In the first part of this series, we discussed the time of the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, and the birth of the New Testament Church in 31 AD. In the early days of the Church, it flourished tremendously, but very soon, persecution set in.  

After Christ’s death, Pilate remained governor for another six years. He did not hinder the Church in Jerusalem. The Church grew to 25,000 members—a tenth of the total population of Jerusalem. Persecution of the Church initially came exclusively from the Jews.

Acts 4:18-21 reports of the persecution of the apostles through the religious leaders of Jerusalem:

“And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go…”

But it would not stay only with threats. Acts 5:14-18 reads:

“And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison…”

An angel of the Lord freed them from prison, and they continued to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were arrested again and brought before the High Priest. Compare verses 27-29, 33, 40-42:

“And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’… When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them… when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

Under Roman law, the religious rulers were permitted to act in this way regarding the apostles, as they administered the law. However, they needed the approval of the Roman governor to carry out the death penalty. But in their wrath, the High Priest and the council members did not obey the Roman law in this respect, when they killed Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Note Acts 7:54-60:

“When they heard these things [which Stephen told them], they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

This was illegal, just as the “arrest” and “trial” of Christ had been illegal.

Saul, who would become the apostle Paul, was a Roman citizen. He was born in a Roman city and was the only Roman apostle. Christ chose him to preach the gospel to the Roman world, and he (not Peter) would found the Church in Rome. He grew up in Tarsus, amidst the Greek culture. He studied under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).

About Saul, we read in Acts 8:1:

“Now Saul was consenting to his [Stephen’s] death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

This persecution came from the Jews. The Romans did not see the Church as a threat. On the contrary, Tertullian (around 200 AD) referred to a report from Pilate to Emperor Tiberius about the Christians. According to this report, Tiberius tried to obtain the Senate’s approval to declare Jesus divine and make Him a Roman god, but the Senate refused to do this.

In 36 AD, a new governor arrived in Jerusalem, who also appointed a new High Priest.

Around 37 AD, Caligula became the new emperor. He wanted to be worshipped as a god and had statues built of himself. This led to a Jewish rebellion, but before it escalated, Caligula died in 41 AD.

Around 38 AD, the situation of the Church is described in Acts 9:31, as follows:

“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”

Under the former High Priest Caiaphas, the Church had not grown significantly in membership; this now changed under the new High Priest.

Acts 11:26 gives us an interesting detail:

“… And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

Now the Roman world gave the people of this movement the name Christians. The Jews called them only Nazarenes—derisively: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

In 41 AD, Claudius became the new emperor. He reinstated Herod Agrippa I, whom Caligula had deposed, as king of the Jews. Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great and the father of Agrippa II.

In 43 AD, the following development occurred, as described in Acts 12:1-3:

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.”

Peter’s arrest occurred under Herod Agrippa I during the “Days of Unleavened Bread.” This reference shows that God’s annual Holy Days were still observed, long after Christ’s death.

An angel of the Lord freed Peter from prison, and Herod became very angry that he could not find him.

Acts 12:21-23 informs us of subsequent events:

“So on a set day Herod [Agrippa I], arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”

Depending on the circumstances, God may act very swiftly and decisively against proud rulers who defy Him.

The death of Herod Agrippa I occurred in 44 AD. After his death, there was no further persecution of Christians for 15 years.

In Acts 18:1-2, another event should be noted. We read:

“After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.”

A Jewish revolt had taken place, and the Jews had been ordered to leave Rome. This also applied to Aquila and Priscilla, not because they were Christians, but because they were Jews.

In 50 AD, Paul wrote and sent the First Letter to the Thessalonians from Corinth. Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians followed in 51 AD.

In 53 AD, Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians in Antioch. Antioch became a second headquarters from which Paul initially operated. Later, Ephesus became the second headquarters, where John and (allegedly) Philip died.

Peter met with Paul between 50 and 56 AD (compare Paul’s meeting with Peter in Jerusalem and his subsequent meeting with Peter in Antioch and the ensuing controversy between them, as described in Galatians 2).

Around 54 AD, Nero, 16 years old, became Roman emperor. When Paul was in Rome in 62 AD, Nero was just 22 years old.

Around 55 AD, Paul was persecuted in Ephesus, but protected by the city clerk (Acts 19). The city clerk was an official within the local Roman leadership, being subordinate to the proconsul.

In 57 AD, Paul was again persecuted by the Jews. Acts 21:27-29 reports:

“Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’ (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul….”

The Jews arrested Paul in Jerusalem because he allegedly brought a Gentile into the Temple. A sign outside the Temple stated that Gentiles were forbidden entry to the Temple on pain of death. However, the governor Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26) came to his aid. Still, Paul was arrested and subsequently brought, as prisoner, to the governor Felix.

In his defense before Felix and the High Priest Ananias, Paul managed to transform the accusations before Governor Felix into a religious dispute.

Acts 24:17-22 quotes Paul as follows:

“‘Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, “Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.”’ But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, ‘When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.’’

Paul stayed in prison for two years (Acts 24:27) and additional “some days”, as Acts 25:13-14 reports:

“And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus (who had succeeded Felix). When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king…”

This was Agrippa II, the son of the deceased Agrippa I. Paul gave his defense before him and governor Festus, and the results are stated in Acts 26:24-28:

“Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!’ But he said, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.’ Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’… When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, ‘This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.’ Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.’”

Agrippa used the name the Romans used for Christians.  They were therefore known as Christians at that time. (Peter later also spoke of Christians, compare 1 Peter 4:16).

And so, Paul was being transferred as a prisoner to Rome. He arrived there after a long and difficult journey and was imprisoned from 60 AD to 62 AD (compare Acts 28:30-31). There, around 60 AD, he wrote the Letters to the Colossians, the Ephesians, the Philippians (perhaps around 62 AD?), and to Philemon. After two years of imprisonment, he was set free again.

(To be continued)

 Lead Writer: Norbert Link

It is sometimes overwhelming and perhaps confusing to read about events, as described in the Bible, without having a proper time setting for those events. Many times, God has carefully planned the timing, for a greater purpose, and in this series, we will show when certain occurrences took place, why they took place then and not at another time, and how God has been working out His master plan here below. We will also explain some astonishing facts which this confused world, including professional Christianity, does not know or understand.

To begin with, how did God prepare the world for the birth of Jesus Christ and the New Testament Church? What conditions had to be met?

The Greek Empire (331-63 BC) introduced the Greek language, which became a world language. And so, the New Testament would be written in Greek.

The Roman Empire (63 BC – 324 AD) developed the ability to transport war machines on well-built roads (like Hitler later did). Even done for a completely wrong purpose, this allowed the apostles to travel freely. [Until the 19th century, there was no fundamental improvement in this regard. But then, Herbert W. Armstrong was able to proclaim the message with the help of a microphone, the printing press, and later with the use of television and airplanes. Today, we can proclaim the gospel message through the Internet and other electronic means, which were even unavailable to the Church under Mr. Armstrong.]

Augustus [Octavian] (63 BC – 14 AD) initiated a tax system, which was necessary to bring about events culminating in the birth of Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:1-5 reads:

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.”

The census or tax assessment, and the registration of the people took place around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. But Joseph would not have taken his pregnant wife to Bethlehem, 100 miles from Galilee, solely because of the Feast of Tabernacles. God had to orchestrate events so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and this census served that purpose. It was actually intended by Augustus to take place two years earlier, but it was delayed because of a Jewish revolt against the tax system (compare Acts 5:37).

Christ was not born in December (at “Christmas” time), but He was born in late September or early October, in 4 BC, six months after the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:26, 36). He began His ministry when He was 30 years old (Luke 3:23; this was in 27 AD, after He had been baptized), and it lasted 3½ years. Since He was killed at Passover (in 31 AD), He must have been born six months earlier than Passover.

According to Daniel 9, 7 weeks plus 62 weeks (i.e., 69 weeks) were to pass from the decree to rebuild the temple (457 BC by Artaxerxes) until the Messiah would come to preach. These prophetic weeks describe 483 years (one week containing seven days, which in prophecy amounts to seven years). This brings us to 27 AD. One week (7 days = 7 years) remains. Christ preached for half a week (3½ years), then He died. The remaining half will be fulfilled after His second coming.

Luke 3:1-2 continues:

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

In 14 AD, Augustus had died, and Tiberius had become the sole ruler until 37 AD. Annas and Caiaphas, father and son, were high priests at that time when John the Baptist began to preach.

Herod the Great had died around 3 BC. He might have even died in 2 BC or 1 BC, as some suggest. [Some say, he died in 4 BC, but this cannot be correct, as he instigated the murder of young male children age two and under, before his death, after Christ had been born and the wise men from the East [it does not say they were three, nor, that they were kings] had visited the Jesus Child and His parents in the house—no longer in a manger].

After Herod’s death, his sons divided the rule among themselves. They were regional rulers appointed by the Romans. Another regional ruler was Pilate, the governor of Judea. He was not a Jew (John 18:33-35).

We don’t read much about the time of Christ’s youth (except for Jesus being in the temple at the age of 12), until He was baptized by John. But He was called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23), suggesting that He grew up and lived in Nazareth for most of His life. He is also referred to constantly as Jesus of Nazareth.  However, there are credible reports that He might have accompanied His uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, on his travels. His uncle was allegedly in the tin trading business, and might have reached England during his travels.

The 15th year of Tiberius’s reign [mentioned in the passage in Luke 3:1 above] began on October 1 of the year 27 AD.

Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the first month of John’s preaching, in October. John’s baptism was one of repentance, but Christ did not need to repent, as He had never sinned. However, we read about one interesting event during His baptism, in Luke 3:21-22:

“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’”

It appears that at that time, Jesus received the power from God to perform miracles (compare Acts 10:38). We do not read that Jesus performed any miracles before, and the miracle at Cana (see below) is designated as the “beginning of the signs” (John 2:11).

After His baptism, we read in Luke 4:1-2, 13:

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil… Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”

This occurred in October of 27 AD. Christ’s temptation in the wilderness for forty days was to prove that God in the flesh could command the devil [verse 8], just as Jesus, as a glorified divine being, could command him. Note that Christ was led “by the Spirit” into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil, in accordance with God’s plan to overcome Satan.

In December of 27 AD, Christ chose some of His disciples (Matthew 4:18-22). It is quite possible that James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were cousins of Christ [as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was probably a cousin of Mary; Luke 1:36]. This means that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary, the mother of James and John, also called Salome, would have been sisters. Also, it has been suggested that Mary and Joseph were cousins.

After Christ selected some of His disciples, the following events took place until the spring of 28 AD:

• The miracle at Cana (John 2)
• Jesus’ first Passover after His baptism (John 2)
• Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (John 3). This conversation addressed how one can enter the Kingdom of God. The Jews were shocked that their physical lineage was meaningless, since flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus also explained that one has to be born again (not just begotten through the gift of the Holy Spirit at the time of baptism) to become an immortal Spirit being.

We are informed that Jesus left Judea (John 4:1-3). This happened in late November or early December 28 AD. John had been preaching for one year and two months. Although Jesus had also been ministering in Judea during this time, like John, the attention had been focused more on John. But now, John had been imprisoned and the people began to focus on Jesus.

John 4:4 recounts Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. John 4:35 gives the time frame:

“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

Jesus told His disciples that there would still be four months until the harvest. The spring harvest began in the middle of the month of Nisan (beginning, middle, or end of April). Four months after Christ’s encounter with the Samaritan woman would be Christ’s second Passover after His baptism.

During the second half of December 28 AD:

• Jesus went to Nazareth (John 4:45);
• began preaching in the synagogues (Luke 4:14-16);
• announced a year of His preaching (“the acceptable year of the Lord”; Luke 4:19).

By the end of December 28 AD, Jesus’ public ministry began in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-32). Previously, he had only taught His disciples privately.

At the beginning of 29 AD, we read about the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38) and the calling of Matthew (Luke 5:27).

In the spring of 29 AD, Jesus kept His second Passover after His baptism. The famous plucking of the heads of grain by His disciples happened at that time (Luke 6:1-5). Passover fell that year on a Sabbath.

In late spring of 29 AD, Jesus selected twelve disciples from all of His disciples whom He called apostles  (Luke 6:12; Matthew 3:13). That means, the disciples (apostles), with the exception of Matthew, who was called later, had been trained by Jesus for 1 ½  years.

In late summer of 29 AD, we find that John was still in prison (Luke 7:18-15). We are being introduced to Jesus’ message on the Day of Trumpets (John 5:1). Jesus began His parables (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8). He also gave a sign to the Pharisees that He was the Messiah:

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’” (Matthew 12:38-40).

This sign will become extremely important later when reviewing the time of His death and resurrection.

In the autumn of 29 AD, the famous event of the calming of the storm took place (Luke 8:22); and John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod after one year of imprisonment (Luke 9, Mark 6:14; Matthew 14).

From the autumn of 29 AD until the spring of 30 AD, Christ sent out His twelve disciples (apostles) two by two (Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1). This happened 6 to 9 months after their selection as apostles and did include Judas Iscariot, which is remarkable, as we read in Luke 9:1-2: “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

During that time, He also fed 5,000 people, which was near to His third and final Passover (John 6:1-14). During that time, Jesus walked on the sea (John 6:16); and He went to Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24; Matthew 15:21) where He stayed among the Gentiles, showing that God is not a respecter of persons, even though He made clear that at that time, He was sent only to the lost tribes of the House of Israel. Still, He did not refuse to heal the daughter of a believing Gentile woman (Mark 7:25-30).

Subsequent events occurred until the autumn of 30 AD, including His transfiguration on the mountain (Mark 9:2). He went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:1); and He taught His disciples about the right kind of prayer (Luke 11:1).

In December of 30 AD, Jesus attended the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem (John 10:22). This was a Jewish national holiday, lasting for 8 days, which Jesus, as a Jew, observed.  It has no significance for us today. It commemorates the restoration of the divine worship in the Second Temple after it had been abolished by Antiochus Epiphanes.

From that time on until the spring of 31 AD, He gave the parable of Lazarus, a beggar, and the rich man, in which He taught the final destruction of unrepentant sinners (Luke 16:19). He also raised His friend Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, from the dead and restored physical life to him (John 11:1).

We should pay special attention to the events during the week before and during Christ’s final Passover of the year 31 AD:

We find Christ in Bethany (John 12:1), which was six days before Passover; i.e., Thursday night.

In John 12:9, we are told that people came to see the resurrected Lazarus, which happened on Friday.

We then read that Christ was in Jerusalem “the next day” (John 12:12). This was on the weekly Sabbath, not on a Sunday (erroneously referred to by “nominal” Christianity as “Palm Sunday”). On the 10^th day, the Passover lamb was taken (Exodus 12:3). Christ was chosen by the Jews as their Passover lamb on the 10^th day. The Passover lamb was slaughtered at the beginning of the 14^th day, the 14^th of Nisan, between the two evenings, describing sunset to nightfall. Christ observed the Passover at the beginning of the 14^th day, but He was killed and laid in the tomb at the end of the 14^th day.

Focusing on Pilate, we can see from John 18:36-38; 19:6, that He found Christ to be guiltless. He still ordered His death. He acted not because of religious beliefs, but because he feared the Romans (John 19:12). The actual persecution, now declared as political, was carried out by the Jews.

Christ was crucified and laid in the tomb on a Wednesday, before the beginning of the annual Sabbath of the first Day of Unleavened Bread [John 19:31: “that Sabbath was a high day”]. He was resurrected three days and three nights later [compare again Matthew 12:38-40. John 11:9-10 clarifies that the daylight portion of a day has 12 hours, and then comes the night… another twelve hours].

He left the tomb before the end of the weekly Sabbath. When the women came to the tomb at the end of the Sabbath, Christ had already risen. We read in Matthew 28:1-6, in the Elberfelder Bible: “But late on the Sabbath, at the dawning of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.”

After His resurrection, Christ ascended to the Father on Sunday morning, on the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread, when the first sheaf was offered as a wave offering (Leviticus 23:10-11). Fifty days later was Pentecost (verses 15-16).

Christ taught the apostles about the Kingdom of God for 40 days (Acts 1:3) until He ascended visibly to Heaven on a cloud. Two angels told the apostles that Jesus would return in like manner as they had seen Him ascending to Heaven (Acts 1:11).

The New Testament Church was founded (Acts 2) on June 17, 31 AD [54 days after Christ’s crucifixion]. Jerusalem served as its headquarters from 31 to 69 AD. James, the half-brother of Jesus, served as the local Church pastor.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link