Transcript Church History - Calvary Roswell

Church History
Ancient and Medieval Church History
(100-1216AD)
Early Persecutions
Class Prayer

“Thou God and Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of Thee, O God of
the angels and of all creation and of all just men who live in Thy
presence, I thank Thee that Thou hast graciously granted me a
portion among Thy people, among the people of Christ, unto the
resurrection of everlasting life: may I be received in Thy sight, as a
fruitful and acceptable sacrifice, wherefore, for all this, I praise
Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee through the eternal High Priest,
Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son; to whom, with Thee and the Holy
Spirit, be all glory, world without end. Amen.” Polycarp (when he
was martyred 155A.D.)
Polycarp
Objectives
 Jewish
persecutions.
 Pagan persecutions.
 Roman persecutions (The duration,
reasons, purpose and results of Roman
persecutions.)
Matthew 5:10
10 “Blessed
are those who are
persecuted for righteousness' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
Jewish Persecution.
 Christianity
first persecuted as a “heretical”
sect of Judaism.
 Jewish
internal persecution also revolved
around differences between “Hebrew” and
“Hellenist” Jews of which Christians were
caught in the middle.
 Expulsion
of Jews from Rome by Claudius
around 50AD. Acts 18:1-2.
“heretical” sect of Judaism

Jewish Christians-(Not a new religion), fulfilment
had come, proclamation to Gentiles was to
become members of the promises made to
Abraham.

Through the advent of the Messiah all nations
would be brought to Zion.

Non-Christian Jews-(Not a new religion), heretical
sect within. Most were used to factions.
Differences between “Hebrew” and
“Hellenist”

“Hebrew”- Less independence because this
heretical sect was not faithful to tradition.

“Hellenist”- New sect worse because they claim a
“new King” Fear wrath of Rome
Expulsion of Jews from Rome

Emperor Claudius around 50-51 AD

Suetonius (Roman historian)- Jews were expelled
from the capital for the disorderly conduct
because of “Christus”

Christian proclamation caused riots among many
Jews. All were expelled (Jew and Christian)

Still seen as internal Jewish problem

Acts 18:1-2
Acts 18:1-2
 After
this Paul left Athens and went to
Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named
Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently
come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,
because Claudius had commanded all
the Jews to leave Rome. And he went
to see them, (ESV)
Pagan Persecution
 Graffiti
discovered on Roman city walls
depicting Christ on the cross as a donkey.
Graffiti
Literary attack

“But since Celsus has declared it to be a saying of
many Christians, that “the wisdom of this life is a
bad thing, but that foolishness is good,” we have
to answer that he slanders the Gospel, not giving
the words as they actually occur in the writings of
Paul, where they run as follow: “If any one among
you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him
become a fool, that he may become wise. For the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”

The apostle, therefore, does not say simply that
“wisdom is foolishness with God,” but “the wisdom of
this world.” And again, not, “If any one among you
seemeth to be wise, let him become a fool
universally;” but, “let him become a fool in this
world, that he may become wise.” We term, then,
“the wisdom of this world,” every false system of
philosophy, which, according to the Scriptures, is
brought to nought; and we call foolishness good, not
without restriction, but when a man becomes foolish
as to this world. […]” Origin vs Celsus ccel.org
Roman Persecution – Nero 60s
Nero

Nero was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the
last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was
adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his
heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne
in 54 following Claudius' death.
Christians blamed
 Rumors
that Nero burned city
 Scapegoat
2
sought
of the districts not burned were
Jewish/Christian ghettos

"First were arraigned those who confessed, then
on their information a vast multitude were
convicted, not so much on the charge of arson as
for their hatred of the human race. Their deaths
were made more cruel by the mockery that
accompanied them. Some were covered with the
skins of wild beasts and torn to pieces by dogs;
others perished on the cross (by crucifixion) or
(others were burned) in the flames; and (yet)
others again were (covered with tar and) were
burnt after sunset as torches to light up the
darkness...
(continued)
 …Nero
himself granted his gardens for
the show, and gave an exhibition in the
circus, and dressed as a charioteer,
drove his chariot himself. Thus, guilt
and deserving the severest punishment
as they were, they were yet pitied, as
they seemed to be put to death, not
for the benefit of the State, but to
gratify the cruelty of an individual."
Domitian, Trajan, Hadrian
 Domitian-
81AD-96AD- Heavy taxes on Jews,
Christians still seen as sect. Rome (city) and Asia
Minor persecutions
 (Nerva-
96AD-98AD)
 Trajan-
98AD-117AD- Do not seek out Christians
because of expense however, if accused must
recant. (Empire wide)
 Hadrian-
117AD-138AD- Pious Roman wanted to
“fix” problems and reconquer lost areas.
Persecution increased.
Antoninus
Pius,138AD-161AD Marcus Aurelius
161AD-180AD (mid-second Century).
Martyrdom
of Polycarp (155). Last person
alive to have known an Apostle (John)
Video was on Polycarp
Martyrdom
of Justin Martyr (163). Was
beheaded, wrote First Apology argued
against persecutions of Christians just
because they were Christians. Argument
for the Logos being active before the
incarnation
The reasons
 Charges
of incest, cannibalism, lack of
patriotism, atheism, hatred of the human
race, causes of disaster, etc.:

“If the Tiber reaches the walls, if the Nile does
not rise to the fields, if the sky does not move
[rain], or the earth does [earthquake], if there is
famine, if there is plague, the cry is at once, ‘The
Christians to the lions!’”
Tertullian
 Refusal
 The
to worship the emperor.
fact of being a Christian.
 “The
very name” (I Peter 4: 16).
 System
of persecution set down in the letter from Trajan to
Pliny the younger in about 112A.D. staying in force as
Roman policy until 250 A.D.

“Christians are not to be sought out. Do not go looking for them. But
if someone denounces someone as a Christian, then bring that person
in and question them. And if that person refuses to recant and
worship our gods, then they should be punished.”

 To

obtain apostasy of Christians.
And achieve martyrdom of the obstinate.
The Manner of Persecution.
As
sport in the arenas.
Roman
citizens executed
The results.
 Persecution
purified the church.
 Surprisingly,
persecution extended the church
through the example of the believers witnessed by
unbelievers. But not always!

“Sharp persecution breaks off only the tips of the
branches. It produces martyrs and the tree still grows.
Never-ending social and political repression, on the other
hand, starves the roots; it stifles evangelism and the
church declines.”
 Contributed
in those not well instructed in the faith
a tendency to revere those who had been martyred
and seek to emulate them to gain blessings.