Communion With the Christ:: A Very, Very Brief History of the Church: Part 6

"I Will Build My Church"

The Church grew and spread throughout the World of the Roman Empire

In the area of Asia Minor on the South Shore of the Black Sea called Bithynia, Christianity took root grew and flourished.

Pliny the Younger

The Governor of Bithynia was Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus ,61-113 AD or better known as Pliny the Younger whose uncle was the well-known Pliny the Elder. Pliny, had been born into Roman aristocratic Equestrian rank in 6 AD. Pliny had been educated in Rome and had a Roman world view. He was a member of the Equites Order and was an Attorney, He was appointed the Roman Governor of Bithynia around 111 to 113 AD.

Pliny stated that there were so many Christians in Bithynia that attendance in the pagan temples had declined greatly as people heard the gospel and forsook pagan ways and turned to the living God.

Pliny was compelled to deal with the "Christian problem" in his province. Pliny had no desire to mistreat Christians for they were not causing harm to anyone nor broke no Roman law. Yet, from Pliny's Roman perspective Christians needed to be dealt with somehow.

All those people who were accused of being Christians needed to do was to renounce Christ and affirm their loyalty to Rome by offering a small burnt and wine offering to the Empire and they would then be free to go their way.

Pliny would give Christians at least three opportunities to recant and renounce Jesus. If they would not do so they would then be subject to punishment which result in confiscation of property, imprisonment and or death.

Pliny found that Christians were guilty of nothing worthy of harsh punishment other than being faithfully committed to someone other than the Emperor. Christians were

discouraged them from going through with it. Ignatius would face his death and be a sacrifice for his Lord Jesus.

Polycarp

One elderly Christian named Germanicus refused to turn form Jesus and faced death by wild beast. Germanicus' boldness enraged the crowd and they then demanded that Polycarp being found and brought to the arena.

Polycarp 69-155 AD had been a disciple of St. John and had become a prominent leader in the Church. At the city of Smyrna Polycarp along with other Christians were accused of being Christians. They each refused to recant their faith in Jesus and were to be executed.

Polycarp had eluded capture for a few days. It was becoming harder to avoid arrest, so Polycarp, came to the conclusion that God wanted him to face martyrdom and be a public witness of the resurrected Jesus, so he waited to be found by the authorities.

When Polycarp was brought before the Roman Proconsul, as he stood before the Proconsul Polycarp refused to recant. angering the Proconsul who then shouted "away with this atheist”.

No threats from the Proconsul could frighten the aged Polycarp. He would face death thanking God that he was counted worthy to die in the service of Jesus around or near 155 AD.

Early Christians saw martyrdom as something that some believers were ordained by God to face to bring glory to Christ. Many Christians did not really "choose to die" but rather, God chose them. It was also believed that not all Christians were meant to die a martyr’s death.

Marcus Aurelius

Emperor Marcus Aurelius who was Emperor from 161-180 AD, though a scholar and refined, he was also superstitious and would consult "seers" and always made scarifies to the "gods" before he did anything of consequence.

While Marcus Aurelius was Emperor there were several natural disasters within the Empire; floods, epidemics, and military clashes. It became convenient to blame Christians for these occurrences. Marcus Aurelius put his voice behind such assertions as well, in order to have reasons to persecute Christians.

Felicitas

Felictas, was a widow who served the Church, was so effective in serving Jesus that priest of the pagan "gods" reporter her to the authorities. At Rome she was brought before a Prefect who was unable to convince her to turn from Jesus.

A message was sent to Marcus Aurelius requesting instructions, explaining that the widow would not turn from Jesus. The Emperor answered back that she and her seven sons should die. Each of them was put to death in separate sections of the city of Rome.

Justin Martyr

Another who laid down his life for Jesus was Justin Martyr. He was one of the foremost Scholars of that time. Justin had been born to pagan parents in Judea Palestine around 100 AD and had an engaging mind and personality. His interest always, at that time, were morals ethics and philosophy until he met and had discussions with and elderly Christian minister who explained the Gospel message about the person of Jesus. Justin became a convert and then a defender of the Christian message about the Lord.

At one point Justin had established an academy at Rome itself in order to teach Christian thought. He had, in a public setting, defeated a well-known and highly admired pagan philosopher which may have led to his arrest and his death at Rome in about 165 AD

"I Am a Christian"

In Lyons and Vienna Gaul (France) laws were enacted which were designed to keep Christians from interacting with people in the public places, so that they could not evangelize the populace of those communities.

Around 177 AD the atmosphere in Lyons Gaul grew so hostile toward Christians that a mob began to seek out Christians and harass them. Many calls for death were shouted, several Christians were arrested and were to be taken to the Governor. A man named Vetius Epagathus stepped forward and asked if he could defend the arrested Christians, he asked if he could speak on their defense. The assembled mob asked if Vetius was a Christian, and he replied that he was, and was himself taken into custody.

The spontaneous persecution of the mob was unexpected by some of the Christians and when placed before the authorities found themselves unprepared and they renounced their faith, though most held firm which angered the Governor.

One Christian named Sanctus under painful torture would only answer "I am a Christian”. The worse that his torments became the more he asserted that he was a Christian. Some who denied Christ in the moment of weakness saw the faith and courage of their brethren, they then returned to the authorities and confessed that they, like Sanctus, were Christians and would face suffering and death for Jesus.

With death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in 180 AD there was time of relative peace for Christians. Commodus who ascended the throne after Marcus Aurelius was more interested in the gladiatorial games and grand spectacles and largely ignored the Church.

After Commodus died there was a period of civil war in the Empire that led to the ascension of Septimius Severus to the throne in 193 AD.

Septimius Severus

Under Emperor Septimius Christians were, at the first, left alone as he consolidated his power but eventually Septimius would bring persecution upon the Christians.

Through there were a few times of "systematic persecution" by the Imperial government, mostly it came from the local governments. It was illegal to be a Christian, yet Rome did not wish to incur the cost of seeking Christians out they would much rather leave them alone if they were able.

Septimius wanted order in the Empire therefore he arrived at the conclusion that religion could build unity. He therefore, wanted all to worship "Sol Invictus", which means "the Unconquered Sun”. Septimius saw this as a means to accomplish his goal of unity and order within the Roman world.

Under Septimius' plan and promotion of religious unity all "religions" and "philosophies" would be brought together as one. His edict of "Sol Invictus" was issued in 202 AD and set off several local persecutions of Christians.

One story is that of a young Christians woman named Perpetua in Carthage in Northern Africa around 202 AD. Perpetua had come from a family of means, she and others were arrested, and sentence of not being Christians but rather defying the "Sol Invictus" edict, however Perpetua was pregnant.

The authorities hoped that she would renounce Jesus. Even Perpetua's own family attempted to persuade her to renounce Jesus, but Perpetua would not, she would go into the area and face the wild beast.

Perpetua after giving birth to a baby girl went to face her death in the area. She and another girl were thrown by a wild cow then was run through by the sword giving glory to Jesus as they died.

Christians in the early years felt that to die for Jesus gave glory to him as they were personally joining him in his sufferings and he with they.

For some Roman authorities this gave the impression that Christians belonged to a death cult, but those believers were in truth demonstrating a love and faithfulness toward Jesus Christ that went beyond the reasoning of this world.

To be Continued....