Chapter 4, Lesson 1
Early Christianity
It Matters Because:
Christianity is one of the world’s major religions and
continues to influence people around the globe.
I. Judaism and the Roman Empire
A. Roman Empire allowed Jews to practice their religion
1. Rome controlled Judah, but allowed Jewish kings to rule it
2. Jerusalem remained the Jewish Holy City
B. Rome ruled Jews with “iron hand”
1. Jews hoped God would rescue them from Roman rule
2. In A.D. 6, Rome renamed Judah “Judea” and replaced
the Jewish king with a Roman governor (procurator)
II. Jewish Revolts
A. Zealots – group of Jews who believed they should fight for
their freedom
1. Zealots rebelled & were crushed, A.D. 66
2. Romans destroyed Temple in Jerusalem, center of Jewish worship
B. Jerusalem fell to Rome in A.D. 70
1. About 1000 Jews held the Masada fortress for almost 2 years
2. Jewish defenders of Masada committed suicide rather than
surrender
3. Masada now a symbol of Jewish heroism
II. Jewish Revolts
C. After another unsuccessful rebellion in 132, Rome
forced all Jews to leave Jerusalem
1. This is the first Jewish diaspora
2. diaspora – scattering of an ethnic group
D. By 700, Jews had settled across Europe and into central
Asia
1. The Jewish faith remained alive even though Jews
scattered across the world
III. Jesus of Nazareth
A. Ca. A.D. 30, Jesus of Nazareth traveled Judea
teaching his ideas about God’s love
1. 12 men traveled with Jesus, called his disciples
2. Taught using parables, stories about how God
wanted people to live
B. Jesus performed miracles of healing and taught a
message of love, unselfishness, and forgiveness
IV. Christianity’s Origins
A. Stories about Jesus, his teachings, and miracles spread
1. Jews and Romans came from across Judea to listen and receive
healing
B. People reacted strongly to Jesus’ message
1. Positively and negatively
C. Jewish religious leaders and Roman officials feared Jesus and
his influence
1. Together, Jewish and Roman leaders plotted Jesus’ betrayal and
death
V. Jesus’ Betrayal & Trial
A. On the Jewish holiday Passover, Jesus and his disciples
shared a meal now known as The Last Supper
1. Jesus then went to a garden to pray
2. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples
3. Arrested by Roman officials
B. Jesus was put on trial for blasphemy
1. blasphemy – claiming to be God
2. Jewish leaders and people ordered his execution
VI. Jesus’ Death & Resurrection
A. Jesus was crucified
1. Nailed to a wooden cross, where he hung until he died
2. Most brutal and humiliating way Romans executed criminals
and political rebels
B. Three days after his death, Jesus rose back to life
1. Disciples, friends, and guards went to tomb and found it
empty
2. Jesus appeared to disciples to instruct them to spread the
faith
VII. Who Were the Apostles?
A. Early Christian leaders who spread Jesus’ message
1. Performed miracles in Jesus’ name, converted many to faith
2. Started churches across the Mediterranean
B. Began calling Jesus “Christ” – the Anointed (Chosen) One
C. Peter, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, started the church in Rome
1. Peter was also crucified, upside down
D. John, another of the 12, was only disciple at the crucifixion
1. Wrote Revelation, John’s vision of the End of the World
VIII. Paul of Tarsus
A. Jewish leader who persecuted Christians
1. Arrested and executed Christians
B. Converted to Christianity after a miracle encounter with Jesus
C. Started churches throughout Mediterranean and Asia minor
D. Wrote letters that became more than half of the New
Testament
1. Many of his letters written from prison
E. Executed in Rome, believed to be stoned to death
IX. Basic Christian Beliefs
A. One God and His Son is Jesus
1. Salvation from sin and Hell gained by accepting Jesus and the sacrifice of
His life
2. Salvation - Eternal life in Heaven, a place with no sadness or problems
B. Jesus’ life is recorded in four books called Gospels
1. Gospel – literally means “good news”
2. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
C. Christianity spread quickly after Jesus’ death because of the message of love,
peace and eternal life
1. The Pax Romana and Roman roads made it easier to spread Jesus’ message