“๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง”: ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก—๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ?
“ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ”: ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก — ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ ? ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ The description of the Jerusalem church in Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 presents one of the most distinctive features of the earliest Christian community: believers shared their possessions and ensured that no member remained in need. The language of “all things in common,” “one heart and soul,” and “there was not a needy person among them” has generated discussion concerning its possible relationship to Greek philosophical ideals, particularly Plato’s Republic , where the guardians are described as having nothing privately their own. Similar language also appears in Aristotle’s discussion of friendship, while communal ownership was known within certain Jewish communities such as the Essenes. This article examines whether the communal practice of the Jerusalem church should primarily be understood as an influence of Plato o...