Philadelphia 

In connection with the Perean Mission, Jesus and his apostles traveled to the city of Philadelphia to visit Abner and his supporters in February of 30 CE. Philadelphia was notable because it held the largest number of Jews who fully embraced the teachings of the seventy disciples. Many souls were won for the kingdom in Philadelphia. It is also notable as a city that was not under the supervision of the Sanhedrin. Unlike other cities, the synagogue in Philadelphia was still open to the teachings of Jesus, so Abner was free to teach there three times a day. The congregation at Philadelphia followed the actual religion of Jesus more than any other group on earth.

In later years, the Philadelphia synagogue became a Christian church and a center for missionary outreach. It stood alone in the region as a Christian center for centuries after Jesus’ death.

But there was some friction between the Jews in Philadelphia and the Jews in Jerusalem after Jesus’ death and resurrection. James, Jesus’ brother in the flesh and head of the Jerusalem church, had serious problems regarding the Philadelphia congregation and Abner, its leader. This explains why there is no mention of Abner or his work in the New Testament records. The estrangement outlasted both James and Abner and continued even after the destruction of Jerusalem. But Philadelphia was the true headquarters of the early church in the south and the east.

When Jesus and the ten apostles (minus Simon Peter and Andrew) arrived in Philadelphia in February of 30 CE, over six hundred followers came along with him. During the Perean tour, there had been no miraculous healings, except for that of the ten lepers. His message was so powerful at this time that the gospel was being spread even without the personal presence of Jesus or his apostles.

Jesus arrived in Philadelphia and later spoke in the synagogue. Everyone was elated that the gospel was being so well received in Philadelphia and its nearby villages. On Saturday, February 25, Jesus was invited to a breakfast given by a prominent Pharisee who was a follower of Abner. It was during this breakfast that Jesus healed the man with dropsy; and near the end of the breakfast, he delivered his discourse on the Great Supper.

Later that Sabbath, Jesus spoke in the Philadelphia synagogue. At the end of the service, Jesus noticed an elderly woman bent in form and downcast in spirit. He touched her shoulder and spoke words of encouragement to her, telling her that if she would only believe, she could be liberated from her spirit of infirmity. Because of her faith in Jesus, she immediately straightened up and began glorifying God. An unfriendly Pharisee, who was the ruler of the synagogue, criticized Jesus for taking part in a healing on the Sabbath. But Jesus was so well loved in Philadelphia that this ruler was soon deposed and a follower of Jesus was put in his place.

On Monday, Jesus and the ten apostles intended to return to Pella, but their plans changed when the runner from Bethany brought news of Lazarus’ dire sickness. They remained in Philadelphia for two more days before going to Bethany, where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

After Jesus was crucified and died, Lazarus became the target of the Sanhedrin, who ordered his death. They were desperate to stop the teachings of Jesus and felt that they must also get rid of Lazarus, who represented Jesus' greatest demonstration of his power.

When Lazarus heard of this decree, he quickly left his sisters, Mary and Martha, and fled to Philadelphia. He felt safe there with Abner, who he knew well. He became the treasurer of the Philadelphia church and was later joined there by his sisters, who were assisted by David Zebedee to dispose of their home in Bethany. David Zebedee also relocated to Philadelphia, where he spent the remainder of his life. Lazarus died in Philadelphia at age sixty-seven of the same illness that had previously caused his death when he lived in Bethany.

Philadelphia remained as the center from which the Abnerian version of the kingdom of heaven spread throughout Mesopotamia and Arabia until the sudden rise of Islam.

A short time after eight o’clock on Tuesday, April 11, 30 CE, the risen form of Jesus appeared to Abner, Lazarus, and about one hundred and fifty others in the Philadelphia synagogue; this was his tenth resurrection appearance. He appeared between Abner and Lazarus, who were just opening the meeting, and he stepped forward and spoke to those assembled. When he concluded his greeting, he vanished from their sight. This was the second-largest group to witness the resurrected Jesus. The largest group – over five hundred – witnessed Jesus’ fifteenth resurrection appearance in Bethsaida on April 29th, 30 CE.