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BIBLE
STUDENT BOOK
8th Grade | Unit 5
Unit 5 | Early Church History
BIBLE 805
Early Church History
INTRODUCTION |3
1. THE WORLD OF THE EARLY CHURCH
5
THE ROMAN EMPIRE |6
THE JEWISH BACKGROUND |11
SELF TEST 1 |19
2. THE BEGINNING OF CHRISTIANITY
23
THE MINISTRY OF JESUS |24
THE PENTECOST EXPERIENCE |28
THE CHURCH AT JERUSALEM |32
THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION |39
SELF TEST 2 |46
LIFEPAC Test is located in the
center of the booklet. Please
remove before starting the unit.
Section 1 |1
Early Church History | Unit 5
Author: Douglas Williamson
Editor-In-Chief: Richard W. Wheeler, M.A.Ed.
Editor:
Daniel W. Hill, Ph.D.
Consulting Editor:
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Revision Editor:
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2| Section 1
Unit 5 | Early Church History
Early Church History
Introduction
Christianity was born in a world already old and troubled. Great empires had
risen and fallen; many of these empires had conquered one another. The glories
of Egypt, Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, and Greece lay centuries in the past,
only to be remembered by the treasures that they left behind. Rome, the greatest of the ancient empires, became the conquering empire. Rome governed all
the civilized world. Christianity lived the first five centuries of its life almost exclusively in the Roman Empire. In the Roman Empire the faith would begin, suffer
persecution, and prosper to a great height until AD 325.
In this LIFEPAC® you will study the world of the early church. You will see the
effect that the Roman Empire, the Jewish background, and the Greek thought
and religion within the empire had upon the early church. You will examine early
Christianity, beginning with the ministry of Jesus, continuing on to Pentecost, and
including the period of Christianity in the Land of Israel.
Objectives
Read these objectives. The objectives tell you what you will be able to do when
you have successfully completed this LIFEPAC. When you have finished this
LIFEPAC, you should be able to:
1. Trace the growth of the Roman Empire.
2. Outline the government of the empire.
3. Explain the Pax Romana.
4. Trace Jewish history from David to Alexander the Great.
5. Identify the Maccabees.
6. Compare and contrast the synagogue and the Sanhedrin.
7. Explain the difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
8. Outline the Dispersion.
9. Outline the ministry of Jesus.
10. Identify the events of Pentecost.
11. Outline the early church ministry in the Land of Israel.
Section 1 |3
Early Church History | Unit 5
Survey the LIFEPAC. Ask yourself some questions about this study and write your questions here.
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4| Section 1
Unit 5 | Early Church History
1. THE WORLD OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Christianity was born in a world that was complex in many ways. The Roman government
ruled all the known world at the time of the
early church. If you combine the influence of
the empire, the background and history of the
Jews, the influence of Greek thought, and the
various kinds of religion that Christianity found
in its environment, you can see the obstacles
that the faith had to overcome in order to be
victorious.
SECTION OBJECTIVES
Review these objectives. When you have completed this section, you should be able to:
1. Trace the growth of the Roman Empire.
2. Outline the government of the empire.
3. Explain the Pax Romana.
4. Trace Jewish history from David to Alexander the Great.
5. Identify the Maccabees.
6. Compare and contrast the synagogue and the Sanhedrin.
7. Explain the difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
8. Outline the Dispersion.
VOCABULARY
Study these words to enhance your learning success in this section.
absolute monarchy (ab’ su lüt mon’ ur kē). A government where the ruler has complete control of
all legislative, executive, and judicial powers.
alae (ā’ lē). Cavalry units attached to auxiliary units of the Roman legion.
aqueduct (ak’ wu dukt). An artificial channel or large pipe for bringing water from a distance.
ardent (är’ dunt). Glowing with passion; passionate; impassioned.
century (sen’ chur ē). A body of soldiers in the ancient Roman army. It probably consisted of 100
soldiers.
circumcision (sėr’ kum sizh’ un). A Jewish ritual in which a boy is circumcised when he is eight
days old as a symbol of the Covenant which, according to the Bible, God made with Abraham.
cohort (kō’ hôrt). Part of an ancient Roman legion; three to six hundred soldiers were in each
cohort, and ten cohorts in each legion.
consul (kon’ sul). Official appointed by a government to live in a foreign city, to look after the business interests of his own country, and to protect citizens of his country who are traveling or living
there.
empire (em’ pīr). A group of countries or states under one ruler or government.
maniple (man’ u pul). Subdivision of the ancient Roman legion, containing 60 or 120 men.
patrician (pu trish’ un). Member of the nobility of ancient Rome.
Section 1 |5
Early Church History | Unit 5
province (prov’ uns). One of the main divisions of a country.
republic (ri pub’ lik). Nation or state in which the citizens elect representatives to manage the government, which is usually headed by a president.
Note: All vocabulary words in this LIFEPAC appear in boldface print the first time they are used. If you are unsure of the
meaning when you are reading, study the definitions given.
Pronunciation Key: hat, āge, cãre, fär; let, ēqual, tėrm; it, īce; hot, ōpen, ôrder; oil; out; cup, pu·t, rüle; child; long; thin;
/ŦH/ for then; /zh/ for measure; /u/ represents /a/ in about, /e/ in taken, /i/ in pencil, /o/ in lemon, and /u/ in circus.
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Christianity was born in the Roman Empire.
This great and powerful empire stretched from
England to Persia and from the Sahara Desert
to northwestern Germany. The Mediterranean Sea was not a sea touching the shores of
many nations. Rather the Mediterranean was
a great inland waterway that united the many
North
Sea
BRITAIN
provinces of the empire that surrounded the
sea on all sides. Hundreds of tribes lived within
Rome’s vast borders, and nations with histories far longer than that of Rome were under
Roman control. The center of this vast empire
was the city of Rome, and in Rome all the
Baltic
Sea
The Growth of the
Roman Empire
Atlantic Ocean
GAUL
DACIA
Black Sea
SPAIN
THRACE
MACEDONIA
Mediterranean Sea
Roman Empire A.D. 14
Added by A.D. 117
| The Growth of the Roman Empire
6| Section 1
EGYPT
ARABIA
Unit 5 | Early Church History
power of the Roman government eventually
came to rest in the hands of the emperor.
Growth. Seven centuries before the birth of
Christ, Rome was a village in western Italy
hardly different from many others found there.
No one knows who founded Rome, although
several unusual stories are told concerning
its origin. Everyone knows, however, that this
tiny hamlet on the banks of the Tiber River
grew into a town, then into a city, and then
into a small state. Through wars and treaties it
expanded into an empire covering most of the
civilized world.
Five hundred years after it was founded Rome
controlled all of the area we now call Italy. Its
empire then began to spread across the sea.
Roman armies conquered the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily in the Mediterranean.
They advanced into North Africa and Spain.
Turning northward, the Romans conquered
much of what is modern Germany and France.
Later England was added to the Roman Empire.
Rome asserted its control over the Land of
Israel in 63 BC and established Judea as a province in AD 6, shortly after the birth of Christ.
The Roman navy made the Mediterranean a
Roman sea.
Roman influence and culture spread into every
conquered country. Latin became the official
language everywhere, and distant lands were
ruled by governors responsible only to Rome.
The empire was bound together by a marvelous system of roads, bridges, and aqueducts
so well constructed that they can still be seen
today. Throughout the world all roads led to
Rome. The government and military power of
Rome united all people of the empire.
Roman architecture was seen in every land.
One of its greatest triumphs, the Colosseum
in Rome itself, still stands. The beauty of the
Colosseum, however, was not reflected in many
of its uses. In the Colosseum were held various
“games” that resulted in the death of many Christians who gave up their lives for Jesus Christ.
Complete these sentences.
1.1 The Roman Empire stretched from a. ___________________________________ and
b. _____________________________ and from the c. ______________________________ to northwestern
d. _____________________________ .
1.2 Most of the Roman Empire surrounded the ___________________________ Sea.
1.3 The center of the Roman Empire was the city of _________________________ .
1.4 Rome was about _____________________________ years old when Jesus Christ was born.
1.5 The city of Rome was founded on the banks of the ______________________ .
1.6 The Land of Israel came under Roman control in a. _____________________________ and Judea
became a b. _____________________________ of the empire in AD 6.
1.7 The millions of people in the Roman Empire were united by the a. ___________________________
and b. _____________________________ .
1.8 The Romans built a. ___________________________ , b. ___________________________ , and
c. _____________________________ to link all the parts of the empire together.
Section 1 |7
Early Church History | Unit 5
Government. The Romans were the first group
to maintain central control over a vast empire
while allowing its conquered people to have
some freedom in their lives and government.
Roughly, Roman civilization lasted a thousand
years; the first 500 years as a republic and the
last 500 years as an empire.
In 509 BC Rome became a republic; citizens
elected representatives to run their government, much as we do in the United States
today. However, it was quite unlike a democracy such as ours in which everyone has equal
rights. Some Roman citizens had full citizenship
and were known as patricians. Another group,
called plebeians, had fewer rights and could not
hold public office. While Rome was still a republic, plebeians won equal rights with patricians
after a long, bitter struggle. A new group of
wealthy families, the senatorial class, was made
up of both patricians and plebeians and ruled
through control of the Senate. Other businessmen, known as equites, collected Rome’s enormous taxes and ran the courts. At the time of
the republic, people suffered under greedy tax
collectors, such as Matthew who later became
one of Christ’s disciples (Matthew 9:9 and Luke
5:27). This condition improved later, under the
strong rule of the emperor.
Slaves were also a part of Roman society. Often
they were men who were captured in Rome’s
frequent wars. Although many slaves were
treated very well, they performed society’s
hardest and most unpleasant tasks.
The Empire was established by Caesar Augustus in 27 BC and lasted until Rome fell in AD
476. He and all later emperors held supreme
authority through their office of consul. Even
during the rule of emperors, however, the city
of Rome kept its republican form of government; the new emperor was elected either by
the Senate or the powerful army. Gradually,
however, the power of the emperor grew while
the power of the Senate decreased until elections were discontinued, and Rome became
8| Section 1
| Roman Soldier
an absolute monarchy, or dictatorship, ruled
solely by the emperor.
Roman officials ruled as governors in distant
provinces of the empire by allowing self-government to the people while still maintaining
Roman control. These Roman governors had
titles such as legate, proconsul, prefect, and
procurator; terms we still use today. Herod the
Great, for example, was king of the Land of
Israel when Jesus Christ was born (Matthew
2:1, 3, 7, and 16 and Luke 1.5). Herod’s grandson, Herod Agrippa I, was also given the title
of king by the Roman emperor. King Agrippa
II, who succeeded his father to the throne, was
the same Agrippa who said to the apostle Paul
(Acts 26:28), “…Almost thou persuadest me to
be a Christian.”
The army. Rome’s conquests were made possible through the size and strength of its army,
the strongest the world had ever seen. Roman
soldiers were professionals. For many Romans
military service was a lifetime career. Soldiers
trained endlessly and died willingly in the service
of Rome. One of the greatest Roman soldiers of
all time was Julius Caesar, who was a general
that became dictator and consul in 49 BC
At the time of Augustus, the first emperor,
about two hundred and fifty thousand men
served in the Roman army. They were divided
into legions composed of about six thousand foot soldiers and one hundred twenty
Unit 5 | Early Church History
cavalrymen. Members of these choice legions
were Romans who enlisted for twenty years.
Attached to a legion was an auxiliary composed
of noncitizens who were drafted for a twenty-five year term. Next to the legions in size
were the cohort, the maniple, and the century. Smaller cavalry units were called alae.
Soldiers occupied the countries they defeated
in battle and became a peacetime force for
progress and civilization. They built roads,
walls, and bridges. They were an important
source of Roman influence wherever they went.
In 27 BC, after disastrous civil wars that had
lasted more than a hundred years, the full
power of Rome was given to Gaius Octavianus. This man is known in history as Caesar
Augustus, the first and greatest of the Roman
emperors. With him the republic ended and the
empire began. Augustus reigned from 27 BC to
AD 14. He is the Caesar of whom Luke wrote
(Luke 2:1), “…in those days…there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be taxed.” Except for some minor fighting on the frontiers of the empire, the reign
of peace begun by Augustus lasted more than
two hundred years. During these two centuries,
Christianity arose out of the life and work of
our Lord and became an empire-wide witness
to the Gospel.
Write true or false.
1.9 _______________ Rome’s territories were administered by a republic until 27 BC.
1.10 _______________ The Romans were the first to impose central authority on a large area.
1.11 _______________ Rome was a republic after 27 BC.
1.12 _______________ All citizens had equal rights in the empire.
1.13 _______________ The patricians enjoyed full citizenship.
1.14 _______________ The new senatorial class was made up of the patricians and plebeians.
1.15 _______________ Under the republic the people were taxed fairly.
1.16 _______________ Under Caesar Augustus the Roman republic ended.
Complete these statements.
1.17 The king of the Land of Israel when Jesus Christ was born was ______________________ .
1.18 The main division of the Roman army was called a. _______________________ which included
about b. _________________ infantrymen and c. ________________ cavalrymen.
1.19 Legionaires were a. __________________ who enlisted for b. _____________________ years.
1.20 Attached to every legion was an a. ____________________________ made up of
b. _______________________________ drafted for a c. __________________-year term.
Section 1 |9
Early Church History | Unit 5
Pax Romana: Roman peace. In the Empire
the Pax Romana or Roman peace made trade
and travel both easy and safe. Travel from one
end of the empire to the other; whether by
land, sea, or river, was safe. The Roman peace
encouraged the development of culture in
every possible way, leading to great achievements in literature, architecture, and sculpture. The study of law was encouraged and
greatly developed. The economy, during this
period, provided varying degrees of prosperity
throughout the empire. Everywhere, the Roman
army was a symbol of Roman power, Roman
law, and Roman peace. Greek was the most
common language used to communicate in the
Read Acts 10:1-2;
21:27–40; 23:16–35;
26:30–32; 27:1–8;
and 28:11–16.
larger part of the empire. A careful reading of
the book of Acts reveals a great deal about the
Roman Empire.
During the reign of Tiberius, while Pontius
Pilate was governor of Judea, Jesus Christ was
put to death. Christ’s teachings began to spread
after the Cross, and in AD 64, the Emperor Nero
condemned Christians on the charge of setting
fire to Rome.
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1.21 What does the term Pax Romana mean? _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.22 How did the Roman peace affect transportation? ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.23 What was the common language during the Roman peace? ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.24 Who was the emperor when Jesus was put to death? __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.25 Who was the governor of Judea when Jesus died? _____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.26 What event took place that affected Christianity? ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
10| Section 1
Unit 5 | Early Church History
THE JEWISH BACKGROUND
The roots of Christianity extend backward
into the history and religion of Israel. Jesus, in
speaking to the Samaritan woman, said (John
4:22), “…Salvation is of the Jews.” Jesus came
not to destroy the Law but to fulfill the Law and
the prophets (Matthew 5:17). Those who belong
to Jesus Christ through salvation are Abraham’s
spiritual offspring. Therefore, believers become
heirs according to the promise of the Word of
God (Galatians 3:29), “And if ye be Christ’s, then
are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to
the promise.” The Land of Israel was part of the
Roman Empire. The church was deeply related
to Israel and the people. The earliest church
was Jewish, the Savior was a Jew, and much of
the New Testament was written by Jews.
To understand the Christian faith, we must
study the background of Israel from David’s
kingdom to the reign of Alexander the Great.
We shall also examine the Maccabees, the synagogue, and the Sanhedrin. We shall look at the
Jewish leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the effect they had on the early life of the
church. Finally, we shall examine the effect that
the dispersion of Jews had in the spread of the
church throughout the Roman Empire.
David to Alexander the Great. The kingdom
of Israel was expanded by David, the son of
Jesse, about 1000 BC David placed such a
stamp on the kingdom and upon the kingly
office that he became a symbol of Israel’s later
Messianic hopes for a king to come and to
relieve them of oppression by outside nations
(1 Chronicles 22:8–10; Psalms 83:3 and 4;
27–29; and 34–37). For about forty years David
reigned over a powerful and strong Israel.
Solomon, David’s son, added to Israel’s boundaries and power during his reign. After Solomon’s death about 930 BC, the kingdom David
had established was split into two parts.
Read 2 Samuel 7;
Micah 5:2–4; Zechariah
3:8-9; 6:12-13; 9:10;
Zechariah 12:8; 13:1;
and Luke 1:30–33.
The northern part, called Israel, was taken into
Assyrian exile about 721 BC because of their sin
and their idol worship. The northern kingdom
was never restored. The southern kingdom,
Judah, which had remained true to the house of
David, had a longer history. About 686 BC the
southern kingdom began to leave the teachings
of the Scriptures and the Law of God. In 586 BC
the southern kingdom went into exile in Babylon. We read about Daniel in Babylon and the
three Hebrew boys who served God and who
were punished for their love for God (Daniel 3
and 6). In 539, Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered
Babylon. He allowed any Jewish exile to return
to Jerusalem if they wanted to do so. The following year a number of them returned to Jerusalem. These Jews, in time, rebuilt the Temple
which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar,
the king of Babylon.
After the first return, other groups went back
to the Land of Israel. One of the leaders of
these groups was Ezra, a priest who was deeply
devoted to the Mosaic Law. Ezra’s desire was to
make the observance of the Torah, Israel’s Law,
a living part of the Jewish religion again. The
Pharisees, who are discussed in the Gospels
and the book of Acts, grew out of the movement to restore the Law that Ezra had begun.
At the close of the writing of the Old Testament
about 430 BC, Judea was a Persian province.
Persia had been a world power for about one
hundred years and remained so for another
one hundred years. During this period not
much is known of Jewish history. Persian rule
was, for the most part, mild and relaxed.
Up to that time the great powers of the world
had been in Asia and in Africa. Greece, however, was looming on the western horizon.
Section 1 |11
Early Church History | Unit 5
Black Sea
CAPPADOCIA
Crete
Mediterranean Sea
ES
O
Eu
ph
• Samaria
• Tyre
• Jerusalem
PO
ra
TA
M
te
s
Memphis
Ri
PARTHIA
r
Alexandria
EGYPT
M
Damascus
e
Riv
M
EMAIC
PI
RE
Caspian
Sea
ris
LE
• Antioch
Tig
O
D
CI
U RE
LE PI
SE E M
Cyprus
PT
ARMENIA
PHRYGIA
ICIATarsus
CIL
ve
IA
r
• Babylon
The Hellenistic
Empires
• Susa
Ptolemais
Thebes
• Persepolis
Red
Sea
ARABIA
Persian
Gulf
PER
SIA
| Syria and Egypt, The Hellenistic Empires
The beginnings of Greek history are somewhat
vague. Greece is thought to have begun about
the twelfth century BC, the time of the Biblical
judges. Then came the Trojan War, and Homer,
about 1000 BC, during the age of David and
Solomon. The beginning of Greek history has
usually been recorded from the First Olympiad,
776 BC The formation of the Hellenic states
followed in 776 to 500 BC The Persian wars
followed from 500 to 331 BC with the famous
battles of Marathon (490 BC) and Thermopolyae and Solomis, 480 BC The brilliant era
of Pericles (465 to 429 BC) and Socrates (469
to 399 BC) followed this time of war. This era
paralleled that of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old
Testament.
Alexander the Great, the son of Philip I, at the
age of twenty assumed the command of the
Greek army in 336 BC Alexander swept eastward and over the lands that had been under
12| Section 1
the dominion of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and
Persia. By 331 BC the whole world lay at Alexander’s feet. On his invasion of the Land of
Israel in 332 BC Alexander showed great consideration to the Jews. He spared Jerusalem,
and offered immunities to the Jews who would
settle in Alexandria. Alexander established
Greek cities all over the conqered domains.
Along with these cities, Greek culture and the
Greek language were established. After a brief
reign Alexander died in 323 BC
When Alexander died, his empire fell to his
generals. Syria went to General Seleucus, and
Egypt to General Ptolemy with remaining areas
going to two other generals. The Land of Israel,
which lay between Syria and Egypt, went first to
Syria. A short time later the Land of Israel was
passed to Egypt (301 BC) and remained under
the control of Egypt till 198 BC
Unit 5 | Early Church History
Complete these items by writing the letter of the correct answer on each line.
1.27 The kingdom of Israel was expanded by __________ .
a. Jesse
b. David
c. Solomon
d. Jesus
1.28 David became the king of Israel around __________ .
a. 800 BC b. 3200 BC c. 1200 BC d. 1000 BC
1.29 David reigned over Israel for __________ years.
a. forty
b. forty-five
c. twenty
d. fifty
1.30 David was succeeded as king by his son __________ .
a. Jesse
b. Ezra
c. Solomon
d. Saul
1.31 After the death of Solomon, Israel was divided into __________ kingdoms.
a. northern and southern
b. northern and western
c. southern and eastern
1.32 The northern kingdom was known as __________ .
a. Judah
b. Israel
c. Persia
d. Syria
1.33 The southern kingdom was known as __________ .
a. Judah b. Israel
c. Persia
d. Syria
Complete these statements.
1.34 Israel was conquered by _________________________ .
1.35 Judah was taken into captivity by _________________________ .
1.36 Babylon was conquered by a. _________________________ , king of b. _________________________ .
1.37 Cyrus allowed some of the Jews to return to _________________________ to rebuild the city.
1.38 One of the leaders of the returning Jews was a. _________________________ who desired to
restore the observance of the b. _________________________ , Israel’s Law.
1.39 After the Persian Empire the _________________________ conquered the world.
1.40 Ezra and Nehemiah lived about the same time as the Greek philosopher ___________________ .
1.41 By 331 BC all the known world had been conquered by _________________________ .
1.42 When Alexander died his empire was divided among a. _________________________ ,
b. _________________________ , and c. _________________________ .
1.43 After the death of Alexander, Israel first came under the rule of a. _________________________ ,
then the rule of b. _________________________ .
Section 1 |13
Early Church History | Unit 5
The Maccabees. Under the rule of the Ptolemaic kings of Egypt, the Jews were permitted to
practice their religion freely. For more than two
hundred fifty years after their return from exile,
the Jews had observed the Mosaic Law as Ezra
had taught them. When Syria gained control,
however, the new masters forced the Jews
to surrender their faith and worship of God
and to follow the Greek religion. The leader of
this movement was Antiochus the Fourth, the
Seleucid king of Syria. Antiochus came to the
throne in 175 BC Antiochus was violently bitter
against the Jews, and he made a furious and
determined effort to exterminate the Jews and
the Jewish religion. Antiochus devastated Jerusalem in 168 BC, defiled the Temple, offered a
pig on its altar, and erected an altar to Jupiter.
Antiochus prohibited Temple worship, forbade
circumcision on a threat of death, and sold
thousands of Jewish families into slavery. All
of the copies that could be found of the Scriptures (Torah) were destroyed. Everyone who
possessed a copy of the Scriptures was slaughtered. Antiochus resorted to every conceivable
torture to force the Jews to renounce their
faith. This action led to the Maccabean revolt.
The rebellion against Seleucid rule broke out in
full strength in 163 BC and was led by an aged
priest named Mattathias and his four sons. Of
these sons, Judas was the leader of the revolt.
14| Section 1
Together Mattathias and his sons were known
as the Maccabees or men who fight violently. In
141 BC the Jews had won a complete victory
over their Seleucid enemies. For the first time
since 586 BC, Israel again became an independent nation. Israel, however, kept her freedom
for only eighty years. In 63 BC civil war broke
out in the Land Israel giving Rome an opportunity to establish her authority there. For
the next sixty years the nation of Israel was
semi-independent. Her rulers were appointed
by Rome. In 37 BC Herod (known as Herod
the Great) became king of Israel with Rome’s
approval. To obtain the favor of the Jews, Herod
rebuilt the Temple with great splendor. Herod
was a brutal, cruel man. This same Herod ruled
Israel including Judah when Jesus was born,
and he was the king who ordered the children
of Bethlehem slain (Matthew 2:16–18).
After the death of Herod, the kingdom was
divided among his sons. Archelaus received
Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. Herod Antipas
received Galilee and Perea. Philip received the
area northeast of Galilee. In AD 6 Archelaus
was deposed because of misconduct and sent
into exile. Judea became a Roman province and
was governed by Roman procurators. From AD
26–36, the procurator of Judea was a Roman
named Pontius Pilate.
Unit 5 | Early Church History
Answer these questions using complete sentences.
1.44 Under what group of kings were the Jews permitted to practice their religion freely?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.45 Who was the Syrian leader who hated the Jews and tried to exterminate them and their
religion? _______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.46 After Antiochus defiled the Temple, he built an altar to what god?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.47 What were two things that Antiochus did concerning the Scripture or Torah?
a. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
1.48 Who led the Maccabean revolt? ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.49 How long was Israel free from harsh rule? _____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.50 In 63 BC civil war broke out in Israel allowing what empire to take control of the Land of
Israel? _________________________________________________________________________________________
1.51 Who became king of Israel with Rome’s approval? _____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.52 Who was the Roman governor at the time of Christ’s death?___________________________________
Section 1 |15
Early Church History | Unit 5
Synagogue and Sanhedrin. Before the Jewish
exile in 586 BC, the center of Jewish worship
was the Temple in Jerusalem. After the Exile,
the center of Jewish worship was the synagogue found in every local community of Jews.
The synagogue had not existed before the
Exile. Deprived of the Temple in Babylonia, the
Jews emphasized the synagogue for purposes
of prayer, for the reading of the Scriptures, and
for teaching more than they had done in the
homeland. The synagogue was further developed and strengthened by Ezra and his successors as a means of teaching the Law. The book
of Acts indicates that where Jews were found in
the empire, a synagogue was also found. From
the synagogue Paul began his witness in most
cities he visited. The leader or president of the
assembly was called the ruler of the synagogue.
He was assisted by a reader of the Scriptures, a
leader in congregational prayer, and an officer
who had custody of the Scriptures and who
presided in the absence of the ruler.
The governing body of the Jews in the Land of
Israel was the Sanhedrin. The word Sanhedrin
means to sit together. Although the Sanhedrin
was under Roman authority, it governed the
province in both civil and religious matters.
In matters that were solely religious, the Jews
outside the Land of Israel recognized only the
authority of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was
composed largely of Sadducees and Pharisees
under the leadership of the high priest.
Complete these statements.
1.53 Before the Jewish exile in 586 BC, the center of Jewish worship was the
a. _________________________ in b. __________________________________ .
1.54 After the Exile the center of Jewish worship was the __________________________________ .
1.55 The synagogue was emphasized for the purposes of a. __________________________________ ,
b. __________________________________ and c. __________________________________ .
1.56 The synagogue was further developed and strengthened by a. _______________________________
as a means of teaching the b. __________________________________ .
1.57 The leader or president of the assembly was called the __________________________________ .
1.58 The governing body of the Jews in the Land of Israel was the ________________________________ .
1.59 The word Sanhedrin means to __________________________________ .
1.60 The Sanhedrin governed the Roman province of the Land of Israel in both
a. ______________________________ and b. __________________________________ matters.
1.61 The Sanhedrin was composed largely of a. __________________________________ and
b. ______________________________ under the leadership of the c. ______________________________ .
16| Section 1
Unit 5 | Early Church History
Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees
and the Sadducees were the Jewish leaders
from the time of the Maccabees onward. The
Sadducees came from priestly families and
were lawyers who favored the old ways and
who were opposed to change. They supported
efforts of the later Maccabees, however, to
introduce Greek ideas into the Jewish life and
religion. They were chiefly known for denying
the doctrine of the resurrection (Luke 20:27)
and for denying the existence of angels and
spirits. The Sadducees also believed that
the soul perished with the body. Since they
rejected any idea of a resurrection, no resurrection meant no future life for them. They also
rejected the traditions of the elders (Matthew
3:7; 16:6; Acts 4:1–3; 5:17 and 18; and 23:8).
nationalists and they opposed foreign influences, whether these influences were Greek or
Roman. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection (Acts 23:8) and in a future life with rewards
and punishments. The Pharisees were chiefly
concerned with the outward observance of the
Law. For the Pharisee spiritual attitudes played
very little part. The outward observance of the
Law was the one aspect that brought them into
conflict with Jesus. The Sadducees had wrong
doctrines. The Pharisees had right doctrines,
but their lives contradicted their teachings.
Jesus could easily say (Matthew 23:2 and 3), “…
the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,
that observe and do; but do not ye after their
works: for they say, and do not.”
In nearly every respect the Pharisees opposed
the Sadducees (Acts 23:7 and 8). The Pharisees
were not a priestly class but instead were laymen. The Pharisees, too, were lawyers; but they
believed that the Law should be open to new
interpretations. The Pharisees were ardent
The Sadducees lost influence and gradually
disappeared after the fall of Jerusalem in AD
70. The Pharisees continued longer. They also
disappeared from the religious scene with the
destruction of the Jewish state of Israel.
Write S for Sadducees or P for Pharisees, depending on which best answers the phrase.
1.62 ______________ came from priestly families
1.63 _______________ were not priestly
1.64 _______________ favored old ways
1.65 _______________ believed the Law should be open to new interpretations
1.66 _______________ were nationalists
1.67 _______________ denied doctrine of resurrection
1.68 ______________ believed the soul perished with the body
1.69 _______________ opposed foreign influences
1.70 _______________ rejected the traditions of the elders
1.71 _______________ believed in the resurrection
1.72 _______________ concerned with outward observance of the Law
1.73 _______________ disappeared after the fall of Jerusalem
1.74 _______________ disappeared after the destruction of Israel
Section 1 |17
Early Church History | Unit 5
Complete this activity.
1.75 Write a two-page report on either the Sadducees or the Pharisees. Your report should
include background, beliefs, conflicts with Jesus Christ, and their effect on the people. Have
your pastor or your teacher check your written report.
TEACHER CHECK
The Dispersion. For the most part, we have
examined the history of the Jews around the
Land of Israel. We must note, however, that
many more Jews lived outside the Land of
Israel. Even with the deportation of prisoners of
war, the greatest spread of Jews in all directions
from the Land of Israel was the special interest
in commerce and trade. During the time of the
early Roman Empire, or the inter-Testament
period, two and one-half million Jews lived in
the Land of Israel. One million Jews lived in
each of the areas of Egypt, Asia Minor, and
Mesopotamia. In addition to these Jews, about
one hundred thousand Jews lived in Italy and
North Africa. Smaller Jewish colonies were
scattered throughout the Roman Empire. The
New Testament references to the Dispersion
initials
date
are rather impressive and include John 7:35,
Acts 2:5 through 11, James 1:1, and First Peter
1:1 with many other references throughout
the book of Acts. Together they established a
natural base outside the Land of Israel for the
missionary proclamation of the Gospel.
The most important center was Alexandria,
Egypt. There the Jews occupied whole quarters
of the city. There the Old Testament was translated into the Greek language in 250 BC, making God’s Word available to the Greek-speaking
world. This translation became known as the
Septuagint. In Alexandria, Jewish intellectual life
found its greatest spokesman in the famous
Jewish philosopher Philo (about 20 BC to AD
42).
Complete these statements.
1.76 The greatest spread of Jews in all directions from the Land of Israel was the special interest
in ____________________________________ .
1.77 During the time of the early Roman Empire, about ____________________________________ Jews
lived in the Land of Israel.
1.78 One million Jews lived in each of the areas of a. ____________________________________ ,
b. ____________________________________ , and c. ____________________________________ .
1.79 The most important center was ____________________________________ .
1.80 The Old Testament was translated into a. ____________________________________ in
b. _____________________ BC, and became known as the c. ___________________________________ .
18| Section 1
Unit 5 | Early Church History
Review the material in this section in preparation for the Self Test. This Self Test will
check your mastery of this particular section. The items missed on this Self Test will indicate specific areas where restudy is needed for mastery.
SELF TEST 1
Write true or false (each answer, 1 point).
1.01
_____________ Most of the Roman Empire surrounded the Persian Gulf.
1.02
_____________ The Roman Empire stretched from England to Persia and from the Sahara
Desert to northwestern Germany.
1.03
_____________ The center of the Roman Empire was Rome.
1.04
_____________ Rome was about two hundred fifty years old when Jesus Christ was born.
1.05
_____________ The city of Rome was founded on the banks of the Po River.
1.06
_____________ The Land of Israel came under Roman control in 63 BC and Judea became a
province of the empire in AD 6.
1.07
_____________ The millions of people of the Roman Empire were united by the military and
by the government.
1.08
_____________ The Romans built roads, aqueducts, and bridges to link all the parts of the
empire together.
1.09
_____________ Rome’s territories were independent until 21 BC.
1.010 _____________ The Romans were the first to impose central authority on a large area.
Section 1 |19
Early Church History | Unit 5
Complete these sentences (each answer, 3 points).
1.011 Rome was a republic from a. __________________ to b. ____________________________________ BC.
1.012 The patricians enjoyed full ____________________________________ .
1.013 The patricians and plebeians made up the new ____________________________________ class.
1.014 Caesar Augustus became the first a. ____________________ of Rome in b. __________________ BC.
1.015 The king of the Land of Israel when Jesus Christ was born was ______________________________ .
1.016 The main division of the Roman army was called a. ____________________________________ ,
which included about b. ____________________________________ infantrymen and
c. ____________________________________ cavalrymen.
1.017 Roman citizens who enlisted in the army for twenty years were called _______________________ .
1.018 The term Pax Romana means ____________________________________ .
1.019 The common language during the Roman peace was ____________________________________ .
1.020 The emperor when Jesus Christ was put to death was a. ____________________________________
and the governor was b. ____________________________________ .
1.021 The kingdom of Israel was expanded by ____________________________________ .
1.022 David reigned over Israel for ____________________________________ years.
1.023 After the death of Solomon, Israel was divided into the northern and
____________________________________ kingdoms.
1.024 The northern kingdom was known as ____________________________________ .
1.025 The southern kingdom was known as ____________________________________ .
20| Section 1
Unit 5 | Early Church History
Match these items (each answer, 2 points).
1.026 _________ Assyria
a. conquered Babylon
1.027 _________ Babylon
b. conquered all the known world
1.028 _________ Persia c. built altar to Jupiter
1.029 _________ Torah
d. governing body of Jews in the Land of lsrael
1.030 _________ Ezra
e. Israel’s law
1.031 _________ Alexander the Great
f. Greek Old Testament
1.032 _________ Antiochus
g. conquered Israel
1.033 _________ Judas and Mattathias
h. conquered Persia
1.034 _________ Sanhedrin
i. restored the Torah
1.035 _________ Septuagint
j. conquered Judah
1.036 _________ Alexandria
k. led Maccabean revolt
1.037 _________ high priest
l. leader of the Sanhedrin
m. Jewish center
Write S for Sadducees or P for Pharisees (each answer, 1 point).
1.038 _________ came from priestly families
1.039 _________ believed the Law should be open to new interpretations
1.040 _________ favored old ways
1.041 _________ denied doctrine of resurrection
1.042 _________ opposed foreign influences
1.043 _________ concerned with outward observance of the Law
80
100
SCORE
TEACHER
initials
date
Section 1 |21
Early Church History | Unit 5
notes
notes
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NOTES notes
22| Section 1
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