b"SCRIPTUREThe Doctrinethat Jesus HatesG ettinganunderstandingoftheNicolaitans,Apartyorsectinthe DoctrineoftheNicolaitans,Rev.churchesofEphesusandPergamos 2: 14, 15. 14. But I have a few thingswhose practice and doctrine are severe-againstthee,becausethouholdthely censured. Following the doctrine of doctrine of Balaam, who taught BalakBalaam,theytaughtthatChristians tocastastumblingblockbeforethewerefreetoeatthingsofferedto children of Israel, to eat things sacri- idolsandtocommittheexcessesof ficed unto idols, and to commit forni- heathenism(Rev.2:6,14,15),con-cation. 15. So hast thou also them thattrarytothecommandissuedbythe holdthedoctrineoftheNicolaitans,apostoliccouncilheldatJerusalem which thing I hate.A.D. 50 (Acts 15 :29). Presumably the Nicolaitans were the followers of some heresiarch called Nicolaus. But that he was the deacon of that name in the church at Jerusalem (ch. 6: 5) lacks proof. The earliest trace of the theory that the sect originated in theteachingofthedeaconisfound inthewritingsofIrenaeus,about A.D. 175. A sect of Nicolaitans existed among the Gnostics of the 3d century. They, too, taught the Freedom of the Flesh; and they may have grown out ofthesecorruptChristiansofthe Apostolic Age.Nicolaus (Gr., victor over the people) A proselyte of Antioch, who was 1 of the7electedattheinstanceofthe apostlestolookaftertheinterests oftheGreek-speakingwidowsand, apparently, the Christian poor in gen-eral (Acts 6: 5). source; The Westminster Dictionary of The Bible Copyright, 1944LOCAL CALENDARDon't foget to send us your JAN Events for a FREE listing!email info to:info@bocnews.comBODY OF CHRIST NEWS DECEMBER 2019 15"