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7. The Soul to the Body, The Christian to the World

John 16:28-33 — I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. [kosmos]

Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Introduction to The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus

Christ’s resurrection is about a hundred years past and since that the church he founded has gained members throughout the world. In spite of their innocent lives, Christians are misunderstood, maligned, persecuted, and martyred. The main accusation against them is that they are atheists because they do not worship the idols of the empire. --Nonetheless--, their stark faith still holds an appeal, the Christians' generous character, their willingness to suffer for what they believe, and the joy they demonstrate even in the midst of that suffering. Such qualities draw more than a few noble-minded individuals to weigh the evidence for Christianity.

  • Rev. John B. Lightfoot (1602–1675), in his work on the Apostolic Fathers, includes the Epistle to Diognetus as a significant early case for Christianity, likely dating around 130–150 AD. Author introduces himself as "Mathetus" a d "disciple of the apostles" and writes at a time where he can describe Christianity as "being a new thing in the world".

  • The Epistle is an answer to three questions: (1) What is the nature of the faith and worship which lead to fearless martyrdom, abstinence from pagan and Jewish observances? (2) What is the character of Christian love? (3) Why is Christianity just now appearing?

[CH 1] Since I see thee, most excellent Diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping God prevalent among the Christians, and inquiring very carefully and earnestly concerning them, what God they trust in, and what form of religion they observe, so as all to look down upon the world itself, and despise death, while they neither esteem those to be gods that are reckoned such by the Greeks, nor hold to the superstition of the Jews; and what is the affection which they cherish among themselves; and why, in fine, this new kind or practice [of piety] has only now entered into the world, and not long ago; ...

  • Rediscovered in a single manuscript in 1543, The Epistle to Diognetus's themes of justification by faith and the distinction between the church and the world.

  • 12 Chapters that climax in Chapter 9 in which The author doesn't just describe a teacher or a moral example; he describes a Savior. Lightfoot saw this as the "noblest" expression of the Gospel because it captures the wonder of God's love without getting bogged down in complex philosophical hair-splitting. [articulate, courageous, gospel-centered]

2 Timothy 2:24 — And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

  • "Christians are to the world what the soul is to the body."

What is intended by the anology of the Soul?

  • The Spiritual life at the heart of the Christian constitution
    1. DISPERSED 2. DUAL CITIZENS 3. INVISIBLITY 4. WARRING FACTIONS 5. LOVE+HATE 6. HEALTH 7. INCORRUPTIBLE 8. FLOURISHING 9. GOD MADE*

The Epistle's Analogy of Christians in the World

[The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus] To sum up all in one word — what the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world.

[CH 6] The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, 1 Peter 2:11 though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet keeps together that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they keep together the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.

1. DISPERSED

The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world.

  • Like Good seed, scattered.
  • CHRISTIANS ARE EVERYWHERE less than 1% of the population in 150 AD, their concentration made them unavoidable. They were found in the Roman Army, the Imperial Household, and the marketplaces.
  • In the mid-2nd century, Christians were a tiny numerical minority, but they were strategically located in almost every major urban center of the Roman Empire. About 40,000 Christians globally in 150 AD (about 0.07% of the Empire's population). Christianity was almost exclusively an urban movement. By 200 AD (~120,000), it is estimated that 60% of Christians lived in 6 cities: Rome had ~40,000 Christians. Antioch, Alexandria, and Carthage had ~10,000–15,000 each. Ephesus and Jerusalem had ~5,000 each.
  • 40% Growth every decade average between 40 AD and 300 AD: 1,000 (40AD) - 7,530 (100AD) - 40,490 (150 AD) - 217,795 (200 AD)
  • beginning in centers of trade, travel
  • Caring for the sick during plagues, lived longer + higher survival rate
  • If you were a traveler in 200 AD going from Britain to Mesopotamia, you could find a small but dedicated community of Christians in almost every single stop along the way. This "thin but universal"

Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

2. DUAL CITIZENS

The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world.

  • tabernacled, imprisoned, still model citizens of both
  1. The Testimony of Speratus (The Scillitan Martyrs, 180 AD) the trial of a group of Christians in North Africa. Speratus, When the Roman Proconsul Saturninus pressured him to swear by the "genius" of the Emperor [a small harmless guesture, just swear by the emperor and go home], Speratus replied: "I recognize not the empire of this world; but rather do I serve that God whom no man hath seen... I have committed no theft; but if I buy anything I pay the tax; because I know my Lord, the King of kings and Emperor of all nations."

The Ethos: Speratus demonstrates the "Heavenly Citizen" who is a "Model Earthly Subject." He pays his taxes and follows the law, but his identity is not defined by the Roman Empire.

3. INVISIBLE GODLINESS/SEEN YET NOT SEEN

The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible.

2 Corinthians 10:1-4 — 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 ... no carnal ..

  • Worship a LIVING but INVISIBLE God (THE ATHIEST CHRISTIANS).

  • The Suspicion of the "Secret" Society Met in private homes, refused communion to non-believers. If you were Egyptian, you worshipped Isis. If you were Jewish, you followed the Law of Moses and lived in a specific community. If you were Roman, you participated in the state cults. NO TEMPLES, NO STATUES ... was a point of confusion to Romans.

1 John 4:12 — No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

  • SECULAR, have your religion to yourself ... BE A LIGHT, city on a hill ... in light of the distrust and captivity of the minds to conspiracy, Christians have an opportunity to spread LIGHT.

  • Why he can't "find" Christianity by looking at a map --- can only find it by looking at the transformed lives of the people who belong to it.

Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

4. WARRING FACTIONS

The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they renounce pleasures.

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

5. LOVING THEIR ENEMIES

The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them.

Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Mt 5:43-48 — ... Love your enemies ...

6. ROADBLOCK TO EVIL

The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet keeps together that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they keep together the world.

2 Thess. 2:7 mdash; For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

  • POWER over others is not true superiority; instead, true superiority is found in helping others.
  • The very institutions that labor to keep CHRISTIANS out, survive only by their presence.

7. INCORRUPTIBLE

The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens.

1 Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

1 Peter 1:4 — To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, {for you: or, for us}

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

8. FLOURISHING FAITH

The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number.

John 12:24 — Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

  • Tertullian, " We multiply as often as we are mown down by you; the blood of Christians is like a seed."

2 Corinthians 12:15 — And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

9. GOD MADE

God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.

  • This unique character is the fruit of an unique creed. The Christian life is more than human in its manifestation because the Christian faith is divine in its origin.

Psalm 100:3 — Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Conclusion

[CH 5] For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10:3 They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Philippians 3:20 They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. 2 Corinthians 6:9 They are poor, yet make many rich; 2 Corinthians 6:10 they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; 2 Corinthians 4:12 they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

Sources:

  • https://dn790002.ca.archive.org/0/items/epistletodiognet00just/epistletodiognet00just.pdf
  • https://archive.org/details/apostolicfathers00ligh/page/486/mode/2up The Apostolic Fathers: Revised Texts with Short Introductions and English Translations by J.B. Lightfoot
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