The Study of the History of the Early Christian Community Based on Apostolic Texts (Epistles) #

In today’s context of increasing religious activity and society’s genuine interest in Christian culture, the social roots of religion are being preserved and strengthened, prompting further research into these foundations. Biblical themes are acquiring significant socio-cultural importance. The study of early Christian communities, which were established by real historical figures—the Apostles—becomes particularly vital. The Apostles were the sole witnesses of the early Church and the founders of the first Christian communities. The apostolic texts, containing the fundamental ideas and principles of Christianity, have been preserved to this day.

This article aims to examine the history of the formation of the first Christian community, which is most fully represented in the Apostolic Epistles. These Epistles, recognized by the Church as sacred and universal, establish the rules for Christian life.

This topic is supported by a vast body of sources. The primary sources include the books of the New Testament, specifically the Apostolic Epistles, which are the writings of the holy Apostles presented in the form of letters containing doctrinal and moral instructions. The Apostolic Epistles reflect the essential aspects of the formation of early Christian communities and serve as examples of the complete revelation of Christian ideals and values.

The New Testament contains 21 Epistles:

• The Epistle of James, addressed to “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1), was written in response to the moral and religious state of Christian communities. The main purpose of the Epistle is to eliminate disorder and shortcomings in the lives of the first Christians, to comfort those who suffer, to guide Christians toward true moral perfection, and to structure the community in accordance with the highest Christian principles (James 2:2–7; 5:1–6).

• Two Epistles of Peter: The general purpose of these Epistles is to strengthen members of Christian communities in faith and Christian conduct, to resolve internal difficulties, to comfort Christians in their sorrows, to warn them against temptations from false teachings, and overall, to establish true spiritual blessings in Christian communities (1 Peter 5:12).

• Three Epistles of John: These belong to the final years of the apostolic age. Their primary focus is not on the foundation and initial organization of Christian communities but on reminding and reinforcing believers in Christian truths and combating false apostles and prophets.

• The Epistle of Jude: Addressed to Christians in general but particularly to those church communities where the apostle identified false teachings.

• Fourteen Epistles of Paul, often referred to as the “second Gospel” due to their doctrinal and canonical significance.

These Epistles provide invaluable insights into the formation and development of the early Christian communities, offering guidance that continues to shape Christian faith and practice today.

In academic literature, numerous works are dedicated to studying the history and formation of early Christian communities based on the Apostolic Epistles.

Prominent pre-revolutionary historians and biblical scholars such as V. V. Bolotov, N. N. Glubokovsky, A. P. Lebedev, A. P. Lopukhin, A. A. Spassky, and others made significant contributions to the study of the Apostolic writings. The examination of social issues within early Christian communities, based on the Apostolic Epistles, is also conducted by contemporary scholars such as R. Zom, V. R. Kabo, Yu. A. Chukovenkova, and others.

The apostles presented their understanding of the life and activity of the Christian community in close connection with the doctrine of the Savior, the divinity of Christ, and the life of a person according to His commandments. In the Apostolic Epistles, it is affirmed: “Now are we the sons of God” (1 John 3:2), because “every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29). The first Christian community based its organization on the collective understanding of Christ as the Representative of humanity, who offered Himself as a redemptive sacrifice for His people. Considering themselves a “redeemed people,” Christians sought to embody the biblical ideals of a people as a united family. In the first Christian community, “neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common” (Acts 4:32). Christ dwells within the church community.

Members of the Christian community regarded themselves as a distinct people, considering themselves “strangers and pilgrims” in the world (1 Peter 2:11). They viewed it as virtuous, when traveling, to take nothing “of the Gentiles” and to provide assistance to one another without charge (3 John 1:7). According to the Apostle Paul, through Christ “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

The organization of early Christian communities as associations of followers of the original faith dates back to the apostolic age. Early Christian communities were called ecclesiae (i.e., assemblies). In the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul affirms that the Christian community consisted of several large groups, known as “house churches.”

From the very beginning of the Christian community as an organization, there existed a certain hierarchy, as the Church was initially understood as “the body of Christ,” that is, an organization of people (Ephesians 1:22–23).

Service was a fundamental part of daily life for the first Christians. In the Apostolic Epistles, service is interpreted as a direct calling from God (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Romans 12:1).

In the first Christian communities, functions were distributed among their members. The Apostle Paul provides a broad differentiation within the community. Apostles, prophets, and teachers were the first offices of church service (Ephesians 4:11).

An essential aspect of early Christian ministry was preaching, primarily as a form of public service. Presbyters delivered sermons, with their main tasks being moral edification (Ephesians 4:11–12) and the spread of the Christian faith. Apostolic preaching was founded on the words of Christ: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18–20). Furthermore, one of the most fundamental aspects of ministry was the remission of sins—personal, immediate, and proclaimed to an individual through the Word and Sacrament established by the Triune God.

The apostolic Epistles reflect the Eucharistic theme, mentioning the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 10:21) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20), which was celebrated within the Christian community. For the Apostle Paul, the term mysterion has a broad meaning; in general, it refers to the mysteries of God revealed in the Son of God (Colossians 2:2–3; Ephesians 3:8–9; 5:30–32).

In the ancient Church, the Eucharistic Sacrifice was offered in remembrance of Christ’s sufferings and death—the offering of His Body and Blood, once lifted up by the Savior upon the Cross. According to the Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary, the Eucharist is “the offering of the great sacrifice of Christ’s Body and Blood, performed in the Divine Liturgy, as well as the sacrifice itself, namely: (1) the Liturgy, in which bread and wine (the Holy Gifts) are prepared and transubstantiated into the true Body and Blood of Christ, the Son of God; (2) the Body and Blood of Christ themselves. The Holy Eucharist is (1) a thanksgiving sacrifice for the saints, by which we give thanks to God for His goodwill toward them in Christ, for allowing them under the sign of His Cross to overcome the enemies of salvation and complete their course of faith undefiled, for receiving them into the Church of the firstborn and granting them rest in the light of His countenance, for giving us intercessors and advocates, and for allowing their prayers to be an intercession and aid for us before His throne; (2) a propitiatory sacrifice for the departed, offered for the remission of the sins of those who have fallen asleep in faith and hope of the resurrection unto eternal life; (3) a purifying sacrifice for the living, offered for all living Christians.”

The Divine Eucharist was the foundation of the spiritual life of every believer in the early Christian community. The Eucharist held a central place in the life of Christian communities. One could not be a member of the Church of Christ without partaking in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, without communing in the Body and Blood of Christ. The spiritual life of a person was inseparable from the Eucharist, as the Eucharist was the path to salvation. Eucharistic communion was one of the essential conditions for a Christian’s salvation.

During the early Christian period, many artistic compositions in the catacombs and mosaics of the first churches depicted the Eucharist. Artists intentionally used prefigurations from both the Old and New Testaments related to the Eucharistic theme, such as the sacrifices of Abel (Genesis 4:4), Abraham and Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17–20). The catacombs contain depictions of Christian meals, where believers are gathered around a table with loaves of bread, fish, and vessels placed upon it.

Early Christian art contains symbolic depictions of the Eucharist, particularly in the catacomb paintings of the third and fourth centuries. The sacrament of the Eucharist was often symbolized by images of loaves and fish. A basket of bread and fish clearly alludes to the miracles of Jesus Christ in the multiplication of loaves and fishes, yet these symbols carry a deeper, figurative meaning. The first Christian artists conveyed the significance of the Church’s greatest Sacrament. The feeding of the five and seven thousand with five loaves and a few fish, in the second and third centuries, became a symbol of the Eucharist, as at the Last Supper, Jesus Christ gave the broken bread to His disciples.

Members of the Christian communities gathered for prayer and communal discussions, usually in the evening, in remembrance of the Last Supper of Christ. During these brotherly meals, they partook of the Eucharist. These communal meals were funded by collective contributions, with many members of the community also adding offerings for the poor. Almsgiving and charity were considered acts of purification for the soul. Mercy was an integral part of the moral life of the first Christians. They saw it as a direct consequence of the spirit of the Gospel, the spirit of love.

The early Christian communities were guided by the words of the Savior about mercy: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). True mercy was understood as a willingness for self-sacrifice. Those who were capable of sincerely loving others and showing them compassion would, in turn, receive mercy from God. Mercy opened the way to divine grace, as it was a prerequisite for receiving God’s mercy. Mercy reflected the central idea of Christianity: God is Love, and the Incarnation is the ultimate act of mercy. The foundation for the call to works of mercy lies in the words of Jesus Christ concerning love for one’s neighbor. In Christianity, love is the ability of a person to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. The understanding of love as sacrifice is rooted in God, who gave Himself as a sacrifice to save humanity from the power of sin and eternal death. From this sacrificial understanding of love arises mercy, as the willingness to help those in need.

The effectiveness of the early Christian community’s ministry was measured by its social impact. The Apostle Paul’s efforts to collect funds for the relief of the Jerusalem community were seen as highly effective from a social perspective. The moral benefit derived by the Christians of the Corinthian and Macedonian churches—namely, the strengthening of brotherly love and compassion—was reflected in the moral lessons of the apostolic epistles for early Christians.

In early Christian communities, a renunciation of earthly possessions and private property was preached. “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need” (Acts 4:32–35). Similarly, the Epistle of James conveys the rejection of wealth among Christians: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you” (James 5:1–7).

In the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul lays the foundation for moral relationships within the community (Romans 12–16). He speaks about faith and then gradually transitions to human vices such as slander, pride, recklessness, and lack of mercy (Romans 1:29–31).

Members of the first Christian communities addressed one another as “brother” and “sister.” Such terms of address fostered closeness and unity among people, regardless of racial or social distinctions. The primary reason for this bond among early Christians was the mutual brotherly love given to them by the Savior: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

Leadership in the Christian community was based on democratic principles. The leader-shepherd was entrusted with the responsibilities of a family patriarch, yet he did not exalt himself over the community. The Christian community displayed solidarity, unity, and a high moral quality of life. In the early Church, a tradition of mutual assistance among communities was firmly established.

Women also held an important place in the life of the Christian community. Christian women are repeatedly mentioned in the apostolic epistles. The Apostle Paul declared equality between men and women: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). The First Epistle to the Corinthians (7:12) indicates that mixed marriages existed in the early Church, where either the husband was a pagan and the wife a Christian, or vice versa. In Christian assemblies, women received the gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 11:5).

The preaching of the apostles to the first Christians was often accompanied by various allegorical images. The Apostle Paul frequently employed an allegorical, figurative approach in explaining the norms and principles of Christian life. His Epistle to the Galatians contains an allegory of the biblical figures Sarah and Hagar to illustrate that the Galatian Christian community were the spiritual children of Sarah. Paul sought to show that the descendants of Hagar corresponded to the beliefs of the Judaizers, while the descendants of Sarah were identified with the Galatian believers.

Referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, the apostle points out that Abraham had two sons (Galatians 4:22)—Ishmael, the elder, and Isaac, the younger. As is known from Scripture, the Lord Himself promised Abraham that his wife Sarah would bear him an heir. This promise was of great significance to Abraham because God had also assured him that “in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 26:4; cf. Genesis 12:3).

Sarah was barren for many years. Having reached old age and lost all hope of conceiving, she ran out of patience and suggested that her husband father a child through Hagar, an Egyptian servant who lived in their household (Genesis 16:2–4). Abraham likewise lacked patience, and his faith weakened to some extent. “He went in unto Hagar, and she conceived…” (Genesis 16:4–5). Upon becoming pregnant, Hagar began to exalt herself over her mistress, and their relationship greatly deteriorated. Thus, Sarah paid the price for her wavering faith. While she was still expecting, Hagar was cast out by Sarah. However, the Lord did not abandon Hagar—an angel was sent to comfort her, urging her to return to Sarah and promising divine support and blessing for her child. Soon afterward, Hagar gave birth to Abraham’s son Ishmael, who would later become the ancestor of the Arab nations.

Nevertheless, after many years, God’s promise to Sarah was fulfilled—she gave birth to Abraham’s legitimate son, Isaac. With this, the status of Hagar and Ishmael fundamentally changed. Sarah asked Abraham to send away the bondwoman and her son, and God commanded Abraham to do so, saying, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:10–13).

By recounting the story of Abraham, the apostle demonstrates that Scripture speaks of the inclusion of Gentile nations into the Christian community (Galatians 3:8–9). According to his teaching, all who have faith in God are children of Abraham. However, those who rely solely on themselves, their own strength, or their merits as justification, fall under God’s curse.

In this passage, the Galatians are portrayed as mature heirs, capable of evaluating events from the perspective of the Gospel. Paul reminds them that they had long been in bondage, enslaved by their former pagan rituals. He seeks to convince them that they are now sons of God, not slaves, and therefore should not submit themselves again to the system imposed by the Judaizers.

The Apostle Paul refutes the teachings of the Judaizing legalists, who claimed that they alone were the sons of God and the children of Abraham, the rightful heirs of God’s promises. The Judaizers insisted that circumcision and adherence to Jewish traditions were the primary signs of being God’s children. They condemned Hagar and the uncircumcised Ishmael as not being true heirs of Abraham. In response, Paul presents his argument, asserting that the Judaizing legalists were closely associated with slavery and drawing a parallel between them and the bondwoman Hagar. According to the apostle, only faith grants the possibility of bringing forth free people, whereas legalism leads only to bondage.

In the Epistle to the Galatians, it is shown that with the advent of the Christian era, the Law no longer holds the same significance as before; instead, the New Covenant takes precedence. The figures of Sarah and Hagar represent two covenants. The first is based directly on divine promise (Galatians 4:23), and therefore, Sarah is associated with the heavenly Jerusalem. The second is closely intertwined with slavery, and as a result, Hagar corresponds to the legalists and represents the earthly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:24–26).

Thus, the Apostle Paul compares the Jews who adhere to the Law with Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman, based on the idea that those who remain under the Law are in a state of bondage. Hagar, the bondwoman, is linked by Paul to “the present Jerusalem,” since by “children in bondage,” he refers to the entire people of Israel, who experience the slavery of the Law (Galatians 4:24–25).

It is important to emphasize that Paul contrasts slavery with the concept of spiritual freedom. For him, the earthly Jerusalem is opposed to the spiritual Jerusalem. The coming of the Savior into the world marked a new era in which many of the old laws and regulations ceased to be in effect. Hagar and Ishmael symbolize the slavery of the Jewish legalists, while Sarah and Isaac represent Christian freedom. Christians attain righteousness in Christ.

Using allegory, the apostle presents biblical figures and events as symbols representing religious ideas, laws of spiritual existence, and moral categories. Sarah and Hagar stand for two opposing covenants—the Mosaic Covenant and the Gospel. This reflects the contrast between Law and Grace. Hagar, the bondwoman, symbolizes the present Jerusalem, whereas Sarah, the lawful wife of Abraham and a free woman, symbolizes the heavenly Jerusalem. In the allegory of Sarah and Hagar, two approaches to faith are expressed: faith based on the Law and faith based on grace. Hagar is a figure of the Old Testament Law, which did not free a person from sin, leaving them in bondage to sin, whereas Sarah is a figure of the New Testament Law, which grants complete freedom from the power and slavery of sin.

The Apostle Paul affirms the New Testament Christian truth of spiritual freedom. Believers in Christ are shown as the true children and heirs of God’s promise, which was given to the patriarch Abraham. The fulfillment of the Old Testament promise is not realized in a literal but in a spiritual sense. The apostle asserts that the Galatians are free because they are descendants of the free woman, Sarah. Here, he proves the freedom that Christ has given us. This freedom is realized in a new life in the Spirit, within the true Church. Christians experience the grace of the merciful Lord and Savior.

Thus, the apostles presented their understanding of the life and activity of the Christian community in close connection with the teaching of Christ and the life of a person according to His commandments. The apostolic Epistles express the religious consciousness of the divinity of Christ and describe the apostles’ relationship with Him as their Teacher and Martyr. The organization of early Christian communities dates back to the apostolic era. From the very beginning of the Christian community as an organization, a certain hierarchy existed within it, as the Church was initially understood as “the body of Christ,” that is, an assembly of believers. Ministry was a fundamental part of daily life for the first Christians. In the apostolic Epistles, ministry is presented as a direct calling from God. In the first Christian communities, functions were distributed among members of the congregation.

The first Christian community not only adopted the model of a family but also based its organization on the collective understanding of Christ as the representative of humanity, who offered Himself as a redemptive sacrifice for His people. Members of the Christian community perceived themselves as a distinct people, “strangers and pilgrims” in the world (1 Peter 2:11). They considered it virtuous when traveling to accept nothing “from the Gentiles” and to provide assistance to one another freely (3 John 1:7).

Thus, the apostles presented their understanding of the life and activity of the Christian community in close connection with the teachings of Christ and the life of a person according to His commandments. The apostolic Epistles express a religious consciousness of the divinity of Christ and describe the apostles’ relationship with Him as their Teacher and Martyr. The organization of early Christian communities dates back to the apostolic era. From the very beginning of the Christian community as an organization, a certain hierarchy was present, as the Church was initially understood as “the body of Christ,” that is, a structured assembly of believers. Ministry was a fundamental part of the daily life of the first Christians. In the apostolic Epistles, ministry is interpreted as a direct calling from God. Within the first Christian communities, functions were distributed among members of the congregation.

The first Christian community not only adopted the model of a family but also based its organization on a collective understanding of Christ as the representative of humanity, who offered Himself as a redemptive sacrifice for His people. Members of the Christian community perceived themselves as a distinct people, “strangers and pilgrims” in the world (1 Peter 2:11). They considered it virtuous, when traveling, to accept nothing “from the Gentiles” and to provide assistance to one another freely (3 John 1:7).

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