Ch.5 Review Test

• God orchestrated events and civilizations in ancient times for the arrival of His Son and the gospel's spread.
• Roman society at the time of Christ featured safe travel, social stability, and political stability.
• The widespread use of the Greek language facilitated the exchange of ideas.
• The Roman Empire's moral decline showed that human religions could not satisfy man's spiritual needs.
• God sent His Son to satisfy spiritual hunger and provide a standard for moral behavior.
• The Jews preserved the knowledge and worship of the one true God.
• The Jews offered the hope of the Messiah and testified to man's sinfulness.
• In 586 BC, Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and exiled Jews.
• "Scattered" Jews created synagogues, which later became preaching centers for Jewish Christians.
• Jews came under Hellenistic influence, with scholars translating the Old Testament into Greek.
• The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, allowed Hellenistic Jews and Gentiles to learn God's law.

Turning Point of History

• Jesus Christ, the "Anointed One," was sent to redeem mankind and offer eternal life.
• Jesus was born in Judea during the reign of Caesar Augustus.
• At age thirty, Jesus began His public ministry, demonstrating that He was the Messiah.
• Most Jews rejected Jesus, expecting a messiah to free them from Roman oppression.
• Jesus preached the need for repentance and belief in the gospel, even criticizing religious leaders.
• Religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus, paying Judas Iscariot to betray Him.
• They charged Jesus with opposing Roman rule before Pontius Pilate.
• Pilate, to avoid conflict, sentenced Jesus to crucifixion, despite finding no fault in Him.
• Three days later, Jesus' tomb was empty, with followers claiming His resurrection.
• The Resurrection marked a turning point, with Jesus exalted to rule until His enemies were subdued.
• Early Christians preached the gospel, offering forgiveness and transfer into Christ's kingdom.
• The kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of the Lord and His Messiah.

Spread of the Gospel

• Jesus commanded His disciples to teach all nations about forgiveness and obedience (Matthew 28:18-19).
• The rapid expansion of Christianity was aided by Jewish persecution and the conversion of Paul.
• Jewish religious leaders persecuted Christians in Jerusalem, scattering them throughout Judea and Samaria.
• Paul (Saul), born in Tarsus, was initially a persecutor but became a zealous Christian.
• He wrote most of the New Testament epistles, spreading the gospel and establishing churches.
• Paul's work showed that the gospel was for all people, not just Jews.

Destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70)

• Judea was under foreign rule after Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
• Jewish discontent with oppressive Roman rule led to rebellion in AD 66.
• Roman legions destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy.
• The Jews lost their homeland and became wanderers.

Church Organizational Development

• Early church organization was simple, with Christians meeting in homes for worship.
• Apostles appointed deacons to handle daily affairs, allowing them to focus on preaching (Acts 6:1-6).
• Early leaders were the apostles, succeeded by pastor-bishops chosen by the congregations.
• Pastors of important churches gained special prominence.

Persecution of the Church

• Christians were persecuted for their faith, seen as being at odds with Roman society.
• They refused to worship the emperor.
• They were labeled "social misfits" and "haters of humanity" for rejecting pagan practices.
• Nero initiated the first official Roman persecution, accusing Christians of burning Rome.
• Persecution varied in intensity until 250, when it became empire-wide.
• Diocletian launched the last widespread persecution, dismissing Christian soldiers and destroying churches.
• Despite persecution, the church grew.

Polycarp: "Faithful unto Death"

• Polycarp was a leader of the church at Smyrna who was burned at the stake for refusing to renounce Christ.
• He had heard the apostle John speak and was visited by Ignatius, bishop of Antioch.
• He refused to revile Christ.
• Polycarp proved worthy of "a crown of life."

From Imperial Persecution to Acceptance

• In 313, Constantine's Edict of Milan made Christianity legal, ending Roman persecution.
• Constantine embraced Christianity after a vision, attributing his military success to the Christian God.
• The true motives for Constantine adopting the Christian faith are unknown to the public.
• Rome became the protector of the church, restoring property and funding new buildings.
• Constantine intervened in doctrinal disputes, leading to the Council of Nicaea in 325, which affirmed Christ's deity.
• At the end of the fourth century, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman state under Theodosius I.
• The church grew rapidly in membership and wealth.
• Pagan ideas and practices, such as monasticism, influenced the church.
• Monasteries offered escape from the world, but deviated from the scriptural teaching that Christians are to resist evil by living a Christ- like life in the world and evangelizing those who do not believe.
• False doctrines began to creep into local congregations.

Growth of Church Hierarchy

• By the fourth century, the church had a hierarchical structure.
• The organization followed Roman political divisions.
• The parish was the smallest division, followed by the diocese, province, and patriarchates (Jerusalem, Alexandria, Rome, Antioch, and Constantinople).
• Patriarchs of important cities held the most prestige.
• The patriarch of Rome claimed to be the "first among equals."

Reason for Decline

• Political disorder, inefficiency, unstable leadership.
• Emperors were instated by military leaders.
• Economic troubles: Large army, government bureaucracy, heavy taxation, inflation, trade imbalance led the barter system.
• Moral decay: Self-indulgence, decline of patriotism, family disintegration, rise in superstition.

Reform and Reorganization Attempts

• Diocletian and Constantine tried to restore order but increased government control.
• Diocletian divided the empire, setting maximum prices and reforming the tax system.
• Constantine became sole ruler after civil war.
• He built Constantinople and weakened the western empire.
• In 395, Theodosius I permanently divided the empire between his sons.

Barbarian Invasions

• Germanic tribes settled along Rome's borders.
• Rome had a hard time finding army recruits for the frontier army.
• Some emperors allowed the more "Romanized" of the Germanic tribes to settle within Roman territory to serve as a buffer between Rome and other barbarian tribes.
• Huns pushed Germanic tribes into Roman territory.
• Visigoths defeated the Roman army at Adrianople in 378.

Augustine of Hippo

• Augustine's "The City of God" explained history as a conflict between the city of man and the city of God.
• Citizens of the city of God will go to eternal glory and bliss with Him.
• Augustine said that we should see in every event the hand of the true God directing the course of history for His purpose and glory.

The Fall of Rome

• Visigoths plundered Rome in 410.
• Franks moved into northern Gaul, and the Angles and Saxons moved into Britian.
• Huns invaded Roman territory, led by Attila.
• Vandals raided Rome again.
• The Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 as invasions continued and a non-Roman was placed on the throne in the west.