The Second Century Church, part four
As we continue with our theme of the Second Century Church flowing in power, love, and sound wisdom (II Timothy 1:7), we move to the aspect of the power and gifts of God in the Church led by the successors of the apostles. Many statements from early Christian writings suggest that there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the second century. The first great Church Historian, Eusebius, lived close enough to that time that he had access to many more second century writings than we have today. He described powerful evangelists and prophets and pastors who were active around A. D. 107. He reported:
"One of the leaders who shown like a great light during this period was Quadratus, who according to the written evidence, was like Philip's daughters, used by God in prophetic gifts. Many other successors of the apostles were also well known at this time. These disciples of the apostles built upon the foundations of the churches which the apostles had laid. They spread the message of kingdom of heaven even further by sowing the saving seed of the word of God far and wide throughout the world."
Eusebius spoke of evangelists and missionaries who "started out on long journeys" because "they were filled with the desire to preach to those who had never yet heard the word of faith, and to deliver to them the divine gospels. And after they laid the foundations of the faith in foreign places, they appointed others as pastors and entrusted them with the care of those who had recently been added to the church. Then they went to other lands and nations with the grace and the cooperation of God. For a great many wonderful miracles were done through them by the power of the divine Spirit, so that at the first hearing whole multitudes of people eagerly embraced the religion of the Creator of the universe.”
“Since it is impossible for us to give the names of all those who became pastors or evangelists in the churches throughout the world in the age immediately succeeding the apostles, we have recorded only the names of those who handed down the apostles’ doctrine to us in writings still extant." (This quotation is in Polycarp Disciple of the Apostle John and the Second Century Church, pages 83-86). One of the successors of the apostles which Eusebius included in his account was Polycarp. What a beautiful scene Eusebius recorded: servants of God such as Quadratus and Polycarp, traveling to one city after another, taking with them the written gospels and converting multitudes to Christ! How exciting it would have been to attend one of those meetings and watch the Lord confirm His word with signs following and seeing the great crowds responding to the Word of God and coming to Christ! "For the kingdom of God is not in word only, but in power" (I Corinthians 4:20).
"One of the leaders who shown like a great light during this period was Quadratus, who according to the written evidence, was like Philip's daughters, used by God in prophetic gifts. Many other successors of the apostles were also well known at this time. These disciples of the apostles built upon the foundations of the churches which the apostles had laid. They spread the message of kingdom of heaven even further by sowing the saving seed of the word of God far and wide throughout the world."
Eusebius spoke of evangelists and missionaries who "started out on long journeys" because "they were filled with the desire to preach to those who had never yet heard the word of faith, and to deliver to them the divine gospels. And after they laid the foundations of the faith in foreign places, they appointed others as pastors and entrusted them with the care of those who had recently been added to the church. Then they went to other lands and nations with the grace and the cooperation of God. For a great many wonderful miracles were done through them by the power of the divine Spirit, so that at the first hearing whole multitudes of people eagerly embraced the religion of the Creator of the universe.”
“Since it is impossible for us to give the names of all those who became pastors or evangelists in the churches throughout the world in the age immediately succeeding the apostles, we have recorded only the names of those who handed down the apostles’ doctrine to us in writings still extant." (This quotation is in Polycarp Disciple of the Apostle John and the Second Century Church, pages 83-86). One of the successors of the apostles which Eusebius included in his account was Polycarp. What a beautiful scene Eusebius recorded: servants of God such as Quadratus and Polycarp, traveling to one city after another, taking with them the written gospels and converting multitudes to Christ! How exciting it would have been to attend one of those meetings and watch the Lord confirm His word with signs following and seeing the great crowds responding to the Word of God and coming to Christ! "For the kingdom of God is not in word only, but in power" (I Corinthians 4:20).