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Christian History
Lesson 1
“When in the Fullness of Time…”
“The political connection of Israel with the Grecian
world, and, with it, the conflict with Hellenism,
may be said to have connected with the
victorious progress of Alexander the Great
through the then known world (333 B.C.)”
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,
By Alfred Edershiem
“To
see clearly the relation of the Christian religion
to the preceding history of mankind, …we must
first glance at the preparation which existed in
the political, moral, and religious condition of the
world for the advent of our Saviour.”
History of the Christian Church
By Philip Schaff
Alexander the Great
336-323BC
• Kingdom extended from Macedonia to
the Indus river valley
• Introduced Hellenism to Asia, the
conversion of existing cultures to
Greek culture
• Introduced a common language,
Koinai Greek
• His Kingdom was divided after his
death “the large horn was broken, and in
place of it four notable ones came up
toward the four winds…”(Dan 8:8)
• Successor Kingdoms established by
the “Diadochi”, Seleucus, Ptolemy,
Cassander, Lysimachus.
Seleucid and Ptolemaic Empires
Seleucid Empire
323-63BC
• Antiochus Epiphanes IV, original name “Mithradates”
• Called himself “image of god, bearer of victory”
• Aggressively sought to Hellenize regions under his
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control (Judea)
Invaded Egypt and laid siege to Alexandria
Retreated after Republican Rome intervened
Desecrated the Temple and forced the worship of
Greek gods (Dan 8:11)
Maccabean revolt led by Judas Maccabeus, son of
Mattathias, beginning of the Hasmonean Dynasty (167
BC)
Empire fragmented, largest fragment, Parthian Empire
Seleucid Hellenism
• The promise of a yearly increase of 360 talents in the
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taxes of the country, besides a payment of 80 talents
from another revenue purchased the deposition of Onias
III and the appointment of Jason to High Priest - the
first event of that kind recorded in Jewish history (2
Macc. iv. 8, 9),
Jason paid to Antiochus a sum of 150 talents for
permission to erect a Gymnasium in Jerusalem, (2 Macc.
iv. 9, 19).
Hellenism sweeps over the country, introduction of
views, manners, and institutions wholly incompatible
with the religion of the Old Testament, even the abolition
of the bodily mark (1 Macc. i. 15; Jos. Ant. xii.5. 1).
Ptolemaic Empire
306-31BC
• Judea enjoyed “relative” prosperity under Ptolemaic
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control
Preserved local cultures, also mixed Greek and
Egyptian cultures
Ptolemy Philadelphus commissioned the translation of
the Torah to Greek for his library in Alexandria
ca 280BC (Josephus Ant. book xii)
Empire ended in 31BC after the Battle of Actium,
where Octavian’s forces defeated Antony and
Cleopatra
Roman Empire
753BC-476AD
• Pompey Magnus, First Triumvirate, Julius Caesar, Crassus
• Defeats the Cilician Pirates, defeats King Mithridates, invades
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Armenia, Scythia
63BC makes Syria a Roman province (end of Seleucid Empire)
Settles dispute between Hasmonean princes Hyrcanus and
Aristobulus
Aristobulus recants deal with Pompey and seizes the Temple in
Jerusalem
Pompey attacks Jerusalem, defeats Aristobulus and carries him and
his followers back to Rome as slaves
Jewish nation now tributary to Rome, Pompey appoints Hyrcanus to
the office of High Priest
Judea
Hasmonean Dynasty (168-37BC) Herod (37-4BC)
• Herod’s father Antipater, a member of the Hasmonean
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court, instrumental in Rome’s involvement
Herod the Idumean, elected “King of Judea” by the
Roman Senate, defeats the Parthian supported King
Antigonus for control of Jerusalem (using Roman
soldiers) in 43BC
Marries Mariamme a Hasmonean princess
Appoints Ananel to High Priest (a Babylonian Jew)
Herod attains title “Friend of Caesar” and becomes close
friends with Marcus Agrippa
Judaism split in to three sects: Pharisee, Sadducee,
Essene, and later Zealots
“what harm is there in saying ‘Lord Caesar’?
Oxyrhyncus Papyrus
Egypt 250AD
To the Commissioners of Sacrifice of the Village of Alexander’s Island:
From Aurelius Diogenes, the son of Satabus, of the Village of
Alexander’s Island, aged 72 years: ---scar on his right eyebrow.
I have always sacrificed regularly to the gods, and now, in your
presence, in accordance with the edict, I have done sacrifice, and
poured the drink offering, and tasted of the sacrifices, and I request
you to certify the same. Farewell.
-----Handed in by me, Aurelius Diogenes.
-----I certify that I saw him sacrificing [signature obliterated].
Done in the first year of the Emperor, Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus
Trajanus Decius Pius Felix Augustus, second of the month Epith.
[June 26, 250 A.D.]
Pliny to Trajan
I have hesitated a great deal in considering whether any
distinctions should be drawn according to the ages of
the accused; whether the weak should be punished as
severely as the more robust, or whether the man who
has once been a Christian gained anything by recanting?
I ask them whether they are Christians, if they say
"Yes," then I repeat the question the second time, and
also a third -- warning them of the penalties involved;
and if they persist, I order them away to prison. For I do
not doubt that -- be their admitted crime what it may -their pertinacity and inflexible obstinacy surely ought to
be punished.
But they declared their guilt or error was simply
this -- on a fixed day they used to meet before
dawn and recite a hymn among themselves to
Christ, as though he were a god. So far from
binding themselves by oath to commit any
crime, they swore to keep from theft, robbery,
adultery, breach of faith, and not to deny any
trust money deposited with them when called
upon to deliver it. This ceremony over, they used
to depart and meet again to take food -- but it
was of no special character, and entirely
harmless. They also had ceased from this
practice after the edict I issued -- by which, in
accord with your orders, I forbade all secret
societies.
The Martyrdom of Ignatius
98-117 AD
Then Trajan pronounced
sentence as follows: “We
command that Ignatius, who
affirms that he carries about
within him Him that was
crucified, be bound by soldiers,
and carried to the great city
Rome, there to be devoured by
the beasts, for the gratification
of the people” When the holy
martyr heard this sentence, he
cried out with joy…
The Martyrdom of Polycarp
69-155 AD
“for eighty-six
years I have
been his servant,
and he has never
done me wrong.
How can I
blaspheme my
King who saved
me?”
The Martyrdom of Vivia Perpetua
“But Perpetua, that she
might taste some pain,
being pierced between the
ribs, cried out loudly, and
she herself placed the
wavering right hand of the
youthful gladiator to her
throat. Possibly such a
woman could not have
been slain unless she
herself had willed it,
because she was feared by
the impure spirit.”
He said that
about noon,
when the day
was already
beginning to
decline, he saw
with his own eyes
the trophy of a
cross of light in
the heavens,
above the sun,
and bearing the
inscription,
CONQUER BY
THIS
Constantine I
280-337 BC
• Declared emperor by his troops while on campaign
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against the Picts in Caledonia (306AD)
Defeats Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian bridge to gain
control over the Western Empire
Becomes sole ruler of Roman Empire with the defeat and
death of Licinius (320AD)(Lincinius had reverted to
paganism and begun persecuting Christians again)
In his early career identified himself with “sol invictus” as
seen by the coins he issued
Established his capitol in Byzantium, renamed
Constantinople
Baptized just before his death by Eusebius of Nicomedia,
an Arian Bishop
EDICT OF TOLERATION BY GALERIUS
311 AD
• “Christians themselves, for some reason, had
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followed such a caprice and had fallen into such
a folly that they would not obey the institutes of
antiquity,”
“Finally when our law had been promulgated to
the effect that they should conform to the
institutes of antiquity, many were subdued by
the fear of danger, many even suffered death”
“But we shall tell the magistrates in another
letter what they ought to do.”
The Edict of Milan
313 AD
• Constantine Augustus and Licinius Augustus
• “might grant to the Christians and others full authority to
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observe that religion which each preferred; whence any
Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be
propitious and kindly disposed to us”
“now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian
religion may do so freely and openly, without
molestation”
“In all these circumstances you ought to tender your
most efficacious intervention to the community of the
Christians, that our command may be carried into effect
as quickly as possible, whereby, moreover, through our
clemency, public order may be secured.”
A new sense of spirituality, history,
and development of theology
• Eusebius of Caesarea writes “The Church
History” (ca 320 AD)
• Church of the holy sepulcher built
(inspired by Helen mother of Constantine,
both are saints in the Greek Orthodox
calendar)
• Collection of relics from Jerusalem (Helen
finds parts of the True Cross)
Bordeaux Itinerary
313AD
• The earliest first hand description of the Holy Land. Total
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distance traveled 5000 miles
“There are two statues of Hadrian, and not far from the
statues there is a perforated stone, to which the Jews
come every year and anoint it, bewail themselves with
groans, rend their garments, and so depart”
“There by the orders of Constantine a basilica of
wondrous beauty has been built. Not far from thence is
the little hill which the Lord ascended to pray, when he
took Peter and John with Him, and Moses and Elias
were beheld”
St Antony
Father of Monasticism (251-356)
• Born wealthy
• Life was changed when he heard the reading of
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Luke 18:22 “sell all that you have…and come,
follow me”
Lived in caves and tombs battling the devil and
demons
Athanasius wrote his biography “The Life of
Antony”
Biography translated into Latin, influences
Augustine
Simeon Stylites
390-459AD
Debate over the nature of God and Christ
• Homoousios : same (homo) ousios
(nature) orthodox view-Anthanasius
• Homoiousios: similar nature, moderate
view-Eusebius of Caesarea
• Heteroousios: different nature-Arius
presbyter of Alexandria (majority view)
Council of Nicea
• Called by Constantine because of the “Arian
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Controversy”
Arian popularized his theology in “the tralia” a
medley of poems that were sung…not extant
today…mentioned in the writing of Athanasius
Settled minor dispute over the date of
Christian Passover
Nicene Creed…essential wording “true God
from true God begotten not made of one
substance”
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“The Teacher of Grace”
Born Tagaste, Numidia (Algeria) 354AD
Father sent him to Carthage to learn Rhetoric
At one time followed Manichaenism a dualistic eastern
religion
Also followed Neo Platoism…introduce the idea of a
transcendent God to Augustine
Baptized in Milan 387 by Ambrose, heard a child's
voice saying “take it and read” opened Bible at random
to Romans 13:13
Opposed Pelagianism: similar to Arminianism but says
that man is good but becomes sinful thru bad
examples (pelagius a British monk promoted a sinless
life thru good deeds and asceticism)
Wrote a treatise on Grace and Free will considered to
be the “teacher of Grace” and an early reformer
Died in Hippo while city was under siege by the
Vandals 430AD
His death closed the classical era and shaped Church
history to the birth of Martin Luther 1483AD