And He was saying to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Luke 10:2
Hippolytus of Rome gives us the oldest extant list of the 70 (Luke 10:1-7). Today’s post highlights his account of 11-20.
“11. Parmenas, bishop of Soli.
12. Nicolaus, bishop of Samaria.
13. Barnabas, bishop of Milan.
14. Mark the evangelist, bishop of Alexandria.
15. Luke the evangelist.
These two belonged to the seventy disciples who were scattered by the offence of the word which Christ spoke, “Except a man eat my flesh, and drink my blood, he is not worthy of me.” But the one being induced to return to the Lord by Peter’s instrumentality, and the other by Paul’s, they were honored to preach that Gospel on account of which they also suffered martyrdom, the one being burned, and the other being crucified on an olive tree.
16. Silas, bishop of Corinth.
17. Silvanus, bishop of Thessalonica.
18. Crisces (Crescens), bishop of Carchedon in Gaul.
19. Epaenetus, bishop of Carthage.
20. Andronicus, bishop of Pannonia.”
Hippolytus of Rome in On the End of the World, 49.
At first glance, we see a pattern developing as 9 of 10 would serve in the role of “bishop” and oversee God’s Church in a city. They appear as one team with each one playing a regional role.
From my GTP travels to Alexandria, Egypt, I have found that Mark’s presence is still felt and his impact continues to be celebrated. The church is about 2,000 years old there too!
In our GTP meetings in Mexico City, we are starting to map faithful activities we will ask regional workers to do. Pray with us for unity of the Spirit to continue to bind us together as one team.