after the apostles early church history

After the Apostles

Learning from Early Church HistoryLaindon Bible Class 10 Sept 2008

Why Study it?

Is this unnecessary?

Is this useful?

The benefits of this study

The problems encountered

In a sense – yes

Scripture makes us wise unto salvation

…but how was scripture preserved?

In its place - yes

“be ye therefore wise as serpents”

Insight into transition from spirit-gifts

Confirmation of beliefs

Confirmation of practices

Evidence of sources of doctrinal corruption

Answers to church claims about doctrines

Awareness of doctrines prone to corruption

Incomplete, distorted, falsified records

Seeing through the mist

0 33 67 100 200 300 400

The Apostles

Council at Nicea (325)

Athanasius confirms 66 books of canon (367)

Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313)

A TimelineApprox Date Event

30s Ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesusc. 30-100 Clement of Rome

Oral transmission of message and story of JesusChristianity centered in Jerusalem

c. 47-57 Missionary travels of Paul49-50 Council of Jerusalem

62 James the Just "the Lord's brother" martyred64 Emperor Nero of Rome persecutes Christians as cause of the Great Fire

c. 60s Peter and Paul martyred during Nero's reign68-70 Dead Sea Scrolls hidden in caves69-155 Polycarp, who became Bishop of Smryna c. 70 Mark

70 Jewish revolt against Rome fails; Jerusalem sacked, Temple destroyedc. 70-140 Papias, bishop and author of Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord

c. 80 Matthewc. 90 Luke and John90s Domitian persecution, Church's early structure established

c. 95-6 1st Epistle of Clement , earliest Christian writing that is not in canonMartydom of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who wrote EpistlesThe Didache (author unknown)

c. 110 Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians

c. 36-69

c. 110

A TimelineApprox Date Event

30s Ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesusc. 30-100 Clement of Rome

Oral transmission of message and story of JesusChristianity centered in Jerusalem



c. 60s Peter and Paul martyred during Nero's reign68-70 Dead Sea Scrolls hidden in caves69-155 Polycarp, who became Bishop of Smryna c. 70 Mark

70 Jewish revolt against Rome fails; Jerusalem sacked, Temple destroyedc. 70-140 Papias, bishop and author of Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord

c. 80 Matthewc. 90 Luke and John90s Domitian persecution, Church's early structure established



c. 36-69

c. 110

Approx Date Event30s Ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus

c. 30-100 Clement of RomeOral transmission of message and story of JesusChristianity centered in Jerusalem



c. 60s Peter and Paul martyred during Nero's reign68-70 Dead Sea Scrolls hidden in caves69-155 Polycarp, who became Bishop of Smryna c. 70 Mark70 Jewish revolt against Rome fails; Jerusalem sacked, Temple destroyed

c. 70-140 Papias, bishop and author of Expositions of the Sayings of the Lordc. 80 Matthewc. 90 Luke and John90s Domitian persecution, Church's early structure established



c. 36-69

c. 110

A Timeline

Approx Date Event125-225 Gnostic writings such as Nag Hammadi manuscriptsc. 130 The Epistle of Barnabas

c. 130-200 Irenaeus135 Second destruction of Jerusalem by Hadrian

140s Marcion and Valentius, Gnostic teachers, Marcion's New Testamentc.150 Gnostic Gospel of Thomasc. 156 Martydom of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna150 Justin Martyr writes First Apology160 Marcion dies

160-223 Tertullian, author of Apology, father of Latin theology168 Martyrdom of Justin Martyr in Rome177 Irenaeus becomes Bishop of Lyons, Massacre of Christians in Lyon, Gaul180 Irenaeus, Against Heresies

185-253 Origen of Alexandria, author of Hexapla, many biblical commentaries200 Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons is martyred

c. 215 Tertullian becomes a Montanistc. 260-340 Eusebius, author of History of the Church303-313 The Great Persecution306-337 Emperor Constantine ends persecutions312/13 Constantine wins Battle of Milvian Bridge, Edict of Milan legalizes Christianity

A Timeline

Approx Date Event125-225 Gnostic writings such as Nag Hammadi manuscriptsc. 130 The Epistle of Barnabas

c. 130-200 Irenaeus135 Second destruction of Jerusalem by Hadrian

140s Marcion and Valentius, Gnostic teachers, Marcion's New Testamentc.150 Gnostic Gospel of Thomasc. 156 Martydom of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

150 Justin Martyr writes First Apology160 Marcion dies

160-223 Tertullian, author of Apology, father of Latin theology168 Martyrdom of Justin Martyr in Rome177 Irenaeus becomes Bishop of Lyons, Massacre of Christians in Lyon, Gaul180 Irenaeus, Against Heresies

185-253 Origen of Alexandria, author of Hexapla, many biblical commentaries200 Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons is martyred

c. 215 Tertullian becomes a Montanistc. 260-340 Eusebius, author of History of the Church

303-313 The Great Persecution306-337 Emperor Constantine ends persecutions312/13 Constantine wins Battle of Milvian Bridge, Edict of Milan legalizes Christianity

The Diverse pressures on the early ecclesias

• No New Testament scriptures yet• Variation in literacy capabilities • Explosion in growth of ecclesias• Diversity of languages• Geographical and logistical difficulties• Cultural diversity – Jew & Greek• HUMAN NATURE – ability of the human mind

to receive something Divine and twist it beyond recognition in an instant (eg Acts 8:18)

Diverse pressures continued

• Docetists– Doceo – to appear/seem

– Christ was so completely divine that he could not be human, could not have a material body, could not suffer and die, but only appear to.

– Jesus was flesh and blood, but Christ was a separate person who left just before Jesus died

– Gospel of Peter (a 2nd cent forgery) found in the tomb of an 8th cent monk. “he was silent as if he had no pain” “my power, my power, you have left me behind”. Refuted as heresy in a pamphlet by Serapion bishop of Antioch 199AD.


• Adoptionists– Late 2nd cent Theodotus– Jesus was a mere man, the product of a normal

relationship– He was chosen by God at his baptism– Castigated as heresy by Victor of Rome 189AD

by declaring that he was not mere man but was also God.


• Ebionites– Origin uncertain (ebyon = poor?)– Jewish Christians, Jesus was the Jewish Messiah from a

Jewish God to the Jewish people– Jesus’ followers needed to become Jews– Observed Sabbath, circumcision & ate Kosher– Did not believe Jesus pre-existed (only used Matthew

and Luke’s gospels + the Hebrew OT)– Adoptionist views– He kept the Law perfectly and died as an effective

‘legal’ sacrifice, so his death only abolished the sacrifices of the law. The rest of it still had to be kept.

– Condemned as heresy by Tertullian


• Marcionites– Marcion b. 100AD

– Faith saves, not works of the Law

– God of the OT & Jews – hatred & vengeance because no one kept his law perfectly

– God of Jesus came to save people from this God, referred to him as “God the Stranger”.

– Rejected the Old Testament

– Jesus was not a part of this material world, a phantasm “in the likeness of sinful flesh”

– Marcionite churches lasted until 5th cent


• Gnostics– Gnosis = knowledge (1 Tim 6:20)– One unknowable, spirit God, many offshoots (Pleroma)

material world is a cosmic catastrophe brought into being by one of these ‘offshoots’. It creates man but inanimate - the one God implants his divine spark in man. Salvation from material world is for divine spark to learn the secret knowledge to be liberated. Christ provides the knowledge but was not a material being of flesh and blood. With this knowledge, the divine spark is released to live eternally in the Pleroma.

– Led to 2 extremes of view on what to do while in the body, 1 - do whatever you like, 2 - punish the body by ascetism


• Gnostics (continued)– Discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library

– The Gospel of Thomas (a forgery)

– It is the sayings of Jesus that save because they impart the knowledge, not his atoning sacrifice.


• Montanists– Montanus, region of Phrygia mid 2nd cent

– Strict ethical standards, including no divorce or re-marriage even after death of a partner.

– Claimed the gift of prophecy, made predictions about a New Jerusalem which failed to materialise.

– Tertullian joined the Montanists in later life.

Summary

Apostolic Teaching

Docetists

Montanists

Adoptionists

Gnostics

Marcionites

Ebionites

Jewish Tradition

Jewish philosophical views of God

Greek philosophy (Platonic)

Law of Moses

Nature of Christ

Spirit gifts

External influence

1 John 4:1 & 2 John 7 “many false prophets”

Non-canonical writings

Gospel according to Hebrews

Gospel of the Ebionites

Gospel of the Egyptians

Gospel of Mary

Gospel of the Nazareans

Gospel of Nicodemas

Gospel of Peter

Gospel of Philip

Gospel of the Saviour

Gospel of Thomas

Gospel of Truth

Gospel of James

Secret Gospel of Mark

Acts of JohnActs of PaulActs of PeterActs of PilateActs of TheclaActs of Thomas1 Clement2 Clement3 CorinthiansThe DidacheEpistle of BarnabasLetter to the LaodiceansLetter of Peter to JamesApocalypse of PaulApocalypse of PeterShepherd of Hermas

Luke 1:1 “many have taken in hand to set forth…

Validity of the Canon

A cross reference table of Writings and Authorities indicating whether the Authority consider the Writings

canonicalhttp://www.ntcanon.org/table.shtml

Early Writings

Clement of Rome• 95/96 AD (possibly Clement in Phil 4:3)

• From Rome to Corinth encouraging them to reinstate the church elders who have been forced out of office.

• Examples of service to God (as Heb 11)

• Examples of the view men of faith had of themselves (eg Moses, David)

• Deals with problem of faction

• Appointment of bishops, elders and deacons

• Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3, 2 Tim 2:2, Titus 1:7

Early Writings

Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch• 110AD: 7 genuine letters written on journey

to Rome• To follow leadership of those bishops

appointed by the Apostles• Refutes the teaching that Jesus did not really

suffer in the flesh and die.• Condemns those urging to adopt Jewish

customs• Much debate about his views of Christ• Urges Roman believers not to intervene in

his trial and martyrdom

Early Writings

Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna• 110AD: Letter to Philippians (Ignatius has

just left)

• Response to Philippians asking advice on how to deal with an elder who has embezzled ecclesial funds

• “call them back as frail and wayward members so as to heal your entire body”

• Itinerant teachers who do not confess that Jesus came in the flesh is an antichrist, the firstborn of satan.

Early Writings

The Didache• 100AD: A “church manual”• Part 1: the ways of life and death, focus on

greatest commands – similar to sermon on the mount

• Part 2: Baptism – cold running water• Fasting – on different days from Jews• Pray 3 times a day• Prayers for wine and bread• Resolve quarrels before partaking of emblems• How to test those claiming the spirit and to treat

visiting speakers• Elections to ecclesial offices

Conclusions

• A sweeping overview

• Links with NT to see “what happened next”

• Key issues– Keeping Jewish laws

– Nature of Christ and impact on the atonement

– Divorce / remarriage

– Claims to possess spirit gifts

– Apostolic succession and ecclesial discipline

– Unity versus factions – but at what cost?

after the apostles early church history

Spiritual