map? What lands in Europe? What localities in
Palestine and Syria? Localities in Asia Minor?
Localities in Europe? Who were Paul's companions on
his second missionary journey? What places of his
earlier journey were revisited at this time? What new
places did he visit in Asia Minor? What event called
Paul to go to Europe? In what city in Europe did Paul
first preach the gospel? How was his work in that city
interrupted? What other places in Macedonia did he
visit? In which of these places did he find the people
"more noble"? What cities in Greece did he visit? In
which city did he stay for a long time, and for what
reason? What letters were written during this journey?
From what place was each written? What was the subject
or purpose of each epistle? What large city in Asia
Minor was the last one visited on this journey? At
what places did Paul stop on his return journey? Where
did his journey end? What was the great result of this
journey?
PART TWO
II. =Paul's Third Missionary Journey= (A. D. 54-58). His companions are
named in Acts 19. 22. The latter seems to have been a man of importance
from Corinth (Rom. 16. 23). We trace the journey, starting, as both the
former journeys, from Antioch:
1. _From Antioch to Ephesus_ (Acts 18. 23). He went through Galatia and
Phrygia, visiting churches already founded. Some think that this
indicates a fourth visit to Lycaonia and Pisidia, as those lands were
loosely regarded as belonging to Galatia; but this is not certain.
2. _Three years in Ephesus._ (Acts 19. 1-20.) In this metropolis of Asia
Minor Paul made a stay longer than in any other place during his
ministry. As results, churches arose in all that region: Colossæ (Col.
2. 2; 2. 1), Hierapolis (Col. 4. 13), and "the seven churches of Asia"
(Rev. 1. 11).
3. _Macedonia and Greece revisited._ We can tell what places he would
visit in this journey through former fields, although they are not
named--the four or five cities wherein he had already planted churches:
Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea (Athens?), Corinth. One of his errands on
this journey, not mentioned in Acts, is frequently referred to in the
epistles of this period, his _collection for the poor Christians in
Judea_. See Rom. 15. 26, 27. 1 Cor. 16. 1-3. 2 Cor. 9. 1-4. Probably the
care of these funds was one reason for the large number of disciples
accompanying Paul on his return journey (Acts 20. 4).
4. _Epistles of this Period._ These were the following:
1.) _First Corinthians_, written from Ephesus, perhaps
about 57 A. D. Its occasion (1 Cor. 1. 11, 12). Its
purpose, to set forth a true church-life.
2.) _Second Corinthians_ (57 A. D.), probably written
from Macedonia. (2 Cor. 7. 5; 8. 1); its purpose,
mainly a defense of Paul's apostolic authority.
3.) _Galatians_, also probably from Macedonia (57 A.
D). Its occasion, the influence of Judaizing teachers
on Paul's churches in Galatia (Gal. 1. 6, 7).
"Galatia" may refer to the regions in Lycaonia and
Pisidia (according to Ramsay); but most expositors
refer it to Galatia Proper, north of those provinces.
The theme of this book is "Salvation by faith _only_."
4.) _Romans_ was written from Corinth perhaps in 58 A.
D. See Rom. 16. 1, a reference to the seaport of
Corinth. Its subject is "Justification by Faith."
Notice how important were the writings of this period.
5. _The return journey_ (Acts 20. 6-21, 17). Note the route and places,
which should be traced on the map. 1.) Philippi (Acts 20. 6). 2.) Troas
(Acts 20. 6-13). What took place at Troas? 3.) Voyage to Miletus (Acts
20. 14, 15). 4.) At Miletus, a touching address (Acts 20. 17-38). 5.)
Voyage to Tyre (Acts 21. 1-6). 6.) Ptolemais (Acts 21. 7). 7.) Cæsarea
(Acts 21. 8-15.) A remarkable meeting. 8.) Jerusalem (Acts 21. 17).
Paul's errand to Jerusalem was to present the contribution of the
Gentile churches; seeking to reconcile them with the mother church in
Jerusalem, which was exceedingly bigoted in its zeal for the law (Acts
21. 20, 21).
6. =Paul's arrest and imprisonment= (Acts 21. 27-34). Our purpose is not
to narrate the personal life of St. Paul but to show the development of
the Christian church, therefore we do not enter into the details of his
experience. He was arrested in Jerusalem, and placed in the castle of
Antonia for his protection (Acts 21. 24); subsequently taken to Cæsarea
(Acts 23. 25-35). Here he remained in prison two years (Acts 24. 27).
During this time Paul was placed on trial at least four times: 1.)
Before the Jewish council of the Sanhedrim. (Acts 23. 1-10.) 2.) Before
the Roman governor or procurator Felix. (Acts 24:. 1-22.) 3.) Before
Festus, the successor of Felix. (Acts 25. 1-12.) 4.) Before Agrippa, the
ethnarch of the Bashan district, called by courtesy "King Agrippa."
(Acts 26. 1-32.)
Blackboard Outline
PART TWO
III. =Pau. Thir. Miss. Jour.= (54-58). Comp. Tim. Eras.
1. _Ant. to Eph._ Gal. Phr.
2. _Thr. Ye. Eph._ Res. Col. Hier. "Sev. Ch. As."
3. _Mac. Gre. Rev._ Phil. Thes. Ber. (Ath.?) Cor. Coll. for Jud.
4. _Ep. Per._ 1.) 1 Cor. Eph. 57. Tr. Ch. Lif. 2.) 2 Cor. 57.
Mac. P. ap. auth. 3.) Gal. Mac. 57. "Jud. tea." "Salv. fai.
on." 4.) Rom. Cor. 58. "Jus. by fai."
5. _Ret. Jour._ 1.) Ph. 2.) Tro. 3.) Voy. Mil. 4.) Mil.
5.) Voy. Tyr. 6.) Ptol. 7.) Cæs. 8.) Jer.
6. _Pau. Arr. & Imp._ Jer. Cæs.
Review Questions, Part Two
Who were companions of Paul on his third journey? From
what city did he start? Through what lands did he
first pass? What great city was his principal field of
labor? In what neighboring cities did churches arise
as a result? What provinces in Europe, and what cities
in them, did he revisit? What was one of his important
errands on this journey? Who accompanied Paul on his
return? What letters were written while Paul was on
this journey? Name the place from which each of these
epistles was written. State the approximate date of
each letter. What was the purpose or theme of each
letter? Name some of the places where Paul stopped on
his return journey. What took place at Troas? What
took place at Miletus? Whom did Paul meet at Cæsarea?
What was Paul's destination? What was his purpose in
visiting the mother church? What happened to Paul at
Jerusalem? To what place was he afterwards taken? How
long was he a prisoner in that place?
PART THREE
IV. =Paul's Fourth Journey= (Acts 27 and 28). Although made by a
prisoner, some of the time wearing a chain (Acts 26. 29; 28. 20), the
journey to Rome was a missionary journey, in many respects like Paul's
other journeys. To visit Rome had long been his desire and expectation
(Acts 19. 21. Rom. 1. 15. Rom. 15. 23, 24). His companions on the
journey, Luke, Aristarchus (Acts 27. 1, 2), and probably Timothy.
1. On the voyage he was able to bring the _gospel to the island of
Malta_ (Acts 28. 7-10).
2. Arriving at _Rome_ (Acts 28. 16) he took up his work as nearly as
possible according to his _regular method_. 1.) He found a _home_ and
_employment_ (Acts 28. 16). 2.) As he could not go to the synagogue he
_sent for the chief Jews_ and preached the gospel to them (Acts 28.
17-24). 3.) He then turned to the Gentiles (Acts 28. 28-31). 4.) Some
_results_ of his ministry in Rome (Phil 1. 12-18).
3. _The Epistles of Paul's Imprisonment at Rome._ The order of these is
uncertain, but they belong rather to the close of the period than to its
opening.
1.) _Ephesians_; called by S. T. Coleridge "the
divinest composition of man;" written A. D. 62; its
subject, "The mystical union of Christ and his
church."
2.) _Philippians_; the most affectionate of all Paul's
letters; written A. D. 62; its subject "The character
of Christ's followers."
3.) _Colossians_; written to a church that Paul had
never seen; about A. D. 62; subject, "Christ the Head
of the Church."
4.) _Philemon_: a personal letter to a friend at
Colossæ concerning a _runaway slave_ Onesimus, whom
Paul sent back, "no longer a slave, but a brother
beloved."
V. =Paul's Later Years.= The record is uncertain, and almost unknown. It
is probable, though not certain, that Paul was set free about 63 A. D.
1. _His years of liberty._ 63 to 67 A. D. Shall we speak of a _fifth
journey_? We find hints or expectations of his being at Colossæ (Philem.
22); Miletus (2 Tim. 4. 13); Nicopolis, north of Greece, on the Adriatic
Sea (Titus 3. 12). Tradition states that at this place he was arrested,
and sent from it a second time to Rome.
2. _His last epistles._ It is not certain that all the "pastoral
epistles" were written by Paul. 1.) They are unlike his other writings
in their style. 2.) His doctrinal views are not prominent in them. Yet
on the whole, they show a reasonable probability of Paul's authorship.
1.) _First Timothy_ was written during the period of
liberty, between 63 and 66 A. D., as a book of
_counsels to a minister_, Timothy, in charge of the
church at Ephesus.
2.) _Titus_, about the same time and for the same
purpose; to Titus, in charge of churches on the island
of Crete.
3.) _Second Timothy_, from Rome, during Paul's second
and last imprisonment; a letter of farewell counsels
to his "son Timothy." Strictly speaking this book
should be named under the next subject.
VI. =The First Imperial Persecution.= The Christians were becoming
numerous in Rome, as well as throughout the empire; and a conflict was
sure to arise with the Roman government. The first persecution came soon
after the burning of Rome, A. D. 64, which Nero charged falsely upon the
Christians. Thousands were put to death, although the persecution was
mainly limited to the capital. The _martyrdom of St. Paul_, probably of
St. Peter also, took place about 68 A. D. at Rome.
Blackboard Outline
PART THREE
IV. =Pau. Fou. Jour.= Pris. Comp. Lu. Aris. Tim.
1. Gos. Mal.
2. Ro. 1.) Ho. Emp. 2.) Sent. Ch. Je. 3.) Tur. Gen. 4.) Res. min.
3. Ep. Pau. Imp. 1.) Eph. "Mys. Un. Ch. and Ch." 2.) Phil. "Char.
Chr. fol." 3.) Col. "Chr. Hea. Ch." 4.) Philem. Run. Sla.
V. =Pau. Lat. Ye.= 1. Yea. Lib. Col. Mil. Nicop. 2. Las. Ep.
1.) 1 Tim. 2.) Tit. 3.) 2 Tim.
VI. =Fir. Imp. Per.= Mart. Pau. 68 A. D.
Review Questions. Part Three
Under what circumstances did Paul make his fourth
journey? Who were his companions? Where did he preach
the gospel on his journey? How did he follow his
regular method, as far as possible, at Rome? What were
some results of his ministry in Rome? What epistles
were written at Rome? What is the subject of these
epistles? How long was Paul at liberty after his first
imprisonment? What places did he probably visit during
those years? What were the last three epistles written
by Paul? What is the subject of each epistle? How did
the first imperial persecution of the Christians
arise? Who probably suffered martyrdom at this time?
EIGHTEENTH STUDY
The End of the Age
From the Death of St. Paul, A. D. 68, to the Death of St. John, 100 A.
D.
PART ONE
We come now to our last period, an _age of shadows_, of which we know
very little, and wish that we knew more. The curtain of New Testament
history falls while St. Paul is still a prisoner at Rome, five years
before the supposed date of his death. From that time, A. D. 63, to
about A. D. 125 there is very little history, and none in the New
Testament; we are left to hints, traditions, and conjectures.
A question which we would like to answer is, What became of the
_companions_ of St. Paul: such men as Timothy (Heb. 13. 23), Titus (2
Tim. 4. 10), Apollos (Titus 3. 13), Luke (2 Tim. 4. 11)? All of these
were living and working at the close of Paul's life; but there is no
report of their life and labors after that event.
Another perplexing fact is that when the curtain rises at about 125 A.
D. it shows us a very _different church_ from that of St. Paul's day: a
church completely organized, with bishops in almost absolute control;
and sects quarreling over controversies apparently unknown when St. Paul
wrote his letters.
While Peter and Paul were living the church had wise and statesmanlike
leaders, who directed its energies. But when these great men died
"second-rate men" were left in control and they were not equal to the
demand of the new time; and the church drifted into disputes, which grew
into divisions. Let us notice the few known =Events of this Period=.
I. =The Fall of Jerusalem=: epoch-making, not only to Jewish but also to
Christian history.
1. The _rebellion of the Jews_ against the Roman power began in 68 A.
D.; hopeless from the beginning--for how could one small state measure
swords with the empire of the civilized world? The city of Jerusalem was
taken and destroyed 70 A. D., and with it fell forever the Jewish
state.
2. The _siege had been predicted_ in the gospels (Matt. 24. 15-18; Mark
13. 14), and was expected by the disciples of Christ. The _Christians_
in Jerusalem and Judea _withdrew_ to _Pella_ in the Jordan valley; but
their numbers were not large, showing that Jewish Christianity must have
declined since A. D. 58 (see Acts 21. 20), while Gentile Christianity
had increased. After the destruction of Jerusalem Jewish Christianity
remained for 200 years a feeble and declining sect, hated by their own
people as traitors, and despised by Gentile Christians because they
still observed the Jewish law.
3. The effect of the fall of Jerusalem was to draw a sharp line of
_division between Jews and Christians_. Before, the two classes had been
closely related, and confused in the popular mind. Thenceforth the two
streams ran further and further apart, and have continued apart even to
our own time. All Jewish rites ceased in the church, Christians could no
longer be Jews; and after 125 A. D. Jews could no longer be Christians
without renouncing Judaism. The church was now thoroughly a Gentile,
non-Jewish church. Note in the gospel of John how "the Jews" are
everywhere named as enemies of Christ (John 5. 16; 7. 1; 11. 8; 18. 36);
and yet the author of this book was himself a Jew by birth and training;
but at the time of writing he had ceased to be a Jew.
II. =St. John at Ephesus.= Ephesus, at the western end of Asia Minor,
was now the leading city of Christianity. It is probable that the
apostle John passed the last thirty years of his life in that city. He
was revered as the _last of the apostles_; but he was not a statesman or
man of affairs; rather a mystic and man of meditation. It is supposed
that he died about 100 A. D. but the date is not certain.
III. =The Rise of the Heresies.= 1. This was the inevitable _result of
the Greek mind_ working on the simple doctrines of the gospel. The
Christian doctrine was Jewish; and the Jewish mind was not given to
subtle intellectual questions. But when Christianity ceased to be Jewish
and began to Gentile it was dominated by the Greek spirit of restless
inquiry. Asia Minor was the home of wild, uncontrolled thinking. Sects
almost without number appeared, wrangled, and divided over every article
of the creed. The more mysterious the question, the more apart from
practical life and from human interest, the more fascinating became the
study.
2. Two great classes of sects embraced many minor groups.
1.) _The Ebionites._ Strict Jews, who sought to make Christianity a
branch of Pharisaism, keeping the Jewish law. 2.) _The Gnostics._ People
with peculiar views concerning the nature of God, heavenly beings, the
nature of Christ.
3. The _results_ of these controversies were both good and evil. 1.)
_Good_ in that the clashing of ideas aided in _fixing_ in permanent form
the true _doctrines_ of the church. 2.) But far more _evil_; for the
energies of the members were absorbed in debate and controversy; the
spiritual life of the church greatly declined; the aim ceased to be
devotion to Christ, but was now orthodoxy in belief. Christianity became
a creed, instead of an inner spiritual life.
IV. =The Second Imperial Persecution=; under the emperor Domitian, son
of Titus, about A. D. 95. This was far more widely extended than the
former persecution under Nero; and it was followed by a long series of
persecutions, wherein untold thousands of Christians were put to death.
The inevitable conflict had come between Christianity and the Roman
empire, and it lasted two hundred years; but at its close the cross was
triumphant over the Roman eagles. It is not difficult to see the
_causes_ of this _struggle_:
1. _Heathenism was hospitable_, welcoming new gods and goddesses, while
_Christianity was exclusive_, opposing with all its might every other
form of worship.
2. _Idol-worship_ and its services were _interwoven_ with all the _life
of the people_; personal, family, social, political. Temples, statues,
festivals were constantly in evidence; on all occasions there were rites
of worship. But here was a growing multitude of people who stood aloof
from these exercises. It was not strange that these people were regarded
as enemies of society and of the state.
3. Certain forms of religion were allowed in the Roman empire, but all
new forms were forbidden. _Judaism was a permitted_ religion. As long as
Christianity was looked upon as a branch of Judaism, it was allowed. But
after the fall of Jerusalem it stood alone, an unlicensed form of
worship, hence under suspicion; suspicion readily becoming enmity.
4. _The worship of the emperor_ was the one most prevalent throughout
the empire. A statue of the reigning emperor stood in every city, and it
was a test of loyalty to offer libations of incense before it. This
worship is doubtless referred to in an enigmatic manner in such
passages as 2 Thess. 2. 3, 4. Rev. 13. 1, 4, 8, 18. This worship was
refused by the Christians, who were for that reason regarded as
disloyal.
From these causes persecution after persecution arose; hundreds of
thousands perished; yet in spite of the persecution, the church grew
rapidly.
Blackboard Outline
PART ONE
=En. Ag.= Ag. shad. Comp. Paul. Diff. Ch. 125 A. D. "Sec. ra. m."
I. =Fa. Jer.= 1.) Reb. A. D. 68-70. 2.) Siege pred. Chr. with.
Pel. 3.) Eff. div. Je. Chr.
II. =Jhn. Eph.= Last. Ap. 100 A. D.
III. =Ris. Her.= 1. Gre. min. 2. Eb. Gnos. 3. Res. 1.) G. 2.) Ev.
IV. =Sec. Imp. Per.= Dom. 95. Caus. 1. Heath. hosp. 2. Id. wor. int.
li. 3. Jud. per. rel. Chr. unlic. 4. Wor. Emp.
Review Questions
What is said of the period after the death of St.
Paul? Between what years is there very little history?
What companions of St. Paul were living at the time of
his death? What became of these men? Wherein was the
church of a later period different from that of the
earlier time? What reason is assigned for these
changes? Name the four principal events in the period
under consideration. When did the rebellion of the
Jews against the Roman empire begin? What was the
result of this rebellion? What became of the
Christians in Jerusalem at the opening of the Jewish
war? What was the after history of Jewish
Christianity? What was the effect of the fall of
Jerusalem on the relations between Christianity and
Judaism? Who was the last of the twelve apostles on
the earth? Where did he live? What was his character?
What is said as to his death? What divisions in the
church arose at this period? Of what were these
divisions the result? What country was the home of the
heresies? Who were the Ebionites? Who were the
Gnostics? What good result came from these
controversies? What evil result followed them? What
persecution arose during this period? At what time?
Under what emperor did the persecution begin? How did
it compare with the earlier persecution under Nero?
What general causes may be given for the series of
imperial persecutions of the Christians? Wherein was
heathenism hospitable, and Christianity exclusive? How
was idolatry interwoven with the affairs of life? How
was this fact adverse to the Christians? How did
Christianity come to be looked on with suspicion in
the empire? How did the worship of the emperor affect
the Christians? What is this worship called in the New
Testament? Did these persecutions stop the progress of
the church?
PART TWO
Let us consider the =condition of the church= at the end of the first
century, seventy years after the Ascension of our Lord.
I. =Its Numbers= cannot be definitely stated; but the church was very
large, and growing with marvelous rapidity. Sources of information: 1.)
_The catacombs_; cemeteries under and around Rome where Christians only
were buried, and wherein they met in times of persecution; occupied
between 100 and 400 A. D.; containing in three centuries two million
graves of Christians. 2.) A letter of Pliny, Roman governor of
Bithynia-Pontus in Asia Minor, 112 A. D., stating that "the temples were
almost deserted," "an incredible number of professors." Evidences point
to the church, A. D. 100, having already a large proportion of the
population of the Roman empire.
II. =Its Membership.= 1. Once the church had been entirely Jewish; then
it became Jewish and Gentile; now it was almost everywhere a Gentile
church, with a few Jewish members, most of whom had abandoned Jewish
rites and rules and were regarded by the Jews as "apostates."
2. _Its social condition_ was varied. It is a mistake to suppose that at
any time the early church was composed mainly of slaves and the poorest
classes. Such there were; but there were also men of wealth, of high
rank, and of great influence. There is reason to believe that some
relatives of the emperor, previous to 100 A. D. were banished on account
of their Christian profession. The gospel had by this time permeated all
classes.
III. =Its Organization.= We observe in this respect a remarkable change
since the period of St. Paul's ministry. Everywhere the church was
hardening into an _ecclesiastical system ruled by bishops_. Bishops are
first mentioned late in St. Paul's ministry (Acts 20. 28; Rev. Ver.
Phil. 1. 1; 1 Tim. 3. 1-7); but it is evident that the word at that time
meant no more than "elder;" otherwise the elders of Ephesus would not
have been called "bishops" in Acts 20.28. But in an autocratic state the
church would naturally become autocratic in its arrangement, ruled from
above rather than from below. By 125 A. D. bishops were in control
everywhere.
IV. =Its Institutions.= Two of these require notice. 1. _The Lord's
Supper._ We have seen how this began as a service in the home, like the
Jewish Passover, out of which it grew (Acts 2. 46). But among Gentile
churches the custom arose of celebrating it at a public meeting, as a
supper to which each member brought some share of provision. See 1 Cor.
11. 20-30, an account of abuses that had arisen. By the end of the first
century the supper had become a service held at the meeting place of the
Christians, but not in public. All except members of the church were
excluded from this service, which was held as a "mystery."
2. _The Lord's Day._ The observance of the first day of the week grew
gradually, and with its growth the recognition of the Jewish sabbath
declined. Note the development indicated in 1 Cor. 16. 2; Acts 20. 7;
Rev. 1. 10. As the church became entirely a Gentile institution "the
Lord's day" took the place of the Jewish sabbath.
V. =Its Doctrinal System.= The _theology of St. Paul_, as set forth in
Romans and Ephesians, was now accepted as the doctrine of the church.
Notice that St. Peter (1 Pet. 1. 18-21) states the great Pauline
principle of justification by faith through the blood of Christ.
VI. =Its Literature.= By 100 A. D. all the books of the New Testament
were written, though not all of them were everywhere accepted as
authoritative. In some places there were questions about Hebrews, 2
Peter and Revelation; the latter because local in its address, and so
recent in origin as not to be known everywhere. But the gospels (except
John, which was about 95 A. D. in its date), the Acts and nearly all the
epistles were read in all the churches as possessing an inspired
authority. Note that, in 2 Peter, Paul's writings are placed on a par
with "the other Scriptures," which must refer to the Old Testament.
VII. =Its Spiritual Life.= It must be admitted that there had been a
decline in the fervency of the Christian life in the church. Its moral
standards were still high; but spiritual gifts had become less
noticeable; the rule of bishops and councils and the controversies over
doctrines were weakening the fervor of spirituality. Note the difference
in spirit and tone between the writings of the New Testament and those
of the early church-fathers in the second century.
Blackboard Outline
PART TWO
=Cond. of Ch.= 100 =A. D.=
I. =Num.= 1.) Cat. 2.) Let. Plin.
II. =Mem.= 1.) Gen. few Je. 2.) Soc. cond. all class.
III. =Org.= Ecc. Sys. ru. b. Bish.
IV. =Inst.= Lor. Sup. Lor. D.
V. =Doc. Sys.= Theo. Pau.
VI. =Lit.= N. T.
VII. =Spir. Lif.= Dec.
Review Questions. Part Two