* Definition: Church is an embodiment (or manifestation) (primarily among people both in heaven and on earth) of who Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is, what he did and is doing, and going to do till the end (Daniel 7:28) arrives.
Note: the word church appears 79 times in 77 vs. in NT.
[Matthew uses 2 times, Luke 18, James 1, Peter 0, John 9, the rest Paul.]
While on earth in a physical body, as the time for Jesus to go back to heaven approaches, Jesus took his disciples to a remote area, and asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Then Jesus said, "On this (rock) foundation I will build my church."
Then he took Peter, John and James to a high mountain. There the three felt good. Their mind and body rested, and they got into a so called "prophecy mode", a sort of dreamy state, just as Jacob who at night fell asleep and saw the vision of the ladder reaching high (Gen 28). While on this state they saw Jesus transfigured, Moses, Elijah appearing talking to Jesus about Jesus' departure, bringing fulfillment (what had been prophesied) at Jerusalem (that is, his death and resurrection, coming again etc.)
As of that moment Peter had no idea of what church is all about. So he blurted out, "Lord, let us stay here, build a shelter." But later what Peter saw on the mountainside helped him understand the meaning of church. Thanks to Jesus' revelation, the Lord used Peter to make a break-through in Jerusalem, John to primarily manage (such churches as 7 churches in Asia Minor).
* Development via:
- Moses: Moses showed up at the mountain, conversing with Jesus and Elijah, talking about his departure, only to fulfill the prophecy on God's way of salvation.
Moses occupies a special position as a prophet, for unlike other prophets such as Miriam or Isaiah he saw the Lord face to face, speaking to him or listening to him face to face: Moses did not need to get in a so called prophetic mode such as in a vision carried by the Spirit or while in a dream with one's mind and body resting in tranquility.
The Lord talked to Moses to come up with the first five books of the Bible (called Torah). Torah contains among other contents the prophecy on the Son, the author of Prophets/Prophecy, the one who is to save the Lost, restoring them back home. Speaking of Jesus' coming after him, Moses said to his folks (as a farewell message, so to speak before saying 'bye, good luck' to his flock ready to get into the Promised Land), "The Lord will raise a prophet like me; you guys ought to listen to him. Otherwise you are stuck." Deut 18. Examples of the symbols, types, messages, that point to the Savior coming include the ark, instructions on the 7 festivals, etc.
- Elijah: the Prophet Elijah was said to come before the coming of the (first, and arguably second) coming of Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior. He is a trumpeter, signaling the coming of the king in a royal procession. He also played a role of Jesus' rising, by way of himself rising into heaven riding a fiery horse and chariot.
- Voice from heaven: Listen to Him. Luke 9:28-43 [At that time Peter did not like Jesus going to the way of Calvary.]
- Peter: He worked to break a ground building a church fellowship during the dawn of the Post Jesus era, as seen the number of people added to the church fellowship in the Book of Acts via three speeches. The first speech includes the message stating, "Repent and be baptized all of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and receive the gift (Holy Spirit) from God." Acts 2:38. Not so long after persecution arose. Many were confused about the church. Peter had a heart for them, and encouraged them to stand firm in faith so they could grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Read I, II Peter.
- John: It is said John had to be cautious for he was given charge of Jesus' mother. Apparently his base was in Ephesus at least during the latter part of his career. His career also included the hard times of persecution during the Roman rule. Yet, since Jesus put in his mind a clear concept of church, he was able to minister for the people undergoing the Roman persecution. Examples of his pastoring include giving them such messages as the three epistles, and the messages to the seven churches in the book of Revelation.
- [The rest of the disciples at the foot of the resurrection mountain]: Tradition says all except for the Apostle John suffered martyrdom preaching the gospel (building church if you will) in different areas of mission. For example, according to Spanish legends, James once preached in Spain, got beheaded in AD 44 in Jerusalem, with his dead body moved back to Santiago for burial (close to Portugal) in Spain, thus even to this day many do the trail/road trip/pilgrimage called Camino de Santiago, some to collect souvenir some to get their life reorganized. Last fall my brother in law along with his wife covered the route extending over 800 kms all on foot. And his wife did it twice, once with her husband, second alone.
- [Later Paul]: He maintains that he saw the Risen Jesus, and got zapped. :-) Since then his life was never the same. In his 14 (arguably 13) epistles (and arguably through his influence on Luke in the book of Acts) it is seen how he worked to build the church (among the Gentiles) in action and in words (or theory if you will.) Note: some bible scholars call (in a loose sense) the book of Ephesians as a church "doctrine".
- Apostles, ministers, pastors, missionaries, evangelists, prophets, teachers, shepherds, theologians, scholars, seat-warmers :-) etc. Epes 4:11; 2Ti 2:20
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