You Think You Got Trouble? (Lesson 5)
The First Persecution, Under Nero, 67(64) AD
Foxe records Nero as the sixth emperor of Rome – reigned for five years – started well but then
slid into bouts of temper. He liked to build and ordered parts of Rome to be burned to clear an
area for a new project. While city was in flames, he went up to the tower of Macaenas, played
upon his harp, sang the song of the burning of Troy, and openly declared that “he wished the ruin
of all things before his death.” The fire got out of control and burned the Circus, many other
palaces and houses were consumed; several thousand perished in the flames, were smothered in
the smoke, or buried beneath the ruins. The fire continued nine days; when Nero began to be
severely criticized, he lay blame on the Christians, to excuse himself and have remove a
“troublesome” group. The cruelties enacted against Christians were such that even the Romans
were appalled. “Nero even refined upon cruelty, and contrived all manner of punishments for the
Christians that the most infernal imagination could design. In particular, he had some sewed up
in skins of wild beasts, and then worried by dogs until they expired; and others dressed in shirts
made stiff with wax, fixed to axletrees, and set on fire in his gardens, in order to illuminate them.
This persecution was general throughout the whole Roman Empire; but it rather increased than
diminished the spirit of Christianity. In the course of it, St. Paul and St. Peter were martyred.”
The Apostle Simon (Peter)
Oral tradition holds that the apostle Peter was a slender person. He was of a middle size,
inclining to tallness, and that his complexion was pale (almost white). It has, also, been said that
he had a short, thick, curled beard, thin eyebrows (or no eyebrows at all). Another description of
the apostle Peter is that his eyes were black, but flecked with red due to frequent weeping.
Peter was born in Bethsaida (in Galilee). By profession, he was a fisherman. His father (also a
fisherman) was named Jona; his brother, the apostle Andrew. In partnership with the apostles
James and John and their father, Zebedee.
The Roman Catholic Church considers him to be the first Pope, ordained by Jesus in the "Rock
of My Church" dialogue (Matt 16:18). The ancient churches all venerate Peter as a major saint
and associate him with founding the Church of Antioch (Gal 2:11) and later the Church in Rome,
but differ about the authority of his various successors in present-day Christianity.
The house in which Peter lived, in Capernaum, is still standing; in the 5th century AD, however,
a Christian church was constructed over it.
It was Peter who preached to the masses in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (following Jesus'
ascension to heaven). His message is recorded in the New Testament of the Bible, the book of
Acts, chapter 2.
Peter is, also, the one who prompted the disciples to choose a replacement to take over the
apostolic ministry of Judas Iscariot (after Judas' betrayal of Christ Jesus – Acts 1:15-26).
It was, also, Peter who healed a man, who was over 40 years of age, who had been crippled from
birth, with but the words, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
Peter was called by the apostle Paul a "pillar" of the Church. It was, also, believed by the crowds
that the mere casting of his shadow upon the sick was capable of bringing about miraculous
healing.
Peter is the one who defended the inclusion of the Gentiles (non-Jews) into the Christian Church
at the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem. His ministry was primarily to the Jews, as the apostle
Paul's was to the Gentiles.
After being imprisoned several times in Jerusalem (because of his faith), Peter left with his wife
and possibly others. It is believed that he ministered (in Babylon) to the Jewish colonists there. It
is, also, believed to be his location when he wrote his first epistle (1 Peter).
Peter eventually went to Rome. While there, it is believed that John Mark (the writer of the
Gospel of Mark) served as his translator (as he preached). There is a Church tradition which says
that "Mark the disciple and interpreter of the apostle Peter wrote a short gospel at the request of
the brethren at Rome, embodying what he had heard Peter tell." Thus Peter was the source of the
Gospel of Mark. Several other books bearing his name – the Acts of Peter (It is mainly notable
for a description of a miracle contest between Peter and Simon Magus, and as the first record of
the tradition that St. Peter was crucified head-down.), Gospel of Peter (notable for crediting
Herod Antipas with the death of Jesus rather than Pilot and for doctrine of the perpetual virginity
of Mary – possible Gnostic), Preaching of Peter (Gnostic – dialogue between Clement and
Peter), Apocalypse of Peter (discourse of the Risen Christ to his faithful, offering a vision first of
heaven, and then of hell), and Judgment of Peter (now called the Didache – rituals of the early
church), and others attributed to Peter – are considered by Christian churches as apocryphal.
According to Church tradition, the Roman Emperor Nero, publicly announcing himself the chief
enemy of God, was led in his fury to slaughter the Apostles. Because of this persecution, Peter
was crucified upside down while in Rome.
Concerning the last hours of his life, it is said that Peter, when seeing his own wife led out to die,
rejoiced because of her summons and her return home. He called to her very encouragingly and
comfortingly, addressing her by name, and saying, "O thou, remember the Lord."
Of the final days of the apostle Peter in Rome, Italy, Jowett wrote that Peter was cast into a
horrible prison called the Mamertine. For nine months, in absolute darkness, he endured
monstrous torture manacled to a post. In spite of all the suffering Peter was subjected to,
however, he converted his jailers, Processus, Martinianus, and forty-seven others. Peter met his
death at the hand of the Romans in Nero's circus, 67AD.
The Apostle Saul (Paul)
Saul (later to be known as the apostle Paul) was zealous in all that he did. He was from the
Jewish tribe of Benjamin, and when describing himself, he said he was a Hebrew of Hebrews; in
regard to the Mosaic Law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the Christian Church, as for
legalistic righteousness, faultless (Philippians 3:4-6). He becomes one of the greatest evangelists
of his day in spreading Christianity after his encounter with Christ Jesus on the road to
Damascus. Luke tells Paul’s story of conversion and later travels. Saul was to become known as
the apostle to the Gentiles (non-Jews) whereas Peter was called the apostle to the Jews.
Saul's great abilities and earnest enthusiasm in spreading the gospel of Christ have made his
name revered wherever the Christian religion is known. It is his writings which make up much of
the New Testament of the Bible (14 of 27 books).
After his conversion, Saul went to Jerusalem where he saw Peter, James and John. Later, he
journeyed with Barnabas to preach (sent forth from the church in Antioch). Much can be read
about the life and missionary journeys of Saul in the New Testament of the Bible. On his first
missionary journey, while at Paphos on the island of Cyprus, we see Saul, also, referred to as
Paul (the name we have known him by since). Paul suffered much in spreading the Gospel. Most
of his missionary efforts were in what is modern day Greece, Turkey, and the surrounding areas.
The Bible reveals very little about Paul's family. Paul's nephew, his sister's son, is mentioned in
Acts 23:16. Acts also quotes Paul referring to his father by saying he, Paul, was "a Pharisee, the
son of a Pharisee" (Acts 23:6). Paul refers to his mother in Romans 16:13 as among those at
Rome. In Romans 16:7 he states that his relatives, Andronicus and Junia (a woman), were
Christians before he was and were prominent among the apostles.
Like Peter, many pseudepigraphal (noncanonical) books are attributed to Paul. The Acts of Paul
is one of the major works of the Apocryphal Acts, an approximate date given to the Acts of Paul
is 160AD. The Acts were first mentioned by Tertullian (c.155-c.240AD) who found it heretical
because it encouraged women to preach and baptize. The Acts were considered orthodox by
Hippolytus (170-235AD) but were eventually regarded as heretical when the Manichaeans
(Gnostics) started using the texts. The author of the Acts of Paul is unknown uses oral traditions
of Paul's missionary work. The discovery of a Coptic version of the text demonstrated that the
text was composed of
 the Acts of Paul and Thecla
 the Epistle of the Corinthians to Paul
 the Third Epistle to the Corinthians
 the Martyrdom of Paul – his death at the hand of Nero
All of these constituent parts were often considered worth treating as separate texts and
frequently appeared independently, although scholars agree that they were originally part of the
Acts of Paul. Besides the four main sections, the remainder of the Acts exist only in fragments
from the 3rd and 5th centuries:
 The healing of Hermocrates from dropsy
 The strife of the Ephesian beasts
The texts are a coherent whole and are generally thought to have been written by one author
using oral traditions, rather than basing it on any of the other apocrypha or the orthodox canon.
The main emphasis of the text is on Chastity and anti-Gnosticism. According to Tertullian, the
author was a priest in Asia Minor. While the priest encouraged female ministry, he expressed
doctrinal orthodoxy in regard to continence and Resurrection. Also, they mentioned the close
relationship of sexual purity and salvation. The Epistle of the Corinthians to Paul and the Third
Epistle of the Corinthians both appear in some editions of the Armenian Bible.
The Epistle to Seneca the Younger is a collection of correspondence claiming to be from Paul the
Apostle to Seneca the Younger. There are 8 epistles from Seneca, and 6 replies from Paul.
Jerome (347-420) mentioned them in his De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men; chap. 12).
However, they are widely held to be forged – exchange between the Stoic philosopher and the
Apostle.
After being released from imprisonment in Rome, as part of his further missionary journeys, it is
believed that Paul, also, visited Gaul and Spain (there is, also, a belief that he visited England).
When Paul returned to Rome, he was taken prisoner again and imprisoned for nine months with
the apostle Peter in the Mamertine prison. It was in Rome that the apostle Paul suffered
martyrdom. By order of the Emperor Nero, Paul was beheaded with a sword.
Foxe also said “To their names may be added, Erastus, chamberlain of Corinth; Aristarchus, the
Macedonian, and Trophimus, an Ephesian (Acts 21:29), converted by St. Paul, and fellowlaborer with him, Joseph, commonly called Barsabas, and Ananias, bishop of Damascus; each of
the Seventy.”