What is History?

What is History?

History is the “branch of knowledge that records and

explains past events.”

“Do you think it is important to have an understanding of

Church History?”

“Church History tells us that actions and ideas have

consequences notonly in our own generation

but future generations.”

Justo Gonzalez: “When we study the life and work of past generations, and when we interpret it, we are ‘doing’ history. But we must remember that

future generations will read about our times as past history. In than sense, like it or not, both by our action and by our

inaction, we are ‘making’ history.”

“Church History connects the past with the present, and

provides a basis to guide present decision making.”

Working definition

“Church History can be thought of as the study of how God has

intervened in the events of mankind in order that he might

redeem mankind and establish His kingdom purposes.”

“A Christian understanding of history is unique for the Bible declares that in history God is working out His redemptive

purposes.”

Division of Church History

YEARS PERIOD EMPHASIS

0 – 590 The Early Church Establishment

591 – 1517 The Middle Ages Decay

1517 – Present The Modern Era Reformation and Revival

Sub -Division of Church HistoryPERIOD YEARS ERAS

The Patristic Period 01 – 100 Apostolic Christianity

101 -312The struggle of the Early

Church to survive

312 – 590The Age of the Christian

Roman Empire

The Middle Ages 590 – 1054 Byzantine Christianity

1054 – 1305The Supremacy of the

Papacy

Modern Era 1305 – 1517 The Eve of the Reformation

1517 – 1648 The Age of the Reformation

1648 – 1789The Age of Reason and

Revival

1789 – 1914 Revivals and Missions

1914 – Present The Age of Ideologies

REACTION:

JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT A HISTORICAL FIGURE?

JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS A HISTORICAL FIGURE BUT

WAS JUST AN INVENTION OF THE EARLY DISCIPLES?

The historicity of Jesus Christ of

Nazareth

“Some religions, both ancient and modern, require no historical basis,

for they depend upon ideas rather than events. Christianity is not one of

these” 

E.F. Harrison

The Eye Witnesses Accounts

“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they

were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3

Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent

Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea …”

Luke 1:1-5

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first

census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to

his own town to register.”

Luke 2:1-3

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar — when Pontius Pilate was governor

of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and

Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son

of Zechariah in the desert.”

Luke 3:1-2

“Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a

decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.”

Mark 15:1

Arguments on the reliability and accuracy of the NT documents

1. The presence of more than five thousand Greek manuscripts, in whole or part.

Author DateWritten

Earliest Copy Approximate Time Span

between original & copy

Number of Copies

Accuracy of Copies

Lucretius died 55 or 53 B.C.   1100 yrs 2 ----

Pliny 61-113 A.D. 850 A.D. 750 yrs 7 ----

Plato 427-347 B.C. 900 A.D. 1200 yrs 7 ----

Demosthenes 4th Cent. B.C. 1100 A.D. 800 yrs 8 ----

Herodotus 480-425 B.C. 900 A.D. 1300 yrs 8 ----

Suetonius 75-160 A.D. 950 A.D. 800 yrs 8 ----

Thucydides 460-400 B.C. 900 A.D. 1300 yrs 8 ----

Euripides 480-406 B.C. 1100 A.D. 1300 yrs 9 ----

Aristophanes 450-385 B.C. 900 A.D. 1200 10 ----

Caesar 100-44 B.C. 900 A.D. 1000 10 ----

Livy 59 BC-AD 17 ---- ??? 20 ----

Tacitus circa 100 A.D. 1100 A.D. 1000 yrs 20 ----

Aristotle 384-322 B.C. 1100 A.D. 1400 49 ----

Sophocles 496-406 B.C. 1000 A.D. 1400 yrs 193 ----

Homer (Iliad) 900 B.C. 400 B.C. 500 yrs 643 95%

NewTestament

1st Cent. A.D. (50-100 A.D.

2nd Cent. A.D.(c. 130 A.D. f.)

less than 100 years

5600 99.5%

Arguments on the reliability and accuracy of the NT documents

1. The presence of more than five thousand Greek manuscripts, in whole or part.

2. All of the New Testament had been completed within sixty years or so of Jesus’ death.

3. Of those twenty-seven books, no less than ten were penned by personal companions of the Lord. And Paul, an eyewitness of the resurrected Savior, wrote thirteen or fourteen of the remainder.

Secular Writers

Tacitus (b. 56 or 57 A.D.), the renowned Roman historian and statesman, writes: “Nero fabricated scapegoats—and punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilatus. But in spite of this temporary setback the deadly superstition had broken out afresh, not only in Judea (where the mischief had started) but even in Rome. All degraded and shameful practices collect and flourish in the capital …” (Annals, XV, 44).

“They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up.” – part of the letter of Pliny the younger to Emperor Trajan dated around A.D. 112

Although some dispute either the authenticity or the precise meaning of the passage, Josephus records another important early reference to Christ. In the context of a discussion concerning the career of Pontius Pilate, Josephus adds this aside:

“Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher … He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day” (Antiquities, 18.3.3).

“The Christians . . . worship a man to this day--the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. . . . [It] was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.” - Lucian of Samosata, second century Greek satirist.

Other Evidences

The life and death of the early Christians

The Patristic Writers The Roman Catacombs The Impact of Christianity

Christian faith is rooted in history The Life and Resurrection of Christ was preached as a historical event Story of Jesus, his disciples, the apostolic fathers, and the rest of the early church is recorded in many documents

Historical settings and backgrounds

“But in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the

law…”

Galatians 4:4

The Greco-Roman World

Major Aspects

1. The political unity of the Empire

2. The Hellenistic culture including the Greek language

3. Religious syncretism

4. Emperor worship

Palestine in New Testament Times

Under the Roman Empire Pompey subjects Palestine as a Roman protectorate in 63 BC and Palestine remains under Roman rule for centuries Herodian Dynasty

- Herod the Great (40 BC to 4 BC)

- Uneasy peace for 37 yrs because Herod was an Edomite (A foreigner)

Principal people groups

The Pharisees- a group of influential Jews active in Palestine from 2nd century BCE through 1st century CE; they advocated and adhered to strict observance of the Sabbath rest, purity rituals, tithing, and food restrictions based on the Hebrew Scriptures and on later traditions.

The Sadducees - Were the priestly aristocracy of the Temple. They were drawn from those who held high priestly offices and from influential Jerusalem families. This sect controlled the Temple and its considerable revenues. The Sadducees held to a narrow interpretation of the Law, upholding the authority of the written Law but rejecting the oral Law.

The Zealots - Were apparently Pharisaic in their views, with the notable exception that they advocated and practiced armed resistance against the Roman occupation. This group sparked the revolt against Rome (66-70 C.E.), which had such disastrous consequences for the Jewish nation

The Essenes - a smaller group or "sect" that lived a communal "monastic" lifestyle at Qumram (near the Dead Sea) from 2nd century BC through 1st century CE; the "Dead Sea Scrolls" found in this location in 1947 are usually associated with them

“The People of the Land”- Most Jews of this period belonged to none of these four sects; they were known as “the People of the Land,” (in Hebrew, ‘am ha-aretz), that is, the common people, or peasants. Most people lacked the inclination or the leisure to join the ranks of the Pharisees. The Pharisees had nothing but contempt for these folk because of their casual attitude toward observance of the Law.

The Diaspora Judaism

Before the birth of Christ, there were many Jews living outside Jerusalem but with great attachment to the land of their ancestors. They are called “Diaspora” or

“Dispersion.”

One of the main contributions of the Diaspora Judaism is the translation of the

Old Testament to Greek known as the Septuagint (usually abbreviated as LXX). This Greek translation of the OT was used

by the early Christians in spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Growth of the Church in the time

of the Apostles

Their response to a global mission

(Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) Gospel Spreads through Jerusalem to Jews (Acts 2-6) Stephen’s martyrdom Scatters Witnesses (Acts 7) Ministry of Peter (Acts 2-6, 10-11, 15) Ministry of Philip (Acts 8) – Samaritans, Ethiopian Eunuch, up Mediterranean coast to Caesarea Ministry of Paul (Acts 9, 13-28)

Key Distinguishing Featuresof the Apostolic Church

• The Experience of Miraculous Works• Uniting of Jew and Gentile in the Saving Purposes of God• One Universal Church in Local Settings• Simplistic, Informally Structured Worship

– Location of Worship (Jas 2:2; 70 AD)– Elements of Worship

• Lord’s Supper and Agape Meal• Reading of Scriptures (1 Tim 3:15; 4:13)• The Exhortation (1 Tim 4:13)• The Teaching (1 Tim 4:13)• Singing (Eph 5:19-20; Col 3:16)• The Prayers (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim 2:1-2, 8; 3:14-15)

Key Distinguishing Featuresof the Apostolic Church (cont)

• “Family Model” of Church Government– Overseers/Elders (1 Cor 4:14-15; 2 Cor 11:2, 28; Phil

1:1; 1 Thess 2:7-12; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9)– Deacons (Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:8-12)– Family Love

• Evangelistic Zeal• Persecution

– Waves of imperial persecutions – from Nero (r. 54-68), – Tradition claims 10 of original 12 disciples were

martyred (2 Tim 3:12)

Place of ministry and means of death of principal Apostles

NAMEPLACE OF

TRADITIONAL MINISTRY

MEANS AND PLACE OF DEATH

SIMON PETERTradition states he may have visited Britain and Gaul

Crucified upside down in Rome during persecution of Nero (64-68 AD) he felt unworthy to die on a cross in the same manner as Jesus. This explanation of his death can be traced back to the third century writer Origen.

ANDREW

Preached in Scythia(Ukraineand Southern Russia) Asia Minor and Greece

Crucified on an X shaped cross at Patras in Achaia, before being crucified he was severely whipped, after being laid on the cross he continued to preach to his Executioners till he expired two days later. Later tradition suggests the cross was in spread eagle position (hence St Andrews Cross)

NAMEPLACE OF

TRADITIONAL MINISTRY

MEANS AND PLACE OF DEATH

JAMES, SON OFZEBEDEE

Executed by Herod Agrippa I in 44AD (Acts 12:2)

JOHNMinistered at Ephesus, said to have rebuked early Gnostic Ceronthus

Died natural death c 100A.D, after early in life was poured bowl of oil yet survived, and sentenced to mine prison on Patmos Later freed at served as Bishop of Edessa in modern turkey.

PHILIP Conflicting traditions place him in Ethiopia,

Crucified in Hierapolis in Asia Minor

NAMEPLACE OF

TRADITIONAL MINISTRY

MEANS AND PLACE OF DEATH

MATTHEW Possibly EthiopiaSuffered Martyrdom in Ethiopia died by sword wound(Legendary explanation)

THOMAS

Preached in Babylon, Strong early tradition tells of his founding churches in India

Martyred in India by being stabbed with a sphere/lance. C 72AD

BARTHOLOMEW

Armenia (eastern Turkey,northern Iraq, north western Iran) may also have gone to Egypt and Ethiopia

Martyred after ministry in Armenia flayed to Death by whip. (high degree of uncertainty)

NAMEPLACE OF

TRADITIONAL MINISTRY

MEANS AND PLACE OF DEATH

JAMES, SON OFALPAEUS

Possibly ministered in Egypt and Syria

Thrown over a hundred foot drop from the southeast pinnacle of a temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When his body was found he was still alive so his persecutors beat him todeath by a fullers club c62 AD

THADDEUS

Tradition associates his ministry with Assyria (eastern Iraq) and Persia (Iran)

Beaten to death with club then beheaded in Persia towards end of first century

SIMON THEZEALOT

Variously (and dubiously)associated with Persia, Egypt, Carthage and Britain

No explanation

NAMEPLACE OF

TRADITIONAL MINISTRY

MEANS AND PLACE OF DEATH

JUDAS ISCARIOTHanged Himself after betraying Jesus

MATTIAS Possibly Ethiopia, Judea and Eastern Turkey

Stoned and then beheaded at Cochis c 80AD

PAUL Traveled widely throughout Asia Minor

Beheaded under the orders of Nero in 64- 67A.D (as Romancitizen exempt crucifixion)

BARNABAS Martyred at Salamias in c61 AD

Spread of the Gospel

Spread of the Gospel

Churches in 100 A.D.

Spread of the Gospel

Churches in 200 A.D.

Spread of the Gospel

Churches in 300 A.D.