Community of Goods in the Early Church
Early Christians taught that believers should share their goods and help the needy. Acts 4:32-35 is the clearest Bible passage, and Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and Cyprian all give similar descriptions of sharing and distribution. Some writers seem to support a stronger common-property ideal, while others limit that idea or warn against it. The main early Christian teaching is generous sharing for the needy, not a single uniform rule that all private property disappeared.
101 early-church witnesses · 179 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Community of Goods in the Early Church?
Early Christians taught that believers should share with the needy, and some writers also praised a common use of goods inside the church. Acts 4:32-35 is the clearest Bible basis, and Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and Cyprian all echo the same pattern of giving, distribution, and care for those in need. At the same time, the evidence is mixed on full property communism:
some authors describe common sharing as a Christian ideal or church practice, while others, like Clement of Alexandria and Lactantius, reject or limit that idea and stress wise use of possessions. So the strongest early Christian picture is not that all private property was always abolished, but that believers were expected to hold goods loosely and use them for the good of the community.
Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Acts 4:32-35 is the clearest passage for believers having all things common and giving to each as needed.
- Justin Martyr and Tertullian describe Christians putting goods into a common stock or sharing earthly goods with one another.
- Hippolytus says some believers sold possessions and gave the price to the community for distribution to needs.
- Other early writers, especially Clement of Alexandria and Lactantius, do not treat total common ownership as the normal Christian rule.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did the first believers have all things common?
Acts directly says the believers were of one heart and soul, that no one claimed private ownership in an absolute sense, and that possessions were sold and distributed according to need. These verses are the clearest Bible passages for the topic.
-
Acts 4:32 Direct teaching
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
-
Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness
we who valued above all things the acquisition of wealth and possessions, now bring what we have into a common stock, and communicate to every one in need;
-
Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
For a regulation with them is, that an individual coming forward to join the sect must sell his possessions, and present the price of them to the community.
Did early Christians connect selling possessions with giving to the poor?
Some sources quote or echo Jesus’ command to sell possessions and give alms, and others apply it to Christian generosity toward the needy. A few writers interpret the saying spiritually, but the common theme is renunciation for the sake of mercy and holiness.
-
Luke 12:33 Direct teaching
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Direct teaching
...other voice is to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. "And how shall you stand off from them? By selling." What then? Will you receive money in place of possessions, making an exchange of wealth for wealth, by turning your visible substance into silver? By no means. Rather, in place of what was formerly within the soul which you long to save, you bring in another wealth that makes one godlike and supplies eternal life: the dispositions according to God's commandment. In return for these, reward and honor will accrue to you — perpetual salvation and eternal incorruption. Thus you rightly sell your possessions — the many and superfluous things, those that shut the heavens against you — by exchanging for them the things that are able to save. Let those things be possessed by the carnal poor who stand in need of them; but you, by receiving spiritual wealth in their place, will already have a treasure in the heavens.
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Supporting witness
...d, he may be able to use these possessions also well. Therefore, "renouncing all that one has" and "selling all one's possessions" must be understood in this way, as said with reference to the passions of the soul.
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Supporting witness
...; and come, follow Me.' But he, becoming downcast at the saying, went away grieved, for he had many possessions and lands. And looking around, Jesus says to His disciples: 'How hard it is for those who have possessions to enter into the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus, answering again, says to them: 'Children, how hard it is for those who have set their trust on possessions to enter into the kingdom of God! More easily shall a camel pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man into the kingdom of God.' And they were astonished beyond measure, and said: 'Who, then, can be saved?' And He, looking upon them, said: 'What is impossible among men is possible with God.' Peter began to say to Him: 'See, we have left everything and have followed You.' And Jesus, answering, [says]: 'Truly I say to you, whoever leaves what is his own — both parents and brothers and possessions — for My sake and for the sake of the gospel shall receive a hundredfold; now in this present time lands and possessions and houses and brothers, with persecutions, [unto where? —]; but in the world to come there is eternal life. [And then] the first shall be last and th
-
Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
... producing its fruits, Matthew 21:43, to the one who in faith has bought the field as the result of selling all that he had and no longer keeping anything that was formerly his, because those things were a source of evil to him. And you should apply the same meaning if the field containing the hidden treasure is Christ. For those who give up all things and follow Him have, in a sense, sold their possessions in another way, so that by selling and surrendering them, and by receiving from God, their helper, a noble purpose in their place, they may buy, at a great cost worthy of the field, the field that contains the treasure hidden in itself.
-
Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
Sell, says He, your goods, and give alms.
-
Tertullian, On Idolatry Supporting witness
My work was my subsistence. Nay, but all things are to be sold, and divided to the needy.
Did early Christians teach total common ownership of property?
The evidence is mixed on whether early Christians taught full common ownership as a rule. Tertullian and Hippolytus describe a strong common life, but Clement of Alexandria and Lactantius push back, saying possessions should be used rightly and that common ownership is not the whole picture.
-
Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness
...eates brotherly bonds among us. Being one in mind and soul, we do not hesitate to share our earthly goods with one another. Everything is common among us except our wives. In this matter alone we give up community, though it is practiced only by others, who not only take the wives of their friends, but also very patiently lend their own wives to their friends. I suppose they follow the example of those wise men of ancient times, the Greek Socrates and the Roman Cato, who shared with their friends the wives they had married, apparently for the sake of having children both for themselves and for others. Whether in this they acted against their wives' wishes, I cannot say. Why should the wives care much about their chastity, when their husbands so readily gave it away? What a noble example of Attic wisdom and Roman gravity: the philosopher and the censor acting as pimps! What wonder, then, if that great love of Christians toward one another is desecrated by you! For you also attack our humble feasts, on the ground that they are extravagant as well as shamefully wicked. It seems the saying of Diogenes applies to us: "The people of Megara feast as though they were going to die tomorr
-
Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
They despise wealth and do not refuse to share their goods with those who are needy. Yet no one among them has more riches than another. For they have a rule that anyone who comes forward to join the sect must sell his possessions and give the price of them to the community. When the money is received, the head of the order distributes it to all according to their needs. So no one among them is in distress. They also do not use oil, because they regard it as a defilement to be anointed with it. And overseers are appointed to take care of everything that belongs to them in common, and they all always appear in white clothing.
-
Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
neither was there any distinction among them, nor did they esteem anything their own of the goods which belonged to them, but they had all things common.
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching
All things therefore are common, and not for the rich to appropriate an undue share.
-
Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching
since God had given the earth in common to all, that they might pass their life in common, not that mad and raging avarice might claim all things for itself, and that that which was produced for all might not be wanting to any.
More related quotations from this section 2 shown
-
Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
thus the first people of believers kept Christ's commands: they were prompt, they were liberal, they gave their all to be distributed by the apostles;
-
Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
but that they may be equal, as the method of justice requires, they must possess all things in common.
Common Questions
Did early Christians share all their property?
Some early Christian writings describe believers sharing goods and giving to the needy, and Acts 4:32-35 says they had all things common. But other writers do not present total common ownership as the only rule.
Which Bible passages are most important on this topic?
Acts 2:44-45 and Acts 4:32-35 are the key passages, and Luke 12:33 is also often tied to selling possessions and giving to the needy.
Did early Christian leaders support caring for the poor?
Yes. Justin Martyr says donations were collected and used for orphans, widows, prisoners, strangers, and others in need, and Cyprian and Tertullian describe similar sharing.
Source Index for the Community of Goods in the Early Church
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 158 ranked source links from 179 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 158 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 101
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
-
Didache, Connection to Acts 2:42
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
-
Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
Bible Passages 78 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
Related Resources
Course Lesson
What Are Good and Bad Reasons for Leaving a Conservative Anabaptist Church for a More Kingdom-focused Church?
Open a related course lesson for more teaching connected with The Community of Goods in the Early Church.
Course Lesson
What's a good way to facilitate the discipleship of children in a church plant?
Open a related course lesson for more teaching connected with The Community of Goods in the Early Church.