33-100 A.D.
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Chronologically
Covers the era of leadership in which the Church was
led by individuals personally chosen and trained by
Jesus Christ.
 Eusebius (ca. 260 to ca. 340) claims that the apostle
John lived to see the reign of Emperor Trajan (r. 98117).
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Experientially
Church experiences purest expression, most dramatic
influence
 Direct stamp of Jesus’ personal influence upon
leadership
 Miraculous gifts of Holy Spirit
 Touchstone of contemporary Church
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Jesus Christ absolute authority over Church (Matt
16:18; Eph 1:18-23; Col 1:15-18)
Apostles commissioned by Jesus as his authoritative
representatives (Matt 16:17-19; Acts 1:1-26; 2 Cor 1011; Gal 1:11-2:9)
Apostles granted miracle working powers to
authenticate their authority (Acts 2:43 with Heb 2:34; Acts 3:1-16; 5:12; 14:3; Rom 15:18-19; 2 Cor 12:1112)
Apostles are foundation of the Church (Eph 2:19-22)
Apostles pass on derivative leadership responsibility
to elders over local churches (Acts 1:2, 26; 2:37-43;
4:33ff; 5:12; 6:1ff; 8:1, 14; 9:27; 11:1, 27-30; 14:23;
15:2-6, 22, 33; 16:4 (last ref in Acts to apostles as a
group); 20:17, 28-31; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:1ff; 5:17; 1
Thess 5:12; 1 Pet 5:1-5
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Tacitus (b. 56 or 57 A.D.), the renowned Roman
historian and statesman, recounts the burning of
Rome in A.D. 64. Tacitus implicates Nero as the
primary arsonist and charges the emperor with
concocting a ruse to divert public suspicions away
from himself:
Tacitus 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).
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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 Pontus 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).
 Jesus’
ascension prerequisite to the
formation of the Church by means of Holy
Spirit baptism (Luke 3:16; John 16:5-15; Acts
2:1-11, 33, 38; 11:1-18; Eph 3:1-12)
 Church born on the Lord’s Day, May 24, 33 AD
(Hoehner, Chronological Aspects, 143)
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Roman Empire
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Emergence of the Empire
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Army
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Octavius (Augustus—the revered and majestic one) rules alone
from 27 BC to 14 AD – advances Hellenism
Governors = Keep peace and keep taxes flowing
Maintain peace
Maintain and advance boundaries
Build and maintain roads
Political Theory
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Tolerance
Traditionalism (test of Nationalism)
Piety (utter devotion to the state)
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Philosophical Moorings
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Antiquity
Philosophical Eclecticism
Stoicism
Platonism
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Eternality of matter
Fate (driven by pure rationalism)
Artificer (initiates motion on matter)
Forms (or Ideals or Models)
Social Salvation (citizenry contemplating the Forms)
Physical Salvation = deliverance from body n death
Astronomy and Fatalism
 Pagan
Dualism
 Emperor Cult
 Mystery Religions and Societies
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Challenge to Rome = divided loyalties and disrespect of
empire
Challenge to Christianity = not to be lumped in with
“superstitio” – persecution
Benefit to Christianity = created space
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Roman Rule – Pompey subjects Palestine as a Roman protectorate in
63 BC and Palestine remains under Roman rule for centuries
Herodian Dynasty
 40 BC to 4 BC = uneasy peace for 37 yrs
 Kingdom divided to three sons of Herod
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All three territories consolidate under the rule of Agrippa I,
grandson of Herod The Great (Agrippa imprisoned Peter, executed
James the brother of Jesus; the Herod of Acts 12)
 50 AD, Agrippa II, son of Agrippa I made king and rules until ca AD
93 (the King Agrippa before whom Paul stood trial in Acts 25)
Jewish Roman War (66-74 AD)
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Archelaus rules Judea and Samaria
Philip rules Gentile regions E of upper Jordan, N of Lake Huleh
Herod Antipas rules Galilee, Perea and Transjordan for 42 yrs (Herod the
tetrarch, the “Fox” who beheaded John the Baptist)
 National
identity obliterated (until 1948)
 Jewish worship decentralized in synagogues
 Gentile mission unfettered by Jerusalem
church’s role and reputation
 Sadducees
 Pharisees
 Essenes
 Zealots
 Samaritans
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Response to a Global Mission (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)
Gospel Spreads through Jerusalem to Jews (Acts 2-6)
Stephen’s Persecution Scatters Witnesses (Acts 7)
Ministry of Peter (Acts 2-6, 10-11, 15)
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Ministry after Jerusalem Council unknown and Acts
transitions away from him
Tradition of death in Rome
Ministry of Philip (Acts 8) – Samaritans, Ethiopian
Eunuch, up Mediterranean coast to Caesarea
Ministry of Paul (Acts 9, 13-28)
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Hellenistic Jew from Tarsus, studied under Rabbi Gamaliel
in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3; Gal 1:14)
Persecuted church (Acts 8:1; 9:1-2; 22:4-5; Phil 3:6)
Converted on way to Damascus in Arabia (Acts 9:1-22)
Schooled in “Arabia” (southern Jordan?) for nearly 3 years
(Gal 1:17-18)
Returns to minister at Damascus – escapes murderous plot
Journeys to Jerusalem, 15 day stay with Peter, meets
James (Acts 9:26-28; Gal 1:15-20), escapes murderous plot
Approx 10 years in Tarsus – silent years
Joins Barnabas as teacher in Antioch
 Missionary Journeys
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First = 46-47 AD (Acts 13:4-14:28)
Jerusalem Council = 48 AD (Acts 15)
Second = 48-51 AD (Acts 15:36-18:22)  1-2 Thess
 Third = 54-58 AD (Acts 18:23-21:26)  1-2 Cor; Gal;
Rom
 Journey of Imprisonment = 58-67 AD (Acts 21:1728:31)  Col; Eph; Phlm; Phil; 1-2 Tim, Titus
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Greatest theologian and greatest missionary of
the apostolic church
Early Christian Communities
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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
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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)
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“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
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Evangelistic Zeal
 Persecution
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Waves of imperial persecution – Nero (r. 54-68),
Domitian (r. 81-96)
 Tradition claims 10 of original 12 disciples were
martyred (2 Tim 3:12)
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