"The Primitive Church had no New Testament, no thought-out theology, no stereotyped traditions. The men who took Christianity to the Gentile world had no special training, only a great experience--in which 'all maxims and philosophies were reduced to the simple task of walking in the light since the light had come.'"
-B.H. Streeter, Twentieth-century English theologian and biblical scholar
5 comments:
I like this quote, but it seems like a gross over-simplification. I wouldn't call following Jesus 24/7 for 36ish months 'no special training'.
But I do like that it points to simplifying the pursuit, setting aside all the debates and tradition and just being followers of Jesus - all of us.
Good point Kevin. They did have a bunch of training. I didn't think about that. But so often the best people spreading God's Word are fresh off an amazing experience with God and just want to tell the world about what is happening.
Our lives are full of ups and downs, especially spiritually, but we need to keep those experiences in front of us constantly to remind us of who we are serving.
I say that because recently I have been through experiences that were awesome, and then mini-depressions (not bad ones, I am ok, just times where I wasn't as joyful as I should be), but I need to remember all the work God has done that I have seen. I should never lose my joy as a Christian because of our sufficiency in Christ.
Anyway, sorry I got a little off course. Great quote in reminding us to have a passion to know Christ and make Him known.
Good points from the both of you.
However, I do think that B.H. Streeter wanted to make a distinct clarification between "special training" and a "great experience". I think he understands that those who walked alongside Jesus were being trained. I feel like the point he is trying to make here is that it was more of a raw experience rather than a disciplined training. Sometimes those of us that receive "specialized training" such as Seminary school or a degree in Theology get so caught up with the intellectual side of things that our faith suffers. We can get puffed up in our pride and begin to lean on our own understanding. I think Streeter wants to remind us to go back to the drawing board- to the "simple task of walking in the light." Our greatest witness is our experience, not our training. Just as Peter and John testify in Acts, "We can not help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
I think its interesting that he states they had no real training. I would say that memorizing the whole Pentateuch is good training... In all reality they were probably way more prepared to lead a movement than any of us.
On a side note.
I am so sick of having to do this word verification.
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