THE FIRST CHRISTIANS Ch. 9 Sec. 1

THE JEWS AND ROMANS  Jerusalem—capital of Israel  Kingdom divided into two kingdoms Judah and Israel  Israel was destroyed  Jews survived—people of Judah

ROMAN RULE  63 B.C. Romans took over Judah  6 A.D. Emperor Augustus turned Judah into a Roman province called Judaea  Procurator—Roman governor

JEWS REBEL  Jews believed they should take back control  Zealots convinced Jews to rebel in A.D. 66  Romans destroyed them  Josephus—fought in war and wrote History of the Jewish War

JEWS REBEL  132 A.D. Jews rebelled again and were defeated  Jews scattered all over the world  By 700 A.D. Jews had settled in Spain Central Asia Europe Americas

THE LIFE OF JESUS  Messiah—a deliverer of God and would help lead the Jews to freedom.  Jesus-a Jew who was from Nazareth, who began preaching  A.D. traveled throughout Judaea and Galilee

THE LIFE OF JESUS  Crowds gathered to hear him preach  Assembled a small band of 12 close followers called Disciples

WHAT DID JESUS TEACH  Jesus preached, according to Christian Bible, that God was coming soon to rule the world  Urged people to turn from sin  Important to love God and their neighbors

WHAT DID JESUS TEACH  Jesus’s main teachings from Sermon on the Mount Love and forgive from the heart Love and forgive each other God loves and forgives people These teachings helped shape the values many people in Europe and America hold today

WHAT DID JESUS TEACH  Parables—stories that used events from everyday life to express spiritual ideas. Prodigal Son Good Smaritan

WHAT IS THE CRUCIFIXION  Followers spoke of healing and miracles  Others rejected Jesus and called him a deceiver  Roman rulers feared Jesus and effects of his teachings

WHAT IS THE CRUCIFIXION  Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover—an important Jewish holiday Jesus was arrested Charged with treason (disloyalty) Jesus was crucified—hanging from a cross until dead

WHAT IS THE CRUCIFIXION  Jesus’s followers reported Jesus was alive and risen from the dead.  Mary Magdalene was the first to report  Proof Jesus was the messiah  Resurrection—rising from the dead This was the beginning of Christianity

THE FIRST CHRISTIANS  Jesus’s disciples spread the message of Jesus and resurrection  Became known as Jesus Christ Christo—Greek word for “Messiah” Formed churches for worship and teaching

WHO WERE PETER AND PAUL  Apostles—early Christian leaders who had been chosen by Jesus to spread the message  Simon Peter Jewish fisher One of the original 12 disciples Went to Rome and set up a church

WHO WERE PETER AND PAUL  Paul of Tarsus Well educated Jew and Roman citizen First worked to stop the spread of Christian ideas While traveling to Damascus, Paul saw a great light and heard Jesus’s voice Became a Christian on the spot and spread Christianity for the rest of his life

WHAT DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE  Salvation—be saved from sin and allowed to enter heaven  After death would be resurrected and join God in everlasting life  God existed in three persons Father Son Holy Ghost Became known as the “Trinity” –meaning three