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Church History - Age of Apostles
Scripture Passage:
Church History - Age of Apostles - THE JEWS AND THEIR TRADITION
- General Characteristics
- People of ritual; traditional practices
- Legalistic minds; straining at gnats
- Extremely nationalistic
- Led to constant uprisings
- Led to destruction of Jerusalem (70AD)
- Special privileges under the Roman empire
- Given complete liberty as compared to other peoples
- Many were allowed to become Roman citizens (Acts 21:39But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
See All...; 22:25-28
See All...) - Given complete freedom of worship, including observance of Sabbaths and feast days
- Freed from military service because they refused to march or fight on the Sabbath
- Not obliged to appear in courts on holy days
- Exclusive attitude (Romans 2:17-20 [17] Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
[18] And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
[19] And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
[20] An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
See All...) - Separate from other peoples; no intermarriage
- Would not join in the worship of the Roman gods or the Roman Emperor
- Their privileges plus attitude led to resentment from the general populace
- Often received blame for natural disasters
- Political Parties
- Pharisees (Matthew 23)
- Considered the spiritual leaders of the time
- Extremely legalistic in practice
- Literal in interpretation to the extent of believing in the resurrection and angels
- Traditionalists who added to the word by accepting many traditions and writings as authoritative in addition to scripture
- Providential – believed that God had a part in the affairs of men
- Proud (Luke 18:9-13 [9] And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
[10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
[12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
See All...) - Type of Roman Catholics (Matthew 15:1-9 [1] Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
[2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
[3] But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
[4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
[5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
[6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
[7] Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
[8] This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
[9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
See All...) - Transgressing the word (v.3)
- Neutralizing the word (v.6)
- Replacing the word (v.9)
- Saducees (Acts 23:6-9 [6] But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
[7] And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
[8] For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
[9] And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
See All...) - Spiritual modernists
- Rejected angels; resurrection (Matthew 22:23The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
See All...) - Practiced free (not literal) interpretation
- Aristocrats
- Deistic – believed that God existed but did not concern Himself with the affairs of mankind
- Cooperated with the Romans
- Controlled the high priesthood most of the time
- Essenes
- Lived a communal, monastic life
- Extremely pious in their external life – emphasized brotherly love
- Extremely ascetic
- Renounced marriage
- Denied a physical resurrection
- Rejected animal sacrifice
- Lived in separate and isolated communities
- Said by some to have influenced John the Baptist and Christ. This is false.
- May have influenced later monasticism
- Zealots
- Simon called Zelotes (one of the twelve) probably came from this group (Luke 6:15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
See All...) - Very pro-Jewish
- Hated Roman control
- Wanted independence
- Had much to do with inciting the wars against Rome
- The Great Revolt of the Jews (66-73AD) ended with the destruction of Jerusalem by General Titus in 70AD and the taking of Masada in 73AD
- The Revolt of Bar Kokhba (132-135AD) who claimed to be the Jewish Messiah resulted in temporary decrees prohibiting circumcision and the teaching of the Torah
- Herodians
- Found in Matthew 22:16And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
See All...; Mark 3:6And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
See All...; 12:13
See All... - A small group supportive of King Herod
- Pro-government and pro-Roman
- Samaritans
- Partial Jews who were the result of intermarriage of the ten tribes with foreign races after the captivity of Israel (2Kings 17:24-41 [24] And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
[25] And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.
[26] Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
[27] Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
[28] Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
[29] Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
[30] And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
[31] And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
[32] So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
[33] They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
[34] Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
[35] With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
[36] But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
[37] And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
[38] And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.
[39] But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
[40] Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.
[41] So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
See All...) - Claimed that Mt. Gerizim was the true sanctuary (John 4:19-22 [19] The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
[20] Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
[21] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
[22] Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
See All...) - Accepted only the Pentateuch as scripture
- Not recognized by the Jewish purists (John 4:9Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
See All...) - Institutions
- Temple
- The Temple Ages
- First Temple Age – Solomon’s Temple (2Samuel 7)
- Second Temple Age
- Began with Zerubbabel’s Temple (Ezekiel 6)
- Continued through the rebuilding of the temple by Herod (Mark 13)
- Ended with the destruction of the temple in 70AD
- Pattern for Roman Catholic services
- Sacrifice – the Eucharist
- Mediator – the priest
- Synagogue
- Mentioned once in the Old Testament (Psalm 74:8They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
See All...) but complete service seems to have developed in the time between the testaments - Service included:
- Singing
- Sermon
- Offering
- Prayer
- Scripture reading (Luke 4:16-21 [16] And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
[17] And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
[18] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
[19] To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
[20] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
[21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
See All...) - Pattern for church services
- Sanhedrin
- Scripturally called the council (Mark 14:55And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
See All...; Acts 5:21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
See All...; 23:1-10
See All...) - Jewish supreme court of law
- Higher court had 71 members
- Could pronounce but could not impose the death penalty (John 18:31-32 [31] Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
[32] That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
See All...) - Appearance before the council
- Christ (John 19)
- Peter & John (Acts 4-5)
- Stephen (Acts 6-7)
- Paul (Acts 23)
- Jewish Dispersion
- Called the diaspora (see James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
See All...; 1Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
See All...) - Major causes
- Captivities (Assyrian & Babylonian)
- Commercial opportunities under Roman freedom
- Jews lived throughout the Roman Empire and beyond it toward the east
- Largest Jewish population was in Alexandria, Egypt (Jeremiah 43:4-7 [4] So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.
[5] But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
[6] Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
[7] So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.
See All...); Antioch, Syria also had a large population - Jewish Literature
- Philo of Alexandria
- Lived from c.20BC to c.42AD
- Famous Jewish philosopher
- Known for his allegorical interpretation of scripture
- Had much influence on later Christian thought
- Flavius Josephus
- Lived from c.37 to c.100AD
- Jewish historian born in Jerusalem of a priestly family
- Given command of the army of Galilee in the Jewish revolt of 66AD
- Captured by the Romans and after a time of imprisonment was released and given a role in trying to convince the rebellious Jews to make peace with Rome—but to no avail
- Works include Jewish War and Antiquities of the Jews
- Mishnah
- Jewish tradition teaches that at the time of Moses two laws were given to him.
- The written law or the Torah
- Five Books of Moses
- Taught to contain 613 specific laws or mitzvoth that are binding on the Jewish people
- The oral law
- This was an extension of the written law observed in the traditions of the Jews
- This law was passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation until recorded in the Mishna
- Written in about 200AD under the leadership of Rabbi Judah ha Nassi (the Prince)
- Divided into six orders and further subdivided into 63 tractates. The orders are:
- Zera’im (Seeds) deals with agricultural rules and produce offerings
- Mo’ed (Festivals) deals with the keeping of the Sabbath and the annual feasts
- Nashim (Women) deals with issues between the sexes including marriage and divorce
- Nezikin (Damages) deals with Jewish civil and ceremonial law
- Kodashim (Sacred Things) deals with the laws of sacrifice and ritual slaughter
- Taharot (Ritual Purity) deals with the laws of purity and impurity
- Talmud
- The Mishnah was written in a difficult and abbreviated form that needed much interpretation
- Commentary, or text explaining the Mishnah, also became codified and took on the name of Gemera
- The Mishnah with its commentary (Gemera) came to be known together as the Talmud
- Two entirely different editions of the Talmud were written
- The Jerusalem or Palestinian Talmud Was completed c.400AD
- The Babylonian Talmud was completed c.500AD. This was the largest Talmud and is the most used today
- Two types of material from the Talmud are given special names
- Halakah – refers to legal rulings
- Aggadah – refers to ethical and homiletic material
- THE ROMANS AND THEIR GOVERNMENT
- General Characteristics
- People of action
- Practical minds
- Very organized
- Not considered creative (in comparison to the Greeks)
- Assimilated the cultures of those they conquered
- Rome’s Unifying Factors
- A universal Roman law
- An extensive Roman army
- Kept order throughout the empire
- Highly respected; an army career was a distinguished career; consider the honor given to centurions in the Bible
- A common Roman coinage
- A complete network of roads
- Established for the movement of armies
- Aided commerce
- Aided evangelism
- A universal language
- Not Latin, but Greek
- Even in Rome, one-half of the inhabitants spoke Greek; the church in Rome spoke Greek until the third century
- A remaining influence of Greek civilization
- Social Conditions
- Much travel and trade
- A great deal of intermarriage
- A tendency to merge cultures
- Frequent wars
- Frequent suicides
- Infidelity was very common
- Divorce rate was very high
- The State Religion
- Emperor worship; the emperor was worshipped as a god
- Explains the origin of Caesar (Roman, Czar or Tsar (Russian) and Kaiser (German)
- All other religions were accepted in Rome as long as the other religions accepted the emperor as god. NOTE: This is similar to the Roman Catholic attitude toward the pope.
- THE GREEKS AND THEIR PHILOSOPHY
- General Characteristics
- People of thought (1Corinthians 1:21-24 [21] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
[22] For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
[23] But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
[24] But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
See All...) - Speculative minds; even their science was developed on mental speculation and not on physical experimentation
- Creative
- Not known for great organizational ability
- Dominated the culture, art, literature and thought of the Roman Empire even though conquered by them
- Major cities of Greek influence
- Athens – a major city of philosophy
- Alexandria – a major city of philosophy and science; they actually broke the mold and began experimenting (practiced vivisection on criminals)
- Antioch – Greek and oriental cultures merged here
- Dominant Greek Philosophies (Colossians 2:8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
See All...) - Pythagoreanism
- Founded by Pythagoras (582-510BC)
- Philosophy of mathematics; based on the principles of numbers
- Emphasized harmony
- Expressed ethics in symbolic, numeric form
- Socratic Philosophy
- Founded by Socrates (471-399BC)
- Philosophy of ethics
- All vice is the result of ignorance
- Virtue is knowledge and is therefore capable of being taught
- Platonism
- Founded by Plato (427-347BC)
- Philosophy of ideas
- Only the perfect idea is real: Idealism or nominalism
- Virtue is the perfect adaptation to one’s calling
- Praised by many “church fathers” as close to Christian theology
- Many faulty theological definitions are the result of incorporating Platonic definitions into Christian theology; soul is one example
- Aristotelianism
- Founded by Aristotle (384-322BC)
- Philosophy of science
- Only the thing itself is real: realism
- Emphasized formal logic and intricate systems
- Followed by the Catholic philosopher and theologian St. Thomas Aquinas (c.1225-1274AD) in his Summa Theologiae
- Stoicism
- Founded by Zeno (c.380BC)
- Philosophy of asceticism (self-denial)
- Had high moral tone; taught brotherhood of man
- Pantheistic in theology (God is everything)
- Found on Mars Hill (Acts 17:18Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
See All...) - Epicureanism
- Founded by Epicurus (341-270BC)
- Philosophy of pleasure
- Identified good with pleasure and the absence of pain (see Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
See All...) - Found on Mars Hill (Acts 17:18Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
See All...) - Skepticism
- Philosophy of doubt
- Taught that any premise is as true as its contradiction
- Destroyed the distinctions between true and false, right and wrong (See Isaiah 5:20Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
See All...) - THE ORIENTALS AND THEIR MYSTERY RELIGIONS
- General Characteristics
- People who sought a personal experience
- Reflective, meditative minds
- The Eastern Religions
- From Persia and Asia
- Centered around Babylon
- Offered man a spiritual release from death
- Promised eternal happiness
- Required initiations
- Provided a mediator between God and man
- The Babylonian Mystery Religions has a direct influence on Roman Catholicism (Easter, the sacraments, etc.)
- Babylonian Mystery Religions
- Orphic Cult
- Taught dualism between good and evil. (Although this may sound proper at first, eastern dualism tried to make a complete distinction between good and evil. If the flesh was evil, then it had to be punished, etc.)
- Taught celibacy and abstention from meat and wine for priests
- Magna Mater
- Means “the Great Mother”
- Baptism required for membership: required to forgive sins; was in blood
- Their priests “were eunuchs who wore female garb, who kept their hair long and perfumed with ointment, and who celebrated the goddess’ rites with wild music and dancing until their frenzied excitement found its culmination in self-scourging, self-laceration, or exhaustion.” –Encyclopedia Britannica in the article on “Mystery Religions”
- Mythraism
- Taught triumph of light over darkness
- Taught baptismal regeneration
- Had sacramental meal
- Isis Mysteries
- Originated in Egypt
- Related to Ishtar, Ashtaroth and Astarte
- Centered around mother (Isis) and her son
- “The Christian representations of the Madonna and child are clearly the continuation of the representations of Isis and her son suckling the breast.” –Encyclopedia Britannica
- APOSTOLIC EVANGELIZATION
- The Twelve
- Their commission (Matthew 28:16-20 [16] Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
[17] And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
See All...; Mark 16:15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
See All...; Luke 24:47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
See All...; Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
See All...) - Its content
- Salvation
- Baptism
- Teaching
- Its extent (Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
See All...) - Jerusalem
- Judaea
- Samaria
- Uttermost part of the earth
- Their disobedience
- Blessings (Acts 2:41-47 [41] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
[42] And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
[43] And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
[44] And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
[45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
[46] And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
[47] Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
See All...) - Contentment (Acts 5:28Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
See All...; cp 17:6
See All...) - The first major persecution
- At the time of Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1-3 [1] And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
[2] And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
[3] As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
See All...) - Beginning of world evangelism (Acts 8:4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
See All...) - Beginning of church at Antioch and Gentile conversion (Acts 11:19-21 [19] Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
[20] And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the LORD Jesus.
[21] And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
See All...) - The Apostle Paul
- First missionary journey
- Begins at Antioch (Acts 13:1-4 [1] Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
[2] As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
[3] And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
[4] So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
See All...) - Travels through Cyprus and Asia Minor with Barnabas
- Returned to Antioch (Acts 14:26-28 [26] And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
[27] And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
[28] And there they abode long time with the disciples.
See All...) - Followed by meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15)
- Second missionary journey
- Begins at Antioch (Acts 15:36-41 [36] And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do.
[37] And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
[38] But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
[39] And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
[40] And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
[41] And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
See All...) - Separated from Barnabas who went to Cyprus with Mark
- Took Silas and later picked up Timothy
- Strengthened and established the churches in Asia Minor
- Took the gospel to Europe by way of Macedonia
- Returned to Antioch
- Third missionary journey
- Begins at Antioch (Acts 18:22-23 [22] And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
[23] And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
See All...) - Confirms the established churches in Asia Minor and Europe
- Travels to Jerusalem and is arrested there
- Held in Casarea for two years
- Taken to Rome
- Fourth missionary journey
- Disputed by many but fits the facts of scripture
- Occasion of Paul’s journey into Spain (Romans 15:24Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.
See All...,28); notice the statements of fact: “whensoever” (v.24) and “I will come by you into Spain” (v.28). - This journey was possible after the first Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:30-31 [30] And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
[31] Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
See All...) and Paul’s first deliverance (2Timothy 4:16-17 [16] At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. [17] Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
See All...) - Occurred before Paul’s final departure (2Timothy 4:6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
See All...; subscript at the end of II Timothy) - Consider the things Paul left behind
- Cloak, books and parchments which Paul needed before winter (2Timothy 4:13The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
See All...,21) - Trophimus left at Miletum sick (2Timothy 4:20Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
See All...) - By the end of Acts, Paul had been in prison over four years [2 years in Caesarea (Acts 24:27But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
See All...) and 2 years in Rome (Acts 28:30And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
See All...)]. When he wrote II Timothy, he was preparing to die (4:6). The above statements do not make any sense if he did not have a time of freedom between the end of Acts and II Timothy. This provides time for a fourth missionary journey. - Quotation from Clement of Rome
- Written about 95AD
- “Paul…having come to the limit of the West, and borne witness before the magistrates, departed from the world and went to the holy place, having furnished the sublimest model of endurance.”
- The limit of the West would be Spain and/or Britain
- THE COMPLETED CANON
- Definition – a rule or standard; hence, the books which make up the scriptures (Romans 1:2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
See All...; 2Peter 3:16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
See All...) - Scriptural Evidence
- Testimony of the Old Testament (Psalm 119:89For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
See All...; Isaiah 40:8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
See All...) - Testimony of Christ
- Gospels (John 14:26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
See All...; 15:26-27
See All...) – “bring all things to your remembrance” - Epistles (John 14:26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
See All...; 16:13
See All...) – “shall teach you all things”; “all truth” - Revelation (John 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
See All...) – “shew you things to come” - Testimony of Paul
- Given by revelation (Galatians 1:11-12 [11] But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
[12] For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
See All...; 1Thessalonians 2:13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
See All...) - Given by inspiration (2Timothy 3:16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
See All...) - When completed will be “that which is perfect” (1Corinthians 13:8-13 [8] Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
[9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
[10] But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
[11] When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
[12] For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
[13] And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
See All...) - Testimony of Peter (2Peter 3:15-16 [15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
See All...) - Paul’s epistles
- Other scriptures
- Testimony of John
- Selectivity of canon (John 20:30-31 [30] And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
[31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
See All...; 21:19-25
See All...) - Completion of canon (Revelation 22:18-19 [18] For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
[19] And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
See All...) - Evidence of Early Use
- Evidence supports the acceptance and use of all the New Testament books as scripture by about 150AD
- Irenaus (c.175) quotes from all the New Testament books except Philemon, II Peter and Jude
- Clement of Alexandria (c.200) quotes from all 27 of the New Testament books
- The Old Latin Vulgate and Old Syrian Versions were translated by 200AD and have all the books of the New Testament
- Verification of Their Acceptance
- The 27 books of the New Testament canon were accepted by the great bulk of Christians and churches (cp.Isaiah 8:16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
See All...) long before they were verified by councils - The books of the canon were formed without interference from any authority other than their own weight
- They were accepted because of their own merit and because of the witness of the Spirit with regard to any official recognition
- Several books were questioned by the scholars and writers of the first three or four centuries
- These books are called the antilegomena, meaning “spoken against”.
- They consisted of seven books
- Hebrews
- James
- II Peter
- II John
- III John
- Jude
- Revelation
- However, these books were accepted as true scripture by the majority of believers
- Several councils late in the fourth centure verified the canon
- Hippo, Africa (393)
- Carthage, Africa (397)
- APOSTOLIC WRITERS
- Introduction
- Called apostolic because their lives overlapped the lives of the apostles
- Normally called the Apostolic Fathers. However, Christ spoke against using father as a spiritual title (Matthew 23:9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
See All...). Therefore, this Catholic tradition will not be followed in these notes. - Clement of Rome
- 30-100AD
- Bishop (i.e., pastor) at Rome
- Later writers identify him as the Clement spoken of by Paul (Philippians 4:3
See All...) - Wrote an epistle to the Corinthians
- 97AD
- First Christian literature after the completion of the New Testament books
- Quotes from several new Testament books, including the disputed books of Hebrews and James
- Writing obviously not on the same level with the canonical books of the New Testament
- Sometimes quotes from the Apocrypha—something no New Testament book does
- Speaks of the myth of the phoenix (a bird that dies and resurrects every 500 years) as a fact
- Bears strong testimony to the doctrines of:
- The trinity
- Blood redemption
- Justification by faith
- Ignatius
- C.35-107AD
- Bishop at Antioch, Syria
- Knew the Apostle John and Polycarp
- Wrote seven letters on the way to Roman imprisonment
- Spoke of Christ as the “God-man”
- First to speak of the “catholic church”; however, meant catholic only in the sense of universal
- Enthusiastically approached martyrdom (He was later criticized for this enthusiasm)
- “I would rather die for Christ, than rule the whole earth.”
- “It is glorious to go down in the world, in order to go up into God.”
- “I am a grain of the wheat of God, and I would be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread of God.”
- Thrown to wild beasts in the Roman arena
- Polycarp
- Before 69-155AD
- Bishop of Smyrna, Asia Minor
- Knew the Apostle John, Ignatius and Papias
- Teacher of Irenaeus
- Wrote an epistle to the Philippians
- Taught justification by grace
- Burned at the stake
- Said when given an opportunity to curse Jesus and not be killed, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”
- Papias
- 60-130AD
- Bishop at Hierapolis, Phrygia
- Knew the Apostle john and polycarp
- Held strong millenarian views
- A premillenialist
- Criticized by Eusebius for this
- Chiliasm, which is the belief in a thousand year reign of Christ, is called “the prevailing view in the second century” by Philip Schaff, a man who denied the kingdom reign of Christ
- Taught that Christ was born in a cave
- EARLY HERESIES
- Cerinthus
- Appeared towards the end of the first century
- A Gnostic teacher of Asia Minor
- Taught that the world was not created by God but by a subordinate power
- Separated the physical Jesus from the spiritual Christ. Said Christ came upon Jesus at his baptism and left at his crucifixion. Therefore, the spiritual Christ was not born and did not die. John’s writings had much that fought this teaching (see 1John 2:22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
See All...; 4:3
See All...; 2John 1:7For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
See All...,9) - Basilides
- A Gnostic who taught in Alexandria in the early second century
- Believed in two uncreated and self-existent principles: light and darkness. God is the head of light and the universe is explained by the struggles between light and darkness; this is called dualism
- He also separated the physical Jesus from the divine Christ
- Ebionites
- Origin
- Continuation of the Judaizers (Galatians 2:14-21 [14] But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
[15] We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
[16] Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
[17] But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
[18] For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
[19] For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
[20] I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
[21] I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
See All...; 4:9-11
See All...) - Comes from word meaning “poor”; a name first applied to Christians in general; then to Jewish Christians and finally to the heretical Jewish Christians
- Teachings concerning the Bible
- The Old Testament contained true and false elements
- Accepted James, Matthew and Peter
- Rejected Paul and John
- Teachings concerning salvation
- Legalistic and Judaistic
- Combined faith and works
- Taught that circumcision and the observance of the Mosaic law were necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
See All...,5) - Taught baptismal regeneration
- Teachings concerning Christ
- Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary
- Taught divine conception as opposed to virgin birth
- Emphasized Christ’s earthly life
- Jesus so fulfilled the law that God chose Him to be the Messiah
- Gnosticism
- General Information
- Name comes from the Greek word meaning “to know”
- The Gnostics claimed divine knowledge
- The Gnostics rejected the New Testament except for the Pauline epistles and parts of the gospels
- Philosophy of gnosticism
- Dualistic in nature
- Based on the concept that all mater is evil
- And, all that is good is spirit
- Teachings concerning creation
- Taught that the God of the Old Testament was a lesser god
- Since God is a spirit (John 4:24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
See All...) and God is good; and since physical creation is matter; therefore, all matter is evil - And, since a good God could not create an evil world, God had to create lesser gods (called “aeons”) who in turn created the world
- Christ was one of these aeons
- Teachings concerning Christ
- Arianism
- Denied the deity of Christ
- Since Jesus was human and flesh is evil, Jesus could not be God
- Therefore, Jesus was indwelled by Christ (an aeon) at his baptism
- Scripture references: Galatians 4:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
See All...; 1Timothy 3:16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
See All... - Docetism
- Denied the humanity of Christ
- Since the flesh is evil, Christ only appeared to have a human body
- Scripture references: 1John 1:1-2 [1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
[2] (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
See All...; 4:2-3
See All...; 2John 1:7For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
See All... - Teachings concerning daily living
- Asceticism
- Denial and punishment of the flesh
- Since the flesh is evil, we must punish it to keep it under control
- Libertinism
- Indulgement of the flesh
- Since the flesh is evil, only the spirit is important
- Therefore, fleshly desires may be satisfied freely
Proverbs 28:25
He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.