Sárospataki Füzetek 16. (2012)
2012 / 3-4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK
P.H.R. (ROB) VAN HOUWELINGEN Jerusalem, the mother Church The development of the apostolic church from THE PERSPECTIVE OF JERUSALEM D escribing the apostolic period from the perspective of Jerusalem is a challenge, but if it is true that the church of Jerusalem is the mother church of all Christians, it will no doubt be worth the effort. In attempting to do so, this article takes a tripartite form. To begin with, the centrality of Jerusalem during the apostolic period is highlighted, paying special attention to the written sources, and taking into consideration that Jerusalem, the holy city, was the spiritual heart of the whole world. Following, the article will look at the development of Jerusalem after Pentecost; with the northward flight of many Jewish-Christian believers as a result of Stephen’s death by stoning, the mother church gained a daughter in Antioch. Finally, Jerusalem is explored as the mother church that distributed various letters to its children: as a collection, the seven so-called ‘Catholic Epistles’ document the missionary progress that moved outward from Jerusalem. The Jerusalem perspective of two other non-Pauline books of the New Testament — Hebrews and Revelation — will also be considered. Thus, an overall picture of the development of the apostolic church from the Jerusalem perspective is built up. Part I: The centrality of Jerusalem 1. The apostolic period The twelve apostles, disciples of the Lord himself, were first charged to lead the church in Jerusalem, and to carry forth the gospel. They became carriers’ in two senses: they themselves were the pillars of the gospel; they also had the task of carrying the gospel out into the world, starting from Jerusalem. In this way, their voice reechoed: for what the apostles broadcast, was a news-making and much talked-about gospel. Paul was a later addition to the number of the apostles: after ‘the Twelve’, he was the thirteenth and last. He was an extra labourer, so to speak, for external duties. It would be difficult to provide a complete collection of biographies concerning the 2012/3-4 SÁROSPATAKI FÜZETEK 11
