The early days of Christianity

Front matter

liililii^tiiiUll ws

PRINCETON, N. J.

Purchased by the Mrs. Robert Lenox Kennedy Church History Fund.

Part One: The Early Church In Palestine

II. The Disciples at Jerusalem 25

HI. The Day of Pentecost 33

IV. Peter and John in the Temple 42

V. The Growth of the Church 51

VI. The First Christian Martyr 60

VII. Philip the Evangelist 68

VIII. Paul of Tarsus 76

IX. Paul's Conversion . . . ! 85

X. Cornelius the Centurion 92

XI. Christianity Reaches Antioch 100

Part Two: The Work Of Paul

XII. The Gospel in Cyprus and Galatla ... 113

XIII. Mistaken for Gods 121

XIV. Foes Within the Fold 129

XV. The Gospel in Macedonia 137

XVI. Before the Areopagus 146

XVII. Paul at Corinth 156

6 CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

XVIII. Three Years at Ephesus 164

XIX. Two Important Letters 172

XX. In Jerusalem Again 181

XXL Paul's Arrest 191

XXII. The Appeal to C^sar 200

XXIII. Paul in Rome 210

Part Three: The Church After Paul

XXIV. Christianity in the Days of Nero. . . . 223 XXV. The Church in Palestine 235

XXVI. The Making of the New Testament . . 245

XXVII. The Blood of the Martyrs 256

XXVIII. Two Centuries of Growth 266

XXIX. Church Worship and Membership. ... 277

XXX. The Fathers of the Early Church. . . 289

XXXI. The Last Persecution 300

XXXII. ''By This Sign Conquer" 311

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING PAGE

Jaffa (Joppa) : Traditional Home of Simon the Tanner 94

The Site of Antioch at the Present Time ... 104

Thessalonica (Modern Saloniki) 146

C^sarea: The Ruins of Saint Paul's Prison. . 198

The Last Prayer 224

Christ or Artemis 260

Arch of Constantine in Rome 318

MAPS

Expansion of Early Christianity Frontispiece

(Before 47 a. d.) facing

PAGE

Relative Density of Population First Century A. D 15

The Routes of Saint Paul 114

The Expansion of Early Christianity 270

(First, Second, and Third Centuries)

O H cd o " "^

<u

2 Jfi (3

CO

O

M o

»4

o

fe

p^ o

S

ft!

OT ^

O

H

H

CO

CO

tD

s

O o

d

PJ o XI

O

n 1

C O vo IT)

I I

J5

w< fptj ho^

a w

<f o

t-t

Pi

SO OQ

^a

■^% >-■ 1 a.

1-1

Oh

a w

O W

><1

CO

H CO W

SO

So o o o >oo ^ ^

l-< >-l hH ^H »^ HH lO lO rt.S

CO

B

I a t

CO .

t>

l-l f^ J? u

H S 2

(U c .o

HO,

o

•3

, ot:

ALBA,

ESPA£ all of J ITUS, OMIT

2:

Qi rf

vO

VO

vO a

a

a

w

.2 o

c/f

ecut

ror

eror

s c •c

t3

l-H ta

►2

CO

W

P z"

o

•5

CPi<g

Q

H

oWoi^ qzhS

ffi

p^ t^

CO

VO

lo^o 00 r)

T

T

On O^ 0\ "I

CO

Foreword

Although an independent work, the present volume forms a sequel to The Life and Times of Jesus, already published in this series. Together they provide an elementary outline of the rise of the Christian religion, from the birth, ministry, and passion of Jesus to the triumph of Christianity under Constantine, Their aim is to enable the pupil to realize vividly the historical facts and personalities, and to appreciate the chief factors in this immensely important development. This can only be accomplished if the pupil himself takes serious interest in the course, faithfully prepares the lessons, and goes over with notebook at his side the Study Topics assigned.

As with the earlier volume, the principles involved in teaching this course and suggested methods of treatment are discussed in the Teacher's Manual which is to accompany it.

Chapter I

The world in which Christianity arose was almost entirely under the dominion of the Roman Empire. From about the middle of the third century before Christ, as a result of the wars with Carthage, the Roman rule had been gradually extended beyond the borders of Italy until the whole Mediterranean coast was under its control. At the death of the Emperor Augustus (14 A. D.) this vast empire, divided into provinces, stretched from the Atlantic Ocean on the west to the Euphrates River, the Arabian Desert, and the shores of the Red Sea on the east: and from the English Channel, the Rhine and the Danube Rivers and the Black Sea on the north to the Sahara Desert and the first cataract of the Nile on the south. The rest of the known world was made up of the uncivilized or savage tribes living north of the Rhine and the Danube, the nomads of the deserts south and east, the fierce and turbulent Parthians beyond the Euphrates, the independent kingdom of Armenia, and the remote and little-known lands of Ethiopia, India, and China. Thus the world in which Christianity arose — the known and civilized world of the west — was almost completely under Roman dominion.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND POPULATION

A glance at the map shows the empire divided throughout its length by the Mediterranean Sea, and divided throughout its breadth by both the Mediterranean and the lesser seas, the Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Adriatic, and iEgean; by two deep gulfs on the north coast of Africa, another between Cilicia and Syria, and the straits of Gibraltar, the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmora and the Bosphorus. In consequence, although the Romans were not naturally good sailors, their empire was a "maritime" one — like the modern "empire" of Great Britain.

A sea empire. — Although in extent about the same length and breadth as the United States, and lying in almost the same degrees of latitude (30° to 50° north), no vast expanse of fertile plain and prairie, like the central part of our country, was anywhere to be found within this empire. For north of Italy lay the Alps; north of Greece and extending down into the peninsula lay the Carpathians and the Ballcan ranges; the heart of Asia Minor was a high, thinly populated table-land; Arabia and all of north Africa (except the vaUey of the Nile and a thin fringe of coastland) were desert. Hence this maritime empire was made up chiefly of peoples who dwelt along the shores of the great inland sea. All the important cities were either upon or near its coast.

But if the sea divided, it also united the empire, for it was the greatest highway of the ancient world. Voyages were easily and quickly made in every direction. The islands Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, Cyprus, and scattered groups in the i^gean, almost formed stepping-stones — at least they afforded convenient stopping-places — on the routes across the Great Sea.

The subject peoples. — The most diverse races and peoples met and mingled in the population of this vast Imperium Romanum: Spaniards, Italians, Greeks, Macedonians, Illyrians, Gauls, Celts, Phoenicians, Syrians, Arabs, Egyptians, Jews, and many from the uncivilized peoples of the north (brought in as slaves), together with numberless traders from Armenia, Persia (Parthia), and the Orient. It is true, Alexander the Great (who died 323 B. C.) had begun three centuries before the process of welding the eastern peoples into one. But Alexander's empire was short-Hved, and the process had gone on but slowly until Rome took over the administration of world-government.

Popuiation. — It is estimated that between sixty-five and one hundred million people lived under the empire in the first century — considerably less than the population of the United States to-day. The great centers of population were, as they had been for many centuries, Egypt (the valley of the Nile), Palestine and Syria, Cilicia and the south and west coasts of Asia Minor, Greece (though much more sparsely populated than in the days of Pericles and Plato), Italy, and the islands — especially Sicily and Cyprus. Next in rank, perhaps, stood the regions immediately back of Carthage and Cyrene, and southern Gaul (back of Marseilles and along the lower Rhone).

GOVERNMENT

Over this scattered but yet firmly united empire stood the emperor, supreme. Theoretically, he was only the imperator, or head of the army, and therefore responsible to the Roman Senate for his actions; actually, his power was unlimited. It is only because Augustus was a man conservative by nature and afraid of unpopularity that he took great care not to overstep the traditional limits of his ofiice, and deferred to the Senate again and again. His successor, Tiberius, had no such fear of unpopularity; and from his time onward the imperial power was practically absolute.

The provinces. — Over the separate provinces into which the empire was divided were appointed governors (who had charge of the administration of law and order) and procurators (who had charge of collecting and forwarding the taxes). No uniform system of law was established for the whole empire. The old, traditional laws of the various peoples were allowed to remain in force, often administered by some local assembly (like the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem); the governor interfered only in cases of life and death, or when the prestige or authority of the empire was at stake. In such actions he was required to use great tact and skiU, for the first object of the imperial administration was the maintenance of peace and prosperity, which insured a steady flow of tribute from the provinces. We shall see again and again how this policy affected the attitude of the government and its agents toward the early Christians.

At the same time the emperors and their subordinates were anxious to Romanize their subjects, that is, to bring them all to one standard of culture, education, religion, industrial weU-being, and political loyalty, for a common civilization alone would guarantee the unity and permanence of the empire. We shall see how this policy also affected the fortunes of the Christian Church.

The legions. — Throughout the empire were stationed the legions which composed the Roman army. Especially in the northern and eastern provinces, along the borders where Germans, Celts, or Parthians threatened to invade, were found their barracks and camps. Turbulent and unruly districts required special garrisons. Important cities, such as those where the governors and procurators resided, often had troops stationed to guard the treasury and enforce the administration of justice.

INDUSTRIES, COMMERCE AND TR.\VEL

This vast Mediterranean basin, bordered on the north by unpenetrated forests and mountain ranges, on the east and south by deserts, on the west by the unknown and boundless western ocean, had more or less a common industrial Hfe. The peasant in the valley of the Po, the Greek farmer on the banks of the Maeander, the sailor unlading a ship at Marseilles or Corinth or Alexandria, the muleteer of Antioch or Cyrene or Tarentum, ate almost the same kind of food, wore almost the same kind of clothes, slept in almost the same kind of bed, used almost the same Greek slang. It was the world of the olive tree and its products, of the vine, of Egyptian wheat and cotton, of Cilician wool, of Italian flax and barley. Just as the whole United States uses Georgia cotton and Minnesota flour and Chicago beef and California fruit and New England shoes, so the people throughout the Roman Empire exchanged their products. Ship-builders and riggers, masons, carpenters, road-builders, tanners, leatherworkers, wagon-makers, spinners, weavers, dyers, farmers, sheep-grazers, brass-founders, silversmiths, jewelers, potters, oil-pressers, vintners, tent-makers were to be found in nearly every province.

Trade. — The trade, both by sea and land, was immense and constantly increasing. After Pompey had driven the pirates from the open seas, regular routes were mapped for freight and passenger vessels, as well as the imperial triremes, and one had no trouble in securing passage from one port to another (save during the winter season). Good harbors were dredged and protected with breakwaters; lighthouses were built and harbor police appointed. Month after month, from early spring to late autumn, great wheat barges plied between Alexandria and Rome. Across the isthmus at Corinth were transported thousands of tons of foodstuffs and manufactured articles. One merchant in western Asia Minor, according to the inscription found on his tomb, visited Rome no less than seventy-two times. Traders and merchants, tourists and pilgrims traveled everywhere.

Highways. — By land, great roads were laid out, kept in repair by highway commissioners (curatores) and patrolled by guards. Across Macedonia, for example, connecting its Adriatic and ^gean coasts, lay the famous and much- traveled Via Egnatia. Across Asia Minor, east and west, ran several routes; one, from Sardis to the Euphrates, was the old horse-road used since the days of the Persians; another, leading from Ephesus to the east, joined this and carried the bulk of travel and transport. Others ran north and south along the coast or spread out like spiders' webs from Dorylaion, Ancyra, Laodicea. Through the Cilician and Syrian gates, past Antioch, Sidon and Caesarea, lay the coast road to Alexandria. Over these highways passed the soldiers and couriers of the emperor. A regular postal system was maintained, the post traveling between twenty-five and fifty miles a day. A letter mailed in Ephesus on Tuesday would be delivered in Troas on Friday. One sent to Rome would be there in less than three weeks.

EDUCATION, SOCIAL LIFE, RELIGION

Although the government of the empire was Roman, its culture or civilization, especially in its eastern half, was thoroughly Hellenistic. That is to say, the common language was Greek, the customs and social usages, the ideals and beliefs of the people were those which had either survived or grown up during the three centuries since Alexander's conquest. Schools were found in all but the smallest villages; grammar, music, geometry, rhetoric, philosophy, were among the subjects taught — invariably in Greek. Public libraries were found in many cities; public baths and gymnasiums almost everywhere. Cities like Alexandria, Antioch, Athens, Ephesus, were centers of learning made famous by the brilliant teachers at their "universities."

Slaves and workmen. — Everywhere were found the slaves, the lowest class of laborers, bought and sold by their masters. They were usually captives taken in the wars, or kidnaped in childhood from the islands or remote districts in the country. Some of them were highly educated men, teachers, physicians, or trusted stewards on the great estates. And most of them, as a rule, were treated more humanely, in the opening years of the empire, than ever before in history.

Above the slaves were the free craftsmen, often banded together into guilds, or "labor unions," for purposes of mutual aid in sickness or when out of work.

Religion. — Everywhere were found the temples of the ancient gods of the cities, together with new temples in honor of the chief Greek deities, ApoUo, Athena, Zeus, and also in honor of the genius of the empire — which men naturally looked upon, in those days, as worthy of worship. For had not the establishment of the Roman power brought with it an era of prosperity and peace such as was never known before? The Augustan Peace, the pax romana or pax august-a, was the promise of a new age now dawning upon the world. Men could scarcely help being stirred religiously by the situation in which they found themselves. As the poet Virgil expressed it,

"Now comes the last age, foretold by the Sibyl of

Cumse; Once more is renewed the procession of centuries:

Justice

Returns to the earth, and the Golden Era of

Saturn." _ , ,

In addition to the official worship of the old gods in the public temples, there were growing up new cults of every sort. The empire tolerated them, though not on the same terms as the older religions. Isis, Serapis, Attis, the Great Mother Cybele, were worshiped in every port and capital of the east. The Jews of the Dispersion {Diaspora), whose synagogues were found everywhere from east to west, were ardent missionaries, and had undertaken to convert the Gentile world to the religion of one God and the Law of Moses.

The "preparation for the gospel." — AU these factors in the Kfe of the early Roman Empire were of very great significance for the rise of Christianity. Its political unity, its guarantee of public order and safety, its prudent administration of justice, its good roads and harbors, its vast shipping and its postal system, its common language (Greek), its widespread common education, its tolerance of new religions, its more humane treatment of the slaves and peasants, its associations for the betterment of certain classes (mostly laborers), and the widespread spirit of hopefulness and anticipation which had spread abroad (like the "era of good feeling" in America) — all this had, as we shall see, a wonderful bearing upon the spread of the Christian gospel and the founding of the Christian Church. Christians have always looked upon it as the work of God's providence, the divine preparation for the gospel. The words of Saint Paul were wholly justified,

"When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son." — Galatians 4: 4.

1. Look up, in your ancient history, the maps which

show the gradual expansion of the Roman Empire between the third century B. C. and the reign of Augustus. Locate the places named in the opening paragraphs of this chapter.

2. What was the official title of Augustus? What did it

mean? How did he receive it? (See your ancient history, for example, Breasted's Ancient Times.)

3 . Define legion, province, procurator, curator, pax romana,

in your notebook.

4. What was the common language of at least the eastern

half of the Roman Empire? In what language was the New Testament written?

5. Who was Virgil? Find out what he meant by the

"Sibyl of Cimiae" and the "Golden Era of Saturn."

6. What was the condition of the slaves in this period?

7 . Read in your ancient history the chapters on the civili-

zation of the ejarly Roman Empire (for example, Breasted's Ancient Times, §§91-93).

8. Are there any conditions in the modem world favorable

to the spread of the Christian religion, which may be compared with those in the first century? If so, how ought we to seize the opportunity?

Chapter II The Disciples At Jerusalem

Christianity arose in one of the new eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Since the year 6$ B. C, when Pompey entered Jerusalem, the Romans had been gradually taking over the administration of Palestine. Herod the Great (40-4 B. C.) had been a rex socius or "allied king" — that is, an alSy of the Romans. His sons were "tetrarchs," ruling under the supervision of the legate of Syria stationed at Antioch. But when Herod's son Archelaus was deposed in the year 6 A. D., on account of his unfitness for office, the emperor appointed a procurator for Judaea and Samaria; and from that time onward (save for one brief interval) Judaea was a full-fledged province of the Roman Empire, albeit a province of second rank.

It was under one of these Roman procurators, Pontius Pilate, that John the Baptist appeared as the herald of the Messiah, and our Lord himseK fulfilled his ministry. It was Pilate who gave permission for Jesus' crucifixion, yielding to the demand of Jesus' enemies and hoping in this way to keep peace at a crucial hour during Passover week in the spring of the year 29 A. D.

EVENTS FOLLOWING THE PASSOVER

Jesus and his disciples had come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, as did every faithful Jew unless he lived too far from Palestine. The Master himself had realized, even before he came up from Galilee for the feast, that this would be his last visit to the Holy City, that persecution, suffering, death awaited him there. But he went, nevertheless, undaunted by the prospect.

And as he had anticipated, so events turned out. He was seized at midnight on the very eve of the Passover, while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. After a hasty and illegal "trial" by his enemies, he was denounced before Pilate as an insurrectionist against the Roman government. After a weak and half-hearted attempt to save him, Pilate yielded to popular clamor — artfuUy roused outside the prcBtorium by the priests — and Jesus was led away to be crucified.

The resurrection. — Mean while, the disciples remained in Jerusalem, hiding, fearful to venture out lest they too should be mobbed by some fanatical crowd of fellow pilgrims now in the city. Only a few faithful women followers of Jesus, and his "acquaintances," looked on from a distance while he was hanging upon the cross (Luke 23:49). As soon as the Sabbath following the Passover had ended, some of the disciples started for their homes, disappointed, disillusioned, compelled to admit that the hope of the kingdom of God and their faith in Jesus' Messiahship had all been a tragic mistake. Others, like the women who went early on Sunday morning (the morning after the Sabbath) to the sepulcher, remained in Jerusalem to do what they could to give Jesus a suitable burial; for on Friday afternoon, as sunset approached (which meant the arrival of the Sabbath), Jesus' body had been very hastily taken down from the cross and temporarily laid, unwrapped and unprepared for burial, in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, a secret disciple. Going early to the tomb, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, with spices and linen in which to wrap the body, they were

THE DISCIPLES AT JERUSALEM 2^

amazed to find the great stone door of the tomb rolled away and the body of Jesus gone.

Just then appeared two men in dazzling apparel, bidding them go and tell the other disciples that Jesus was risen from the dead! But the disciples when they heard it could not believe. Peter and one of the others ran to the tomb, found it, as the women had found it, empty, but saw no vision nor heard any words. It was too good to be true, that Jesus was not dead but still living, still their Master, still Messiah. Someone must have taken away his body during the night!

But that very day Jesus himself appeared to them, convincing them beyond any doubt that he was risen from the dead, really alive, and their Master still. To Peter, to the faithful eleven, to the devoted women, to two disciples on their way home to Emmaus, Jesus appeared and proved that he was still alive, still Messiah, still continuing his work for God and God's kingdom.

This was the turning-point in the disciples' faith, and the most important hour in all Christian history. Only this conviction that Jesus was still living, still present with them, still preparing for the coming of God's kingdom "in power and great glory," enabled them to conquer their doubts and fears and carry out the mission which he had for them to perform as his representatives.

The ascension. — Several times after that they saw him, singly or in groups, and always he was the same. Though "glorified," and possessing a "spiritual body" which entered the room where they were gathered even though the doors and windows were barred, it was the same Jesus they had known in the happy, hopeful days in Galilee, which now seemed so long ago. Not only in the final chapters of the Gospels do we find accounts of Jesus' appearances after the resurrection; but also in one of the letters of Paul, written long before any of the Gospels, there is a list of his appearances — to Cephas (Peter), to the Twelve, to more than five hundred brethren at once, to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all to Paul himself (i Corinthians 15:4-8).

For several weeks, therefore, the disciples remained in Jerusalem, sharing these experiences, and, in obedience to Jesus' command, waiting for the ''baptism of the Holy Spirit" which had been promised since the days of John and was expected to precede the coming of the Kingdom.

At last, one day, as they were gathered on the Mount of Olives (where Jesus had been seized by the high priest's servants on the night before he died), the Master appeared to them once more, and they asked him, "Lord, are you now about to restore the kingdom to Israel?" In spite of all that had taken place, in spite of all that Jesus had taught them, they still expected the reign of God to be an earthly kingdom, with a throne set up in Jerusalem, and with armies and captains and collectors of tribute to serve under Jesus as king! But he replied to them,

"It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses, not only in Jerusalem but in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth." — Acts i : 7-8.

While they looked and listened to these words he vanished from them. He went up, and a cloud hid him from their sight. And there appeared two men in white

THE DISCIPLES AT JERUSALEM 29

apparel — as in the vision of the women at the sepulcher — who said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been received up into heaven, shaU come again in the same manner as you have seen him go."

And so they returned to Jerusalem, to the upper room, where Jesus had eaten the Passover with them, and engaged in prayer and waited for the fulfillment of Jesus' promise.

THE CHOICE OF MATTHIAS

There were now only eleven disciples, since Judas, the betrayer, had committed suicide.

The "Eleven." — These were Peter and James and John and Andrew, PhUip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the zealot, and Jude the son (or perhaps brother) of James. These all, Luke says, "with one accord continued stedfast in prayer, together with certain women (who had come up with them from Galilee, and some who lived in Jerusalem), and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brethren (who had at last been convinced of Jesus' Messiahship, and followed him to the Passover) (Acts 1:14).

A new apostle. — For some reason— probably because Jesus had chosen just twelve men, no more and no less, to be his disciples — it was felt that some one must be chosen to fiU Judas' place. The Kingdom, as they expected it, was to be the restoration of the ancient monarchy of David; and the twelve disciples were, therefore, to be twelve "judges" set over the tribes. This may be the reason why the number twelve was so carefuUy preserved. Or it may have been because each apostle was expected to be a witness for Jesus to one of the Jewish tribes dispersed throughout the world. In some such way they may have understood the requirement. Whichever it was, Peter arose at one of the meetings of the disciples and other followers of Jesus (about one hundred and twenty persons in all), and proposed that another "witness" be chosen.

"Of the men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John and until the day when he was received up from us, one must be chosen to be a witness with us of his resurrection." — ^Acts i: 21, 22.

There were two nominations, Joseph Barsabbas (who had still another name, Justus) and Matthias — disciples who are not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, and of whom, therefore, we know nothing. But instead of voting, as we should do, they followed the usual Jewish custom of prayer and casting lots: for they felt that the choice was not theirs but God's, and he would show his preference in this way. "Thou, Lord," they prayed, "who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two is the one whom thou hast chosen, to take the place in this ministry and apostleship of Judas, who fell away" (Acts i: 24, 25). Then they cast lots; and the lot fell to Matthias. "And he was numbered with the Twelve."

Witnesses for Jesus. — Tb*s, then, was the very beginning of the Christian Church — when these few disciples, mostly Galileans and not at home in Jerusalem, but held there for a purpose and united by an absolute conviction of Jesus' resurrection and continued life and Messiahship and coming reign — when these men calmly set about their task of "witnessing" to Jesus, and chose

THE DISCIPLES AT JERUSALEM 31

one more to fill out their band. Their backs were now turned forever upon their homes in Galilee, their business, their old associations and friendships. Their task was one, and their whole purpose in life was to accomplish it. Their fears had vanished: it did not matter that the authorities were hostile and would certainly oppose their movement. They were men under command, and they were obedient. Jesus was their Master still, and he had a work for them to do.

Out of that tiny group, hiding at first in fear in an upper room in the ancient city of Jerusalem, grew in time the great Christian Church, the church of the empire, and the leading religion of the Western world — a religion stiU making conquests, and bent upon bringing the whole world to Christ, our religion to-day, twenty centuries after the apostles. Twelve men ! — and most of them Galileans, scarcely able to speak their own language well; men despised as ignorant and crude by the learned priests and Pharisees of the capital; uncouth fishermen and peasants, one a publican and one a fanatic, a "zealot" — these were the "weak ones of the earth" whom God chose and used in accomplishing the holiest of his purposes.