Wednesday 29 April 2009

Background

The controversial preaching of Stephen and his subsequentstoning to death (see Acts 6 and 7)appears to have prompted a more widespread persecution of theChurch in Jerusalem led, it would seem, by the young man named Saul(who was later to become the apostle and evangelist Paul). Thisresulted in many Christians fleeing from Jerusalem, including theGreek speaking Christian 'Hellenists'.

Philip, one of the Christian Hellenists, was among the "seven menof good standing" (Acts 6:3) appointed by the Church in Jerusalemto oversee the practical care of the poor. With the onset ofpersecution he was one of those forced to flee and he made his wayto Samaria, the region north of Jerusalem.

Clearly Philip's skills were not limited to practical matters andhe became known as 'the evangelist'. His enforced travels presentedan opportunity to spread the message about Jesus, which he did togreat effect. In Samaria he was well received and his preaching andthe miracles he performed were the cause of great joy.

Philip and the Hellenist Christians were important players in themission of the early Church, not just in where they took themessage of Jesus, but in beginning to translate it into Greeklanguage, thought processes and culture. They found it easier thanthe Hebrew Christians to leave the Temple and Jerusalembehind.

"Full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6.3), Philip proved a veryeffective communicator and was able to perform similar signs andwonders to those that had formed such an important part of Jesus'ministry. The book of Acts repeatedly underlines the belief thatthere is continuity between the mission and ministry of Jesus andthe work of the Holy Spirit in the early Church.

To Ponder

'Every cloud has a silver lining' is a rathertrite saying, yet it finds some support in Philip's story as hetakes advantage of his enforced journeys. Are you confronted withdifficulties and problems that could be transformed intoopportunities - and how might this be achieved?

Those appointed by the early Church to overseepractical matters were imbued with great 'spiritual' qualities:"full of the Spirit and of wisdom" as they were. How do you connectaction and contemplation; doing and being?

In what ways does the Christian faith need to be'translated' in order to make it relevant to the language, thoughtprocesses and culture of your context?