Acts 2:42Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To devote themselves wholly to this work, they laid aside all cares for the support of the society of believers, who received sustenance from the generosity of the other brethren.

They occupied themselves only with teaching.

Their miracles also drew everyone's attention. They healed illnesses of every kind, so that the sick were brought to them from the surrounding towns.

In both teaching and wonderworking Peter was first. The power of God was poured forth through him in such abundance that even his shadow gave relief to the sick.

For their part, the Apostles wished to make full use of the fruits of the Old Testament preparation.

Therefore at first they did not separate themselves from their kinsmen. As we see, they went with everyone into the Jewish temple for prayer.

In their own worship and way of life they retained rules and ordinances compatible with the spirit of Christianity.

According to the testimony of Hegesippus, the Jews' respect for the Apostle James went so far that the people gladly listened to his instructions and rejoiced in his miracles.

The more their souls, stirred by the grace of the Holy Spirit, burned with love for their Savior and Lord, the more their desire and striving grew to deepen their knowledge of Christ's truth.

And so, after their conversion, they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' teaching.

The Apostles, for their part, according to the commandment of Jesus Christ, recognized their duty not only to convert people to faith in Christ.

They also had to teach carefully those being converted to observe all that the Lord had commanded them; Mt 28:19-20.

Such was the relation of the newly converted to the Apostles. Among themselves they lived in living moral, brotherly fellowship and love.

Such was the fruit of the gracious rebirth of men by the Holy Spirit. From the first days of its birth, the Church of Christ appears as a kingdom of love.

It appears as a union of people bound together by spiritual and moral bonds.

Finally, as for the occupations of this young Christian society, they consisted in the breaking of bread and in prayers.

What the historian means here by "the breaking of bread" we can see from 1 Cor 10:16.

This expression is plainly taken from Church practice and signifies the Lord's Supper; 1 Cor 10:21.

It signifies communion of the Body of Christ, the Mystery of the Eucharist.

Thus here we see the original Church fulfilling the Savior's commandment: "Do this in remembrance of Me."

He gave this commandment to the Apostles at the institution of the Mystery of the Eucharist; Lk 22:19; 1 Cor 11:23 and following.

It had divided them into isolated individuals who cared only for themselves and were heartless toward the needs of others.

The spirit of evangelical love conquered this self-interest in the believers.

They "sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need."

This was the first experience of that common life which later found a place in Christian cenobitic monasticism.

Thus the first Christians lived, "praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved."

At first, only heartfelt faith in Jesus Christ and repentance were required for baptism. Instruction in the new faith, more or less detailed and necessary for believers, took place afterward.

And so these believers who had been baptized constantly continued in the Apostles’ teaching. That is, for a certain time after baptism, they were instructed by the Apostles in the truths of the new faith and in the rules of the new life according to the Gospel teaching.

This, as well as the following expressions, does not mean that this whole mass of people was gathered, or used to gather, in one place or house. That would plainly have been inconvenient.

The believers probably gathered in various places and formed various groups or communities, in which the Apostles instructed them. They maintained constant communion among themselves and brought all believers of the different communities into that same communion.

Thus they were all like one large family, united by one spirit, though not constantly gathered together in one place.

This moral union of believers, this common brotherly relationship with one another, is designated by the narrator of Acts with the word “communion”: brotherly mutual love; compare 1 Pet 2:17 and 1 Pet 5:9.

According to this love, they had all things in common (v. 44).

“In the breaking of bread”: usually this expression means the eating of food (Lk 24:30 and similar passages). Yet it also has the higher meaning of partaking of the body and blood of Christ in the mystery of the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:16).

The Lord instituted the most holy mystery of the Eucharist after completing the Jewish Paschal supper; compare Lk 22:7–20 and parallels.

In the apostolic Church, especially in the earliest Church, believers celebrated the Eucharist in remembrance of Christ, according to His institution (Lk 22:19). Sometimes they did so even in the evening (Acts 20:7; Acts 20:11).

They also joined to this a meal called the supper of love, or the meal of love (Jude 1:12; 1 Cor 11:20–34).

To participate in this action of the Eucharist and in the meals of love is what it means to participate in the breaking of bread.

However, this expression undoubtedly also denotes the simple communion of believers with the Apostles at an ordinary meal. In ordinary human relations, participation in a common meal signifies brotherly mutual goodwill and spiritual communion among those participating.

The Lord Himself sanctified this by His example of participating in meals.

“And in prayers”: this does not mean prayers in the temple together with the people, which are discussed below (v. 46). It means special, private, communal prayers of a properly Christian character.

These prayers probably accompanied the celebration of the mystery of the Eucharist, as well as other communal gatherings in believers’ homes (v. 46), under the guidance of the Apostles.

From the conjunction of all these concepts, teaching, communion, breaking of bread, and prayers, by which the life of the first Christian community in Jerusalem is characterized here, we may conclude the following.

The subject here is the communion of believers in liturgical actions of a properly Christian character, that is, in liturgical gatherings. The composition of the divine service, this first Christian divine service, was teaching, the Eucharist together with the meal of love, and prayers.

Thus, according to this brief depiction, those who believed and were baptized on the day of Pentecost lived in the closest spiritual communion with the Apostles and with one another.

Besides constant private mutual relations, they often came together in communal liturgical gatherings under the guidance of the Apostles.

In these gatherings the Apostles instructed the believers, celebrated the mystery of the Eucharist, with the meals of love, and prayed with the believers.

Singing is not mentioned here. Yet since singing was customary in the Jewish temple and synagogue services, this custom undoubtedly passed into the liturgical gatherings of the earliest Christian Church.

In these gatherings was laid the beginning of divine worship properly Christian, separate from Jewish worship. Yet the Apostles and believers did not, for a time, break their connection with the Jewish temple worship; Acts 3:1 and following; compare the note on v. 46.

Here the Apostles instructed, celebrated the Mysteries, and prayed with the believers.

Singing is not mentioned. But since singing was customary in temple worship, this custom undoubtedly passed into the liturgical assemblies of the early Church.

In these assemblies the beginning was laid of specifically Christian worship, distinct from Jewish worship.

Yet the Apostles and believers did not, for a time, break their connection with the Jewish temple worship."