Lesson 5: Persecution in the Early Church

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Lesson 5 Persecution in the Early Church
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Apostolic Church
Post Apostolic Church
Reformation
Early Church
Medieval Church
1517
1648 AD (1688 in England
PRESENT
Approx 30 AD
Approx 100 AD
Approx 450 AD
Transition Points
MAJOR CHANGE
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PERSECUTION BY THE JEWS
PERSECUTION BY ROME

• These persecutions were sporadic

• Until the mid-third century there was not
  systematic, wide spread persecution

The Flames of Rome, Dr. Paul Maier
But why were Christians persecuted at all?
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Rome was tolerant of religions
licita Permitted
Syncretistic (GK joined in alliance
illicita Not permitted
Ephesians 44-5 4 There is one body and one
Spiritjust as you were called to the one hope
that belongs to your call 5 one Lord, one faith,
one baptism,
John 146 6 Jesus said to him, I am the way,
and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.
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ACCUSATIONS OF THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT
1. The Christians were ATHEIST
2. The Christians were IMMORAL
3. The Christians were HATERS OF HUMANITY
If the Tiber reaches the walls, if the Nile does
not rise to the fields, if the sky does not move
so that there is drought, or if the earth does
move so that there is an earthquake, if there is
famine, if there is a plague, the cry is at once,
Send the Christians to the lions! Tertullian
4. The Christians were THREAT TO THE GOVERNMENT
1 Peter 416 Yet if anyone suffers as a
Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him
glorify God in that name.
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PERIODS OF ROMAN PERSECUTION
I. NERO (AD 64-68 )
Tacitus
II. DOMETIAN (AD 81-96 )
171 Then one of the seven angels who had the
seven bowls came and said to me, Come, I will
show you the judgment of the great prostitute who
is seated on many waters 6 And I saw the woman,
drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of
the martyrs of Jesus
III. TRAJAN (AD 98-117 )
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IV. MARCUS AURELIUS (AD 161-180)
Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna
Eighty and six years have I served him, and he
has done me no wrong how can I blaspheme my King
who saved me?
SEVERAN DYNASTY (AD 193-235)
V. DECIUS (AD 249-251)
VALARIAN (AD 253-260)
AD 260-303 PERIOD OF RELATIVE CALM
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VI. GREAT PERSECUTION 303-312
Diocletian
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RESULTS OF THE PERSECUTION

1. Persecution purified the Church

2. Persecution extended the Church
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let
us run with endurance the race that is set before
us,