Peter and James and John

aron · 10-08-2008, 10:12 AM

I'd like to have a discussion on Peter and James and John. This is an offshoot of the discussion that Peter D. started on 'eldership'; I found my comments were more in a 'background' vein, not entirely unrelated but perhaps not in the central line of that topic. When you have to ignore someone else's comments to make your own, perhaps you are pushing at a different subject.

But I mention this to say that my subject of choice is definitely related, and flows out of that thread. I see Peter and James and John (& the other 9, as well, with a much larger retinue, obviously, crowded around 'the 12'), and the experiences they had with Jesus, changing into the post-resurrection experiences of the fellowship of the remaining disciples (from the 12, plus from the larger group) changing again in chapter 9 of Acts when Paul comes on the scene. From there Paul dominates a good chunk of the NT record, with epistles of Peter & James(the 'other' James) & John, etc, closing out the written record.

Much of the discussion of eldership is dominated by Paul's experiences in Acts, and his epistles (Titus, Timothy, etc). I have found the discussion to have unearthed some very interesting items (e.g. elderLY [i.e. more mature] saints versus appointed, official 'elders'). But I think it necessary to complement all this with a discussion of relations among the believers pre-Paul.

And I especially want to use Peter and James and John to home in on John, who remained post-Paul, and seemed to have a less than sanguine view (Rev. chaps. 2 & 3) of the various assemblies at the close of the apostolic age. As I said elsewhere, he writes "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near" (Rev.1:3), so these letters to the seven Asian assemblies there were meant for all to read, to understand, and to keep.

In order to understand what he is saying, I think I need to understand more about John, where he is coming from. So I wanted to start at the beginning, with Peter and James and John. But I am doing this in the light of the 'eldership' thread; ultimately what I want to do is to hold up the record of these brothers in one hand, and hold up Paul in the other hand, and look back and forth, as it were.

10-08-2008, 10:12 AM	#1
aron Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Natal Transvaal Posts: 5,631	Peter and James and John I'd like to have a discussion on Peter and James and John. This is an offshoot of the discussion that Peter D. started on 'eldership'; I found my comments were more in a 'background' vein, not entirely unrelated but perhaps not in the central line of that topic. When you have to ignore someone else's comments to make your own, perhaps you are pushing at a different subject. But I mention this to say that my subject of choice is definitely related, and flows out of that thread. I see Peter and James and John (& the other 9, as well, with a much larger retinue, obviously, crowded around 'the 12'), and the experiences they had with Jesus, changing into the post-resurrection experiences of the fellowship of the remaining disciples (from the 12, plus from the larger group) changing again in chapter 9 of Acts when Paul comes on the scene. From there Paul dominates a good chunk of the NT record, with epistles of Peter & James(the 'other' James) & John, etc, closing out the written record. Much of the discussion of eldership is dominated by Paul's experiences in Acts, and his epistles (Titus, Timothy, etc). I have found the discussion to have unearthed some very interesting items (e.g. elderLY [i.e. more mature] saints versus appointed, official 'elders'). But I think it necessary to complement all this with a discussion of relations among the believers pre-Paul. And I especially want to use Peter and James and John to home in on John, who remained post-Paul, and seemed to have a less than sanguine view (Rev. chaps. 2 & 3) of the various assemblies at the close of the apostolic age. As I said elsewhere, he writes "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near" (Rev.1:3), so these letters to the seven Asian assemblies there were meant for all to read, to understand, and to keep. In order to understand what he is saying, I think I need to understand more about John, where he is coming from. So I wanted to start at the beginning, with Peter and James and John. But I am doing this in the light of the 'eldership' thread; ultimately what I want to do is to hold up the record of these brothers in one hand, and hold up Paul in the other hand, and look back and forth, as it were.