Session 3
THE FIRST 300 YEARS
Persecution and Growth
The Twelve Apostles and the Rest of the Story
The Book of Acts tells us of Paul’s missionary journeys and of his journey in chains to be martyred in Rome; but, the account of his martyrdom is left to be told by another source (that is, Holy Tradition). This is the case for most of the other apostles. James, the brother of John, is the only apostle who’s martyrdom is recorded in the Book of Acts.
We read in Acts 12:1-2: “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.” The Acts account goes on to tell us how Peter was taken into custody and miracously freed.
Holy Tradition
The life and martyrdom of the remaining apostles is given to us through a body of knowledge which is commonly called Holy Tradition. Holy Tradition is none other than the on-going revelation of God working in His Holy Church. What we have now as the Bible, or Holy Scripture, is the first installment and the defining standard of the truth of God revealed to the church by the Holy Spirit.
The church was nearly 300 years old before these holy scriptures were compiled, codified, and agreed upon as being canonical, apostolic, and entirely trustworthy. Canon is an ancient word meaning “rule” or “standard”. To measure inches, you use a ruler: To measure truth; you use the canon of scriptures, the Holy Bible.
However, the Bible does not stand in opposition to Holy Tradition. Rather, it is part of Holy Tradition and stands as a rule by which the rest of Holy Tradition is measured.
Consider the following verses from Holy Scripture in regards to the word, “tradition.”: Matthew 15:2-9, Mark 7:3, Colossians 2:8. These verses refer to the traditions of men.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 and 2 Thessalonians 2:15 refer to holy tradition. Jude 3 calls this tradition “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul discusses the tradition of women covering their heads in church. This is an excellent case study of holy tradition versus man-made tradition. He sets the tone by stating in verse 1, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” This is a bold statement which only one with the proper apostolic authority can make. Verse 2 is a clear reference to holy tradition, not man-made tradition. He then goes on to discuss the issue of women covering their heads in church and concludes by saying in reference to those women praying without their heads covered, “but if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom nor do the churches of God.”
In 1 Corinthians 11:23, Paul demonstrates this act of passing on tradition in a very vivid manner and in so doing describes what came to be the central act of worship in the early church, the Lord’s Supper, which we call the Eucharist from the Greek word for thanksgiving.
The Rest of the Story
It is through Holy Tradition that we know what happened to the Twelve. Following is a brief summary of the handout which was handed out during lesson two:
Peter
After installing Linus as bishop of Rome in the year 64 AD, under the Emperor Nero, he was crucified. He asked to be crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same manner as the Lord.
Paul
He was beheaded in Rome in the reign of Nero at the same time as Peter.
Andrew
He brought Christianity to Byzantium and installed Saint Stachys as its first bishop: In Kiev (Russia) he raised the cross on high and prophesied a Christian future for the Russian people. He was crucified on a diagonal cross in the year 62 AD.
James the brother of John
Martyred by Herod in the year 45 AD as the first bishop of Jerusalem.
John the Evangelist
The only apostle who was not martyred, John lived a long life and wrote his gospel, letters, and the Book of Revelation. He fell asleep in the Lord when he was over a hundred years old and when his disciples later opened his grave, they found that the body was not there. That is why there are no relics of Saint John the beloved of the Lord.
Philip
Crucified upside-down in the year 86 in the time of the Emperor Domitian.
Bartholomew (Also known as Nathaniel)
He installed Stachys as bishop of Hierapolis and was crucified there by the pagans along with Philip. He was taken down from the cross alive and later went to India where he preached and translated the gospel of Matthew into the Indian language. He was martyred in Armenia in the late part of the first century.
Thomas
Thomas founded the church in India and ordained bishops and priests including Saint Dionysius. He was martyred there during the late first century.
Matthew
One of the Gospel writers, in Ethiopia, before his martyrdom, he consecrated as bishop one Plato, a follower of his. He was martyred in 60 AD.
James the brother of Matthew
He evangelized Egypt establishing many churches with priests and bishops. He suffered in Egypt in the town of Ostracina being crucified by the pagans.
Jude
Jude begins his epistle, “The servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James.” He was crucified and shot through with arrows at Edessa in 72 AD.
Simon
He preached the gospel in Maurentania in Africa. He was tortured and finally crucified there in 74 AD.
Matthias
He preached in Ethiopia and Macedonia. He was stoned to death and then beheaded by the Jews in Judea.
Apostolic Succession
There is an important thread of continuity in these accounts and that is the apostolic succession which takes place wherever the apostles took the gospel. The grace given to them directly by the Lord Jesus Christ was passed on to faithful bishops and priests so that, in every place, the flock of Christ could be cared for. Christ told Peter, “Feed my sheep.” It is through the apostles and their successors that this commandment was fulfilled and continues to be fulfilled to this present age (and will be fulfilled until the Lord returns).
This apostolic succession through the physical laying on of hands and through the faithful transmission of the faith has been preserved in full by the Holy Orthodox Church to this present day.
Ignatius of Antioch: Successor to the Apostles
Our study now turns to one of those successors, Ignatius of Antioch. According to tradition, Ignatius was the small child to whom Christ pointed when He said, “Let the little children come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” He was a disciple of the apostle John and one of the first bishops of Antioch. Following are some excerpts which Ignatius wrote on his journey to Rome to be martyred:
Do ye, beloved, be careful to be subject to the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons. For he that is subject to these is obedient to Christ who has appointed them; but he that is disobedient to these is disobedient to Christ Jesus.
Wherefore it is fitting that ye also should run together in accordance with the will of the bishop who by God’s appointment rules over you. Which thing ye indeed of yourselves do, being instructed by the Spirit. For your justly-renowned presbytery, being worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp. Thus, being joined together in concord and harmonious love, of which Jesus Christ is the Captain and Guardian, do ye, man by man, become but one choir; so that, agreeing together in concord, and obtaining a perfect unity with God, ye may indeed be one in harmonious feeling with God the Father, and His beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. For, says He, “Grant unto them, Holy Father, that as I and Thou are one, they also may be one in us.” It is therefore profitable that you, being joined together with God in an unblameable unity, should be the followers of the example of Christ, of whom also ye are members.
Chapter V: The Praise of Unity
Stand fast, brethren, in the faith of Jesus Christ, and in His love, in His passion, and in His resurrection. Do ye all come together in common, and individually, through grace, in one faith of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ His only-begotten Son, and “the first-born of every creature,” but of the seed of David according to the flesh, being under the guidance of the Comforter, in obedience to the bishop and the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote which prevents us from dying, but a cleansing remedy driving away evil, [which causes] that we should live in God through Jesus Christ.
The writings of Ignatius highlight the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the church; clear establishment of the four orders of church government in the first century church: bishops, priests, deacons, and the faithful; and lastly, the conciliar nature of the church.
Conclusion
Ignatius is one of the first of many bishops and godly men who suffered for Christ in the first 300 years of the church’s history. In spite of horrendous persecution, the church flourished in these first three centuries producing a great host of martyrs, confessors, and holy people; and firmly establishing itself as the true faith. In the next lesson we will begin with the conversion of Constantine and the legalization of Christianity.
Freely Ye Have Received Freely GiveTags: educational, history