself without spot or wrinkle or any such thing (Ephesians 5.27). It will be presented, on the day of the Lord's coming, in all the perfection of His own work, not that of the saints, though she, as the Bride of Christ, shall be arrayed in linen, bright and pure, which is the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19.7, 8). The church, which was laid waste and made havoc of, was that which was local to Jerusalem, namely the church of God (Galatians 1.18; 1 Corinthians 15.9). The church of God is ever local to a place, but the Church which is Christ's Body is dispensational and universal, and never local. We never read of the Church which is Christ's Body being in such and such a place as we do of the church of God in Jerusalem and in Corinth, and though we read of churches of God many times, we never read of the Churches which are the Bodies of Christ. There is ever but one Body.

In the scattering which took place through the persecution of Saul and others, we are told that Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed unto them Christ. We are also told that multitudes gave heed to the things which Philip spoke when they heard and saw the signs which he did; the palsied and lame were healed and the unclean spirits came out, crying with a loud voice. There was in consequence much joy in Samaria. Philip not only proclaimed Christ to the Samaritans, he preached the good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and they were baptized, both men and women. Here we have a sharp distinction drawn by the Spirit between the preaching of Christ and the preaching of the good tidings of the kingdom of God. The preaching of the latter followed closely upon the heels of the former, but though this was the case we must not confuse the one with the other. They are two distinct lines of truth.

The work of Simon the sorcerer was brought to an end by the work of Philip in Samaria. Though in times past he had been called Great, he now became a subject of the grace of God, for it is said, "Simon also himself believed." But he did not stop at believing, he went on, and it says, "And being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed" (Acts 8.18).

"When the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John" (verses 14 15) We have here a difference made in the case of the Samaritans from that of the Jews in Jerusalem, in Acts 2. The Jews were told to repent and be baptized and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here the Samaritans had believed and had been baptized, but they had not received the Holy Spirit. In Acts 10, in the case of Cornelius and his household, the Holy Spirit was given when they believed. It was not till they saw the effect of their faith in them speaking with tongues that Peter commanded that they should be baptized. Samaria had received the word of God but had not received the Spirit of God. Why was this? It seems to me that in the growth of the Fellowship the Spirit of God was careful that divine unity should be maintained, having regard to the rift which had existed between the Jews and the Samaritans, of which we read in John 4.9: "For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans." This antagonism of the Jews was reciprocated by the Samaritans, as we read in Luke 9.52, 58, that the Lord

sent messengers before His face : and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him. And they did not receive Him, because His face was as though He were going to Jerusalem." Religiously the Jews and the Samaritans were wide apart. Unless Samaria was linked with Jerusalem there might be Jewish churches and Samaritan churches between which there was no fellowship, and the unity for which the Lord died and prayed would have been marred at the very beginning. Thus it was that the Holy Spirit had not come upon the Samaritans until Peter and John had come from Jerusalem, and had prayed and laid their hands upon them. Thus were the disciples in Samaria linked with those in Jerusalem.

Simon the sorcerer so long a pervert of sorcery, and as yet little instructed in divine things, besought the apostles, offering them money, that he might be given the power to give the Holy Spirit to whomsoever he might lay his hands upon, and was told by Peter, "Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money" (verse 20). Herein is a principle in the ways of God, that money cannot buy divine gifts. Many are trying to commercialize the gift of God's salvation by selling the forgiveness of sins, and others crowd around to buy it. Others seek other forms of divine gifts with money, Alas ! Alas ! It will be for them also, "Thy silver perish with thee." Some also seek to impart some spiritual gift by ceremoniously laying on their hands, but, as with the Baal worshippers of old, there is none that regard their imposition of hands. Peter spoke other strong words to Simon; whereupon Simon said, "Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me." Peter and John, after they had spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans on their way thither.

We have three remarkable conversions in chapters 8, 9 and 10, those of the Ethiopian Eunuch, of Saul of Tarsus, and of Cornelius. Of the first and last nothing more is heard in the Scriptures, but of Saul or Paul, his history and epistles fill considerably more than a third of the New Testament.

Following Saul's conversion, his going from Damascus into Arabia, his return to Damascus, escape from the city, and coming to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Peter, and following the trouble in Jerusalem through his bold preaching and his being brought to Caesarea and sent forth to Tarsus, we are told, So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied " (Acts 9. 31). The A.V. gives,

Then had the churches rest." It would seem that the weight of evidence is on the side of "church " and not "churches." "Throughout all (Kath holes) are the words from which the word " Catholic is derived. It means throughout the whole. Now the question arises, "Does the word church mean that what is in view here is the scattered church of God in Jerusalem and that no other churches of God had been planted in the parts named by this time? " We should, I think, remember that Paul's visit to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Peter, mentioned in Acts 9 and Galatians 1.17, 18, was three years after his conversion. In those days of tremendous activity it would be stretching interpretation of the word church to apply it to a single church of God. I am of the Opinion that when Peter and John were at Samaria, where multitudes of people had been saved and baptized, those believers were brought together as the church of God in the city of Samaria. Similarly it seems to me that as the saints were scattered from Jerusalem and took up residence in the cities of Judea and Galilee, churches of God were brought into being. This thought seems to be strengthened by what is said about Peter going throughout all parts, and in his pastoral preaching circuit, "He came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda." Here was a mighty movement through the healing of Aeneas, and it is said that "all that dwelt at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord" (verse 35). From thence, on the entreaty of the disciples at Joppa, he went to Joppa and the result was the raising of Dorcas from the dead, and there, too, there was a rich ingathering of souls. It seems to me that "the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria " emphasizes the divine unity which existed in the churches of God throughout the areas mentioned.

If further proof is needed that the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria comprised the churches of God in these areas, this will be found in Galatians 1. 21, 22, where Paul says, "Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ." Paul came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia when the brethren in Jerusalem, knowing that the Grecian Jews went about to kill him, brought him down to Ceasarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus (Acts 9.80). So that by this time churches of God had been planted in Judea, and this likewise was the case in Samaria and Galilee.

There is one point worthy of note and that is the fact that when Paul came from Damascus to Jerusalem, "He as saved to join himself to the disciples." The word " join " (Kollao) means "to glue together", and is the same word as is used in connexion with marriage rendered "cleave," in Mathew 19.5. The Hebrew word in Genesis 2.24 is of similar meaning. This shows that Paul was not one who believed in the practice of the " open table " or " occasional fellowship." He was glued to the disciples, as the word means, and consequently "he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem." He was one of them. It should also be noted that the saints in the church in Jerusalem had to be satisfied about Paul, and Barnabas who had certain knowledge of Paul was able to satisfy the apostles as to the fact that he was a true disciple of the Lord.

J.MILLER | Mar 1959
The Growth Of The Fellowship