Establishing Community through Specific Biblical References
The concept of community is deeply embedded in biblical narratives and teachings, often highlighted through specific terms and practices. The Hebrew word for "congregation," for instance, describes the Israelite people as a holy community united by religious bonds rather than purely political ones [3]. This term could broadly include foreign settlers but more specifically referred to the Hebrew population [3]. The governance of this congregation was initially structured around family and tribal heads, with Moses later selecting seventy representatives for practical purposes [3].
Biblical place names also reflect this emphasis on communal life. "Hebron" is associated with society and friendship, while "Asuppim" means "gatherings" [1, 2]. These linguistic connections underscore the importance of collective identity and interaction.
In the New Testament, the establishment of community is a central theme, particularly within the early Christian church. The book of Hebrews encourages believers to "continue in brotherly love," an instruction applicable to everyone in the Christian community [4]. This love is expressed through practical guidelines and ethical living, forming a strong foundation for communal life [4]. Acts describes the early believers' remarkable sharing of possessions, motivated by unity in "heart and mind" and a desire to meet the needs of others within the community [7]. This sharing was voluntary and driven by Christian love [7]. Hebrews further emphasizes "doing good and sharing with those in need" as basic Christian sacrifices that characterize life in the Christian community [8].
The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians, highlights that while believers share a common faith, God gives different spiritual gifts to each individual for the purpose of "building up the community of believers" [5]. This diversity of gifts contributes to the overall strength and growth of the church [5]. Matthew's Gospel addresses the importance of reconciliation within the believing community, urging members to pursue harmony and forgive willingly to prevent fractures and unreconciled relationships [10]. Even stern discipline, when necessary, aims at restoration within the community [10].
The term "synagogue," though later primarily associated with Jewish assemblies, was used in James's Epistle to refer to a Christian assembly, reflecting the early connections between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian Church [9]. John Gill interprets Psalm 68:6, "God setteth the solitary in families," as referring to the increase of families and the joining of single individuals into couples, leading to a numerous offspring, or more broadly, to God bringing people into the church, where they are no longer strangers but part of God's household [6, 11].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Hebron — society; friendship”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Asuppim — gatherings”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Congregation — This describes the Hebrew people in its collective capacity under its peculiar aspect as a holy community, held together by religious rather than political bonds. Sometimes it is used in a broad sense as inclusive of foreign settlers, (Exodus 12:19) but more properly as exclusively appropriate to the Hebrew element of the population. (Numbers 15:15) The congregation was governed by the father or head of each family and tribe. The number of these representatives being inconveniently large for ordinary business, a further selection was made by Moses of 70”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 13:1: 13:1-6 This series of practical guidelines is similar to other ethics lists in the New Testament. It describes how to love others in the community of faith, a strong ethical foundation for all of life. 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters: Literally Continue in brotherly love. This instruction applies to everyone in the Christian community (see study notes on 2:11; 3:1).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:7: 4:7-16 Though believers share a common faith, God has given different special abilities to each individual believer for building up the church. 4:7 He has given each one of us a gift of his grace for building up the community of believers (see 1 Cor 12:7; cp. Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:11).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 68:6: God setteth the solitary in families,.... Which the Jewish writers generally understand of an increase of families, with children in lawful marriage; see Psa 113:9; an instance of which we have in Abraham and Sarah; from which single or solitary ones, when joined in marriage, sprung a numerous offspring, Isa 51:2. And to this sense the Targum paraphrases the words; "God is he that joins, couples single ones into a couple, as one:'' some copies add, "to build an house out of them;'' that is, a family; see Rut 4:11. But it may be better interpreted of the fruitf”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 4:32: 4:32-35 The sharing of early believers was remarkable (see also 2:44-45; cp. 6:1). Being united in heart and mind, they willingly offered anything they possessed to meet the needs of other believers. This sharing was voluntary and without coercion, and it related to pressing needs in the community and was prompted by Christian love and concern for one another.”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 13:16: 13:16 to do good and to share with those in need: These are basic Christian sacrifices (6:10; 10:24, 34; 13:1-3); they characterize life in the Christian community.”
- James (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on James 2:2: "If there chance to have come" [ALFORD]. assembly--literally, "synagogue"; this, the latest honorable use, and the only Christian use of the term in the New Testament, occurs in James's Epistle, the apostle who maintained to the latest possible moment the bonds between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian Church. Soon the continued resistance of the truth by the Jews led Christians to leave the term to them exclusively (Rev 3:9). The "synagogue" implies a mere assembly or congregation not necessarily united by any common tie. "Church," a people bound”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 18:15: 18:15-35 The believing community must not be fractured into rival parties and unreconciled relationships. Its members are to pursue reconciliation (18:15-20) and forgive willingly (18:21-35). At times, however, stern discipline may be necessary (18:17). 18:15-20 Restoration begins privately and should be made public only as a last resort. 18:15 If another believer sins, love requires us to go privately and point out the offense (Lev 19:17; Luke 17:3; Gal 6:1; 1 Tim 5:20; Titus 3:10).”
- Zechariah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zechariah 8:7: And l will bring them,.... To Zion, into the church of God, the Gospel fold, where Christ has engaged to bring his other sheep, that there may be one fold for Jew and Gentile, Jer 3:14 Joh 10:16, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: the Gospel church; and be no more foreigners and strangers, but of the household of God, enjoying all the immunities and privileges of the Jerusalem that is above, the mother of us all: and they shall be my people; appear to be so by effectual calling; which makes those manifest to be the people of God, to be in the covena”