Christian Assembly in 197 CE: The Witness of Tertullian, Part 4
Post #4 Carthage, North Africa, in 197 CE. Tertullian describes a gathering of believers in Jesus for his Roman audience.
We meet together for the reading of the divine writings, if the character of the times compels us in any way to forewarning or reminder. However that may be, with the holy words we nourish our faith, lift up our hope, confirm our confidence, and no less make strong our discipline by impressing the precepts. In the same place we deliver exhortations, reproofs, and a divine censure. (Coimus ad litterarum divinarum commemorationem, si quid praesentium temporum qualitas aut praemonere cogit aut recognoscere. Certe fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus, spem erigimus, fiduciam figimus, disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus. Ibidem etiam exhortationes, castigationes et censura divina.) From Apology, 39:3-4a.
- What are the “divine writings” to which Tertullian refers. Later in the same chapter he refers to the “holy scriptures.” In the same book, he states: “God has added a written revelation for the benefit of everyone whose heart is set on seeking him, that seeking he may find, and finding believe, and believing obey” (18). From his writings, we know Tertullian received the Hebrew Bible as authoritative and quoted every book of the present New Testament except 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, and James. Tertullian had a functioning New Testament canon that included the Gospels, Acts, Paul’s Epistles (including the Pastorals), Hebrews, 1 Peter, 1 John, and Revelation.
- Along with prayer, one of the central functions of the assembly was to read Scripture. What do these “holy words” (or “holy voices”) do? They nourish faith, elevate hope, establish trust, and establish discipline through instilling its precepts. The reading of Scripture forms a healthy community; it disciples the community. Reading Scripture cultivates faith, hope, confidence, and discipline.
- Also, they selected which Scriptures to read in relation to the “character of the times” or the quality of the present times. In other words, given the situation—whether persecution or needed discipline, texts were read to speak to the situation when appropriate.
- In addition to reading, however, the assembly also heard exhortations, corrections, and even “a divine censure.” The latter probably refers to moments when members were disciplined and removed or barred from the public assemblies. The former refers to the exhortations based on Scripture to encourage the congregation in their disciplined life.
Tertullian bears witness to the centrality of the reading, exposition, and application of Scripture (both the Hebrew Bible and the functioning canon of apostolic authors) in the late second century. The assembly is both encouraged and disciplined by its reading and the exhortations that followed (e.g., what we might call sermons or something akin to that). Scripture shapes the community just as prayer is the assembly’s aggressive action, as noted in Post #2.