B.J. Rice Essay Example For Students

B.J. Rice Essay Expository Research Essay Ms. Wilson February 17, 2003 Christianity and the First Hundred Years I. Introduction A. Size of the church Even though the Christian faith is less than 2000 years old, it has grown to be the largest religion on earth, passing up religions far older than itself. In order to understand this phenomenon, you have to trace Christianity back to its roots. II. The Beginning of the Faith A. Roman Rule By the time Jesus was born, The Roman Empire stretched from Britain on the north to the Sahara on the south. At that time the empire was peaceful and prospering. The wars were over, and roman soldiers occupied themselves with games, tournaments, and gambling. B. Why the Jews hated Rome Jesus was Jewish. At the time of his birth the Jews hated roman rule. The Romans believed in many gods, while the Jews believed in one god. Some Jews thought their only hope of survival from Roman persecution was to adopt this Roman theology. Others became religious fanatics who formed resistance against Rome. Still others retreated into the wilderness to study Jewish law and wait for the coming of the messiah. III. The Arrival of Jesus Christ A. Birth Jesus was born to a plain, ordinary Jewish couple by the name of Joseph and Mary. Joseph was a carpenter, and passed his skills onto his first-born son Jesus. B. Childhood Jesus revealed his sense of destiny, when at the age of twelve he went to the synagogue and amazed the Jewish church leadership with his wisdom and understanding of the scriptures. C. Teachings At age 30, Jesus began his 3- year ministry to save the lost, heal the sick, and offer salvation through belief in the one true God. The summation of his teachings boils down to two statements he made on two separate occasions. The first was the great commandment, which can be found in Luke 10:27 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.' The second, which is known in Christian circles as the great commission. is found in Matthew 28:19-20: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (NIV) Within these two principles, the life and belief of the Christian faith hangs.. D. Death Throughout his ministry, Jesus frequently called into question the sincerity of the religious leaders. At the same time, his popularity grew throughout the Jewish world. As a result, great hatred and bitterness was directed towards him. Plots against his life were planned on many occasions, yet each time he escaped unharmed. According to prophetic scripture, Jesus had to be crucified and his blood shed at the appointed time. Just prior to his execution, Jesus himself reminded the believers that his life must be cut short in order to fulfill his eternal destiny. One of his closest companions, Judas, secretly conspired against Jesus and one night an angry mob led by the Jewish leaders captured Jesus. They interrogated him and brutally tortured him, then handed him over to the Roman government and demanded that he be crucified. He was taken to a hill and nailed to a cross, where he died. E. Resurrection Three days later, 2 women went to the tomb where the body of Jesus had been placed. When they arrived they found the giant stone that was used to seal the tomb rolled away. When they went inside they found Jesus body gone. Christians believe that Jesus rose back to life, appearing several times to his disciples. .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f , .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .postImageUrl , .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f , .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:hover , .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:visited , .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:active { border:0!important; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:active , .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u199f29337b2c46235519c58ebfb0423f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Henry Vii Essay IV. The Church after Jesus Death A. Apostles The 11 original disciples of Jesus became the church leadership as the early church began to grow in numbers. Their primary role was to minister to the Jewish-Christian churches. Peter seemed to have the most influential role, which was represented by the meaning of his name. Jesus first used the name Peter due to its meaning rock. Jesus was quoted as saying That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (Matt 16:18). James, the brother of Jesus, seems to have been given the leadership role in handling matters of doctrine and controversy. All 11 of the original disciples were later referred to as apostles as their ministerial callings became .