CHURCH HISTORY Lesson 2 The Setting of the Church “Church history is the Holy Spirit’s instrument for conveying God’s works, performed in and through His people in the past, to His people in the present” Edward A Panosian

THE MAJOR DIVISION OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH Apostolic ChurchPost – Apostolic Church Approx 30 AD Approx 100 AD Approx 450 AD AD (1688 in England PRESENT Transition PointsMAJOR CHANGE Early Church Medieval Church Reform ation

17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. John 19:17-20 The Setting Prepared by God

The Jewish Influence Its Contributions 1.The human ancestry, both physically and spiritually, of the Redeemer, Founder and Head of the Church. 2. The formative background and origin of the church, organically. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15

The Condition of Judaism 1. Politically 37 BC-4BC SANHEDRIN

JEWISH DIASPORA

2. Economically 3. Educationally 4.Spiritually“a debased and wicked people, well-deserving of their fearful punishment in the destruction of Jerusalem”Josephus Sadducees Pharisees Zealots Essenes 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, Luke 6:15

The Gentile Influence I. The Greek Influence Alexander the Great BC Hellenism

LANGUAGE “Greek is read in almost all nations; Latin is confined by its own narrow boundaries” Cicero HEBREW - POETIC GREEK - PRECISE

PHILOSOPHY PLATONISM Plato BC Aristotle BC

EPICURANISM STOICISM Zeno, Cleanthes, Chrysippus Humanity could find true fulfillment only by living in harmony with divine Reason Fear of God is source of anxiety; man must realize that god is not interested in him

ROMAN INFLUENCE COMMON POLITICAL LOYALTY 753 BCRomulus 509 BCRoman Republic pontifex maximus Rome as a Kingdom Third Century BCRoman expansion First Century BCseries of civil wars 67 BCPompey clears Mediterranean of pirates 63 BCFall of Jerusalem Pompey Power in hands of Senate

Julius Caesar BC Octavius Caesar Augustus 31 BC-AD14 PAX ROMANA

Roman Road Marker Roman Roads

Common economy Common intellectual culture Common religious culture: Traditional pagan religions Emperor worship Eastern mystery cults