<p>2:42 <i>And they continued earnestly</i>- The same word is used of how <i>we </i>must &ldquo;continue&rdquo; in prayer (Rom. 12:12; Col. 4:2), i.e. follow the example of the early ecclesia in prayerfulness. The disciples had &ldquo;continued&rdquo; in prayer after the Lord&rsquo;s ascension (Acts 1:14), and now their converts continued in prayer too. Note in passing that we continue in the pattern of those who convert us. Thus to start with, Simon &ldquo;continued with Philip&rdquo; (Acts 8:13). This means that who <i>we</i> are affects the spiritual quality of others. The same word is used several times in Acts (1:14; 2:42,46; 6:4; 8:13). The great concern of all missionary enterprises is that the converts will &quot;continue&quot;, and Luke is therefore at pains to record that the converts did indeed &quot;continue&quot;, initially at least.</p><p><i>In the apostles' teaching and</i> <i>f</i><i>ellowship </i><i>in the breaking of bread and the prayers</i>- Acts 2:42 speaks of the experience of <i>koinonia</i> in the breaking of bread, praying together, and the apostles' teaching about Christ. But these are not the only aspects of <i>koinonia</i>; and these things are all centred around the person of Jesus. In summary, <i>koinonia </i>means to share <i>in </i>and not simply <i>with</i>. At your leisure consider the usage of the word in this connection in Lk. 5:1; Heb. 2:14; 2 Pet. 1:4; Rom. 11:17; 2 Cor. 6:14; Rev. 18:4; Mt. 23:30. We are &ldquo;in fellowship&rdquo; with each other in the sense that we share in the same reality. So all who wish to share in that reality Christ, in the Christian context are &ldquo;in fellowship&rdquo; with each other. Paul often speaks of <i>koinonia</i> in giving- the sense being of giving to or participating in a project or entity outside of yourself.&nbsp; 1 Cor. 10:16-20 speaks of how sharing in a feast implies your sharing in the Lord you are celebrating- the emphasis is vertical rather than horizontal. The concern is whose feast you are attending or engaging in- which entity you are fellowshipping, Christ or an idol. With whom you do this, laterally, isn't in view here.</p><p>Phil. 2 exhorts believers to be of &ldquo;one mind&rdquo;, but that one mind is later defined in the chapter as being the mind of Christ on the cross. Again, the basis of unity between believers is their common share in Christ, especially in His death- there is never any implication that a theological statement of position is to be the basis of their unity. If this were the case, then we would expect to see this specifically stated. Instead, as in 1 Cor. 10, the unity between believers is on account of their individual participation in the mind and work of Christ.</p><p>Acts 2:42 in the AV has strongly influenced the thinking of many who uphold a closed table, due to reading back into a Bible verse the impression given by the AV and assuming it therefore supports a traditional approach to fellowship: &ldquo;And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers&rdquo;. The impression is given by the AV that the duty of baptized believers is to continue believing the &ldquo;doctrine&rdquo; as in the theological positions of the apostles, and to only fellowship and break bread with those who believe the same. But on that basis it ought to be impossible to also pray together with those of different doctrinal persuasions- and that is not usually insisted upon by closed table theorists. However, the Greek text of Acts 2:42 is poorly translated by the AV. The <i>didache</i>, or &ldquo;doctrine&rdquo;, refers not to theological propositions but to the act of teaching by the apostles. The mass of 3000 newly baptized converts were taught further by the apostles, in line with how the great commission of Mt. 28:19,20 had commanded the apostles to go and teach the good news of Christ&rsquo;s resurrection, baptize people into it, and then teach them further. We have in this section of Acts 2 the classic obedience to that commission. Indeed, the mention of people present from &ldquo;all nations&rdquo; encourages us to understand Acts 2 as Luke&rsquo;s account of how the great commission was initially obeyed; and his version of it in Lk. 24:47 says that &ldquo;repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, beginning at Jerusalem&rdquo;. There are pointed references in Acts 2 and 3 to repentance, remission of sins, baptism into the name, and all this beginning at Jerusalem with the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower the preachers (cp. Mk. 16:17). Clearly Luke is presenting the fulfilment of the great commission. The reference to the new converts hearing the teaching AV &ldquo;doctrine&rdquo; of the apostles after baptism is the direct fulfilment of the command of Mt. 28:20 for the apostles to further teach converts after baptism. Hence the CEV translates Acts 2:42: &ldquo;They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together&rdquo;.</p>