The Church's Witness When All Were in One Place
The early Christian community in Jerusalem was characterized by its unity and shared life, as described in the Book of Acts. On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were "all together in one place" when the Holy Spirit descended upon them [2]. This gathering together was not merely physical proximity but also reflected a deeper spiritual and communal bond.
The Greek word ecclesia, often translated as "church" in the New Testament, signifies an assembly or gathering, similar to the Hebrew kahal in the Old Testament [3, 4]. This term emphasizes the collective nature of believers. In the early church, this collective identity was evident in their practices. "All the believers were together and had everything in common" [1]. This communal living extended to their possessions, with believers sharing their worldly goods and assisting one another [10]. Matthew Henry describes this as a "beautiful" view of the "spirit and state of this truly primitive church," noting that the "multitude of those that believed were of one heart, and of one soul" [7].
This unity was also central to their worship and witness. The apostles performed "many signs and wonders among the people," demonstrating God's mercy and grace [5]. The practice of coming together in one place for worship, prayer, and the preaching of the word was a custom of primitive churches [6, 11]. John Chrysostom notes that when the Spirit filled them, "All" were filled, indicating that the entire assembly, not just the apostles, partook in the grace [8].
The concept of being "together in one place" highlights the importance of corporate worship and fellowship in the early church. Even when divisions arose, as in the Corinthian church, the act of coming together in the church, the place where they met for divine service, was still a recognized practice [9]. This gathering was seen as essential for maintaining communion with God and with one another [11].
Sources
- Acts “Acts 2:44 (BSB) — All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
- Acts “Acts 2:1 (NASB) — When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Church — Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., "the Lord's house"), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can only be known from the connection in which the word is found. There is no clear instance of its being used for a place of meeting or of worship, although in post-apostolic times it early received this meaning. Nor is this word ever us”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Congregation — (Heb. kahal), the Hebrew people collectively as a holy community (Num. 15:15). Every circumcised Hebrew from twenty years old and upward was a member of the congregation. Strangers resident in the land, if circumcised, were, with certain exceptions (Ex. 12:19; Num. 9:14; Deut. 23:1-3), admitted to the privileges of citizenship, and spoken of as members of the congregation (Ex. 12:19; Num. 9:14; 15:15). The congregation were summonded together by the sound of two silver trumpets, and they met at the door of the tabernacle (Num. 10:3). These assemblies w”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 5:12: We have here an account of the progress of the gospel, notwithstanding this terrible judgment inflicted upon two hypocrites. I. Here is a general account of the miracles which the apostles wrought (Act 5:12): By the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people, many miracles of mercy for one of judgment. Now the gospel power returned to its proper channel, which is that of mercy and grace. God had come out of his place to punish, but now returns to his place, to his mercy-seat again. The miracles they wrought proved their divine mission”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 14:22: If therefore the whole church,.... The whole congregation of believers incorporated together in a Gospel church state, consisting of its officers and private members; the church at Corinth is particularly designed: be come together in one place; to worship God, to pray unto him, sing his praise, preach and hear the word, as were usually done. Hence may be observed the custom of the primitive churches to meet together, in some certain place, for divine worship; nor did the members of them in common forsake the assembling of themselves together on that account”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 4:32: We have a general idea given us in these verses, and it is a very beautiful one, of the spirit and state of this truly primitive church; it is conspectus saeculi - a view of that age of infancy and innocence. I. The disciples loved one another dearly. Behold, how good and how pleasant it was to see how the multitude of those that believed were of one heart, and of one soul (Act 4:32), and there was no such thing as discord nor division among them. Observe here, 1. There were multitudes that believed; even in Jerusalem, where the malignant influence of the chief prie”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: how there is no longer any occasion for that person to grieve, who was not elected as was Matthias, “And they were all filled,” he says; not merely received the grace of the Spirit, but 26 “were filled. And began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” It would not have been said, All, the Apostles also being there present, unless the rest also were partakers. For were it not so, having above made mention of the Apostles distinctively and by name, he would not now have put them all in one with the rest. For if, where it was o”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 11:17: For first of all, when ye come together in the church,.... The place where the church met together to perform divine service, called "one place". Co1 11:20 and is distinguished from their own "houses", Co1 11:22 and the first thing he took notice of as worthy of dispraise and reproof, in their religious assemblies, were their animosities and factions: I hear that there be divisions among you: schisms and parties, either about their ministers, one being for Paul, another for Apollos, and another for Cephas; or in the celebration of the Lord's supper, and that”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 2:43: And all that believed were together,.... Not in one place, for no one house could hold them all, their number was now so large; but they "agreed together", as the Arabic version renders it: all these believers were of one mind and judgment, as to doctrines, they agreed in their sentiments and principles of religion; and they were of one heart and soul, were cordially affected to each other, and mutually were assisting to one another in temporals, as well as in spirituals: and had all things common: that is, their worldly goods, their possessions and estates; no man ca”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 20:7: We have here an account of what passed at Troas the last of the seven days that Paul staid there. I. There was a solemn religious assembly of the Christians that were there, according to their constant custom, and the custom of all the churches. 1. The disciples came together, Act 20:7. Though they read, and meditated, and prayed, and sung psalms, apart, and thereby kept up their communion with God, yet that was not enough; they must come together to worship God in concert, and so keep up their communion with one another, by mutual countenance and assistance, and te”