The True History of the Early Christian Church

NOW REVEALED--

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School Committee Ambassador College

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Arts in Theology

by Ronald D. Kelly

May 1967

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS IN THE EARLY CHURCH LIST OF ROMAN EMPERORS INTRODUCTION

PART ONE: THE WORLD PREPARED

Chapter I -- THE ROMANS BUILD AN EMPIRE................................................1

The Empire Begins Preparation in Advance Prophesied Hundreds of Years Before Even More Fully Prepared The Empire Solidified Roman Law and Government

Chapter II -- TRADE, TRAVEL, AND COMMUNICATION...................................6

Empire-Wide Travel Safety and Speed of Travel Communications an Added Tool The Preparation Complete A Final Summary of the Positive External Preparations

Chapter III -- MORAL DEGENERACY IN THE EMPIRE....................................11

The Decline of Roman Morality Family Life The End Result The Roman Games Religion in the Empire

Chapter IV -- JUDEA, THE SPRINGBOARD.....................................................16

Four Hundred Years of Development First the Pharisees Next the Sadducees Finally the Essens The Dispersion The Proselytes Time was Then Complete

PART TWO: THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST

Chapter V -- CHRIST, THE PROPHESIED MESSIAH.......................................21

Prophesied Five Hundred Years in Advance From Secular Writings First, Herod the Great The Taxation of Cyrenius The Prophecies Fulfilled

Chapter VI -- CHRIST, THE DESIRE OF NATIONS...........................................29

The Temple Glorified The World Sought a Savior But What about Other Nations? Jesus Christ Really Did Exist

Chapter VII -- THE MESSAGE CHRIST BROUGHT.........................................33

Christ Brought the Gospel Few to Understand A Coming Government But What about God's Laws? Even the Sabbath? The Selecting and Training of a Ministry Christ's Death and Resurrection

PART THREE: THE RISE AND DECLINE OF CHRISTIANITY

Chapter VIII -- THE BEGINNING OF CHURCH HISTORY.................................38

God Sends His Spirit How to Count Pentecost Upon Whom Was the Church Built? The Ministry of Peter The Other Apostles The Ministry of Paul Persecution Sets In What Did the Apostles Teach? Did They Do Away with the Laws and the Sabbath?

Chapter IX -- THE GREAT CONSPIRACY......................................................45

Simon Magus, the Father of Heresy Simon Not Converted Babylonian Mystery System The Origin of the Babylonian Religion The People Followed Nimrod The Mystery System Spreads Simon Moves to Rome Simon Magus, Not Simon Peter, at Rome A Falling Away The Changing Times Cerinthus in the East Mithraism, Another Counterfeit The Gnostics The Origin in Clear The Gnostics Gain Influence The Establishment of Heresy The Conclusion of the First Century A Great Change in the Church You Can Know

APPENDIX GLOSSARY OF CHURCH HISTORY TERMS BIBLIOGRAPHY

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS IN THE EARLY CHURCH

DATE

40 B.C. 27 B.C. 3 B.C. 4 B.C. 6 A.D. 9 A.D. 14 A.D. 25 A.D. 26 A.D. 27 A.D. 31 A.D. 31 A.D. 31 A.D. 35 A.D. 36 A.D. 37 A.D. 41 A.D. 42 A.D. 43 A.D. 44 A.D. 47 A.D. 49 A.D. 50 A.D. 50 A.D.

51 A.D. 51 A.D. 52 A.D. 53 A.D.

BIBLICAL EVENTS

Birth of Christ

Christ confounds teachers at Jerusalem

Christ baptized and begins His ministry

Christ crucified (April 25)

Church receives Holy Spirit (June 18)

Simon Magus baptized

Paul converted

Matthew written James is martyred

Paul's First Journey Council at Jerusalem Paul's Second Journey Gospel goes to Europe exactly 19 years after founding of the Church

Paul writes I and II Thessalonians

Paul writes Galatians Paul's Third Journey

EVENTS IN PALESTINE

Herod made king of Judah

Death of Herod Judah made a Roman province

Caiaphus made Jewish High Priest

Pontius Pilate made governor of Judea

Pilate sent to Rome Herod Agrippa made king

of Judea and Samaria

Agrippa dies

Felix made Procurator Herod Agrippa II made Tetrarch

EVENTS IN ROMAN EMPIRE

Octavian (Augustus) becomes Emperor

Death of Augustus-- Tiberius becomes Emperor

Gaius (Caligula) made Emperor at Rome

Claudius made Emperor

Claudius banishes the Jews from Rome

DATE

53-55 A.D. 54 A.D. 55 A.D.

55-56 A.D. 56-58 A.D.

59 A.D. 59-61 A.D.

60-62 A.D. 62 A.D. 64 A.D. 64 A.D.

65 A.D. 65 A.D. 66 A.D. 68 A.D. 69 A.D.

70 A.D. 75 A.D. 77 A.D. 79 A.D. 80 A.D. 81 A.D. 85-87 A.D. 80's A.D. (?) 95-96 A.D. 96 A.D. 98 A.D. 100-101 A.D.

BIBLICAL EVENTS

Paul's stay at Ephesus

Paul writes I Corinthians (spring);

II Corinthians (fall) Paul writes Romans

Paul imprisoned at Caesarea

Paul appeals to Caesar; is sent to Rome

Paul writes "Prison Epistles" Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon James (Christ's brother) writes his epistle James (Christ's brother) is killed

Paul writes Hebrews Paul visits Asia Minor,

perhaps also Spain and Britain

Paul returns to Rome Writes I Timothy, Titus,

II Timothy Paul's death at Rome--

probably beheaded

Peter writes I Peter

Peter writes II Peter

Death of Peter

John writes I, II, and III John

Jude writes his epistle

John writes Revelation

Death of John

EVENTS IN PALESTINE

Festus made Procurator (60 A.D.) Albinus made Procurator Florus made Procurator

Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus

EVENTS IN ROMAN EMPIRE

Nero becomes Emperor

Conflagration at Rome-- Persecution of Christians

Galba becomes Emperor Otho becomes Emperor; Vitellius becomes Emperor; Vespasian becomes Emperor

Titus becomes Emperor Domitian becomes Emperor;

Christian persecutions

Nerva becomes Emperor Trajan becomes Emperor

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download