How did the Early Christians Worship? - Part 2

In the previous note [LINK] I asked two questions:  When did the earliest Christians worship?  What did they do when they gathered together?

I started with some Biblical evidence, but conceded that my conclusions could simply be the result of bias on my part.  So today we’ll look at three written works from the early Church in an attempt to flesh out the picture…

The Didache:

The Didache is short codex of instructions for Christians that was circulated in the first century.  Estimates of its origin range from 40–60AD. 

It writes about things like morality, how to properly baptize people, how to discern false teachers, and instructions for Christian worship. In Chapter 14 it describes Christians meeting together on Sunday and publicly confessing their sins:

 “But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King,” – The Didache, 14

Earlier in that document we also learn from that this breaking of bread was called the “Eucharist” or “Thanksgiving”, and it was accompanied by prepared prayers.  We also learn that and only the Baptized could participate in it:

 "Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: 'We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory forever.'  

And concerning the broken bread: 'We thank You, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory forever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom; for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever.'But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord."  - The Didache, 9 

From this we can see that the early Christians worshiped with some prayers that were prepared out ahead of time, used repeatedly, and shared between them.  That is what we refer to today as “liturgical prayer.”

Ignatius of Antioch Speaks:

But what did they believe about this Eucharist?  Earlier I suggested – based on the Biblical evidence – that they believed the Eucharist was the body of Jesus Christ.  Is that true?

Into that question steps Ignatius of Antioch.  He was a Christian who learned from John the Apostle.  In 110AD, he wrote a series of pastoral letters to several churches while on his way from Antioch to Rome to be executed.  He addressed the nature of the Eucharist in his letter to the Smyrnian church:

 “But consider those who are of a different opinion with respect to the grace of Christ which has come unto us, how opposed they are to the will of God… They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again.” - Letter to the Smyrnians, 6-7

Justin Martyr Lays it Out:

Lastly, the most complete testimony regarding early Christian worship comes from a man known to us as Justin Martyr. 

Justin was a Christian philosopher and apologist who taught in Ephesus and in Rome.  In 150AD, he wrote two essays to the Roman emperor Titus Augustus explaining who Christians were and defending them from various accusations. 

 At the close of the first essay, now called his “first apology”, he described Christian worship in great detail:

“And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits. Then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray.”  –1 Apology, 67  

“Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water.  And he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying ‘Amen’. 

And this food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined.  

For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.  

For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, Do this in remembrance of Me, this is My body; and that, in the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, This is My blood.” – 1 Apology, 65-66

Completing the Picture:

Taken together, these three witnesses point us to an early Christian Church which:

·         Gathered together on Sunday for liturgical worship.

·         Read the Gospels aloud and heard a sermon about them.

·         Broke bread and drank wine in a reenactment of the Last Supper.

·         Believed this bread and wine was the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

And if you keep this in mind while looking back at the Biblical evidence, the picture of early Christian worship suddenly leaps off the page.  That picture… looks a bit like this:

Thank you for joining me.