The Lasting Legacy of the Apostles

1
The Lasting Legacy of the Apostles
2
I. What is Legacy? --something transmitted by or
received from an ancestor or predecessor or from
the past.
3
The Journey of St. Paul
His message made many converts and enemies too
The apostolic era was fading but the young
church is beginning to grow up, healthy and
dynamic.
From Antioch to the Roman Empire
4
Two Major Developments
Jews and Christian Relation-ship worsened
Gospels and Epistles were written
These developments, unified the Christians more
5
Paul Letters Our Epistles
Epistle a formal or elegant letter
1st and 2nd Thessalonika letters That aims to advise the community there. (explain why there are two)
The Christian people cherished letters esp. from the apostles that they began collecting them and believed that they really were the words of God
The first Gospel was written by Mark
A.D. 51
A.D. 200
A.D. 65 and 70
6
St. Jude
St. John
St. James
St. Paul
St. Peter
7
Where did Pauls letters came from?
-only a minority of Romans can read or write so
there are many theories about where/who wrote the
letters.

• Paul dictated the letters to the scribes slowly,
  and word for word. (Gikan jud ni St. Paul)
• Paul dictated the letters to the scribes so fast
  that the scribed just translated Pauls words in
  their own.
• (Gi rephrase na)
• 3. Some of the letters were written by Pauls
  followers and were just credited to Pauls
  name.
• (They believe that they are writing Pauls
  principles and beliefs, so they credited them to
  Pauls name)

8
What did the People do with Pauls letters?
150 years later, kumalat ito sa Mediterranean
cities
They read them in gatherings, community prayers
9
When the Christian communities received Pauls
letters, they were read during community prayers
10
Pauls Third missionary Journey
EPHESUS
He went back to Ephesus to fulfill his promise to
return. An he wanted to see how the communities
in Asia Minor are doing
For the third time, he was walking west on the
caravan trail to go to Ephesus. Paul was in his
fifties.
11
EPHESUS

• Paul stayed in Ephesus, the capital of the Roman
  province of Asia
• for almost 3 years
• Ephesus was a meeting place for eastern and
  western travelers and traders
• Ephesus was the center for the worship of the
  Greek goddess, Diana

Paul was in trouble with the Ephesian
Silversmiths because they made statues of DIANA
12
EPHESUS

• In Ephesus he wrote his two letters to the
  Corinthians and wrote another one, to the
  community on Galatia.
• The Corinthians was his most eloquent letter
  about love and the Lords Supper.

13
What did nonbelievers think about Christians?
Nonbelievers and Christians live both in Greek
and foreign cities
The following excerpt is from an anonymous
letter dating possibly from second century,
stating clearly that nonbelievers had mixed
feelings with this new group called Christians.
They share all things
But suffer all things.
They love every one
But are persecuted by all.
The soul is in the body, but not of the
body Christians are in the world but not of the
world.
They offer a shared table
But not a shared bed.
They are at present in the flesh
But they do not live according to the flesh.
They are dishonored and yet gain glory through
dishonor.
14
Pauls Return to Jerusalem
Paul knew that there was trouble ahead for him in
Jerusalem.
As he sailed to Jerusalem and stopped at various
communities, Paul seemed to be saying farewell
for the last time.
15
Jerusalem
Paul took part in the services in the Temple to
show that he respected the Law.
But he was thrown out, and being dragged outside
the Temple gates by the mob.
Rioting broke out all over again
Paul was sent to Prison

• Since he was a Roman citizen, he was sent to
  Caesarea, the Roman capital of Palestine to be
  tried.

• Paul made it safely to Caesarea , with an escort
  of 200 men.

16
Jerusalem
Paul faced trial before the Roman governor, Felix.

• Felix, the Roman governor made no decision
  because the high priest failed to bring witness
  against Paul

• Paul was free from restriction and was under
  house arrest for two years

• Festus, the new governor, gave Paul a chance to
  defend himself before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.

OK. You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar shall
you go.
I want my case to be heard in Rome
17
The Final Years in Rome
Paul spent the whole of two years in his own
rented lodging.

• Paul was place on board a merchant ship carrying
  cargo bound for Rome.
• It was a rough ride.

He welcomed all who came to visit him,
proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the
truth about Jesus Christ.
18
NEROS PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS
Video time!!!!

• Christ is the founder of Christians.
• Christians were arrested or set on fire.

19
Paul and Peter both died in Neros
persecutions. Peter, because he was a Roman
subject, and not a citizen WAS CRUCIFIED.
Paul, a roman citizen, was beheaded.
Paul said Life to me of course, is Christ but
then death would bring me something more.
20
The Way is Now the Church

• Church , in Greek means assembly .
• Paul used this word to refer to the assembly of
  people who believe in Jesus Christ.
• For Paul, church is not a building of worship
  because Christians worshiped wherever it was
  convenient, usually in private homes.

21
The Gospels Emerge
Gospels Good News

• Only a few people who had known Jesus personally
  were still living.

Reason for composing the Gospels

• The Good News in written form could reach many
  people throughout the Roman Empire.

22
The Four Evangelists

• MARK
• Wrote the first Gospel
• Companion of Barnabas and Paul
• Wrote his gospel in Rome
• Mid-sixties

• MATTHEW
• Wrote the second gospel
• Early seventies
• Law and the coming of Messiah
• Mark Gospel

• LUKE
• Wrote the third Gospel
• Companion of Paul
• Gentile, probably a doctor
• After seventies
• Southern grace

• JOHN
• Wrote the fourth Gospel
• Mystery of Jesus being God made flesh

23
The Church and Judaism

• Jesus was a Jew. He was taught of the ARAMAIC
  language used by Jewish people.
• He criticized hypocrites but kept the Jewish Law,
  the Torah
• The friend of Jesus were all Jews. So were his
  early followers.
• Most Jews, however did not believe that Jesus was
  the Messiah. But as long as the Jewish Christians
  kept the Torah, their belief about Jesus as the
  Messiah did not divide them from their fellow Jews

24

• James, the leader of the Christians in
  Jerusalem, was arrested thrown from the roof of
  the temple.
• In A.D. 66, an official act of rebellion was
  committed in the Temple when the daily sacrifice
  of Nero was discontinued.
• Jerusalem was attacked by the strongest Roman
  empire.
• The Temple was destroyed and the City has fallen.
• Christians were no longer welcome in the
  synagogues which hurt the Christians. So they
  separated by 90s.

25
Focus on the Models
Christians got their name from Christ whose
values we are living out.