Yes, there is no church language in Christ's earthly ministry because His ministry was directed primarily to the Jew under the law, while the temple, priesthood, and sacrifices were still in full operation.
During His three-year ministry, Jesus directed healed lepers to show themselves to the priest and told the rich young ruler to keep the commandments. The temple continued to function, and even after Pentecost, the apostles still went to the temple and practiced the law. Church language such as bishops, deacons, and pastors is absent from these accounts; it belongs to the revelation given through Paul.
Luke 17:14 — Jesus sent healed lepers to the priests, showing that the law's requirements were still in force during His ministry.
Matthew 19:17 — When asked how to inherit eternal life, Jesus replied with the law: keep the commandments.
Acts 2:22 — Peter addressed his Pentecost hearers as 'Ye men of Israel,' showing the setting was Jewish, not church-age Gentile.
Acts 3:1 — After Pentecost, Peter and John went up into the temple, not to a church building.
The Gospel accounts record no church vocabulary in Jesus' teaching. Instead, they repeatedly show Jesus operating within the Mosaic system. When He healed ten lepers, He told them to go and show themselves to the priests, as the law required (Luke 17:14). When a young rich ruler asked how to inherit eternal life, Jesus answered, 'Keep the commandments' (Matthew 19:17).
Les Feldick teaches that Christ's whole three-year ministry was directed primarily to the Jew under the Old Testament covenant promises, and that every Jew Jesus dealt with was a law-keeping Jew. The temple was still going full blast, with as many as a million animals sacrificed each year around the time of Christ. That is why, when someone came to Jesus, He told them to go to the temple and the priest, and why He told the rich young ruler to keep the commandments—meaning the whole law.
Les says this shows the law was still in force. The temple was operating with sacrifices, and a healed leper had to present himself to the priest before returning to society. Jesus directed him there, demonstrating that His ministry used law language, not church language.
When asked what to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus said to keep the commandments. Les clarifies that Jesus meant keep the whole law—if you broke a commandment, you had to come by the prescribed way of gaining acceptance with God, and you also kept the civil law. This is another example of the ministry being under the law.
Les notes that even in Acts 2 and Acts 3, the setting is thoroughly Jewish. Peter addresses 'Ye men of Israel,' and Peter and John go up to the temple, not the church. There is no mention of bishops, deacons, or pastors in these chapters. Les calls it 'just an extension of Judaism.'
Les says no one told them to quit going to the temple or stop keeping the law. Seven years after Pentecost, Ananias in Acts 22 is described as a devout man according to the law, and he was a believer. The temple had not been closed down, and these believers remained law-keepers.
Why Israel Rejected Their King — Matthew 23 Explained
four of these programs together in one afternoon a month, and it's always so good to see people coming in from rather distant places, as well as here in Tulsa. But anyway, for those of you in our television audience, again, we just like to always explain we are just an informal Bible study.
Jesus Operated Under the Law
Les uses the ten lepers and the rich young ruler to show that Jesus did not give church-age instructions; He directed people to the temple, priests, and the commandments during His three-year ministry.
No Church Language in Early Acts
Les points out that even the first chapters of Acts contain no church government language—no bishops, deacons, or pastors—and describes the period as 'just an extension of Judaism.'
Ministry Directed to Jews Under the Covenant
Les states that everything in Christ's earthly ministry was directed primarily to the Jew under Old Testament covenant promises, and that the temple was still full blast.
Gospels Lack Paul's Mystery Language
Les challenges readers to search the Scriptures: the language of Romans and Paul's epistles is not found in the Gospels or the Old Testament because it was a mystery revealed through Paul.
Acts 2 Is Jewish, Not Gentile
Les shows from Acts 2:22 that Peter was speaking to 'ye men of Israel' at a Jewish feast day in the temple area, so church-age Gentile language cannot be read into these events.
The Apostles Went to the Temple
Les demonstrates that Peter and John went up to the temple, not to the church, and that they were still practicing the Law.
Believing Jews Remained Law-Keepers
Les explains that no one told believing Jews to stop temple worship or law-keeping; even in Acts 22, Ananias was a devout man according to the Law seven years after Pentecost.
Luke 17:14: And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Jesus directed cleansed lepers to present themselves to the priests, showing that the law's requirement was still in force.
Matthew 19:17: And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Jesus answered a question about eternal life with the command to keep the law.
Acts 2:22: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Peter's address to 'Ye men of Israel' shows the audience was Jewish, not the church.
Acts 3:1: Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
The apostles continued to gather at the temple, not at a church building.
Acts 22:12: And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
Seven years after Pentecost, a believer in Damascus was still described as a devout man according to the law.
Because during Christ's earthly ministry He was dealing with Israel under the law. The temple, priesthood, and sacrifices were still in operation, and Jesus told people to obey the law. Church language appears later in the revelation given through Paul.
No. He told healed lepers to show themselves to the priest and told the rich young ruler to keep the commandments. Les emphasizes that no one told believing Jews to quit temple worship or stop keeping the law.
Because they had not been told that they were no longer under the law. Acts 3:1 says they went into the temple at the hour of prayer, and Les notes the temple had not been closed down and they were still practicing the Law.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected Their King — Matthew 23 Explained