We know their names

You may have noticed I’ve been neglecting this blog. In the lockdown I’ve begun work on my next book. The good news is I’m very focused.

I came across this interesting insight from Eckhard Schnabel on the life of the first church/es in Jerusalem which met in the Temple courts and from house to house.

We know the names of 46 people who participated in the life of the church. Many went out to as pioneers planting churches in unreached regions.

the Twelve (Acts 1:13, 26),
the Seven (Acts 6:5),
the brothers of Jesus, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon (Mark 6:3)
Mary, Jesus’ mother (Acts 1:14),
Agabus, the prophet;
John Mark, eventually a missionary who traveled with Barnabas and Paul;
his mother, Mary;
Joseph Barnabas, later a missionary in Syria and in Cyprus;
Joseph of Arimathea, an aristocrat and member of the Sanhedrin;
Nicodemus, another aristocrat and member of the Sanhedrin;
Silas–Silvanus, later a missionary coworker of Paul;
Simon of Cyrene, who had helped to carry Jesus’ cross;
Addai, the first missionary in Edessa.

I think he includes Simon of Cyrene on the assumption that the reason Mark includes some names in his Gospel, is because they were remembered by Peter (his source) and still known to some readers. In which case I think you could add the names of Simon’s two sons, Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). Why else mention them if they weren’t known? That makes 48 names. Addai is known by church tradition.

The list puts a human face on what would have been an amazing church community which gave birth to a missionary movement.

If you want to follow up by reading Schnabel on Acts it’s a great commentary, but be warned it’s 1,000 pages of great commentary!

Back to the next book….