The Diaspora

Bible Study

Diaspora

James 1:1 ESV

Matthew 28:19-20 ESV

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 ESV

When I woke up this morning I had in my mind a long list of things to do and accomplish today.

Once I was dressed I grabbed my writing equipment and put those in my bag. I always that in case I get an idea.

I headed for my car and started writing.

It was cold last night so it took a minute for my car to warm up, so I started praying. To be truthful I was sitting with God to ask where to go and what I should write about today.

The chosen scripture was from James 1:1, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings”

I knew I was going to write about the diaspora. The word diaspora or dispersion means the scattering of the people (in this sense the Jews) from their homeland.

After the resurrection the disciples disbursed, leaving their homeland at the command of Jesus. In Matthew 28:19-20 we are told, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

I have to wonder what it would have been like as the early disciples scattered.

How did they determine who their traveling partner would be?

Did they have a chart that told who would go North, Northeast, East, Southeast (etc.) so they would know where the others had gone in their travels?

Did they see each other again?

Were there accounts written of their journeys?

Then more to the point, because their intent was to spread the message about Jesus and the resurrection what happened when they went to various areas?

Were there people they met who had heard about Jesus from other travelers?

I started to realize the list of questions could go on and on.

We know from Church History that by 1000 A.D. the church had significantly grown and there were two forms of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the opposite direction had a significant presence.

Did Paul know what the diaspora (dispersion of the Gospel) would look like when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, “But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”

In Acts we are told the disciples went out and scattered in every direction. It’s clear that God had remarkable miraculous events beyond their horizon. With the Spirit as their guide they disbursed and spread the message of the love of Jesus!

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com