There was a [[synagogue]] at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman Philadelphia] that had never been subject to the supervision of the [[Sanhedrin]] at Jerusalem, and it was here that Abner taught three times a day with the result of Philadelphia becoming the largest group of [[persons]] [[embracing]] the teachings of Jesus in all the cities of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perea_(Holy_Land) Perea]. As the Jews of [[Jerusalem]] had always had difficulty with the Jews at Philadelphia, after [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_187 Jesus' crucifixion], the Jerusalem church, of which [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Just James], the Lord's brother was head, began to have serious difficulties with the Philadelphia congregation of believers. It was this congregation of which Abner became head and continued as such until his [[death]], and this estrangement with Jerusalem explains why nothing is heard of Abner and his work in the [[Gospel]] records of the [[New Testament]]. This feud between Jerusalem and Philadelphia lasted throughout the lifetimes of James and Abner and continued for some time after the destruction of Jerusalem. Philadelphia was really the headquarters of the early church in the south and east as Antioch was in the north and west. | There was a [[synagogue]] at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman Philadelphia] that had never been subject to the supervision of the [[Sanhedrin]] at Jerusalem, and it was here that Abner taught three times a day with the result of Philadelphia becoming the largest group of [[persons]] [[embracing]] the teachings of Jesus in all the cities of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perea_(Holy_Land) Perea]. As the Jews of [[Jerusalem]] had always had difficulty with the Jews at Philadelphia, after [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_187 Jesus' crucifixion], the Jerusalem church, of which [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Just James], the Lord's brother was head, began to have serious difficulties with the Philadelphia congregation of believers. It was this congregation of which Abner became head and continued as such until his [[death]], and this estrangement with Jerusalem explains why nothing is heard of Abner and his work in the [[Gospel]] records of the [[New Testament]]. This feud between Jerusalem and Philadelphia lasted throughout the lifetimes of James and Abner and continued for some time after the destruction of Jerusalem. Philadelphia was really the headquarters of the early church in the south and east as Antioch was in the north and west. |