Copyright 2003 by Jim Beasley1 The Apostolic Age

Copyright 2003 by Jim Beasley 1

The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age



Political leaders: Emperors: 14 - 37 AD Tiberius: smothered to death—Julio-Claudian dynasty37 - 41 AD Caligula—assassinated41 - 54 AD Claudius—poisoned54 - 68 AD Nero (persecution of the church) committed suicide68 - 69 AD Galba, Otho, Vitellius—all died violently69 - 79 AD Vespasian—fall of Jerusalem79 - 81 AD Titus—captured Jerusalem (Flavian Dynasty)81 - 96 AD Domitian—renewed persecution (not empire-wide)96 - 98 AD Nerva98 - 117 AD Trajan (death of John) Pliny the Younger governor of

Asia Minor, writes to Trajan asking what to do with Christians.



Palestinian Rulers:37 – 4 BCHerod the Great (all Palestine)4 BC-6 AD Aristobolus41 – 44 AD Herod Agrippa 1 (James’ martyrdom Acts 12)50 – 53 AD Herod Agrippa 2 (listened to Paul in Acts 26)

Procurators of Judea26 – 36 AD Pontius Pilate52 – 60 AD Felix60 – 62 AD Festus



Political and Social Conditions: It was a period of constant turmoil and unrest everywhere throughout the Roman Empire. Calamities, uprisings, crimes, immorality, corruption, oppressiveness of Roman yoke, religious fanaticism, wars, all these were prevalent.

The Chronological Landmarks of the Apostolic Age (cf. Schaff, P. Vol. 1, p. 217).


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Agec. 30 AD Founding of the New Testament Church37 AD Paul’s Conversion50 AD Apostolic Council at Jerusalem56 – 58 AD Writing of following Epistles: 1 Thessalonians,

Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Romans58 – 60 AD Paul’s captivity in Caesarea.61 – 63 AD Paul’s first captivity in Rome.61 – 63 AD Prison Epistles written: Colossians, Ephesians,

Philippians and Philemon64 AD Beginning of Neronian Persecution—Peter and Paul

martyred60 – 70 AD Writing of most of the rest of the New Testament70 AD Destruction of Jerusalemc. 100 AD Death of John under Trajan


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic AgeI. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH

A. Reasons for Rapid Growth of the Church

(1) Divine origin and superintendence

(2) The Gospel which was preached: Based on Scripture, Evangelistic, Christ-centered (Philippians 3:10-11).

(3) Zeal of Believers

(4) Promise of future life.

(5) Miraculous powers of Primitive Church (Acts 5:12).

(6) High standards of morality among believers.

(7) Disciplinary measures maintaining purity (1 Cor. 5).

(8) Unity of the Brotherhood.

(9) The outstanding Christian leadership


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic AgeB. Outstanding events in founding the Church

(1) Many non-resident Jews in Palestine at Pentecost.

(2) 120 Disciples in Jerusalem with attitude of expectancy.

(3) Coming of the Holy Spirit, believers filled, taught, fired with zeal.

(4) Results of the coming of the Spirit(a) Understanding was achieved. Reversal

of Genesis 11: Tower of Babel.(b) Unity among brethren. Baptized into

one body.(c) Under girded for the task ahead.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(5) Preaching Began

(6) Mother Church established(7) Persecution began(8) Act of Discipline (Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5:1-10).(9) Early Organization of the Church (Selection

of 7 helpers Acts 6)(10) Martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7).

(a) Gradual emancipation of Church from Judaist ties.

(b) Witnessed by Saul of Tarsus


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(c) Widening persecution and spread of the

Gospel Acts 8:1-3).(11) Seven years of rest. Persecution begun again

under Herod Agrippa in 44 AD. James, son of Zebedde, is killed, Peter imprisoned.

C. Four major steps in the outreach of the Church(1) Conversion of the Samaritans under Phillip,

Acts 8(2) Conversion of Cornelius, founding of Gentile

Church, Acts 10 & 11.(3) Rise of the church in Antioch of Syria.

Gentile & Jewish elements. Name “Christian” first used. Acts. 11:26.

(4) Work/witness of the Apostle Paul: Acts 13-28.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic AgeD. The Destruction of Jerusalem

(1) History of Jerusalem after 64: Several Jewish parties at loggerheads with

one another and with Rome. Vespasian, Roman general, sent by Nero to Palestine to right matters. Nero dies and Vespasian returns and becomes Emperor. Titus, Vespasian’s son, takes over Palestinian Campaign. After desperate siege, Jerusalem is captured and the temple utterly destroyed, and city burned.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic AgeMasada



(2) Importance of the Destruction of Jerusalem.(a) It hastened the separation between

Judaism and Christianity.(b) Judaist element in the Church ends.(c) Shift in emphasis is from Jerusalem

to Rome.(i) Because evangelism had

taken Peter and Paul to Rome.(ii) Because Rome was the most

important world metropolis.



E. The Lives of the Apostles

(1) Peter

(a) Character: Impetuous, vigorous, solid, courageous leader of the 12 disciples. His name is first on all lists of disciples and of the inner three.

(b) Three distinct periods in his life

(i) Period of training as disciple (Gospels)

(ii) Period of leadership in early church (1st part of Acts)


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(iii) Period of humble work in the

Kingdom of Christ (Epistles) (c) Promise of the keys of the Kingdom literally

fulfilled at:(i) Pentecost - Acts 2(ii) House of Cornelius - Acts 10

(d) Jerusalem Council: Peter makes definitive speech (Acts 15).

(e) Antioch Incident: Peter dissembled (to disguise or conceal one's real motives) and Paul criticized him (Galatians 2).

(f) Tradition says: After 51, Peter engaged in missionary tours accompanied by his wife.

(g) Martyred under Nero c. 64 AD


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(2) James, brother of John

(a) Less conspicuous and less known brother of John, but one of the inner three.

(b) Received the surname Boanerges (son of thunder) along with John.

(c) Rebuked for severity of attitude toward village that would not receive Christ and also for self-seeking ambition concerning the Kingdom (Mark 10:37-46 ).

(d) First apostle to seal his testimony with his blood—martyred AD 44 at the nod of Herod

Agrippa


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age (3) James, the Lord’s brother (the Just)

(a) Most likely the oldest of the other children of Mary.(b) Unbeliever until after the resurrection, probably

converted like Paul through a resurrection appearance of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:7). Therefore not an apostle.

(c) Possibly took over after James was martyred in 44, became “pillar of the church,” was overseer of the church at Jerusalem.

(d) He was leader of the conservative Jewish wing as over against the missionary wing led by Paul.(e) He presided at Jerusalem Council (50 AD) as

conservative, was conciliator between the two views; he was a bridge between Judaist Christians and other Christians.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(f) He was a loyal, devout Hebrew Christian and author of the Epistle of James.

(g) He was martyred in 62 AD at the instigation of the high priest.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(4) Paul

(a) Early life: Born a few years after Christ at Tarsus, Cilicia of Asia Minor. Though a Jew, yet he was born a Roman citizen. Educated under Gamaliel in Jerusalem. Enthusiastic Pharisee.

(b) Three strands in Paul:(i) Hellenistic background; spoke Greek(ii) Hebrew of the Hebrews.(iii) Roman citizen—free to move

anywhere.( c) Religious life: Man of fervor, intelligence,

well-versed in the Old Testament and in the traditions of the elders. Was a truth-seeker. He believed Christ a false Messiah. Sincere, honest.

(d) His conversion: Rests on the miracle of Christ’s resurrection. He was humbled, and this


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Ageprepared him for a great life’s work. He was an

“either-or” man, either Christianity was true or false. He was not a substitute for Matthias but distinctly an apostle to the Gentiles.

(e) His labors: he was responsible for the victory of Christianity as a universal belief. His intense and

thorough evangelization of the Roman world is still a marvel to read in faith and zeal. He labored in Antioch, Tarsus, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy and perhaps Spain. Wrote the great bulk of the New Testament epistles (13, possibly 14)

(f) His death: Martyred in Rome during the Neronian persecution of 64 AD.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(5) John

(a) Early life and character: Son of Zebedde and brother of James. Ten years younger than Jesus. He was a fisherman from a comfortable home, perhaps had his own home. Youngest of the

disciples, pensive, contemplative, pure of character and motive, of deep affection, at first “Son of Thunder,” yet zeal was controlled by discipline.

(b) His discipleship: Was untrained, left John the Baptist to follow the Lord, was in the inner circle of the 12, leaned on Jesus’ breast, loved Jesus intensely, heart-broken at the cross, received Jesus’ mother into his house.


The Apostolic AgeThe Apostolic Age(c) In the early Church: He was esteemed by early church, seems to have been above strife, was probably at Jerusalem Council, after Paul’s imprisonment he went to Ephesus about 62 to care for the churches in that area, brought unity to Ephesus assembly,

banished to Patmos by Domitian (81-96), where he wrote the Apocalypse, died in or around Ephesus after Trajan came to power in 98 AD.

(d) His writings: The Gospel, 3 Epistles and the Revelation. His logos Christology was early used by the Fathers. Exalted love and righteousness and

opposed evil and Satan. Exposed incipient proto-gnosticism (docetism). Called names openly, white-hot love for Christ.



F. Practical out workings:(a) Raised level of womanhood(b) Changed family conditions.(c) Abolished polygamy.(d) Exposed concubinage as sinful.(e) Imparted holy basis to marriage.(f) Altered conditions of slaves.(g) Endorsed law, order, obedience to civil

government.

(h) Tended to justice, racial tolerance, peace.



What was the significance of the first council in Jerusalem?

Explain the shift of the center of the church from Jerusalem to Rome?

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Copyright 2003 by Jim Beasley1 The Apostolic Age