Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Gospel First Preached At

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Jerusalem holds a pivotal place in the history of Christianity as the city where the Gospel was first proclaimed following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. This event marks the beginning of the Christian Church and the fulfillment of Jesus' command to His disciples to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

The Day of Pentecost

The Gospel was first preached in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, as recorded in the Book of Acts. This Jewish feast, occurring fifty days after Passover, brought many devout Jews from various nations to Jerusalem. It was during this gathering that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, empowering them to speak in various tongues and proclaim the mighty works of God (Acts 2:1-4).

Peter, standing with the eleven apostles, delivered a powerful sermon to the crowd, explaining the significance of the events they were witnessing. He declared that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, was both Lord and Messiah, and that God had raised Him from the dead (Acts 2:22-24, 36). Peter's message was rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, citing the prophecies of Joel and David to affirm that Jesus was the promised Savior (Acts 2:16-21, 25-28).

The Response and Growth of the Early Church

The response to Peter's preaching was profound. Those who heard the message were "cut to the heart" and asked what they should do. Peter instructed them to "repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:37-38). About three thousand people accepted the message and were baptized that day, marking the birth of the Church (Acts 2:41).

The early Christian community in Jerusalem devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They lived in unity, sharing their possessions and caring for one another's needs (Acts 2:42-47). This communal life and the signs and wonders performed by the apostles attracted more believers, and the Lord added to their number daily.

Continued Witness in Jerusalem

The apostles continued to preach the Gospel boldly in Jerusalem, despite opposition from religious authorities. Peter and John, after healing a lame man at the temple gate, proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus to the astonished crowd and were subsequently arrested (Acts 3:1-10, 4:1-3). When brought before the Sanhedrin, Peter declared, "Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

The apostles' unwavering witness and the growing number of believers led to increased persecution. Stephen, one of the first deacons, became the first Christian martyr after delivering a powerful testimony before the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:8-7:60). His death marked the beginning of a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem, causing many believers to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria, further spreading the Gospel (Acts 8:1).

Significance of Jerusalem in the Spread of the Gospel

Jerusalem's role as the initial center of Gospel proclamation underscores its theological and historical significance in God's redemptive plan. The city, long associated with God's covenant with Israel, became the launching point for the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. The events in Jerusalem set the stage for the global mission of the Church, as the message of salvation through Christ began to reach the ends of the earth.

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Micah 4:2
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
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Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
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Acts 1:4
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, you have heard of me.
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Acts 2:14
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them, You men of Judaea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and listen to my words:
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Library

Beginning at Jerusalem
... doctrine of baptism, the manner of the Lord's Supper, or this small point of where
the gospel should be first preached. It must begin at Jerusalem and nowhere ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 29 1883/beginning at jerusalem.htm

Heralds of the Gospel
... courage, refused to go farther and returned to Jerusalem. ... the work of proclaiming
the gospel message in ... Saviour, Jesus: when John had first preached before His ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 17 heralds of the.htm

The Gospel of Matthew
... following statement: "For Matthew, having first preached to the ... that "Matthew wrote
a Gospel of Jesus ... of Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius, Ebedjesu ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the gospel of matthew.htm

The Angel of the Everlasting Gospel.
... In later times the gospel which began to be preached at Jerusalem, has been extended
to more distant countries, and ... And the gospel must first be published ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the angel of the everlasting.htm

The First Successors of the Apostles.
... the foundations of the churches "from Jerusalem round about ... One of these books is
the Gospel, [612] which he ... as he says, he followed accurately from the first. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter iv the first successors of.htm

Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold.
... a similar passage see pp.365, 366.] ^b 10 And the gospel must first be preached ... about
the year ad63, or seven years before the destruction of Jerusalem. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxiii destruction of jerusalem foretold.htm

The Parts of the World in which the Apostles Preached
... to say concerning Paul, who preached the Gospel of Christ ... with that of their separation
at Jerusalem, which is ... were divided into three groups: first, Peter and ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/chapter i the parts of the.htm

Jesus is all Good Things; Hence the Gospel is Manifold.
... Jesus to be announced in the Gospel under a ... have done so had not Jesus Himself first
preached the good ... thou that preachest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/11 jesus is all good.htm

The Gospel in Samaria
... all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to ... In the trust given to the first
disciples, believers in ... Everyone who has received the gospel has been given ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 11 the gospel in.htm

Of the Preaching of the Gospel, which is Made More Famous and ...
... unto the ends of the earth." [1242] First of all ... the Church spread herself abroad
from Jerusalem; and when ... nations by those who announced the gospel, whom, as ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 50 of the preaching of.htm