In The Churches of the First Century, Jeff Reed writes: Paul avoided the polished rhetoric style of the professional oratory of his day, and Pauls teaching had a discussion or dialogue identity both in public situations and in church assemblies. Two passages are of particular importance to note before turning attention directly to the shape of preaching and teaching in the meetings of the early churches: Acts 19:8-10 and Acts 20:7-12: He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. Reed continues, Argued comes from the Greek word dialogomenos (dialogued), used by Greeks for Socratic discussion, examination of the ultimate foundations (TDNT). It carries the sense of dealing with doubts so people get the idea, fundamental principle. Lecture hall comes from the word schole--that in which leisure is employed; especially learned discussion, disputation, lectures (LSJ). Paul employed a style evidently designed to build open discussion around his presentations; dialogue is the main way it is described here. The second passage is even more insightful... On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn... Reed explains: The word for holding a discussion (the word dialogue again) is the same as used in the hall of Tyrannus passage. The word for continued to converse is homileo (where we get homiletics). It refers to a close conversation and association. The point is that Pauls teaching had a discussion or dialogue identity both in public situations and in church assemblies...
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 11:17:10 +0000
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