The Rise of Christianity
Chapter 10
Sections 1-3
The First Christians
• Do you know what location where people were first
called Christians?
• Antioch, Syria
• When Syria was made a Roman province by Pompey
(64 B. C.), Antioch continued to be the metropolis of
the East.
• The seed of Christ’s teachings were carried to
Antioch by some disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene,
who fled from Jerusalem during the persecution that
followed upon the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 11:1020).
• How useful were the Roman roads to the spreading
of the gospel?
• “The Ancient Israelites,” Israel had divided
into 2 kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Divided,
they were easier to attack. Israel was
destroyed by neighbors and the Israelites
scattered. The Jews in Judah, managed to
survive.
A. In 63 B.C., Rome took control of Judah,
ruling at first through Jewish kings.
B. In A.D. 6, Emperor Augustus turned Judah
into a Roman province called Judea. Instead
of a king, they were appointed a governor, or
procurator.
Do Not Shout Answer
• How did the Romans rule Judah in the
beginning?
C. During Roman occupation, Galilee was the
region just north of Judea.
• The Jews resented the Roman occupation.
Jews who rebelled against the Romans were
called, zealots. The zealots formed a plan to
rebel against the Romans in A.D. 66.
Subsequently, the Romans burned the temple
and killed thousands of Jews.
D. A.D. 132, another rebellion caused the
Romans to expel all the Jews from Jerusalem
and told them they could not return.
Zealot hideout-Masada
The Life of Jesus
• Through oppressive
being baptized in
times, the Jews would • After
the Jordan River, and
pray for a deliverer.
spending 40 days in the
• E. During the Roman
wilderness, Jesus of
occupation, the Jews
Nazareth began His
prayed to God in
ministry. Jesus chose
hopes He would send
disciples, or 12 close
the promised
followers, to teach the
Messiah.
gospel message to, and
• F. The Jews expected
be witnesses to his
a great military king,
ministry.
such as David, to lead • (Matthew 3-4)
them to freedom from
the Romans.
G. Jesus taught in parables, or stories from
everyday life, to teach spiritual ideas.
• Some of the more familiar are: the parable of
prodigal son, the good Samaritan, salt and
light, a tree and the fruit it bears.
Do Not Shout Answer!
• How did Jesus teach people?
• What is a way to describe these teachings?
H. At the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated the
Passover meal with His disciples.
Study Questions
1. What did the Romans force the Jews to do after
putting down their rebellion?
2. What did Judah become renamed to by the
Roman emperor Augustus?
3. What is a governor called at this time?
4. What did the Jews expect would save them from
the Romans?
5. Where did Jesus and his disciples celebrate
Passover?
Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG55ErfdaeY
Crucifixion
A. Jesus was considered a
political threat to the
Jewish religious leaders
because he presented
the gospel without
legalism which would
put many of them out of
business and control.
B. Jesus travels to
Jerusalem w/ His disciples
to celebrate Passover when
He is arrested.
C. Crucifixion was saved
for the worst of crimes,
such as treason.
• The victim would suffer
for usually 3-4 days,
dying of dehydration.
• The humiliation stood to
remind others of the
punishment they would
receive if they made the
same choices.
Do Not Shout Answer
• What is legalism?
• Why would this be bad
for someone wanting to
keep control?
Crucifixion victim
• D. Jesus had been beaten so badly, scholars
suggest He should not have even survived to
be crucified. The robe put on His back served
as a band-aid to stop the bleeding.
• E. After 3 days in the borrowed tomb, Jesus’
disciples reported that He was resurrected, or
risen from the dead.
• Jesus remained in Jerusalem teaching them
for another 40 days before ascending back to
heaven.
F. Jesus’ apostles spread the message of hope,
comfort and acceptance as they journeyed and
helped start new churches across the Roman
Empire.
G. Martyr: a person willing to die rather than give up
his/her beliefs.
• Peter was reportedly crucified upside down, Philip
was crucified, Andrew was crucified, Jude was
crucified, Simon was crucified, Stephen was stoned
to death, John put into a pot of boiling oil, Matthias
was beaten, then beheaded, James was beaten, then
his brains were beaten out with fullers club,
Bartholomew was flayed alive, Matthew & Paul were
both put to death by the sword, Mark was dragged to
pieces in Alexandria.
What do Christians believe?
H. Christians-people who believe Jesus is the Messiah.
If one accepts Jesus & His teachings they will be saved
from hell and go to heaven.
I. Christians believe in the virgin birth of Christ, He lived
a sinless life, was crucified, died, and was resurrected 3
days later.
• Romans 10:9 “because if you confess with your
mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has
righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and
thus has salvation.”
Study Questions
• 6. How is a Christian defined?
• 7. What is a person willing to die rather than
give up their beliefs or ideas?
• 8. How many days later was it until Jesus was
resurrected from his tomb?
• 9. When was crucifixion
normally used?
• 10. How do people believe Jesus
was born?
Bell Ringer
• Vocabulary Quiz Tomorrow.
The Christian Church, sec. 2
• Reasons the Christian faith spread so quickly
through the Roman Empire? 1. reached out to
everyone, 2. promised happiness after death,
3. chance to be a part of a caring group
(social welfare).
A. A.D. 64 under the reign of Nero, Christians
were persecuted, and killed. Christianity was
made illegal.
B. Nero blamed the Christians for setting Rome
on fire. Are Christians persecuted today?
How?
Rome Adopts Christianity
• C. 312, Constantine converts to Christianity
and declares the Edict of Milan in 313, giving
religious freedom to everyone and made
Christianity legal, stopping the persecution by
Rome.
• He saw a cross and words in the sky that said
he would win a battle so he changed to
Christianity.
• D. Theodosius declares Christianity the
official religion of Rome by 392.
Do Not Shout Answer
• Why did Constantine convert to Christianity?
• E. Using the Roman Empire
as a model, the church
structured itself in an
hierarchy. An hierarchy is an
organization with different
levels of authority.
• F. The clergy were the
leaders of the church, the
laity were the church
members.
• G. Women could not serve
as clergy, but were still
encouraged to help care for
the sick and needy.
• Bishops decided on matters
of religious questions.
Decisions made became
known as church doctrine,
or official church teaching.
Hierachy
• What is an example of a Hierarchy you can think
of?
A very obvious example is available, how does
this work?
• H. In addition to forming doctrine, church
leaders preserved written records of the life of
Jesus and letters of the disciples.
• I. Each written record was called a gospel,
which means, good news. The New Testament
of the Christian Bible include the four
accounts of Jesus’ life, written by Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John.
• What is the written record of Jesus known as?
Not the Bible.
• What does it stand for?
• J. By 600, the bishop of
Rome had gained a special
title, pope, Latin for father.
Latin speaking Christians
accepted the pope as the
head of the church. Their
church became known as the
Roman Catholic Church.
• K. Greek speaking Christians
did not accept the pope in
Rome as having authority
over them.
• L. The Catholic Church
named Peter as the first
pope in 32.
• 11. By copying the Roman government the
church set itself up as a what?
• 12. These people are the leaders of the church.
• 13. This leader stopped the persecution of
Christians by Romans.
• 14. Who was the first pope of the Catholic
Church?
• 15. These people speaking a certain language
did not accept the Pope as having authority.
• 16. Christianity was made illegal by the Roman
emperor.
• 17. Who made Christianity the official religion of
Rome?
Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VfiV1AWn3M
Bell Ringer
The Spread of Christian Ideas
section 3
• A. The Byzantine Empire developed their own
ideas of Christianity based on Greek heritage
and became known as the Eastern Orthodox
Church.
• B. Church and state worked very closely in
the Byzantine Empire. Byzantines believed
their emperor represented Jesus Christ on
Earth.
• C. The emperor
controlled the Church
and state.
• D. Byzantines believed
God wanted them to
preserve and spread
Christianity.
• E. Major disputes arise
among church members
over the use of icons in
the 700’s. Icons are
pictures or images of
Jesus, Mary and the
saints.
• Some people even
thought the images
were capable of
performing miracles.
Do Not Shout Answer
• What argument do you think
evolved as a result of people
honoring icons?
• F. Emperor Leo III ordered all icons
removed from churches. Gov’t officials
who carried out his orders were called
iconoclasts or image breakers.
• We use Iconoclast today to mean someone who
attacks traditional beliefs or institutions. Can you
think of an example?
• Another dispute arose concerning leadership
in the church and state.
• G. When the Byzantines refused to help Italy
against invaders, the Franks, loyal to the
pope, helped to keep the invaders out.
• H. The pope announced their leader,
Charlemagne, as emperor. The Byzantines
were enraged, claiming their emperor was the
only true emperor.
• I. In the Byzantine Empire, the emperor was in
charge, in Rome, the pope was in charge of both
spiritual and political areas.
• Who ruled in Rome during this time?
Study Questions
• 18. What did the Byzantine Empire church
become known as?
• 19. What are icons?
• 20. What is a iconoclast?
• 21. What did the Byzantines think God wanted
from them?
• 22. Who ruled the Byzantine Empire?
• 23. Who aided Italy when the Byzantine Empire
refused to protect them from attack?
• 24. Who did the pope announce as emperor that
made the Byzantine Empire so mad?
Study Guide
• Take the Study Guide and try to complete it all.
• You should be able to find all of the answers from
the notes.
• If you do not have your notes, then you need to
use the book.
• I am not going to give you any answers unless
you have attempted all questions and the essay.
Bell Ringer- 5 Minutes
• Remember a Iconoclast is known today as a
person who goes against traditional beliefs. For
example Rosa Parks, she did not believe it was
right for people to be treated like less of a person
because of the color of her skin. Because of her
refusal to be treated unjustly she went against
popular tradition and refused to give up her seat
on the bus. Write 5-6 sentences about another
person who has exemplified this type of behavior.
• A. 1054, the two churches excommunicated
each other, or declared each one did not
belong to the other.
• B. This officially began what is referred to as a
schism or separation of the two most
important branches of Christianity at the time,
Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox.
Do Not Shout Answer
• A couple of important terms from the past slide.
• Which one if the term for when someone/
something claims that another person or things
no longer belongs to the church?
Christian Ideas Spread
• C. Byzantine Church began setting up
monasteries for monks who tried to live
spiritual lives apart from the outside world.
• D. Some were built near cities where they
could do mission work, others built in isolated
areas.
• E. A bishop named, Basil, came up with a list of
rules for monks and nuns to follow. This list
becomes known as the Basilian Rule.
Do Not Shout Answer
• What is the name of the man who created the
rules in which Monks and Nuns would follow?
• F. Two of the most famous Byzantine
missionaries were Cyril and Methodius b/c
they carried the Christian message to the
Slavic people in Eastern Europe.
• G. Another famous Christian missionary was
Patrick, who carried the gospel message to
Ireland.
• H. Pope Gregory I sent 40 monks to
Angleland, or the southern part of present day
England in 597 in an effort to Christianize the
people living there.
• I. After converting, Ethelbert, the ruler of the
kingdom of Kent, he allowed the missionaries
to build a church in the capital city of
Canterbury.
• How many monks did Pope Gregory send to
Angleland in order to help Christianize the area?
• J. Within 100 years most of England was
Christian. Canterbury is still an important center
of Christianity in England today.
Study Questions
• 25. This man was a Christian missionary who
spread the gospel to Ireland.
• 26. The rules used for monks and nuns to follow
were called this.
• 27. The ruler of the kingdom of Kent that allowed
missionaries to build churches in Canterbury.
• 28. This term describes the separation of two
parts of Christianity between Roman Catholic and
Eastern Orthodox.
• 29. What did England go by during the spread of
Christianity?
Video Clip