Jesus is coming. . .soon! Are you ready?

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Jesus is coming. . .soon! Are you ready?
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Two Systems
During the first two centuries there developed
two separate and distinct types of Christian
worship. The one in Syria and Asia Minor held to
the old orthodox ways of life, and adhered to the
seventh-day Sabbath and primitive Christianity.
. .
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Two Systems
. . .The other from Alexandria and Egypt allowed
many Gnostic and foreign sentiments to enter, and
with them Sunday worship and other foreign
practices unknown in the apostolic church and
opposed by the early apostles.
W.E. StrawOrigin of Sunday Observance, p. 75
(1939)
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Religion of Rome
Emperor Claudius (r. A.D. 41-54)
Was a religious reformer Had strong opinions
about the proper form for state religion
Opposed the spread of eastern mysteries within
the city
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Religion of Rome
Emperor Claudius
Opposed all religions that were incompatible
with the Roman state religion Opposed
proselytizing by any religion anywhere in the
empire
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Religion of Rome
Emperor Claudius
Expelled the Jews from Rome in A.D. 52 because
the appearance of Christianity in Rome had
caused civil unrest within the Jewish community
there
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Rejection
. . . a certain Jew named Aquila, born in
Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife
Priscilla (because that Claudius had commanded
all Jews to depart from Rome) . . . Acts 182
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Rejection
Matt. 2221 Render therefore unto Caesar the
things which are Caesars and unto God the
things that are Gods. Romans 131-7 Paul
encouraged the believers to honor Caesar as far
as conscience allowed
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Rejection
Christ had set Himself before His disciples as
the one possessing all power in heaven and in
earth. . . . This put Jesus Christ above the
State, and put allegiance to Him above allegiance
to the State this denied the supremacy of Rome.
A.T. JonesGreat Empires of Prophecyp. 350 (1898)
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Rejection
Acts 1923-27 all Asia and the world
worshipped Christ rather than the goddess Diana
at Ephesus 1 Cor. 413 we are made asthe
filth of the world, and are the offscouring of
all things tothis day
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Rejection
. . .the Jews made insurrection with one accord
against Paul, and brought him to the judgment
seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to
worship God contrary to the law. . . . if it be
a question of words and names, and of your law,
look ye to it . . . Acts 1812-16
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Rejection
The Jews charged Paul with persuading the people
to worship God in ways contrary to the Roman law.
Rome did not permit the propagation of new
religions. Judaism was an accepted and
established belief. . . .
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Rejection
. . . These Jews were saying in effect that
Christianity was a new and different cult,
distinct from Judaism. Bible Knowledge
Commentary
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Rejection
No man shall have for himself particular gods of
his own no man shall worship by himself any new
or foreign gods, unless they are recognized by
the public laws. Cicero
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Rejection
Christianity proclaimed the right of the
individual to worship according to the dictates
of his own conscience
Rome asserted the duty of every man to worship
according to the dictates of the State.
A.T. JonesGreat Empires of Prophecyp. 351 (1898)
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Rejection
These laws had all been framed, and the system
had been established, long before there were any
Christians in the world. Therefore the teaching
of the Christians, their practice, and their
disregard of the Roman laws . . .
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Rejection
. . . appeared to the Romans in no other light
than as an open insurrection against the
government, and an attempt at the dissolution of
society itself.
A.T. JonesThe Two Republics, or Rome and the
United States of America, p. 153 (1891)
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Rejection
And though Rome allowed conquered nations to
maintain the worship of their national gods,
these as well as the conquered people were
considered only as servants of the Roman State. .
. .
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Rejection
. . . Every religion was held subordinate to the
religion of Rome, and though all forms of
religion might come to Rome and take their places
in its pantheon, they must come as the servants
of the State.
A.T. JonesCivil Reasons for Religious
Intolerance in RomeMay 14, 1896
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Rejection
I discovered no more than that they were
addicted to a bad and extravagant superstition. .
. . For this superstition is spread like a
contagion, not only into the cities and towns,
but into the country villages also, which yet
there is reason to hope may be stopped and
corrected.
Pliny the Younger Epistulae X.96 (c. A.D. 111)
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Kingdom of the World
I asked them whether they were Christians or
not. If they confessed that they were Christians,
I asked them again, and a third time, intermixing
threatening with the questions . . .
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Kingdom of the World
If they persevered in their confessions, I
ordered them executed for this positiveness
and inflexible obstinacy deserved to be punished.
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Kingdom of the World
The temples, which were almost forsaken, begin
already to be frequented and the holy
solemnities, which were intermitted, begin to be
revived. The sacrifices begin to sell well
everywhere . . .
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Kingdom of the World
. . . whereby it is easy to suppose how great a
multitude of men may be amended, if place for
repentance be admitted.
Pliny the Younger Epistulae X.96 (c. A.D. 111)
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Kingdom of the World
Seeks to control behavior Seeks to not only
preserve but to promote its own interests and
agenda Trusts the power of the sword to
accomplish its goals
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Jewish Wars
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Causes of Discontent
Corrupt Jewish priesthood Heavy taxation of
Jews to support Roman government but without
improvements in their own territory High
unemployment
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Causes of Discontent
Extreme poverty and disease among lower
classes Excessive use of force by the Roman
military for minor infractions (crucifixions)
Signs comet in A.D. 66
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Causes of Discontent
Result was war between Rome and the Jews
beginning in A.D. 66
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Causes of Discontent
August A.D. 70 the Temple at Jerusalem is
conquered. Titus refused to accept a wreath of
victory, saying there is no merit in vanquishing
a people forsaken by their own God.
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Destruction Prophesied
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall
come upon this generation. . . . how often would
I have gathered thy children together, even as a
hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and
ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you
desolate. Matt. 2336-38
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Destruction Prophesied
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these
things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be
left here one stone upon another, that shall not
be thrown down. Matt. 242
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Destruction Prophesied
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah
be cut off, but not for Himself and the people
of the prince pagan Rome that shall come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary.
Daniel 926
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Jewish Wars
Second war between the Jews and Romans occurred
between A.D. 115 and 117 in Cyprus, Libya, Egypt,
Mesopotamia, Judea, and Syria.
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Jewish Wars
Christians were barred from Jerusalem along with
the rest of the Jews. The next Jewish war,
instigated by the false messiah called Bar Kokhba
(A.D. 132- 136) and its aftermath helped
differentiate Christianity as a religion distinct
from Judaism.
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Jewish Wars
During the war incited by Bar Kokhba 580,000 Jews
were killed, and 50 fortified towns and 985
villages destroyed. Emperor Hadrian attempted to
root out Judaism, which he saw as the cause of
continuous rebellions.
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Jewish Wars
Hadrian prohibited the Torah law and the Hebrew
calendar, and executed Judaic scholars.
Historians of Judaism claim that Jesus failure
to establish the Kingdom of God, and His death at
the hands of the Romans, invalidated any
messianic claims.
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Quirky Christians
Peculiar people who Didnt keep any of the
ordinary pagan festivals Didnt worship the
pagan gods Didnt offer sacrifices Worked
diligently to convert pagans from their false
religion
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Quirky Christians
Another circumstance that irritated the Romans
against the Christians, was the simplicity of
their worship, which resembled in nothing the
sacred rites of any other people. . . .
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Quirky Christians
. . .The Christians had neither sacrifices, nor
temples, nor images, nor oracles, nor sacerdotal
orders and this was sufficient to bring upon
them the reproaches of an ignorant multitude. . .
.
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Quirky Christians
. . . who imagined that there could not be a
religion without these. Thus they were looked
upon as some sort of atheists and by the Roman
laws, those who were chargeable with atheism were
declared the pests of human society.
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Quirky Christians
. . . who imagined that there could not be a
religion without these. Thus they were looked
upon as some sort of atheists and by the Roman
laws, those who were chargeable with atheism were
declared the pests of human society.
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Quirky Christians
The Roman State never had any just charge to
bring against the Christians of doing any wrong
to any man. The charge was atheism, because
they denied the gods . . .
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Quirky Christians
. . . and high treason, because they denied
the right of the State to rule in things
pertaining to God. Therefore, as a matter of
fact, the whole controversy between Christianity
. . .
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Quirky Christians
. . . and the Roman Empire was upon the simple
question of the rights of conscience.
A.T. JonesGreat Empires of Prophecy, p. 356
(1898)
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Quirky Christians
In 303 AD an imperial decree was published
everywhere, ordering that the Christian
churches were to be razed to the ground and the
Scriptures destroyed by fire, and giving notice
that those . . .
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Quirky Christians
. . . in places of honour would lose their
places, and domestic staff, if they continued to
profess Christianity, and would be deprived of
their liberty.
EusebiusHistory of the Churchvol. VIII, chap. 2
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Quirky Christians
A suitable and auspicious day was sought for
carrying the business out, and the festival of
the Terminalia on February 23 . . .
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Quirky Christians
. . . was chosen as best, so that a termination
so to speak could be imposed on this Christian
religion.
De Mortibus Persecutorum ("On the Death of the
Persecutors") (XII)
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Quirky Christians
What were Christians to do? How were they to
survive in this hostile political environment?
COMPROMISE
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Changing Empires
This victory of Christianity over pagan Rome was
no sooner won, and the assured triumph of
Christianity was no sooner at hand, than
ambitious bishops and political priests perverted
it and destroyed the prospect of all its splendid
fruit. . . .
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Changing Empires
. . . They seized upon the civil power, and by
making the State the servant of the church,
established a despotism more cruel than the one
which had just been conquered . . .
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Changing Empires
For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing
the flock. Also of your own selves shall men
arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them.
Acts 2029, 30
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Changing Empires
. . . The system which had been conquered was
that in which the State recognizes and makes use
of religion only for its political value, and
only as the servant of the State. This was
paganism. . .
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Changing Empires
. . . The system which was established by the
perversion of Christianity . . . was a system in
which the State is made the servant of the
church. This was the papacy.
A.T. JonesGreat Empires of Prophecy, p. 372
(1898)
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Jewish Wars
Jewish wars influence on Sabbath change Jews a
hated people Influence of Gnosticism that made
Sabbath a day of fasting and mourning, but Sunday
was called a day of feasting and
delight Compromise to avoid persecution
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Jewish Wars

• Summary of various heretical incursions into the
  early church to put perspective on events
• Gnosticisms influence
• Hatred by the Jews and Romans
• Death of apostles
• Jewish wars

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The RevelationofJesus Christ