Did Jesus mean for people to
“ONLY”
meet in homes?
The article below, by William E. Paul, will shed some light on this question.
Also check out this article here on "VOT:"
"How Do the Two-by-Two's Differ From Orthodox Christian Beliefs?"
One of the
“Two-by-Two's”
most vehement objections is aimed at the use,
(and especially ownership)
of a special building for their regular church meeting.
Being extremely conservative, they strongly oppose anything that might suggest extravagance or vanity.
They claim that regular meetings of the “saints”should be
held “ONLY” in private homes.
To support this position,
they call attention to the several references in the New Testament,
where the church is spoken of as meeting in a person's home.
Granted, there are such references, and no doubt the early church did make considerable use of private residences for church meetings where the apostle's teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers were engaged in.
However, there is NO specific command or principle, expressed or implied, which may be interpreted as FORBIDDING any other meeting place for the church.
The question centers around whether or not the mere mention of a house for church meetings in the Scriptures MUST be taken as a pattern which cannot be departed from without violating the will of God.
The “Two-by-Two's” insist that it DOES furnish such a pattern. Let us examine the Scriptures to see if this is truly the case.
In the early days of the church, we find examples of Christians making use of the Temple in Jerusalem for prayer (Acts 3:1).
"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon."
In Acts 16:13-18, a careful study of the circumstances indicates that the “place of prayer” near the river had become a regular meeting place for the newly converted group of Christians which included Lydia and her household. Paul had been going to this place for “many days,” no doubt to teach these new Christians and to pray with them.
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
After meeting with opposition in the synagogue of Ephesus (Acts 19: 8-10), Paul separated the disciples and began meeting with them “in the school of Tyrannus.” The use of this building evidently continued for two years as the meeting place for Christians. It was probably some type of a school room or hall where classes were conducted by a man named Tyrannus.
"Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord."
These are a few instances where Christians met, as a church, in a location OTHER than a private house. From this, we learn that there was no requirement of “house meetings” in New Testament days. While the advent of what we call “church houses” or meeting houses” developed somewhat later, the New Testament contains neither command nor principle which would give Scriptural grounds for us opposing their construction and us.
Let us look at the church meeting in Acts 20:7-12.
"On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" 11Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted."
Was it a private house?
The context does not indicate that it was.
It does mention that it contained three floors, but we have no way of knowing, with certainty, whether it was a private residence or not. One could argue either way with equal force. We cannot draw conclusions from the SILENCE of the Scriptures.
The
“Two-by-Two's”
have taken the position that this WAS a private house,
not because of what the Bible says,
but because of a preconceived idea they have settled upon.
Scholars are generally agreed that there is a possible allusion to the use of a special meeting place for the church in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. This passage discusses the church's assembly for the Lord's Supper by making it a time for partaking of a regular meal at the same time.
The Lord's Supper
17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
33So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. 34If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
This was causing division because those who were better off had plenty to eat while the poorer ones had little. Paul asks the question, “What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that haven't?” (1 Corinthians 11 - Verse 22)
22Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
The implication is that THIS meeting place was NOT a private house but some other type building large enough for accommodating a sizable congregation.
This is further suggested by 1 Corinthians 11:34, which says,
34“If any man is hungry, let him eat at home......” While we cannot dogmatically assert the exact type of building this was, there are notable indications that it was not a private home.
Anyone even slightly acquainted with church history is fully aware of the fact that the early church met for worship in catacombs beneath the streets of Rome. This was necessitated by the severe persecution being waged against Christianity in those days. If the church had been required to meet in PRIVATE HOMES during these trying times, obviously it would not have survived.
The early church knew nothing of mandatory “PRIVATE HOUSE MEETINGS” as “Two-by-Two's” insist on today.
The have such strong feelings about this subject that some members have been known to misapply, grossly, various passages of Scripture in an effort to “PROVE” their point.
The case of the Jewish leaders whom Jesus rebuked for loving “the chief seats in the synagogues” (Matthew 23:6) is used to “prove” that people who make use of church buildings today are PHARISEES.
6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;
They also assert that the “synagogue of Satan” mentioned in Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9, is a reference to the sin of meeting in a church building.
Revelations 2:9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelations 3:9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
The absurdity of such misuse of Scripture seems to know no bounds.
