Christ’s commune
A peep into the life of early Christians throws light on some of their practices. One, that the early Christians, like Jesus himself, were all Jews, who encountered some fishermen excited about a person named Jesus whose teachings they had begun to embrace. The lines between Judaism and Christianity were not clearly demarcated, and the new converts continued following their old Jewish customs.
Second, about how and, indeed, why Christianity spread so fast in vast areas, despite the fact that its founder Jesus had met with a criminal’s death and the chosen apostles were simple fisher folk. Though scholars differ on a few things, they agree that there was a remarkable thing about the believers of this new religion.
They find, as narrated in the Acts of the Apostles, that the followers of this new movement shared whatever they had with those in need: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Act 2:42-47).
As a former broadcaster many years ago, I used to hear on the radio station Voice of America, “If you see someone without a smile, give him one of yours.”
A smile from us does undoubtedly bring a smile on others’ faces, and smiles while they can be contagious do not cost us anything. It might be equally easy, as the early Christians did, to pray and to praise God together. What is, however, certainly more difficult is to share one’s goods, money, property generously with those in need.
One does not find this being done generally anywhere these days, even among Christians. I am not sure if Karl Marx had his inspiration from this and other passages from the Bible, which is all about people living together and sharing things in common. St. Luke, supposedly also the author of Acts of the Apostles, writes: “Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands — more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you” (Luke 6: 38). And indeed everyone knows what joy one derives from giving!
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