OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

1.1.Summarize the life of Jesus.Summarize the life of Jesus.

2.2.Trace the spread of Trace the spread of Christianity in the Roman Christianity in the Roman Empire.Empire.

3.3.Analyze Christianity’s appeal. Analyze Christianity’s appeal.

The Life and Teaching of Jesus• Romans take control of ______ in 63 B.C.

• Judea becomes part of the Roman Empire in 6 A.D.

• A _________ will come to restore the

land of the ________.

Jesus of Nazareth

• Born ________________. • Born ___________________. • Raised in ________________.• Baptized by _______________.• Occupation: Carpenter• Began preaching at the age of 30• Stressed love, (God, neighbors, enemies)• Eternal kingdom for those who repent

A GROWING MOVEMENT

• Main source about his life came from Gospels– First _ books of the New Testament– Some are written by Jesus’ _________

• 12 men later called ___________

• Became popular– __________________________________;

appealed to the poor

Jesus’ Death

• Rulers where concerned, both Jewish and Roman leaders

• In ____________, people greeted him as a savior and messiah, or king. – Jewish priests disagreed

• _____________________, Roman leader, accused Jesus of breaking Roman law– Sentenced to _______________

• Nailed to a wooden cross

Jesus’ Death cont…

• Jesus died on the cross

•

• Body was gone three days later

•

• Because he was believed to be the messiah or “savior”, he was called Jesus Christ

Christianity Spreads Through the Empire

• Disciples carried on _____________.

• Did not contract Jewish law

• First followers were _________.

• New religion began

• ___________________ spread throughout the empire.

What did Jesus Teach?

• Forgiveness

• _______________

• Turn the other cheek

• Do you know anymore of the teachings of Jesus?– Name them…..

Paul’s Mission

• Paul– Never met Jesus– Enemy of Christianity– Had a vision of Jesus– Spent the rest of his

life spreading Jesus’ message

Paul’s Mission Cont.• Christianity spread

– ____________ made the spread ideas easy

– Common language - Latin

• Paul wrote letters, _______________– Stressed that Jesus was

the _________ who died for people’s sins

– Christianity welcomes converts Jew of Gentile

Jewish Rebellion

• Jewish rebellion in ___ A.D. against Rome

• Temple destroyed by Romans in ____ A.D.

• Only western portion remains

• Jewish fortress, Masada, held until A.D. 73, half million dead

• Tried again in A.D. 132, half million died

• Diaspora - __________ _________________

Persecution of Christians

• – Crucified, exiled, imprisoned, executed– Sent to the gladiator games– Looked at as martyrs– Willing to sacrifice their lives for their belief

• Used as

A World Religion

• Christianity was growing rapidly throughout the Roman Empire and beyond

• Why?1. 2. Gives hope to the powerless3. Appealed to those who were repelled by the

extravagances of imperial Rome 4. Offered personal relationship with a loving God 5.

Constantine Accepts Christianity

• Constantine-

• Fighting 3 rivals of the Rome– Battle was at the Tiber

River– Prayed for divine help– Saw the image of a cross– Put the cross on the

shields of his soldiers

Constantine Accepts Christianity cont.

• Constantine made Christianity an accepted religion of the empire

• Emperor Theodosius made it the official religion of the empire.

Early Christian Church• Priest led small

groups of Christians• Bishop supervises

local churches• Peter

– Became first

– Apostle– “rock” on which the

Christian Church will be built

–

A Single Voice

• Many disputed the beliefs that developed amongst believers

• Became intense• Church officials tried to set the standards of belief• Combine the Old Testament (Jewish Torah) + New

Testament (Story of Jesus)= The Holy Bible• Met and created the Nicene Creed- define the basic

beliefs of all Christians– “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of

Heaven and Earth……

The Fathers of the Church

• Fathers of the Church– Early writers who also defined the teachings

• Augustine– Bishop from N. Africa– Humans need the grace of God– Can not get God’s grace without being a

member of the Church– Wrote ______________________