The Early Church

I have started a Bible study which is called EPIC A Journey Through Church History. Here is a little from the first two classes.

Christ commissioned his apostles to go out and teach all nations. Christ established "my Church"(Matthew 16:18) and "the church"(Matthew 18:17). He said "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life everlasting and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (John 6:54-56).

In the most direct language the Apostles affirmed that the bread and wine that was consecrated on the altar did in fact become the actual substance of Jesus Christ. St. Paul says, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" (1 Cor 10:16)

"As the Father hath sent me, I also send you." (John 20:21). Here Jesus is telling the Apostles that they were to follow His own teaching mission. This includes the breaking of bread in the Eucharist that He showed them at the Last Supper.

The Church during the Roman Empire was united, growing , highly disciplined and hierarchically organized. It was an institution that held to exact and unwavering doctrines. The main doctrines were the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ and also the firm belief of the Real Presence of Jesus (His body, blood, soul, and divinity) under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist.

St. Ignatius of Antioch (50-117), outlines many important points about the faith of the early Church, including the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the Divinity of Christ, the  structure (bishops, priests, deacons, laity) of the Church, the importance of the Church of Rome, and the understanding of Mary as Mother of God. He also had the first written account of referring to the Church as the Catholic Church. It could have been called that by word even before this. Keep in mind this was only a few years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Church was participating in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist from the very beginning!! It is not something that man invented.

St. Justin Martyr, another Church Father of the second century wrote: "This food is known among us as the Eucharist... We do not receive these things as common bread and common drink but as Jesus Christ our Savior, being made flesh by the Word of God."

Nowhere else on the Christian scene was there a religion as compact and so long-lived. Nowhere else on the Christian scene was there a unity so obviously permanent.