Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
It is the height of reckless speculation to equate Nicholas from Antioch, a former convert to Judaism, and appointed as one of the seven deacons by the Apostles in Jerusalem, to be the leader of the Nicolaitams in Ephesus a half century later. You built your theories around Acts 6.5?
The so-called "clergy" were established by the apostles when they decided to order the churches with elders and deacons.
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No I actually do a lot of reading these are not my speculations.The view was held by a number of early church fathers
Consider Irenaeus:
The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
— Irenaeus, Adversus haereses, i. 26, §3