Church History: The Apostolic Age (Sunday School)

 

I. The Apostolic Church

(AD 30 - c. AD 100)

 

WHEN:

 This is the Church of the Apostles, dated from the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2; AD 30) and extending unto the death of the Apostle John (probably during the early part of the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan (circa AD 100).

WHAT (Major events, themes, and characteristics):

      1.    The foundation of the Christian Church laid (Eph. 2:19-22)

2.    The inclusion of the Gentiles along with the Jews into one spiritual body, the Church (Eph. 2:11-18, 3:6; Gal. 3:28, Col. 3:11, 15).

3.    The progressive unfolding of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8), via Apostolic outreach unto Judea, Samaria, and the Gentile World.

4.    The Heresy of the Judaizers (the occasion of Paul’s Epistle unto the Galatians; cf. Acts 15:1, 5).

5.    The Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).

6.    The writing and completion of the New Testament (Rev. 22:18-19).

7.     An era of signs, wonders, and miracles (Acts 2:43, 5:12, 6:8, 14:3, 15:12; 1 Cor. 12: 9-10; 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3-4).

8.    The era closes with the cessation of the sensational charismata (1 Cor. 13:8; signs and wonders absent from the Johannine Epistles).

9.    The ultimate division between Christianity and Judaism; Christianity progressively becomes more Gentile in its coloration (Rom. 9-11).

10. The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans (Mark 13:1-2).

11. Persecution of the early church by the Jews, progressively intensifying unto the catastrophe of the Great Revolt (AD 70) amongst the Jews.

12. Persecution of the early church by the Roman Emperors Nero (c. AD 64-68; cf. John 21:18-19) and Domitian (ruled AD 81-96; cf. Rev. 1:9).

WHERE (the center of activity):

         Largely the Mediterranean regions of the Greco-Roman world and Judea.

 

WHO (Major Personalities):

 The Twelve (especially Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee), as well as James the Lord’s brother, Paul, Stephen, Philip the Evangelist, Barnabas.

 Prominent opponents: The High Priests Annas, Caiaphas, and Ananias; the Roman Emperors Nero and Domitian.