Topical Bible: Jerusalem of the Church

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Topical Encyclopedia

Jerusalem holds a significant place in the Christian faith, both as a historical city and as a symbol of spiritual truths. In the New Testament, Jerusalem is not only the geographical center of Jewish worship but also becomes a pivotal location for the early Christian Church. It is the city where Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected, and where the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, marking the birth of the Church.

Historical and Spiritual Significance

Jerusalem is first mentioned in the New Testament in the context of Jesus' ministry. It is the city where He was presented at the Temple as a child (Luke 2:22-38) and where He later taught and performed miracles. The city is central to the Passion narrative, as it is where Jesus was tried, crucified, and resurrected. The Berean Standard Bible recounts Jesus' lament over Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!" (Matthew 23:37).

The Birth of the Church

Jerusalem is the site of the Pentecost event, as described in Acts 2. The apostles were gathered in the city when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, enabling them to speak in various tongues and proclaim the Gospel to people from different nations. This event is considered the birth of the Church, as it marked the beginning of the apostles' public ministry and the spread of Christianity beyond Jewish communities.

Council of Jerusalem

The city also hosted the first Church council, known as the Council of Jerusalem, which addressed the issue of Gentile converts and the requirements of the Mosaic Law. Acts 15:6-29 details the deliberations and decisions made by the apostles and elders, which concluded that Gentile believers were not obligated to follow the entirety of Jewish law, thus affirming the universality of the Christian message.

Symbolic and Eschatological Role

In addition to its historical role, Jerusalem holds a symbolic and eschatological significance in Christian theology. The Book of Revelation describes a "New Jerusalem" that will descend from heaven, representing the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise and the eternal dwelling place of the faithful. Revelation 21:2 states, "I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Jerusalem as a Metaphor for the Church

In the writings of the Apostle Paul, Jerusalem is sometimes used metaphorically to represent the Church. In Galatians 4:26 , Paul contrasts the earthly Jerusalem with the "Jerusalem above," which he describes as free and "our mother." This allegorical use underscores the spiritual freedom and inheritance of believers in Christ, distinguishing the New Covenant from the Old.

Conclusion

Jerusalem, both as a historical city and a theological symbol, occupies a central place in the narrative of the Christian faith. It is the backdrop for key events in the life of Jesus and the early Church, and it serves as a powerful symbol of God's redemptive plan and the hope of eternal communion with Him.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Galatians 4:25,26
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 12:22
But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Greek

4622. Sion -- Zion, a mountain of Jer. or the city of Jer.
... Zion. Of Hebrew origin (Tsiyown); Sion (ie Tsijon), a hill of Jerusalem; figuratively,
the Church (militant or triumphant) -- Sion. see HEBREW Tsiyown. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4622.htm - 6k

2419. Ierousalem -- Jerusalem, the capital of united Isr. and ...
... Definition: Jerusalem Definition: (Aramaic form), Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine:
hence Judaism, and allegorically, Christendom, the Christian Church. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2419.htm - 7k

367. Ananias -- Ananias, the name of three Israelites
... Phonetic Spelling: (an-an-ee'-as) Short Definition: Ananias Definition: Ananias,
(a) husband of Sapphira, a member of the early church at Jerusalem, (b) a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/367.htm - 6k

Library

The Church of Jerusalem and the Labors of Peter.
... The Church of Jerusalem and the Labors of Peter. ... The congregation of Jerusalem became
the mother church of Jewish Christianity, and thus of all Christendom. ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 25 the church of.htm

Swedenborgians, Or, the New Jerusalem Church.
... SWEDENBORGIANS, OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. ... Articles of Faith, Of the New
Church, signified by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation. ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/swedenborgians or the new jerusalem.htm

Consecration of the Church of Jerusalem. --Banishment of St. ...
... The ECCLESIASTICAL HistorY of Theodoret. Book I. Chapter XXIX."Consecration
of the Church of Jerusalem."Banishment of St. Athanasius. ...
/.../chapter xxix consecration of the church.htm

Symeon Rules the Church of Jerusalem after James.
... 23. [692] See ibid. note 40. The date of Symeon's accession (assuming that he did
take charge of the Jerusalem church as James had done) cannot be fixed. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xi symeon rules the church.htm

The Church Triumphant 511. Jerusalem the Golden
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 511. Jerusalem the golden. 7.6.7.6.D.
[1962]Ewing: Alexander Ewing, 1853. Latin; St. Bernard of Cluny, 1145; Tr. ...
/.../the church triumphant 511 jerusalem.htm

The Church Triumphant 514. Jerusalem, My Happy Home
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 514. Jerusalem, my happy home. CM [1970]Southwell
(Irons): Herbert Stephen Irons, 1861. [1971]Jerusalem (Staniforth): ...
/.../the church triumphant 514 jerusalem.htm

The Church Triumphant 509. O Heavenly Jerusalem
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 509. O Heavenly Jerusalem. 7.6.7.6 [1956]St.
Alphege: Henry J. Gauntlett, 1852. [1957]All Hallows: George C. Martin, 1892. ...
/.../the church triumphant 509 o.htm

The Church Triumphant 510. O Mother Dear, Jerusalem
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 510. O mother dear, Jerusalem. CM [1959]Jerusalem
(Staniforth): T. Worsley Staniforth, 1866. [1960]Materna: ...
/.../the church triumphant 510 o.htm

Effects of the Destruction of Jerusalem on the Christian Church.
... CHAPTER VI. THE GREAT TRIBULATION. (MATT. 24:21.) Section 39. Effects of
the Destruction of Jerusalem on the Christian Church. The ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 39 effects of the.htm

How the Church of Our Saviour, the New Jerusalem Prophesied of in ...
... Book III. Chapter XXXIII."How the Church of our Saviour, the New Jerusalem
prophesied of in Scripture, was built. This was the ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter xxxiii how the church of.htm