Bible dictionary: persevere

The disciples of Jesus-Christ, in the Church of Jerusalem persevered in four things which they understood to be the normal life of the Christian.

Acts of the apostles 2/42.

>>1 they persevered in the teaching of the apostles.

>>2 They persevered in the fraternal Communion.

>>3 They persevered in the fraction of the bread.

>>4 They persevered in the prayers.

1 The teaching that the apostles gave to the disciples of the communities of Jerusalem was the one they had received from Jesus-Christ Himself. Matt 28/19.

for instance:

The apostles would never dare to teach people to sell everything and to put the income of the properties sold at their feet, if that had not been taught by Jesus-Christ Himself. Acts 2/44. Acts 4/32-35.

They would never dare to baptise the new disciples in the name of Jesus-Christ if that had pas not been the teaching Jesus-Christ himself had given.

The apostles, and Paul would never tolerate the disciples to be baptised on behalf of the dead if this had not pas been taught by Jesus-Christ.

What we have as a teaching of Jesus-Christ is found in the Gospel. But we should know that the Gospels contain only what Jesus-Christ had started to teach. Acts 1/1. The apostles received teachings which are not written in the Gospels, but we see, upon reading their letters that they lived and taught things they had received

from the Lord during hisy earthly ministry or by revelations Acts 10/9-16. 1 Cor 11/23-34.

Il is easy to reject some ordinances altogether, see ordinances, pretexting that the Bible does not mention many of these things. The first Christians were disciples who persevered in the teaching of the apostles

2 They persevered in the fraternal Communion. It is only when the Church becomes the Church of the Nations that the love cooled down. Rev 2/4. See Church. But the perfect model which the Holy Scriptures gives us is the model of Disciples who persevered in the Community life with the heart filled with divine love. Acts 4/32-35. I know that this is not taught today. I know also that many Christians suffer of solitude. It is in the nature of the heart of a child of God to love and be loved.

I also know all the arguments which try to prove that the Community life was not wanted of God and that the apostles were wrong in that. I don't believe you. Know, for instance that the Bible does not say that God has to separate disciples of Jerusalem who loved one another too much to the point that they would forget to evangelize the lost people. The people who were saved owed this to the power of the Holy Spirit and the Lord kept adding daily those who were being saved. Acts 2/47

3 They persevered in the fraction of the bread. It does not mean that they did not take the cup of wine. In any cases, they persevered in the horizontal Communion, i.e. in the fraternal Communion and in the vertical Communion, i.e. in the communion with the Lord. They persevered in this, i.e. they were in Communion with God as much as they were in Communion with one another: full time.

4 They persevered in prayers. See Prayers.

To persevere is to firm in one's commitment. It is to be faithful to the ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the apostles. Some are not pereverant. This can be due to temptations, persecutions, adversity and opposition we can even find within the diverse churches. But Jesus-Christ tells us: ''in the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer take courage, I have overcome the world!'' Jn 16/33. He who perseveres until the end will be saved Matt 10/22. Mk 13/13. Some have no roots in themselves and lack perseverance Mk 4/17. Love endures everything 1 Cor 13/ 7. Abraham having persevered obtained the promise Heb 6/15.

PERVERSION.

Reversal. Transformation. Many Words of God have been perverted by the clerics of all times. They changed the meaning. They have corrupted it. They have adulterated them. They are denaturated. The people don't know anymore where the Truth is. When they read the Bible, they have before them a veil. The veil of the often erroneous interpretations imposed by their religion. This perversion is as guilty as that of Sodom and Gomorrah. See Sodom. Gomorrah. Homosexuality. Adultery.

PETER. N.T.

Peter was called Simon Matt 16/17. He was a professional fisherman in Bethsaida and was living in Capernaum with his wife. Jesus-Christ healed his mother-in-law. Mk 1/29-31. Peter was called to be disciple of Jesus-Christ at the same time as his brother Andrew Matt 4/18-22. Mk 1/16-18. Lk 5/1-11. Cephas is his aramean name. It means seer or Stone. It is Jesus-Christ who gave him this name. Jn 1/40-42. Peter received the revelation that Jesus-Christ was the son of God Jn 6/68-69. Jesus-Christ gave him the keys opening the gates of the Kingdom at this moment. See keys.

He was on the mount of Transfiguration with James and John. They saw Moses and Elijah who spoke with the Lord Jesus-Christ Matt 17/1-9. He gathered the Church so that decisions are taken in order to replace Judas Acts 1/15-26. Peter and John healed a lame of birth Acts 3/1-16. They are miraculously saved from the prison Acts 5/11-29 Acts 12/1-19.

Peter is using the keys on the day of the Pentecost to open the Gate of the Kingdom to the Jews Acts 2/38-40. Peter is using the keys to open the Gate of the Kingdom to the non-Jews Acts 10 to 11.

There are two letters of Peter.

The first letter was written in Babylon (Rome probably). The Christians who are in what we call Asia Minor have received this letter just after the emperor Nero started to persecute the disciples of Jesus-Christ. The Ch 1 explains that the role of Jesus-Christ was preordained: He had to be the redeemer. The Ch 2 and 3 help us understand that Jesus-Christ is the Cornerstone of the Church see Cornerstone and that the disciples are a chosen race, a royal sacerdoce, a holy nation and a chosen people. It is in the Ch 3 that Peter says that Jesus-Christ went to preach to the spirits in Prison (and in Ch 4, Peter says that the Gospel is preached to the dead so that after being judged according to the flesh, they can live according to God and the Spirit) see Baptism. In Ch 4 and 5 Why the elders must tend their flock. The second letter talks, in Ch 1, of strenthening our vocation and our election. The Ch 2 warns us about the false doctors. The Ch 3 gives light about the last days and the return of Jesus-Christ.

PHARISIAN. N.T.

It was one of the Jewish spiritual groups. The word ''pharisian'' means ''separate''. The pharisians boasted to practice all the law of Moses. Amongs the things which they believed, we find: the resurection, the angels and the spirits. They had traditions which put them on an equal stand with the Scriptures. Their form of religion exacerbated their spiritual pride. Jesus-Christ did not bother to challenge them. This he did by loving the people who were captive of the abusive authority of these clerics. Matt 23. Mk 7/1-23. Lk 11/37-44.

PHILEMON. N.T.

Onesimus the slave belonged to Philemon. Onesimus went to find Paul who sent him back to Philemon with a letter saying: ''If you consider me a comrade, welcome and receive him as you would me.'' Philemon 17.

There is a letter of Paul to Philemon. It is thus a private letter which came to us and which contains very beautiful things for our edification.

PHILIP. N.T.

He was from Betsaida and was part of the twelve apostles of the Lord Matt 10/2-4. Jn 1/43-45. There was another Philip who was chosen to help the apostles Acts 6/2-6. The latter preached to the Ethiopian eunnuch Acts 8.

PHILISTINES. O.T.

It is a tribe which occupied the coastal plains of the Mediterranean sea already before Abraham Gn 21/32. There have been many conflits between Israel and the Philistines. Finally the Philistine territory, Palestine, was used to call the holy land. Israel under the power of the Philistines during fourty years Jg 13/1. Samson fights the Philistines Jg 13 to 16. The giant Goliath is Philistine 1 Sam 17. David beats the Philistines 1 Sam 19/8.

PHILIPPIANS. N.T.

It is a letter of Paul adressed to the disciples of the Town of Philippe. Paul was in prison for the first time when He wrote this letter.

Ch 1, greetings of Paul and speech about unity, humility and perseverance. Ch 2, we shall all bend our knees in front of Jesus-Christ and we have to work for our salvation. Ch 3, Paul sacrificed everything in order to serve Jesus-Christ. Ch 4, thanks of Paul to the disciples of the Town of Philippe.

PIETY.

It is not simple to say what piety is all about. It is mainly a intense fervour and a reverential fear. Piety encompasses several aspects such as the mercy, the holiness, justice, goodness, benevolence, friendship and even love. It is also fidelity. But the fervour that God expects from his children is not a fervour in the accomplishment of the law. He wants us to be fervent in heart first. It is why God says: ''I want you to be merciful and not that you offer sacrifices'' Os 6/6 and Matt 9/13. Piety, therefore, is more a matter of heart than of religious rites however good they are. From this point of view, piety can be likened to a virtue manifested in a quiet and undisturbed life 1 Tim 2/2. Piety is also what opposes to the vices. It produces good works which are much more beautiful than all the jewels of the world 1 Tim 5/4. Piety is opposed to the craving for money 1 Tim 6/6. 1 Tim 6/10.

To make a long story short, piety is a way of life which draws persecution 2 Tim 3/12.

And what the Bible calls the mystery of piety is not an idea for the spiritual gliders. The mystery of piety is a Person. It is the Lord Jesus-Christ who is manifested in a flesh similar to ours, who is believed in the world and who is exalted in the Glory 1 Tim 3/16.

PILATE. N.T.

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from 26 to 36 AD Lk 3/1. He put many Galileans to death Lk 13/1. Jesus was conducted to Pilate to be judged and sentenced to the crucifixion Matt 27/2, 11 to 36, 58 to 66. Mk 15. Lk 23. Jn 18/28 to 19/38.