Political Principles and Ideas in Acts, Chapters 10-13
Part 3 of a Political Narrative of the New Testament
In the previous post we summarized the main political principles and ideas in the first nine chapters of the Book of Acts which perhaps spanned about half a dozen years. It focused on the formation of the first citizen assembly in Jerusalem, political implications of tongues and prophesying, apostolic messages on Christ’s government, resistance to bad government, election of officers for care of widows, serious persecution and first martyr, leading to mass evacuation of believers out of Jerusalem, and conversion of Saul – a government enforcement officer (who hides for several years).
[Note: This series of posts does not assert that politics is primary in the New Testament, however, there are often overlooked principles and ideas that are worthy of attention. For context we paraphrase certain terms by how it was understood at the time. Modern concerns over ‘Christian Nationalism’ are often misplaced because lack of understanding the democratic pluralistic context of Christians being active in politics since the first century.]
Christ’s Plans Include Gentile Governments Also
In just the next three chapters key shifts are identified over about the next 10-12 years. The first shift became possible because Peter had a “vision” or what we paraphrase as a strategic insight for society from God (Often the social strategists of Israel - prophets - received visions and were called Seers, but their insights were almost always about society.) By Peter’s vision he understood the importance to go to another city in Israel, Caesarea, to meet with a non-Jewish government official.
Cornelius was known as a ‘just” Roman military officer to whom Peter preached [c37AD] and his message in Acts 10 included the following: “…in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” The shift at this point is to include other nations, not just Israel in God’s plan. The basis of acceptance is identified: acknowledging Jesus as “….Pre-chosen Ruler (Christ)” and “…Sovereign Authority (Lord) of all…” who God has “pre-chosen or endorsed (anointed) …to be Judge (ruler, governor)…” In other words, it not so much a religious submission but a governmental one that is required. Peter added: “To Him all the Social Strategists (prophets) witness…."
After this message was given, the Holy Spirit came on the non-Jewish crowd to “…speak with tongues.” Just as on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the symbolic message was the same as when God made people speak new messages at Babel. At Babel it was to stop the centralization and corruption of government and this is the idea intended here also. Everyone understood the significance: God was again intervening in the affairs of nations as He did at Babel, but now not just among the Jews (Acts 2 tongues), but among the Gentile nations also (Acts 10 tongues). God was affirming His intention to transform all nations away from pagan models of governance and corruption.
Agents of the Coming Ruler
The first place for the shift was in what is today called the nation of Turkey in Acts 11:19. When the citizen council in Jerusalem heard of what God was doing there, they sent [c37AD] Barnabas to meet with the citizen council in Antioch for a year. Barnabas took Paul with him there and during that time “the disciples were first called Christians.” Again, to understand it the way they did in that time is important. To modern people today it is understood as religious persons, but the word itself is a variation of the word Christ which we have paraphrased as pre-chosen/endorsed ruler. It did not apply only to the religious domain.
With that in mind then the term “Christians” meant people who are part of the pre-chosen ruler‘s governing team. They are “agents of the pre-chosen ruler” under the highest one, or representatives of the incoming new government of God. That is how people saw them and why they called them Christians – not a religious meaning at all, but a governmental identity for the followers of Jesus. An analogy would be when a new President is elected in America. It takes several months for agents of the President-Elect to get everything in place before the day of inauguration and the new government begins. So also Christians are agents preparing for the full manifestation of the coming government of Christ in the earth (at Second Coming).
Before continuing with developments in the Antioch citizen assembly in the last half of Acts 11, an important event occurs (although it is not brought up until Acts 12). Back in Judea the Jewish king Herod started around 43AD a new round of persecution of the citizen assembly, and executes one of the emissaries of Christ – James the brother of John. He also puts Peter in prison. In answer to intentional politically-focused (and probably imprecatory) prayers of the citizen assembly, an angel lets Peter escape and an angel of the Sovereign Authority [Lord] kills the king in AD44.
Social Strategists and Senior Statesmen
Chronologically after this the narrative continues (but found back in Acts 11). It says that “…Social Strategists (i.e. prophets) came from Jerusalem to Antioch.” This was the first time that prophets were mentioned as a part of the early church. (See pic above of prophet Agabus) All previous references were to prophets in the Old Testament history of Israel. Since they were well understood to NOT be leaders who had a religious function (like priests or pastors), this was significant. Recognized among the citizen councils then were a group of social strategists called prophets. That was their role in church leadership.
The text goes on to say: “Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine...” Note that this social strategist was not speaking about a religious event, but a social or national one – a famine. And what do the church leaders do? “…Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea…to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” Practical financial aid was organized which is a proper social function of a citizen assembly.
It important to note another interesting fact. When it says they would send the aid to the “elders” in Judea, perhaps it means the existing civil leaders in Israel in charge of social affairs, just as elders always did so in Israel’s history. Elders in Israel were not religious leaders but best paraphrased as Senior Statesmen in the community. If the elders in Judea were not Christians then this charitable act would be a powerful witness to them. But the text may refer to just Christian leaders who served in that civil function. Either way, elders, or what we paraphrase as senior statesmen, henceforth became a common office in the Christian citizen assemblies.
Leadership in the Citizen Assembly
Nowhere in the Acts narrative so far is the office of pastor with a religious focus of work yet to be mentioned (as it did for apostles in Acts 6). We only see citizen assemblies (churches) with emissaries (apostles) and social strategists (prophets) working with senior statesmen (city elders). So around AD47 Barnabas and Paul are the emissaries from Antioch to Jerusalem (likely this is the same as Paul’s visit mentioned in Galatians 2) mainly for solving the national problem of a coming famine.
It is worth noting what happened when they came to Jerusalem. Paul in Gal 2 says he spoke privately to the emissaries about his message of the “…liberty…we have in the Sovereign Pre-Chosen Ruler Jesus.” Peter, James and John, as the main leaders, affirmed his work among the Gentiles but urged him to don’t lose sight of the priority to “remember the poor” - meaning the needy believers in Israel affected by the famine.
Acts 13 describes the group of leaders in the Antioch citizen assembly as consisting of “certain social strategists and teachers: Barnabas…and Saul…[and others]…” Again, the word pastor is not found here and in fact never found in Acts (and only two times in the Epistles). Paul wrote later in 1 Cor 12:28 that God set in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers. Teacher is mentioned in Acts 13 with the social strategists but is only found a few more times in the entire Epistles. There is more frequent mention of prophets in the church than of pastors and teachers combined.
The terms by far used most is apostles meaning emissaries, or elders which as mentioned above was understood as it always was in Israel as a [non-liturgical] leader of the citizen assembly. Elders had nothing to do with pastoral nurture. Their focus was city affairs.
Religious Activity Also
Of course there is much obvious religious activity in Acts. In its first 14 chapters there are 5 mentions of baptisms, 14 mentions of prayer, 17 mentions of messages or teaching, and 13 mentions of wonders, healings, or fillings with the Spirit. But most of this religious activity is NOT in the context of ekklesia or a citizen assembly.
Religion is of course a central theme of Acts, but in this series of posts we are trying to show some political things often overlooked. So far in Acts 1-13 we have noticed some political principles and activity primarily in Jerusalem and Antioch. The focus in Acts next moves to other locations. [In the paid subscriber section today is more background information about Agabus the social strategist.]
Summary of new paraphrased terms:
vision = a strategy insight for society
judge = ruler or governor
christians = agents of God’s Ruler-Elect (or Pre-chosen world governor)
elders = senior statesmen in the city or nation
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