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 The First Early Christians
Knew No Ceremonies
Before His death on the cross, Jesus had taken several preparatory steps to spread His teachings to many people in all the world. For instance, He sent men and women out to announce the tidings of the coming Kingdom of God. He taught and instructed some apostles who founded the Christian communities after His passing. In these communities, later original communities, the prophetic Spirit spoke and guided the first Christians. Christ thus led His communities via the prophetic word. At the Last Supper (of which we also have only a partial account), when Jesus broke the bread as He had done many times when they sat together, He said: Do this in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19). This means that those in His following should share the bread.
What does it mean, to share the bread?
In a community of inner life, in which all are equal, in which all are free because they are not tied down by envy, by the desire to have or to be, and so forth, but in which all gladly do as God has called on them to do, there is brotherliness – one is the other’s brother, sister and friend; and there is unity, a link coming from a common goal. The one who has gives; everyone works and contributes for the benefit of the whole according to his or her abilities. This creates a balance that favors no one. This is the impersonal life, the life in the spirit of God, an Original Christian community life.
The Church has turned the occasion of the breaking of bread in Jesus’ life into a ceremony. A sin offering really, to bind the believers to the Church and the sacraments that are “necessary for salvation.” This binding at the same time prevents a person from turning to God in his inner being and receiving liberation from his sins through the redeeming power of the Spirit of the Christ of God – on the basis of recognition, remorse and actively clearing things up.
Only an active, lawful life will bring us inner gain, will fill our heart and strengthen us, make us free, joyful, healthy and dynamic. This gives meaning to our life, substance – but never gestures, rites or ceremonies. This does not change, no matter how often we repeat gestures, rites and ceremonies.
The first Christians, and a little later the Early Christians, who felt spiritually at home in the first original community in Jerusalem under the guidance of some apostles who, in turn, were guided by the prophetic Spirit, knew neither ceremonies nor rites, and no cult. They killed no animals to sacrifice them to a god; they also killed no animals for consumption – they ate no meat. They strove to live according to the commandments of God and the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus: to cleanse the inner church, the temple of the soul and body, so that the Spirit of the Christ of God might be effective in soul and body. Their early Christian meal consisted of the breaking of bread and prayer. They shared the bread among themselves.
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