Lesson 2 Flashcards
*Who Were the Christians?
• From the perspective of people in the 1st century AD,
Paul and other believers in Jesus were considered to
Be part of a new Jewish sect (Acts 16:19–21).
In AD 54, Emperor ______ expelled from Rome all
persons practicing the Jewish religion.
• This edict of Claudius included Jewish believers in Jesus (Acts 18:2).
Claudius
• Tragedies in two cities led to changes in perceptions
of Christianity:
AD 64: A fire destroyed 10 districts in Rome.
AD 70: The Roman army destroyed the Jerusalem temple.
A.D. 64
The Fire in Rome
The apostles ___ and ___ were probably
martyred during Nero’s persecution of Christians.
Peter and Paul
To stop the rumors, Nero blamed the ___
Christians.
• Why did Romans despise Christians?
• Christians rejected the traditional Roman gods.
• Romans misunderstood many Christian customs,especially the Lord’s Supper.
• Christians valued children and women in ways that challenged the social order.
• Christianity seemed like a new religion; Romans were suspicious of new traditions.
*Destruction of the in Jerusalem Temple
AD 70
In A.D. 66, a group of Jewish insurrectionists took ___ and ___ from the Romans
Galilee and Judea
•Emperor ____ sent his son ____ to
retake the rebel provinces that the insurrectionists took (Galilee and Judea)
Vespasian, Titus
• In AD 70, ___ destroyed the Jewish temple.
• Jesus predicted this event (Mark 13:1–2).
Titus
The final group of Jewish rebels chose
mass-suicide instead of surrender.
• They died at ___, a fortress that Herod the Great
had built near the Dead Sea.
Masada
The ____ commemorates the destruction of the
temple.
Arch of Titus
• In the late 1st century AD, Emperor _____
demanded to be worshiped as “Lord and God.”
• !his successor Emperor ____ persecuted
Christians as well as Jews.
Domitian, Trajan
In AD 112, a governor named ____ described how he dealt with Christians in a letter to Trajan.
superstitions.”
Pliny
converts or have seen apostles.
Apostolic Fathers
writers, teachers (100-600 A.D.)
Church Fathers
Apologists
*Quadratus (active from 125-129 AD).
*Aristedes (active from 138-147).
*Tatian (125-200 AD).
*Mileto (active 169-190 AD).
*Athenagoras (active 177-180 AD).
*Theophilus (active 190 AD).
• Because Christians refused to worship the Roman gods and emperors,
Christians were accused of “____”
• Christian apologists defended their faith against false
charges.
atheism
- was a philosopher who became a
Christian and an apologist.
• He believed that pagan philosophers had discovered
dim shadows of divine truth.
• Around AD 165, he was beheaded
for his faith.
Justin Martyr
before he was executed for his faith: “Eighty-six years, I have served Christ, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my king, the one who has saved me?”
Polycarp of Smyrna
before martyrdom he said “Nothing is
painful so long as the glory of Christ is near.”
Sanctus of Lyons
Regarding martyrdom of Blandina: “They saw in the form of their sister him who was crucified for them.”
Blandina of Lyons
– born 130 A.D. in Asia Minor. A disciple
of Polycarp.
Iranaeus
