History of early Christianity

The term Early Christianity here refers to Christianity of the period after the Death of Jesus c.33 and before the First Council of Nicaea in 325. The term is sometimes used in a more narrow sense of just the very first followers (disciples) of Jesus of Nazareth and the faith as preached and practiced by the Twelve Apostles, their contemporaries, and their immediate successors.

Origin

Early Christianity began as a Jewish sect of the followers of Jesus during the late Second Temple period of the 1st century. Other Jewish sects of that time were the Sadducees, the Essenes and the Pharisees, and a group recognised as Zealots. Christians' distinguishing mark from these other groups was their belief that Jesus was the figure known in Greek as the Χριστός, in Aramaic as the משיחא, words, from which are derived the English words "Christ" and "Messiah", that literally mean the "Anointed". It was this belief that later led to them being called "Christians," a distinguishing name first given to them as early as the early 40s of the first century (before Paul's first missionary journey) by people in Antioch The appearance of this name followed what the Acts of the Apostles describes as another "first" for Antioch: the preaching of Jesus there to "Greek-speakers" (Ἑλληνιστάς) or "Greeks" (Ἕλληνας), as opposed to "Jews" (Ἰουδαίοις), even though Seven Greek Deacons had earlier been appointed in Jerusalem. As there are doubts expressed by some, such as Burton Mack that the Acts of the Apostles was only written early in the second century, this may reflect the position taken by the Gentilic followers of Jesus, rather than the Jewish Christians such as the Nazarenes and Ebionites. Previously, the household of the Roman Centurion Cornelius are the only Gentiles (as distinct from Jews and Samaritans and the "Ethiopian eunuch" of 8:27) mentioned as accepted among the believers in Jesus and his resurrection, and there was no general preaching of Christ to Gentiles. Acceptance of these into the Christian community did not mean that the Jews in the community ceased to view themselves as Jews: the alleged Council of Jamnia that is supposed to have formally expelled "Nazarenes" from the synagogues of Rabbinic Judaism came some thirty years later. See Jewish Christians.

Though Jesus had been crucified, Christians believed that "God raised him from the dead", that he "had risen", and that he ascended to heaven, to the "right hand of God", and would return again to fulfil the rest of Messianic prophecy such as the Resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment and establishment of the Kingdom of God, see also Messianism and Messianic Age. Their belief quickly spread to non-Jews, whom the Jews called Gentiles. This spread was seen as fulfilment of Bible prophecy such as Isaiah 42:1–4 (Matthew 12:18–21), Isaiah 42:6 (Luke 2:32), Isaiah 49:6 (Acts 13:47), Amos 9:11–12 (Acts 15:16–17), Isaiah 56:7 (Mark 11:17), Isaiah 60:3 (John 8:12, Rev 21:24). See also proselyte and Judaism and Christianity.

Among the earliest Christians, the apostles had an acknowledged leadership role, as shown, for instance, in the following episodes recounted in the Acts of the Apostles: it was in their teaching that the first Christians "continued steadfastly" (Acts 2:42); they sent envoys to enquire into novelties that arose (Acts 8:14); appeal was made to them, along with the elders, to settle a dispute about the obligations of Christians (Acts 15:2). Some of Jesus' relatives were also prominent early Christians, his mother being a notable follower, and two of his four named brothers from the New Testament: James the Just and Jude; and Simeon of Jerusalem were noted as leaders. Some identify James the Just with the apostle James, son of Alphause and James the Less and Jude with the apostle Saint Jude and Simeon of Jerusalem with the apostle Simon the Zealot yet the New Testament also records conflict between Jesus and his family, such as Mark 3:21, see also Rejection of Jesus and Mark 3. Some see a negative view of Jesus' family as related to a confict between Paul of Tarsus and Jewish Christians.

Later writings, such as the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (which survives in two third-century Greek fragments and a longer fifth-century translation into Coptic), attributed prominence among the earliest Christians also to certain individuals mentioned in the canonical (first-century) Gospels as associated with Jesus during his lifetime, such as Mary Magdalene, Salome (disciple) [1], Lazarus of Bethany and his sisters Martha and Mary, and Nicodemus. Some of these documents present the figures in question as being among the leadership of the apostles. See, for example Sophia of Jesus Christ

Practices

From the writings of early Christians, historians have tried to piece together an understanding of various early Christian practices including worship services, customs and observances. Early Christian writers such as Justin Martyr described these practices. In his "First Apology," a letter of defense written to Roman emperor, Antonius Pius, 161-180, Justin described simple Christian worship services and practices, explaining:

...after we have thus washed him who has been convinced (converted to Christianity) and has assented to our teaching, we bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized person, ...so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. ... And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion....And this food is called among us Eucharistia or [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. ... we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone.

Influences by Greco-Roman and Jewish cultures

Modern scholars continue to debate the degrees of influence on early Christian practices by the prevalent non-Christian Greco-Roman cultures of the day. To what degree, for instance, did the Roman veneration of ancestors influence the early Christian veneration of the early Christian witnesses or martyrs, fellow Christians who had been killed for professing and practicing their faith? Likewise, the question is raised - to what extent did official Roman state religious practices, customs and beliefs influence early Christians? For example, just as Roman priests, called pontifs bent the knee in front of the statues of their gods in the magnificent Roman temples, early Christians genuflected (from Latin genu and flectus - literally "the knee to bend") in front of their altars. The ancient title of Pontifix Maximus was first assumed by Pope Damasus I. < Today, Pontifiex Maximus is carved inside the nave of the sacristy of Saint Peter's Basilica church in Rome. Likewise, the use of incense in Jewish temple worship and ceremonies found its way into the early Christian liturgies.

Persecution

From the beginning, Christians were subject to various persecutions. This involved even death for Christians such as Stephen (Acts 7:59) and James, son of Zebedee (12:2). Saul, who later converted to Christianity and is best known as Paul of Tarsus, the "Apostle to the Gentiles" (Rom 11:13, Gal 2:8), was a vigorous agent (Acts 9:1–2, Acts 22:5) in the persecution by the Jerusalem authorities, having been present at the stoning of Stephen and approving it (Acts 7:57–8:3, Acts 22:19–20).

Larger-scale persecutions followed at the hands of the authorities of the Roman Empire, beginning with the year 64, when, as reported by the Roman historian Tacitus, the Emperor Nero blamed them for that year's great Fire of Rome. In spite of these at-times intense persecutions, the Christian religion continued its spread throughout the Mediterranean Basin.

Orthodoxy and orthopraxy

The early Christian community had a number of different divisions, including some of them that were considered heretical. There were, of course, different strands of theological opinion among the early Christians, as there are even among those who fully adhere to a faith as highly articulated as that of today's Roman Catholic Church. The room for theological differences within the same body was then greater, since reflection was only beginning on many matters on which the Church reached a conclusion only later.

"No Mainstream" theory

Some claim that Christianity at first had no established orthodoxy or orthopraxy.

Walter Bauer, in his Rechtgläubigkeit und Ketzerei im ältesten Christentum (Tübingen 1934; translated as Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity 1971), developed the thesis that, in earliest Christianity, orthodoxy and heresy do not stand in relation to one another as primary to secondary, but in many regions heresy is the original manifestation of Christianity. Bauer reassessed as a historian the overwhelmingly dominant view that for the period of Christian origins, ecclesiastical doctrine already represented what is primary, while heresies, on the other hand, are somehow a deviation from the genuine (Bauer, Introduction).

A similar view has been put forward by Bentley Layton, that different versions of Christianity flourished side by side, each holding to its own beliefs as the true version. He wrote, "the lack of uniformity in ancient Christian scripture in the early period is very striking, and it points to the substantial diversity within the Christian religion."

Mainstream Christianity

Bauer's was admittedly a minority opinion in contrast to the view - which he himself, as quoted above, calls "the overwhelmingly dominant view" - that there were, in the early centuries, not just a variety of groups of equal standing, all claiming to be Christian, but also a clear mainstream Christianity which, as shown in Ignatius, the 3rd bishop of Antioch's Letter to the Smyrnaeans was called catholic, and which condemned doctrines that it judged to be incompatible with the teaching of the bishop: "Avoid divisions, as the beginning of evil. Follow, all of you, the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father ... Wheresoever the bishop appears, there let the people be, even as wheresoever Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church" (Smyrnaeans, 8); even to the extent of referring to those who propagated such beliefs as "beasts in the shape of men, whom you must not only not receive, but, if it be possible, not even meet with" (Smyrnaeans, 4).

The term "Christianity"

The earliest recorded use of the term Christianity (Greek Χριστιανισμός) is by Ignatius of Antioch, at the start of the second century.

Of the two recensions of Ignatius's letters, the longer is considered to be interpolated and inauthentic. Only the shorter will be considered here.

Ignatius's Letter to the Magnesians has three instances of the word "Christianity":

CHAPTER X.--BEWARE OF JUDAIZING. Let us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be. Therefore, having become His disciples, let us learn to live according to the principles of Christianity. For whosoever is called by any other name besides this, is not of God. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the sour leaven, and be ye changed into the new leaven, which is Jesus Christ. Be ye salted in Him, lest any one among you should be corrupted, since by your savour ye shall be convicted. It is absurd to profess Christ Jesus, and to Judaize. For Christianity did not embrace Judaism, but Judaism Christianity, that so every tongue which believeth might be gathered together to God."[2] [3]

The English translation by J. B. Lightfoot of the shorter recension of Ignatius's Letter to the Romans, chapter 3, also contains the word "Christianity":

Ye never grudged any one; ye were the instructors of others. And my desire is that those lessons shall hold good which as teachers ye enjoin. Only pray that I may have power within and without, so that I may not only say it but also desire it; that I may not only be called a Christian, but also be found one. For if I shall be found so, then can I also be called one, and be faithful then, when I am no more visible to the world. Nothing visible is good. For our God Jesus Christ, being in the Father, is the more plainly visible. The Work is not of persuasiveness, but Christianity is a thing of might, whensoever it is hated by the world.

The modernizations of Lightfoot given on several websites also have the word "Christianity".

There is disagreement among websites about the Roberts-Donaldson English translation of the shorter recension of this one chapter, though they have exactly the same text for all the other chapters. Some, such as this example give a text that contains the word "Christianity":

Chapter III.-Pray Rather that I May Attain to Martyrdom.

Ye have never envied any one; ye have taught others. Now I desire that those things may be confirmed [by your conduct], which in your instructions ye enjoin [on others]. Only request in my behalf both inward and outward strength, that I may not only speak, but [truly] will; and that I may not merely be called a Christian, but really be found to be one. For if I be truly found [a Christian], I may also be called one, and be then deemed faithful, when I shall no longer appear to the world. Nothing visible is eternal. "For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." For our God, Jesus Christ, now that He is with the Father, is all the more revealed [in His glory]. Christianity is not a thing of silence only, but also of [manifest] greatness.

Others, such as this give a text that does not contain the word "Christianity" and that is identical with the text that the other set of sites present as belonging to the longer recension.

Which is the true text of the shorter recension of Romans, chapter III? There is doubt about what is the text of the Roberts-Donaldson translation, but none about the Lightfoot translation, which does contain the word "Christianity". Moreover, the Greek text given as the original of the shorter recension does contain the word "Christianity": "[μεγέθους ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστιανισμός, ὅταν μισῆται ἀπὸ κόσμου.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)" This same text , containing the word "Χριστιανισμός", is given also in The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations (Paperback) by Michael W. Holmes (Editor), Baker Academic; Revised edition (November 1999), ISBN 0-8010-2225-8.

Whether Ignatius used the term "Χριστιανισμός" four times or only three, nothing in any of the contexts in which he used it can be pointed to as indicating that he considered it a neologism. It is simply the abstract form of the word "Χριστιανός" ("Christian"), which he uses repeatedly in his letters. In fact, according to Acts 11:26, the term "Christian" (Greek "Χριστιανός" - Strong's G5546) was first used some seventy years earlier, in the early 40s of the first century, while Ignatius, on the other hand, wrote his letters on his way to martyrdom in Rome in about 110.

In a modern version, such as NIV, the generally accepted text of Acts 11:26 is translated as: "... when he [Barnabas] found him [Saul], he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." The Western version of Acts, which no modern Bible version chooses as the basis for its text, gives the verse in the form: "And having heard that Saul was at Tarsus, he went out to seek him; and when he met him he exhorted him to come to Antioch. And they, when they had come, for a whole year were gathered together ... much people, and the disciples were called Christians then first in Antioch"; or, according to Bruce Metzger, "... when they had come, for a whole year a large company of people were stirred up, and then for the first time the disciples in Antioch were called Christians."

According to Acts 26:28, King Agrippa II used the term "Christian" when interrogating Paul, while in contrast, the earlier 24:5 presented the lawyer Tertullus accusing Paul of being "a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes". The term "Christian" also appears in 1 Peter 4:16.

It has been theorized that the term "Christian" was associated with the activity of Paul in encouraging non-Jewish believers in Jesus not to adopt Jewish customs, but this theory is disputed (see also New Perspective on Paul). Also, the so-called "Jewish customs", the Halakah of Rabbinic Judaism, were still under development at this time, as the Jewish Encyclopedia article Jesus affirms: "Jesus, however, does not appear to have taken into account the fact that the Halakah was at this period just becoming crystallized, and that much variation existed as to its definite form; the disputes of the Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai were occurring about the time of his maturity." On the topic of Paul (who was himself Jewish, as he stressed in Philippians 3:5) and "Jewish customs", the Catholic Encyclopedia article Judaizers writes: "Paul, on the other hand, not only did not object to the observance of the Mosaic Law, as long as it did not interfere with the liberty of the Gentiles, but he conformed to its prescriptions when occasion required (1 Corinthians 9:20). Thus he shortly after circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:1–3), and he was in the very act of observing the Mosaic ritual when he was arrested at Jerusalem (21:26 sqq.)."

Orthodoxy and orthopraxy in the New Testament

The New Testament itself speaks of orthodoxy and orthopraxy: it contains warnings against teachings considered to be only masquerading as those of Jesus (for example, the Sermon on the Mount, Olivet discourse, But to bring a sword, Rejection of Jesus, Matthew 23, Matthew 24:4–14, 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; 2 Peter 2:1–17; 2 John 7–11; Jude 4–13), and shows how reference was made to the leaders of the Jerusalem Church to decide what was correct doctrine and practice: Acts 15, see also Council of Jerusalem.

Gnosticism

Main articles: Gnosticism and Valentinius

Gnosticism was seen as particularly incompatible with what became recognized as the mainstream form of Christianity, which insisted on the reality and essential importance of the life and death of Jesus (cf. 1 John 5:5–6, and the Letter of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans).

Some scholars believe that there were at least three distinct divisions within the Christian movement of the 1st century: the Jewish Christians (led by the Apostle James the Just, with Jesus's disciples, and their followers), Pauline Christians (followers of St. Paul) and Gnostic Christians (people who generally believed that salvation came through secret knowledge and introspection — see, for example, Romans 16:25 and 1 Cor 2:7). Other scholars believe that Gnostic Christianity was a later development, sometime around the middle or late second century, around the time of Valentinus. Gnosticism was in turn made up of many smaller groups, some of which did not claim any connection to Jesus Christ. It is argued that Marcionism is mistakenly reckoned among the Gnostics, and really represents a fourth interpretation of the significance of Jesus.[4] [5]

According to Tertullian in Adversus Valentinianos, iv, Valentinus was a candidate for Bishop of Rome (the date would be about 143) and, when passed over in favour of another, "marked out a path for himself" distinct from that of the mainline Christian Church. The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica article on Valentinus suggests that Valentinus did not break with the Church from the very beginning, but "endeavoured as long as possible to maintain his standing within it."

Marcionism

Main articles: Marcion and Marcionism

In 144, the Church in Rome expelled Marcion of Sinope as a heretic. He thereupon set up his own separate ecclesiastical organization, later called Marcionism. Like the Gnostics, he promoted dualism. Unlike the Gnostics, however, he founded his beliefs not on secret knowledge but on the vast difference between what he saw as the "evil" deity of the Old Testament and the God of love of the New. Consequently, Marcionists were vehemently anti-Jewish in their beliefs. They rejected The Hebrew Gospel and all the other Gospels with the exception of a ‘revised’ Gospel of Luke, called the Gospel of Marcion.

Marcion argued that Christianity should be solely based on Christian Love. He went so far as to say that Jesus’ mission was to overthrow Demiurge -- the fickle, cruel, despotic God of the Old Testament -- and replace Him with the Supreme God of Love whom Jesus came to reveal. This position, he said, was supported by the ten Epistles of St. Paul that Marcion also accepted. His writing had a profound effect upon the development of Christianity and the canon.

Montanism

In the 2nd century, Montanism spread across the Roman Empire. It even boasted Tertullian as a convert. The sect's ecstasy, speaking in tongues, and other details are similar to those found in Pentecostalism.

Organization

Despite Ignatius' rejection of Judaizing, see above, Christianity continued many of the patterns of Judaism, adapting to Christian use synagogue liturgical worship, prayer, use of Sacred Scripture, a priesthood, a religious calendar commemorating on certain days each year certain events and/or beliefs, use of music in worship, giving material support to the religious leadership, and practices such as fasting and almsgiving and baptism.

Christians adopted as their Bible the Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures known as the Septuagint and later also canonized the books of the New Testament. There are however many phrases which appear to be quotations and other statements of fact, in the early church fathers, which cannot be found in the Bible as we know it. For example in Clement's First Letter he states that Paul "reached the limits of the West", and also appears to quote a variant form of Ezek 33.

A Church hierarchy seems to have been in development at latest by the time of the writing of the Pastoral Epistles in the latter half of the first century, and these structures were certainly formalized well before the end of the Early Christian period, which concluded with the legalization of Christianity in 313 and the holding of the First Council of Nicea in 325.

The Didache, which has been variously dated from 50 to 120, speaks of "appointing for yourself bishops and deacons" and also speaks about teachers and prophets and false prophets.

Significant Early Christian writers

Dates given, if not otherwise specified, are of their writings or bishopric, not of their lives.

Paul of Tarsus 45~65 Four Evangelists 60~125 Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, 68~107 Clement, bishop of Rome, 88~101 Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, 110~130 Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, 110~160 Marcion of Sinope, rejected the Old Testament, declared heretical in 144 Valentinus ~150, Gnostic, declared heretical in 175 Justin Martyr ~165 Melito, bishop of Sardis, ~180 Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, 180~202 Origen 185~254, controversial during his life time, posthumously condemned at the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 Tatian ~185 Athenagoras of Athens ~190 Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, ~196

Montanus, self-proclaimed prophet and founder of Montanism, last quarter of second century Tertullian 197~230, first Christian writer in Latin, later a Montanist Hippolytus 217~236 Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, 218~258 Clement of Alexandria ~220 Novatian, a rigorist and Antipope in 251 Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, 248~264 Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch, condemned at 269 Council of Antioch for Christological errors Donatus, bishop of Carthage, (+355), leader of the Donatists from 313 Lactantius ~317 Arnobius ~330

Significant Early Christian texts of disputed authorship

Gospel of Thomas Didache Epistle of Barnabas Shepherd of Hermas Apostolic Constitutions

Canons of the Apostles Liturgy of St James Old Roman Symbol Clementine literature 3rd Corinthians

Parts of the New Testament: Ephesians Colossians 2nd Thessalonians Pastoral Epistles

Hebrews General Epistles Revelation Western Acts Endings of Mark

See also

• Constantine I and Christianity
• Constantinian shift
• Messianic Judaism
• History of Christian Torah-submission
• Judeo-Christian
• Gospel of Judas
• Jewish Christians
• Pauline Christianity
• Gnosticism
• Marcionism
• Montanism
• Judaism and Christianity
• Proselyte
• Council of Jerusalem
• Council of Jamnia
• Quartodecimanism
• Sabbath
• Antinomianism
• Legalism (theology)
• Ebionites
• Ante-Nicene Fathers

Scholars

• Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity translated in 1971 (from Rechtgläubigkeit und Ketzerei im altesten Christentum, Tübingen 1934)
• Raymond E. Brown, The Churches the Apostles Left Behind, 1984
• John Crossan, The Birth of Christianity: Discovering What Happened in the Years Immediately After the Execution of Jesus, 1998, ISBN 0-06-061660-1
• James Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament: Enquiry into the Character of Earliest Christianity. SCM Press 1977 ISBN 0-334-02436-6
• Adolf von Harnack, The Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries, 1908
• Bentley Layton
• Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels, 1979, ISBN 0-679-72453-2
• E. P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism, 1977, Jesus and Judaism 1985 SCM Press ISBN 0-334-02091-3
• Philip Schaff, HISTORY of the CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1910
• Gerd Theissen, The First Followers of Jesus (1978) ISBN 0-334-00479-9 & The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity: Essays on Corinth ISBN 0-8006-2095-X
• Walter Wink
• N.T. Wright

External links

• [6] All you want to know about early christians
• Early Christian Writings
• Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Catholic Encyclopedia: The Fathers of the Church
• PBS Frontline: The First Christians
• "The Old Testament of the Early Church" Revisited, Albert C. Sundberg, Jr.