Overview
Beforeheascendedtoheaven,JesusChristtoldhisdisciples:"TheHolySpiritcomesonyou,andyouwillreceivepower.AndyouwillbeinJerusalem,allofJudea,andSamaria.,Totheendoftheearth,bemywitness."ThediscipleswaitedfaithfullyinJerusalem.TheHolySpiritfellonthemonPentecost,andtheyboldlyproclaimedthegospelofChrist'sdeathandresurrectionforsinners.TheActsoftheApostlestellsusthatbecauseoftheirboldpreaching,thenumberofpeoplewhowerebaptizedintothechurchincreaseddaybyday,andthechurchinJerusalemgrewstronger,makingthepeopleoftheJewishSanhedrinfeelagreatthreatandattemptedtousepersecutiontostopthespreadofChristianity.Asthenumberofbelieversincreased,thepressuretheyexertedonthechurchincreased.Atfirst,theapostleswereputinprison,butthenStephenwasopenlystonedtodeath.SincethemartyrdomofStephen,thechurchinJerusalemhasbeenpersecuted.Exceptfortheapostles,thediscipleswerescatteredthroughoutJudeaandSamaria.Fromahistoricalperspective,weseethatGodhashisgoodintentionsforallowingpersecutiontocometobelievers.Atthebeginning,believersonlyworkedfaithfullyinJerusalem.Theydidn'tseemtolookfarandseetheneedsofallJudeaandSamaria.Throughpersecution,GodledthemtoanewworkshoptoharvestforGod.ThebookofActstellsusthatPhilipwasledtoSamariabytheHolySpirit,andbecauseofhispreaching,allthepeopleofSamariawerebaptizedtoChrist.ThenPhilipwasledbytheHolySpiritintothewilderness,wherehepreachedthegospeltotheEthiopianeunuch,andthenbaptizedhim.Forthechurchatthattime,thiswasobviouslyamajorbreakthrough,becausethegospelwasbroughttotheGentilesforthefirsttime.Atthistime,GodcalledPaulasanapostletopreachthegospeltotheGentiles;inthisway,thegospelwaswidelyspreadamongtheGentiles,fromPalestineandAsiaMinor,tothecitiesofGreeceandItaly,andtheseedsofthegospelweresown.,Thechurchsproutsandgrowsintheseplaces.However,wemustunderstandthatduringtheapostolicperiod,thechurcheswereonlyscatteredinPalestine,AsiaMinor,GreeceandItaly,andthebelieversineachplacewerestillveryrareandlimitedtothelowerclasses;butsuchscatteredChristiangroupsHowever,inthenexttwohundredyears,theirfaithbecameanimportantdrivingforceforthetransformationoftheentireRomanEmpire'sculture.Letuslookattheexpansionoftheearlychurchhere.
Advanceeastward
Whenitcomestotheexpansionofthechurch,manyhistorianscenteredonAntioch,becauseintheearlychurch,AntiochwasthebaseforevangelismtoGentilesThefirstmissionteamofthechurchthatpreachedabroadwasformedhere,andthatwasthemissionteamformedbyPaulandBarnabas.Accordingtolegend,ThomasalsosetoutfromAntioch,wenteasttoreachthekingdomofPafia(Parthia)topreach,andthenwenteasttoIndia.
First,let’stalkaboutthechurch’seastwarddevelopment.FromAntiochtothenortheast,thegospelwaspreachedtoEdessa.IdessawastheonlywayfromAsiaMinorandSyriatoArmenia.Becauseitisatradechannel,thegospelhasbeenpreachedhereasearlyasthefirstcentury.LegendhasitthatwhenJesuswasalive,thekingofIdessawrotetoJesus,askinghimtohealhim;butafterJesuswasresurrected,hesentanapostletohealhim,thusconvertingthewholecitytotheLord.Regardlessofwhetherthislegendistrueornot,thechurchhaslongestablishedasolidfoundationherebutitisafact.AttheendofthesecondcenturyAD,Christianityhasbeenregardedasthestatereligionhere.Accordingtotherecordofagodfather,atthattime,theroyalfamilyfirstacceptedChristianity,andthenthepeoplefollowedsuit.FromEdessafurthereast,thegospelspreadtotheareaofMesopotamia,asfarastheborderofPersia.Atthattime,thepeopleinMisobodemiamostlybelievedinZoroastrianism,butZoroastrianismgraduallylostitsvitality,soitwaseasyforthechurchtoestablishabasehere.Inthesecondhundredandtwenty-fiveyearsofAD,attheboundarybetweentheEuphratesandTigris,thechurchhasmorethan20bishops,thatis,morethan20dioceseshavebeenestablished.However,furthereasttoPersia,thegospelfacedgreatresistance.Here,Zoroastrianismisalsothestatereligion,buttheorganizationofZoroastrianismhereisverystrict,whichhasproducedaunifiedandpowerfulresistancetoChristianity.
Armenia
FromIdesanorth,thegospelwasintroducedintotheterritoryofGapardoinAsiaMinor,andthenfromGappadointoArmenia.Inthethirdcentury,amannamedGregory(knownasGregorytheIlluminator,240-332AD)wenttoCappadociafromArmeniatostudy.BacktoArmeniatopreachthegospel;hehimselfwasanobleman,sohefirstpreachedittothenobleman,enduredaperiodofpersecution,andfinallyledtheArmeniankingtobelieveintheLord,andthenledthewholecountrytotheLord.Today,ArmeniancultureandChristianityarecloselyintegrated,andthepatriotismofArmeniansisalsocloselylinkedtotheirfaithandlife.
AsiaMinor
FromAntiochtothewest,thatwasAsiaMinorwherePaulwasthemostactivepreachingday.BasedonthefoundationestablishedbyPaul,thechurchhasgrownrapidly.WecanseethespreadofthegospelinaletterwrittenbyagovernornamedPlinytheYoungertotheRomanemperorTrajanin110AD.Hetoldtheemperorthatwhenhearrived,becausethenumberofChristianswasincreasing,manytempleswereindifferent,whichshowsthattheremustbealargenumberofChristians.InPhoenicia,churcheswereestablishedinmajorcities.However,inGalatia,thespreadofthegospelisquiteslow.ThecapitalofnorthernAsiaMinorhasresistedthegospelforalongtime;butinthethirdcentury,becauseaGregorytheThaumaturgos,knownasamiraculousman,preachedthegospelecstatically,ittookafewdecades.AlmostallofthepeopleinthewholelandwereconvertedtotheLord.Accordingtolegend,whenhearrivedinPontus,only17peoplebelievedintheLord,butwhenhedied,only17peopleinthewholelandofBentohadyettoacceptthegospel.Althoughthislegendcannotbefullybelieved,itcanbeseenfromthisthataperson'senthusiasmcansometimeshaveabreakthrougheffect.Inadditiontoenthusiasm,Gregoryalsohasasecret,whichistoflexiblyuselocalfestivalsandcelebrationstoexpressChristianfaith,sothatthelocalcustomsandcustomsareChristianized,andbelieversdonotneedtofeelthattheyhavetobecutofffromtheinherentcultureafterbecomingaChristian.Relationship,Christianityhasbecomeverykindinstead.
IntroducedintoNorthAfrica
AccordingtotheaccountoftheearlychurchhistorianEusebius,MarcoandApollowerethefirsttopreachthegospelinEgypt.TheybegantoworkinAlexandria.Bytheendofthesecondcentury,Alexandriahadbecomeabaseforchurchexpansion.Atthebeginningofthethirdcentury,alarge-scale"discipletrainingcenter"wasalsoestablishedtoequipbelieverstocopewiththeirfaith,life,andChallengesinevangelism.In235AD,therewerealready20bishopsinAlexandriaalone.Atthesametime,CarthagebecamethecenteroftheexpansionofChristianityinNorthAfrica.InNorthAfrica,therateofexpansionofthechurchisreallyamazing.About220years,whenthechurchmetinCarthage,only72bishopsfromNorthAfricaattended;30yearslater,thenumberofbishopsincreasedto90.Many,andthenumberofbishopsinabout300yearswasclosetotwohundred(thatis,therearemorethantwohundreddioceses),whichshowshowfastthedevelopmentis.
InItaly,thedevelopmentofthechurchisalsoamazing.Inabout140years,therewereonlytwelvebishopsinallofItaly.Inabout250years,therewerenearlyonehundredbishopsinsouthernItalyalone.Bishop.Atthistime,therewereaboutfortychurchesinRome,onebishop,46elders,and1,500widowsinthechurch.SomehistoriansestimatethatthenumberofbelieversinRomeatthattimewasmorethan30,000.
Inconclusion,inabout250years,ChristiansintheentireRomanEmpireaccountedfor12-15%ofthetotalpopulation.Accordingtothissituation,withoutConstantinetheGreatacceptingChristianityin315,theChristianizationoftheRomanEmpirewasjustaroundthecorner.TheaboveistheexpansionofChristianity.Wehavetolookatsucharapidexpansion.Whatisthereason?Whatlessonscanwelearn?
SecretofSuccess
EdwardGibbon(1737-1794AD),themostprestigioushistorianintheeighteenthcentury,wroteamasterpieceofhistoriography,whichisthefamous"RomanEmpireHistoryofDeclineandDeath.Inthisbook,heusedaconsiderablelengthtodescribethedevelopmentofChristianity,explainingtheimportanceofChristianityintheculturalchangeatthattime.AlthoughGippenhimselfwasquitehostiletoChristianity,whendiscussingtheexpansionofChristianity,hecouldnotbutmarvelathowstrongthevitalityoftheearlychurchwas.Hebelievesthattherearefivemainreasonswhythechurchcansuccessfullyspreadthegospel:First,Christianshaveanextremeenthusiasmforwhattheybelieve.ChristianshavechangedtheintoleranceofJudaisminthepast,andnolongerinsistedonthespecialstatusoftheJewishnation,butpromotedsalvationtoallpeople,andemphasizedtheprincipleofbrothersinthefourseas.However,theynevercompromised,neverrelaxed,andinsistedontheirbeliefs.EvenMarcusAurelius(121-180A.D.)findstheirpersistenceunacceptable.HebelievesthatChristiansarethemostabominableandtheworstimpactonsocietyandcultureliesintheirstubbornness.Theyleftnoroomtorenouncepaganbeliefsandlifestyles.Inthepast,believinginreligionwasonlyapartoflife,andreligiousactivities(suchasvisitingtemplesfromtimetotime)didnotnecessarilyhaveanyimportantsignificancetothelifeofthewholeperson.FortheChristiansatthattime,theirbeliefswerecompletelychanged.Occupyingtheirlives,theChristianfaithdestroyedthemandcalledthemtocomebacktolifeagain.Sotheconceptof"repentance"(Conversion)firstappearedinGreco-Romanculture.Christiansmakeitveryclearthattheyareauniquegroup,andtheyarenotafraidtobedifferentfromothers.Forthisreason,theconnotationoftheirbeliefsandthewayoflifeareveryclear,andtheyareneverconfused.Suchaclearbeliefalsoforcestheinterestedpersontomakeaclearchoice.Ontheotherhand,theenthusiasmoftheearlyChristiansinpreachingthegospelwasalsoamazing.IntheNewTestament,weseetheapostlesleadingsomebelieverstopreach,andpreachingthegospelbecomesalloftheirlives.In"TheLegacyoftheTwelveApostles",weseethatmanylaybelieversatthattimeputdowntheirinheritanceandbecameitinerantevangelists,focusingentirelyonpreachingmatters,andrelyingentirelyonthesupplyofotherbelievers.ThegodfatherOrigeninthemiddleofthethirdcenturysaid:"Christiansdotheirbesttospreadthegospeltotheworld.Somebrothersevenusethisastheircause,fromcitytocity,fromvillagetovillage,LeadingpeopletotheLord...Manytimestheyrefusedtoaccepteventhemostbasicsuppliesneededforlife.”Manychurchleadersatthattimewereverysuccessfulevangeliststhemselves,suchasBoreka(thefirstmartyredbishopinthesecondcentury).Averygoodevangelist;likeBishopIrenaeus,inordertospreadthegospeltodifferentpeoplemoreeffectively,hehasresolutelylearnedmanylanguages.Aclearfaith,spreadoutwithextremeenthusiasm,musthaveastrongappeal,sotheearlychurchgrewrapidly.ThesecondreasonisthatChristiansareextremelysincereinwaitingforthereturnoftheLordJesus.Thisattitudetowardslifewasveryimportantatthetime.Atthattime,thepoliticalturmoil,theinternaldivisionoftheRomanEmpire,frequentpoliticalassassinations,andmoreandmoreintrusionsfromforeignenemies,therefore,thepeoplewerereallyworriedatthetime,andfeltthattheywerealwaysonthesafeside.ButChristiansliveinamindsetofwaitingfortheLord'sreturn,andalltheturmoilhasbecomesomesignsoftheLord'sreturn,makingthemmoreeagerlyanticipating.Becausetheyliveinhope,theycanendureallhumansuffering.Therefore,intheeyesofotherpeople,theirvitalityisreallyamazing,eveninthefaceofdeath,theyarenotafraid.Theylivewhilewaitingforfuturejudgmentandfuturerewards,sothattheycanlivemorevigorouslyandvigorously.Comparedwithotherreligions,Christianityappearstohavegreatvitality,whichisveryimportantfornon-believers.Bigattraction.ThethirdreasonisthattheyrelyonthepoweroftheHolySpirittoperformmiraclesandwondersamongtheworld.Theprophet'sspeech,thegiftoftongues,theabilitytohealdiseasesandcastoutdemonsareveryrealamongthem.EvenGibbon,whoishostiletoChristianity,feelsthatthelossofthisexperienceofmiraclesandmiraclesisaveryimportantlossforthechurch.HesatiricallysaidtohiscontemporaryChristians:"ThemiraclesandmiraclesoftheearlychurchIthasbeenestablishedinthechurchformanycenturies,butinrecentyears,ithasbeenunderattack;althoughmanybelieversstillbelieveinmiracles,ourtheologyprofessorregardsthemasastumblingblocktotheChristianfaith."Theironicwordsarereallyagoodreminderforus.ThefourthreasonisthattheearlyChristiansdemandedthattheyleadanextremelyholyandrigorouslife.Thiskindoflifetestimonyisreallydirectandspecifictotheirneighbors.Atthattime,thechurchhadverystrictrequirementsforthosewhoappliedforbaptismtojointhechurch.Fromthe"LegacyoftheTwelveApostles",weseethattheirteachingtocatechumensismainlyfocusedonthepracticeoflife.Thetrainingcourseforcatechumensisdividedintofourstages.Thefirststageistogetridoftheoldevils;thesecondstageistolearntofullyobeytheteachingsofChristinsociallifeandpoliticalparticipationactivities;thethirdstageistopracticewatchfulness,vigilance,Prayer;thefourthstageexercisestostandfirmandresisttemptation.InthechurchledbyBishopHippolyte,ittakesthreeyearsforacatechumantogothroughsuchatrainingcoursebeforeheisacceptedintothechurch.Thisshowshowrigoroustheearlychurchheldtothelivesofbelievers.ThefifthreasonisthatthefellowshiplifewhereChristiansloveeachotherisreallyattractivetounbelievers.Thechurchatthattimedidnothaveanytangibleorganizationorstructure,butthebelieverswerecloselyconnectedandcaredforeachother.Amongthem,thebarriersbetweenpeoplecausedbyallsocialsystemshavebeeneliminated,slavesandmastersarecompletelyequalinthechurch,andtherichandthepoorcansittogetherandsharethelovefeast.Inmutualsupportandencouragement.Theyaremoreabletowithstandallkindsofexternalpressure;inturn,externalpressurewillonlymakethemmoreunited.
Self-sacrificingandcaring
Inadditiontotheabovefivereasons,wecanalsofindotherreasons,suchasthecaringofbelieversfortheirneighbors,whichisapowerfultestimony.AfterbelievingintheLord,somebelieverssoldalltheirpropertiesanddistributedthemtothepoor.ThegodfathersBasiliusandAmbroseareextremelywealthy.Theysoldalltheirfamilypropertiesinordertotakecareofthehungrypeoplesufferingfromfamine.Inordertotakecareofsomeextremelypoorpeople,somebelieversarewillingtofastthemselvesandgivethemtherest.Thiskindofself-sacrificingcareforotherswasalsoamazedbytheRomanemperorJulian,whowashostiletoChristianityandattemptedtoreviveRomanpaganism;therefore,hebelievedthatthesecretofChristianity’ssuccessliesinChristians’self-sacrificingloveforothers,andThefailureofRomanpaganismliesinitslackofcareforpeople.WhenhewrotetohishighpriestAsakia,hesaid:"ThoseungodlyGalileansnotonlyfeedtheirpoor,theyalsofeedourpoor,andourownpoorgetNotourcare.”HethenaskedAsakiatoleadhisfollowerstofollowtheexampleofChristianloversinordertoexpandpaganism.Forthispurpose,hegave30,000bucketsofgrainstoAsakiatohelpthepoor.
HereIcanalsouseanexampletoshowhowearlyChristianspracticeself-denialandlove.ThehistorianEusebiusrecordedatouchingdescriptionofDiNixiu'sAlexandriaplagueinAD263:"Aplaguecomeswiththewar...Mostofourbrothersshowedgreatlove.Theyeachother.Encourage,bravelyvisitthesick,takecareandservethem.Theyarewillingtocontractthediseaseoftheirneighborsandsuffertheirpain.Manybrothersgetsickanddiewhilecaringforthesick...Inturn,theGentilesareverydifferent,Theyleavebehindthosewhoarenewtotheillness,eventheirlovedones,andtheyalsoabandonthem."SuchkindnessofChristiansisindeedverycontagiousforunbelievers.
Firmfaith
AnotherveryimportantreasonisthatChristiansarewillingtoendurepersecutionandevengiveuptheirlivesfortheirfaith.Thiskindofsteadfastfaithmakesunbelieversunavoidable.Seriouslyconsiderwhetherwhattheybelieveistrue.Apersonwhoiswillingtoestablishhisfaithwithhislifecannotbeeasilyignoredbyanyone.Whattheybelievemustbeconvincing.Inthisway,manypeopleweremovedbythislife-guaranteedfaithandconvertedtoChrist.
Effortsinapologetics
Inadditiontotheperformanceoflife,thewisdomoftheearlygodfathersinarguingforfaithisalsoaveryimportantfactorinthespreadofthegospel.ThepagansnotonlysuppressedChristianswithpowerandforce,butamorepowerfulweaponisthesiegeofideas.JewishandGreekthinkersjoinedtogethertoquestionthefaithofChristians.However,attacksfromallsideshavestimulatedChristianstothinktirelessly,expressingtheirbeliefswiththeclearestandmostcreativethoughtsandimages.Intheearlydays,the"ApologeticMovement"(ApologeticMovement)aroseinthisway,andmanyofthemweretopthinkersatthetime.TheearliestapologistswereAristidesofAthensandAristoofPellaofBilna;theirlovewordsweresincerelyexpressedtotheRomanemperor,andtheydemonstratedtherationalityoftheChristianfaith,andtheyarenowadays.DebatethemisunderstandingofChristianity.ThesecondgenerationofapologistsincludeMelitoofSardis(MelitoofSardis)andJustin(about100-165A.D.),amongwhichJustin'seloquenceisthemostfamous.JustincanberegardedasthefirstphilosophertoacceptChristianity.BeforeacceptingChristianity,hesearchedforintellectandhadadeepunderstandingofGreekphilosophy,especiallyPlatonismatthetime.Therefore,thetwovolumesofApologyhewrotelaternotonlyeffectivelydealwiththeattacksonChristianityatthattime,butalsoexpresstheChristianfaithclearlyandphilosophically.Hisfirstvolumeof"Demonstration"waswrittentotheRomanemperorPiercetheGreat.HeexplainedtoPiercethatitisacompletemisunderstandingthatmostpeoplethinkthatChristiansareatheistsandthattheyareimmoral.HestatedtotheemperorthattheGodChristiansbelievedinwastheonlytrueGod,andhowtheirbeliefsweremorerationalthanthefolksuperstitionatthetime.Atthesametime,heusesChristianrigorousandcleanlifetoshowthatChristiansaremorallysuperiortonon-believers.HisDialoguewithTryphotheJew,whichhewrotefortheJews,surprisedhisprofoundmasteryoftheOldTestament.ThetwomainreasonswhyJewDelivcouldnotacceptChristianitywerethatChristiansdidnotabidebythelawofMoses.What'smore,theyactuallyhonoredoneperson--Jesus--asGod.
OnthebasisoftheOldTestament,JustinexplainedtoDerivhowtheLawofMosesandtheprophet’sdiscoursewerefulfilledinChrist,andtheteachingsofChrist(especiallytheSermonontheMountasasummary)FortheJewsatthattime,"ADialoguewithJewDeliv"wasindeedveryconvincing.AfterJustin,hisstudentTatianinheritedhisapologeticwork.HiscontemporariesincludeAthenagorasandHermas.Theywereallimportantthinkersintheearlychurch.
GreatThinkers
Atthebeginningofthethirdcentury,twogreatthinkersappearedinthechurch,oneintheWestandtheotherintheEast.IntheWest,Tertullian(160-220A.D.),writinginLatin;intheEast,Origen(182-254A.D.),writinginGreek.Tertullian's"Apologeticum"firstputforwardtherequirementofreligiousfreedom,andthenaskedtheRomangovernmenttorespectChristianityandtreatitfairly.HeseemstobedemandinglegalprotectionforChristianityasalawyer.Then,heusedhisChristianpersonalityandhiscontributiontothecountrytoshowthesuperiorityofChristianity.Hisotherbook"OntheTestamentoftheSoul"(OntheTestamentoftheSoul)isobviouslymorephilosophical.Init,hetriedhisbesttorevealthehumanmind'sexperienceofsinanditsdesirefortranscendence.Basedonthis,hetriedtoprovehowtheChristianfaithcaneffectivelyrespondtothethirstofthehumansoul.
Origen’sapologeticworkisbetterthanthatofhispreviousgodfathers,anditalsolaidthefoundationforthedevelopmentofChristianphilosophy.OrigenwastrainedbythefamousphilosopherAmmoriusSaccasatthetime.Accordingtotheneo-PatonicphilosopherPorphyry'scommentonOrigen,OrigenwidelyadoptedPlatoandNumenia,Goniya(Cronius),Apollophanes,NicomachusandotherfamouscontemporaryphilosopherssupporttheChristianfaith.Ofcourse,Origen'smostfamousdebateworkis"AgainstCelsus"(AgainstCelsus).HestartedwithSchersack’sphilosophicalargumentsandagreedwithhisattacksonidolatryanddehumanizingreligions.However,hestronglyrefutedSchrsack’smisunderstandingofChristianityandfurtherestablishedChristianitywithphilosophicalwisdom.Credibility.