The History Of The Christian Church Volume 1, Philip Shaff 1819-1893

CHAPTER IX. WORSHIP IN THE APOSTOLIC AGE. 213 death. Yet Rev. 3:4 sq., distinguishes from the corrupt gent towards errors which corrupted Christianity with mass a few souls which had kept their walk undefiled, heathen principles and practices. without, however, breaking away from the congregaThe last two churches, especially that of Thyatition as separatists, and setting up an opposition sect for ra, form thus the exact counterpart to that of Ephesus, themselves. and are the representatives of a zealous practical piety The church of Laodicea (a wealthy commercial city of in union with theoretical latitudinarianism. As doctrine Phrygia, not far from Colosse and Hierapolis, where now always has more or less influence on practice, this also is stands only a desolate village by the name of Eski-Hissar) a dangerous state. That church alone is truly sound and proudly fancied itself spiritually rich and faultless, but flourishing in which purity of doctrine and purity of life, was in truth poor and blind and naked, and in that most theoretical orthodoxy and practical piety are harmonidangerous state of indifference and lukewarmness from ously united and promote one another. which it is more difficult to return to the former decision With good reason have theologians in all ages regardand ardor, than it was to pass at first from the natural ed these, seven churches of Asia Minor as a miniature coldness to faith. Hence the fearful threatening: “I will of the whole Christian church. “There is no condition, spew thee out of my mouth.” (Lukewarm water produces good, bad, or mixed, of which these epistles do not presvomiting.) Yet even the Laodiceans are not driven to de- ent a sample, and for which they do not give suitable and spair. The Lord, in love, knocks at their door and promis- wholesome direction.” Here, as everywhere, the word of es them, on condition of thorough repentance, a part in God and the history of the apostolic church evince their the marriage-supper of the lamb (3:20). applicability to all times and circumstances, and their in3. Churches of amixed character, viz., those of Ephe- exhaustible fulness of instruction, warning, and encoursus, Pergamum, and Thyatira. In these cases commen- agement for all states and stages of religious life. dation and censure, promise and threatening are united.

CHAPTER IX. Ephesus, then the metropolis of the Asian church, WORSHIP IN THE APOSTOLIC AGE. had withstood, indeed, the Gnostic errorists predicted Literature.

by Paul, and faithfully maintained the purity of the docTh Harnack: Der christliche Gemeindegottesdienst trine delivered to it; but it had lost the ardor of its first im Apost. und altkathol. Zeitalter. Erlangen, 1854. The love, and it is, therefore, earnestly exhorted to repent. It same: Prakt. Theol., I. 1877. thus represents to us that state of dead, petrified orthoP. Probst (R. C.): Liturgie der drei ersten Jahrhunderdoxy, into which various churches oftentimes fall. Zeal te. Tüb., 1870. for pure doctrine is, indeed, of the highest importance, W. L. Volz: Anfänge des christl. Gottesdienstes, in but worthless without living piety and active love. The “Stud. und Krit.” 1872.

Epistle to the angel of the church of Ephesus is peculiarly H. Jacoby: Die constitutiven Factoren des Apost. applicable to the later Greek church as a whole.

Gottesdienstes, in “Jahrb. für deutsche Theol.” for 1873.

Pergamum in Mysia (the northernmost of these sevC. Weizsäcker: Die Versammlungen der ältesten en cities, formerly the residence of the kings of Asia of Christengemeinden, 1876; and Das Apost. Zeitalter, the Attalian dynasty, and renowned for its large library 1886, pp. 566 sqq. of 200,000 volumes and the manufacture of parchment; Th Zahn: Gesch. des Sonntags in der alten Kirche. hence the name charta Pergamena;—now Bergamo, a Hann., 1878. Schaff: Hist. of the Apost. Ch., pp. 545–586. village inhabited by Turks, Greeks, and Armenians) was Comp. the Lit. on Ch. X., and on the Didache, vol. the seat of a church, which under trying circumstanc- II. 184. es had shown great fidelity, but tolerated in her bosom § 51. The Synagogue. those who held dangerous Gnostic errors. For this want Campeg. Vitringa (d. at Franeker, 1722): De Synagoof rigid discipline she also is called on to repent. ga Vetere libri tres. Franeker, 1696. 2 vols. (also WeissenThe church of Thyatira (a flourishing manufacturing fels, 1726). A standard work, full of biblical and rabbinand commercial city in Lydia, on the site of which now ical learning. A condensed translation by J. L. Bernard: stands a considerable Turkish town called Ak-Hissar, or The Synagogue and the Church. London, 1842. “the White Castle,” with nine mosques and one Greek C. Bornitius: De Synagogis veterum Hebraeorum. church) was very favorably distinguished for self-deny- Vitemb., 1650. And in Ugolinus: Thesaurus ing, active love and patience, but was likewise too indulAntiquitatum sacrarum (Venet., 1744–69), vol. XXI.