The Origins and Spread of Christianity

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Chapter 36

• The Origins and Spread of Christianity

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36.1 Introduction

• Christians
• followers of Jesus Christ
• Beliefs
• Jesus crucified during the 1st century by the
  Romans
• Jesus was the Son of God and rose from the dead
• Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
• Romans
• Christianity was a threat
• Christians would not recognize the emperor as a
  god
• Constantine
• Roman Emperor who converted to Christianity
• Eighty years later Christianity declared as the
  official religion of the Roman Empire

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36.2 Judea The Birthplace of Christianity

• Judea
• born in Bethlehem (City of David)
• Bethlehem eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea
• Area called Judea by the Romans
• Part of the ancient Kingdom of King David
• Came under Roman rule in 63 B.C.E.
• Jews rebelled several times
• Herod appointed by Romans in 37 B.C.E.

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36.2 Judea The Birthplace of Christianity

• Herod
• 37 B.C.E appointed by Romans to rule Judea
• Converted to Judaism
• Rebuilt the Temple of Jerusalem (Solomons
  Temple)
• Died 4 B.C.E. kingdom split between 3 sons
• Jews rebel under Herods sons rule
• Romans send soldiers to restore order
• Herods sons replaced by Roman governor called a
  Prefect

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36.2 Judea The Birthplace of Christianity

• Roman Prefect
• Jews paid tribute (taxes) to Rome
• Jews left to their own affairs
• Jewish people led by religious leaders

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36.2 Judea The Birthplace of Christianity

• High Priest was head of Jewish religion
• Judea peaceful at time of Jesus birth
• Jews hated being ruled by Romans
• Jews believed God would send a savior called a
  Messiah to restore the Kingdom of David

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36.3 Writings About the Life of Jesus

• Christian Bible
• New and Old Testaments
• Information about Jesus comes from the Old and
  New Testaments.
• 4 Gospels
• (Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John)
• Gospel Good News
• Written by Jesus disciples to affirm their
  belief that he was the promised Messiah
• Christ Greek Word Christos meaning Messiah
• Came from written and oral sources 30 to 70 years
  after the death of Jesus
• Miracles, helping the poor, Gods mercy and love

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36.4 The Birth of Jesus

• Old Testament states the Messiah would be born in
  the City of David or Bethlehem
• Historians believe Jesus was born around 6 B.C.E.
  during King Herods reign

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36.4 The Birth of Jesus

• Caesar Augustus
• Orders census
• Everyone had to go to their birth town to be
  counted
• Joseph from Bethlehem
• Mary wife of Joseph/mother of Jesus
• Jesus born in a stable, placed in a manger in
  swaddling clothes.
• New Testament states the birth was announced to
  shepherds tending their flocks

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36.4 The Birth of Jesus

• Three Wisemen
• Star appeared over Bethlehem
• Wisemen travelled to see Jesus
• Met with Herod
• Herod feared Jesus would become king attempts to
  murder him
• Joseph/Mary flee to Egypt then return to Nazareth
  when they hear that Herods sons are in charge
• Jesus grows up in Nazareth and learns to be a
  carpenter from Joseph

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36.4 The Birth of Jesus

• Age 12
• Goes to the temple in Jerusalem and astonishes
  the religious leaders with his wisdom and
  knowledge of the Jewish scriptures and law
• Age 30
• Baptized by John the Baptist in River Jordan
• New Testament states that a dove came down and a
  voice declared that Jesus was the Son of God
• Tempted for 40 days in the wilderness then
  returned to begin his ministry throughout Galilee

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36.5 Jesus Teachings

• Miracles in the New Testament
• First turned water to wine at a wedding
• Healed sick
• Fed the hungry
• Messages
• Preached in the synagogues
• Attracts huge crowds
• Angers religious leaders
• Numerous times accused them of hypocracy
• Stated he was Son of God and accused of blasphemy
• Leaders sought to arrest/stone him on multiple
  occasions
• Helped sick/and poor
• Taught traditional teaching of Jewish religions
  but emphasized love and mercy

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36.5 Jesus Teachings

• Kingdom of God
• Preached it was coming soon
• Jewish people believed Messiah would help Jews to
  overthrow Romans and restore them to their former
  glory under King David
• Parables
• Simple stories with a religious or moral meaning
• Good Samaritan
• Lost Sheep
• Politics
• Give to Caesar what is Caesar to God what is
  Gods
• Never preached about revolt against the Romans
• Sermon on the Mount
• Beatitudes
• Blessed are the poor, merciful, etc..
• Placed emphasis on motives not outward actions

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Jesus Disciples

• Simon Peter
• Andrew - Fisherman, son of John and Peter's
  brother
• James - Fisherman, son of Zebedee, son of
  Boanerges (thunder)
• John - Fisherman, son of Zebedee, Boanerges
  (thunder), brother of James
• Philip - From Bethsaida
• Matthew - tax collector, son of Alphaeus

• Nathaniel (Bartholomew) - from Cana, a "true
  Israelite"
• Thomas
• James, son of Alphaeus
• Simon, the Zealot - Guerrilla fighter
• Judas, son of James
• Judas Iscariot - Guerrilla fighter, son of Simon

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Simon Peter

• Fisherman
• From Capernaum or possibly Bethsaida
• Also Simon, Simon Peter, or Cephas
• Messenger to the Jewish people
• Wrote the book of 1-2 Peter in the New Testament
• Crucified upside down by Roman Emperor Nero

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Andrew

• Fisherman
• Peters brother
• Follower of John the Baptist
• Went to country of Bulgaria and Georgia near
  Russia
• Hung on an olive tree

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James

• Fisherman
• Bother of Jesus
• Nickname James the Great
• Wrote the book of James in New Testament
• Led 1st Christian Church at Jerusalem
• Killed by Herod by beheading

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John

• Fisherman
• Brother of Jesus
• Nickname sons of Thunder
• Brother of James
• Exiled to the island of Patmos, died of old age
• Wrote Gospel of John, 1-3 John, and the book of
  Revelations

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Phillip

• From Bethsaida
• Crucified upside down in Turkey

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Nathaniel

• Also called Bartholomew
• Canaanite who was called a "true Israelite
• Went to India
• Crucified upside down

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Matthew

• tax collector
• son of Alphaeus
• Wrote book of Mathew
• Possibly died of natural causes

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Thomas

• Nickname Doubting Thomas because he doubted the
  ressurection of Jesus until he had physical proof
• Also named Didymus
• Ministered to India
• Died from multiple spearings

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James

• Son of Alphaeus
• Stoned to death by the Jews

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Simon

• Nickname the Zealot
• ½ brother to Jesus
• Wrote book of Jude
• Guerrilla fighter
• Died at age 120

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Jude

• Also named Thaddeus and Lebbeas
• son of James
• Preached in Mesopotamia
• Wrote the book of Jude
• Died of natural causes

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Judas Iscariot

• Guerrilla fighter
• son of Simon
• Betrayed Jesus
• Committed suicide by hanging

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36.6 The Crucifixion and Resurrection

• Jesus taught for approximately 2 to 3 years
• Went to Jerusalem to clebrate the Passover
• Welcomed as Messiah when he arrived
• Overturned the money changers at the temple
  because they were stealing making a mockery of
  religious customs
• House of Prayer not a Den of Thieves

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36.6 The Crucifixion and Resurrection

• Last Supper
• Told his disciples he would be betrayed and
  crucified
• Used as model for Christian communion today
• Judas Iscariot
• Betrayed by Judas Iscariot for 30 pieces of
  silver
• Committed suicide by hanging himself
• Arrested by Jewish leaders and accused of
  blasphemy, sedition, and attempting to overthrown
  Roman rulers
• Disciples all abandoned Jesus
• Peter confronted and denied he knew Jesus 3
  times

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36.6 The Crucifixion and Resurrection

• Barabas
• Roman custom to release one condemned prisoner
  each year around the time of Passover
• Known murderer, terrorists, thief
• Offered to Jewish people in exchange for Jesus as
  yearly custom by Romans
• Jesus sent to Herod
• Herod sent him to Pontius Pilate who stated Jesus
  was innocent and returned him to Herod
• Jewish leaders stirred up the crowd and Jesus was
  crucified outside Jerusalem at a place called
  Galgotha

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14 Jewish laws broken during the trial of Jesus.

1. No formal charges or legal basis for his arrest.
2. Accomplices used to arrest and convict Jesus.
3. Merits of Jesus defense or charges not
   investigated by the court.
4. Trial was held at night.
5. Trial held before the morning sacrifice.
6. Trial was held before one of Gods Holy Days
   (Sabbath).
7. Trial didnt run for the minimum time period.
8. Trial not held by impartial judges.
9. Known false witnesses were allowed to testify.
10. Judges used Jesus own words to condemn him
    (self-incrimination).
11. Sanhedrin charged him with crimes (only allowed
    to investigate charges).
12. Condemnation was unanimous with no witnesses for
    the defense (legally was supposed to be released
    under those circumstances)
13. Sentencing was announced at an unlawful place.
    Had to be done at the Great Sanhedrin Court.
14. Charges were changed during the trial from
    blasphemy to sedition.

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36.6 The Crucifixion and Resurrection

• Resurrection
• Central belief of Christianity
• According to Christian beliefs Jesus rose from
  the dead on the Sunday after he died from the
  Crucifixion
• New Testaments
• states several hundred people saw him after he
  rose from the dead
• Followers of Christianity believe that this
  proves he was the Son of God.
• Jesus rose to heaven on a cloud and promised he
  would return again someday to establish his
  Kingdom
• Jesus followers spread the news of his life,
  death, resurrection, and what he had taught them
  as recorded in the New Testament

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36.7 The Missionary Work of Paul

• Saul
• Born to parents of Jewish and Roman descent
• Devout student of Judaism
• Led fierce opposition to the spread of
  Christianity
• Believed Christianity was blasphemy
• Was present and consented to the stoning to death
  of Stephen

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36.7 The Missionary Work of Paul

• Wrote letters to people and many of the new
  Christian Churches which became 13 of 27 New
  Testament book
• Acts, Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians,
  Ephesians, Phillipians, Colssians, Hebrews. 1-2
  Thessolonians, Philemon, and 1-2 Timothy

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36.7 The Missionary Work of Paul

• Road to Damascus, Syria
• Went to Damascus with authority to imprison
  anyone teaching/spreading Christianity
• Vision
• Stated Jesus appeared to him
• Heard voice Saul, Saul why do you persecute
  me
• Was blinded by the vision
• Damascus
• Taken to Damascus and healed by followers of
  Jesus
• Converted to Christianity
• Changed his name to Paul
• Damascus
• Taken to Damascus and healed by followers of
  Jesus
• Converted to Christianity
• Changed his name to Paul
• Apostle Paul
• Became a missionary to most of Asia Minor
• Wrote majority of books in the New Testament
• Was persecuted, beaten, and imprisoned several
  times by Jewish leaders
• Eventually appealed to Caesar when arrested for
  blasphemy

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36.8 Persecution and Triumph

• Foxs Book of Martyrs
• Initially accepted in much of the Roman Empire
• Refused to follow or accept many Roman customs
• Refused to recognize the Roman Emperor as a god
• Christianity declared illegal by the Romans

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36.8 Persecution and Triumph

• Persecution
• Most Common Methods
• Crucifixion
• Burned to death
• Thrown to the wild animals at the Coliseum for
  entertainment
• Nero
• was probably the worst of all Roman emperors.
• Wrapped Christians in animal skins fed to wild
  animals
• Covered Christians in wax and oil and used them
  as torches in his garden at night
• Religion spread faster as Christians sang hymns
  and praised God as they were being tortured,
  persecuted, and fed to the wild animals for
  entertainment

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36.8 Persecution and Triumph

• Emperor Constantine
• 313 A.D./C.E.
• Allowed Christians to worship openly and freely
• Converted to Christianity
• Christianity declared official religion of Roman
  empire before he died in 395 A.D./C.E.

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Chapter 36

• Reading Notes

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36.2 Reading Notes

• Why was there unrest in Judea after it came under
  Roman rule?
• The Jews were a fiercely proud and independent
  people, and they rebelled against Roman control.
• How did the Roman prefect rule Judea?
• The prefect kept order and made sure Judea paid
  tribute to Rome, but usually left local affairs
  to the Jews.

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36.3 Reading Notes

• What are the gospels?
• The gospels are accounts of Jesus life and
  teachings written by four of his followers.
• Who wrote the gospels, and when did they write
  them?
• Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote the gospels.
  They were written 30 to 70 years after Jesus died.

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36.4 Reading Notes

• According to the gospels, where was Jesus born?
• According to the gospels, Jesus was born in
  Bethlehem.
• What did Jesus study and learn about as a child?
• Jesus studied and learned about Jewish law and
  religious writings, and carpentry.
• Why was Jesus baptism a turning point in his
  life?
• Jesus baptism was a turning point because John
  identified him as the savior the Jews had been
  waiting for.

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36.5 Reading Notes

• According to the gospels, what did Jesus say were
  the most important of all the Jewish laws?
• According to the gospels, Jesus said the most
  important Jewish laws were You shall love your
  God with all your heart and all your soul and
  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
• Why did Jesus teachings upset some people?
• Jesus teachings upset some people because Jesus
  seemed to care more about what was in peoples
  hearts than about peoples obedience to Jewish
  law. Also, some feared that his followers would
  stir up trouble with the Romans.

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36.6 Reading Notes

• According to the gospels, why was Jesus condemned
  to die on a cross?
• Jesus was condemned to die on a cross in part
  because it was feared he might lead a revolt
  against Rome.
• Why was belief in Jesus resurrection so
  important to his disciples and other followers?
• Belief in his resurrection was important to his
  followers because it convinced them that he was
  the Son of God.

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36.7 Reading Notes

• What caused Saul to stop persecuting Christians
  and become a missionary?
• Saul stopped persecuting Christians and became a
  missionary because he believed he had heard the
  voice of the risen Jesus.
• How did Pauls work help spread Christianity?
• Paul helped spread Christianity by traveling
  through the empire preaching. While in jail, he
  wrote letters to other Christians.

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36.8 Reading Notes

• Why were Christians considered a threat to Rome?
• Christians were considered a threat to Rome
  because they refused to worship other Roman gods,
  would not admit the emperor was a god, preferred
  a life of simplicity, and refused to serve in the
  army.
• How did Romes persecution of Christians help
  Christianity grow and spread?
• Romes persecution helped Christianity spread
  because people admired the bravery of the
  Christians who faced death. Also, Christianity
  offered hope to the poor and slaves and offered
  all people a sense of purpose.