I’ve been discussing with a friend what larger gatherings looked like in the book of Acts and why/when they went to the temple. Here’s what I’ve found so far (not exhaustive):
Post-Resurrection Large Church and/or Temple Gatherings
- Luke 24:53 – “they stayed continually at the temple, praising God”
- Acts
- 1:15-26 – chose a new apostle (120 gathered for that)
- 2:1-41 – spiritual gifts; evangelistic message (with 1,000s gathered)
- 2:46 – “every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts” – ambiguous on what they did there (potentially refers to daily prayers, see Acts 3:1)
- 3:1 – Peter and John went to the temple for afternoon prayer
- 3:2-10 – Peter and John heal lame man en route to temple
- 3:11-26 – Peter preached to Jews in Solomon’s Colonnade
- 5:12-13 – “all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them [presumably join their meeting at the Colonnade], even though they were highly regarded by the people”
- 5:15-16 – sick and demonized were brought to be healed by apostles
- 5:21 – apostles entered temple courts to teach the people
- 5:42 – every day in the temple courts and houses the apostles taught and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus
- 6:2-6 – all gathered to determine deacons
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