21:56, and destroyed
under Titus, A. D. 70.
4. The Synagogue. Greek work meaning an assemblage. There were
synagogues wherever there were faithful Jews, about 1500 in Palestine
and perhaps 480 in Jerusalem. The officers were (1) Ruler. Lu. 8:49;
13:14; Mk 5:15, etc; (2) Elders, Lu. 7:3; Mk. 5:22, etc; (3)
Minister, Lu. 4:20. The service was one of prayer and reading and
expounding the scriptures. It was through the worship at the synagogue
that the apostles everywhere had opportunity to teach Christianity.
5. The Church. The word means an assemblage and is most commonly
used of a local congregation of Christian workers. It is sometimes
called the church of Christ, Church of God, Saints, etc. Churches were
established in cities and in homes. It is not proper to call all the
Christians of a particular denomination a church. Nor can we call all
of any denomination in a given territory a church. It would be wrong
to say the Baptist church of the south. In the New Testament we can
get a rather clear idea of it as an institution by a study of a few
principal churches and leaders of the Christian movement after the
ascension of Christ.
The Seven Great Covenants.
There are two kinds of covenants. (1) Declarative or unconditional,
example, Gen. 9-11, "I will." (2) Mutual or conditional, example,
"If thou wilt." All scripture is a development of or is summed up
in seven covenants.
1. The Adamic Covenant, Gen. 3:14-19. Outline the elements of the
covenant, showing the persons affected and the results or conditions
involved.
2. The Noahic Covenant, Gen. 8:20-9:27. Outline the elements of the
covenant, and the results affected.
3. The Abrahamic Covenant. Gen. 12:1-3; Acts 7:3. other details,
Gen. 13:14-17; 15:1-18; 17:1-8. Outline, giving the elements,
blessings proposed, temporal and spiritual or eternal. This is
sometimes called several covenants but it seems best to consider it
one that is enlarged upon from time to time.
4. The Mosaic Covenant, Ex. 19-30. Given in two parts: (1) _Law of
Duty_ (10 commandments), (2) _Law of Mercy_, Priesthood and Sacrifices
Lev. 4:27:31; Heb. 9:1-7. (3) To whom given, Ex. 19:3 and to all, Rom.
2,12; 3:19, etc. (4) Its purpose: (a) Negative, Rom. 3:19-20, Gal.
2:16-21. etc; (b) Positive, Rom. 3:19, 7:7-13. (5) Christ's relation
to the Mosaic Covenant: (a) was under it, Gal. 4;4; Matt. 3:13, etc;
(b) Kept it, Jno. 8:46; 15:10; (c) Bore its curse for sinners, Gal.
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