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Bren White
Minister/Missionary
Laurel Church of Christ
CHRISTIANITY OVER THE
CENTURIES
FIRST CENTURY
LORD JESUS CHRIST
“Let everyone know in Israel for certain that God has made
this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and
Messiah!”-Peter
ACTS 2:36
“Those who believed (pistis) what Peter said
were baptized (immersed) and added to
the church that day-about 3000 in all.”
ACTS 2:41
“…and they were continuing steadfastly in the teaching of
the Apostles and in the koinonia, in the breaking of
bread and in prayer.”
(Interlinear New Testament)
ACTS 2:42
“…the Apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead…many who heard the message
believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.”
ACTS 4:2
“We cannot help speaking about what
we have seen and heard.”
ACTS 4:20
“They did what Your power and will had decided
beforehand should happen…Enable Your servants to speak
Your Word with great boldness.”
ACTS 4:28
“The Christian learns from God Himself that all things are
arranged by His Providence…”
Theophilus of Antioch (c. 180 A.D.)
“…He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the
whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live…In
Him we live and move and have our being.”-Paul
ACTS 17:24-28
“I am the TRUTH…”“If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…So if the Son of God sets you free, you will be free
indeed.”-John 8:31, 36
THE WORDS OF JESUS
“I honor My Father…I am not seeking glory for Myself…I tell you the truth…”-John 8:49-51
JESUS
“The Christian is interested solely in the truth, not in vain glory; nor does
the Christian allow a variety of conflicting beliefs…The Christian’s
sole interest is in obeying the commands of God and following the law of the Father of immortality, for what comes from God surpasses all
earthly gifts.”
Tatian (c. 170 A.D.)
“The true God is without beginning, unchangeable in nature, the Ruler and Creator of the universe; He is known by His works and be beheld through them.
From observing a ship sailing into a harbor, we infer that a pilot is steering it; likewise, we can perceive that God is the pilot, the governor of the universe, when God will be seen in all His glory.”
Theophilus of Antioch
“…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has
made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible
qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been
made, so that men are without excuse.”
ROMANS 1:19-20
“Those who accept salvation in Christ become spiritual men, but
they are not such by nature but by Christ’s gift of the Spirit to them. By
the Spirit dwelling in them, believers are joined to Christ and to each other in the Church. The Spirit
also makes them partakers of eternal life…”
Irenaeus (c. 182 A.D.)
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and
godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness…so through them you may participate in the
divine nature…”
2 Peter 1:3-4
“They (Christians) love one another. They do not overlook the widow, and they save the orphan.
He who has ministers ungrudgingly to him who does not
have.”
ARISTIDES
GRECO-ROMAN WORLD
AUGUSTUS CAESAR
Reign of Augustus Caesar 27 B.C.-14 A.D.Death of Herod the Great 4 A.D.Reign of Tiberius 14-37 A.D.Anointing of Caiaphas as high priest 18 A.D.Appointment of Pilate as procurator over Judea 26 Reign of Herod Agrippa 37-44 A.D.Reign of Claudius 41-54 A.D.Reign of Nero 54-68 A.D.Reign of Titus 79-81 A.D.Reign of Domitian 81-96 A.D.Reign of Trajan 98-117 A.D.
OVERVIEW
CHRIST & PILATE
PONTIUS PILATE INSCRIPTION
“THIS IS JESUS, KING OF THE JEWS”
MATTHEW 27:37
TIBERIUS
TIBERIUS COIN
AGRIPPA COIN
NERO & AGRIPPINA
TRAJAN (98-117 A.D.)
TRAJAN
“…I have never been present at the examination of the Christians…Whether the bare name (Christian), without any crimes besides…to be punished?
-Pliny the Younger (Governor of the Roman Province of Bythinia (modern day Turkey) 112 A.D.
“…Christians…these people are not to be sought after…”
-Emperor Trajan
EMPEROR TRAJAN
PLINY THE YOUNGER
“At this time there was a wise man called Jesus, and his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. Many among the Jews and the other
nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who had
become his disciples did not abdandon him.” (18:63)
“Christos” (20:200)
-The Antiquities (books 18-20)
FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS
“So great was the persecution against us in many places that Pliny the
Younger, one of the most distinguished governors, was alarmed at the number of martyrs, which he reported to the
emperor.”
EUSEBIUS
LIFE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE(First Century)
“World Government” “World Language”
“Borderless World” Great Entertainment
Incredible Infrastructure Beautiful Public Parks
Magnificent Architecture Public Restrooms
Much Tourism/Travel Playgrounds/Gymnasiums
Disposable Income Women’s Lib Movement
Many Slaves Divorce Rate High
Welfare System Birth Rate Low
Plentiful Water Supply Children disrespect parents
Elaborate Sewer System Prostitution & Abortion rampant
Wealthy have clocks, glass windows
Much drinking, gambling, adultery
Crowded Public Housing Emperor worshipped
ROMAN CITY STREETS
ROMAN ROAD
TRAJAN’S BATHS
ROMAN AQUEDUCT
AWESOME ENGINEERING
ROMAN AMPITHEATER
ROMAN PUBLIC TOILETS
SPREADING GOOD NEWS
CHRISTIANITY’S REACH
EARLY GREEK MANUSCRIPT OF NEW TESTAMENT
THE APOSTLE PAUL?
PAUL?
WHERE PAUL TRAVELED
WHERE PAUL WALKED
PAUL’S FIRST TRIP
ANTIOCH, SYRIA
PAPHOS
ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA
PERGA
ICONIUM
LYSTRA
DERBE
PAUL’S SECOND TRIP
PHILIPPI
PHILIP OF MACEDON
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
AMPHIPOLIS
APOLLONIA
MACEDONIA
THESSALONICA
THESSALONICA
SALONIKI
SALONIKI
GREECE
ATHENS
ATHINAI
PARTHENON
ATHENS AEREOPAGUS
ARISTOTLE
“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road
through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.”
ACTS 19:1
CORINTH
CORINTH
CORINTH
Dionysius
CORINTHIAN RUINS
CORINTH TODAY
CENCHREA
EPHESUS
EPHESUS PUBLIC LIBRARY
EPHESUS BANK
EPHESUS AMPITHEATRE
PAGAN GODESS ARTEMIS
“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Soon the whole
city was in an uproar…”
ACTS 19:23-41
TROASSSOSMITYLENEKIOSSAMOSMILETUS
ACTS 20
TROAS
COS
COS
HIPPOCRATES
“I will use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgement; I will abstain from
harming or wronging any man by it…”
(5th Century B.C.)
‘HIPPOCRATIC OATH’
FIRST HOSPITAL
RHODOS
RHODES
TYRE
PTOLEMAIS
CAESAREA
CYPRUS
“After this we got up and went to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from
Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the house of Mnason, a
man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.”
ACTS 21:15-16
JERUSALEM GATE
DAMASCUS
AGEAN SEA
CRETE
CRETE MAP
MINOAN CIVILIZATION
KNOSSOS PALACE
KNOSSOS
TAURUS THE BULL
MINOAN VASE
PHAESTOS DISK
“Once safely on shore, we found out the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness…”-Acts
28:1-2
MALTA
MALTA
MALTA
“When it was decided that we would sail for Italy…”
ACTS 27
ROME
“After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia
and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.”
ACTS 18:23
WHAT JOHN WROTE ABOUT
PATMOS
PERGAMON
THYATIRA
SARDIS
MELITO OF SARDIS
Select WritingsPassover
On Christian LifeThe Church
The Lord’s DaySoul and Body
Baptism, Truth, FaithHospitality
MELITO OF SARDIS
SMYRNA (IZMIR)
PHILADELPHIA
EPHESUS
LAODICEA
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one
or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of My mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need anything. But you do
not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
REVELATION 3:15
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if
anyone takes words away…God will take away from him his share in the
tree of life and in the holy city…”
REVELATION 22:18
POST-APOSTOLIC PERIOD
CLEMENT OF ROME (d. 101 A.D.)
POLYCARP (80-167 A.D.)
“the fruit of faith in Christ is a life of love and purity; Christ Himself provides the example which all
Christians should imitate. Christians are citizens of a
heavenly kingdom and will reign with Christ if they are obedient to
His commandments.”
POLYCARP
JUSTIN MARTYR (100-165 A.D.)
“The Christian has no fear of death, for death is but the
beginning of eternal life, free from pain and want.”
JUSTIN MARTYR
IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH(50-107 A.D.)
“Wherever the bishop appears let the congregation be present; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there
is the universal church…do nothing without the bishop.”
IGNATIUS
IRENAEUS (150-202 A.D.)
“All those who wish to see the truth can clearly contemplate, in every church, the tradition of the Apostles manifested through the
world.”
IRENAEUS
TATIAN (120-180 A.D.)
CYPRIAN (200-258 A.D.)
In 253 A.D. Cyprian, Bishop at Carthage, held a council of sixty-six bishops, who decided that an infant should be baptized on the second or third day after birth.
CYPRIAN
PAPIAS of Hierapolis 70-163 A. D.‘THE DIDACHE’ 110 A.D.
ORIGEN of Alexandria 185-253 A.D.TERTULLIAN of Carthage 196
Clement of Alexandria 215Hippolytus 235Athanasius 367
Cyril of Jerusalem 374Ambrose 385
Augustine 387
OTHER WRITINGS
“The will of God is the measure of all things.”
AMBROSE
“Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued
above all.”
AUGUSTINE
“Baptism is…rebirth unto God, that we be no more children of mortal men, but of the eternal and
everlasting God.”
IRENAEUS
PHILLIPI BAPTISTRY 5th Century
NAPLES BAPTISTRY
CROSS-SHAPED BAPTISTRY
(Of Christians) “…their habits of faith, of zeal, and of union, seemed to multiply their numbers…As the
humble faith of Christ diffused itself throughout the world…Their errors
are derived from the abuse of the arts and sciences of the infidels, and they
corrupt the simplicity of the Gospel…”-Edward Gibbon, Historian
‘THE FALL & DECLINE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE’
“Let this be your one joy and delight: to go from one act of kindness to another with your mind fixed on
God.”
MARCUS AURELIUS (121-180 A.D.)