2. Pax Romana
Religious Tolerance

3. Religious Tolerance To Jews in Jerusalem
Pax Romana
Religious Tolerance To Jews in Jerusalem
“just keep the peace”
For years Jews died while refusing to bow down and worship other gods (10 commandments) – Including the emperor…they came to an unspoken agreement…just stay quiet and we will not force you to worship the Emperor

4. Divisions of Judaism Pharisees – Sadducees – Common Jew –
the most meticulous observers of the ancestral law
Most Jews were prepared to accept that claim
Sadducees –
Sadducees did not believe in the authoritative nature of the ancestral laws
Sadducees were more Hellenized and less traditional
a great deal of following among the well-to-do and among the priestly classes
Common Jew –
Plain simple folk: observe the Sabbath, who observe the holidays, the festivals, who go with the pilgrimage to temple, who observe the Jewish food laws, the Jewish rituals, believe in the Jewish God, follow the ways by which to make the life holy, follow the dictates of the Torah in a kind of simple plain way,
The Jews did not “kill Jesus”. The common Jew was just a member of society.
Roman Law and a few Jewish political leaders led the trials against Jesus.

5. Divisions of Judaism Essenes – Zealots –
the Jews of Qumran, the Dead Sea Scrolls
separated themselves from the community
Zealots –
Began by Judas of Galilee **
Included the Sicarii and other revolutionaries
"We must destroy the Roman Empire or we must destroy Jews who cooperate with the Roman Empire. We will kill all collaborators, no King but God,"
**Josephus the Historian
Looking for a “Messiah”

6. Descendant of King David Recruited 12 apostles
a “person sent forth”

7. Believed in Jewish Tradition
One God
Accepted 10 Commandments
Defended the Prophets

8. Oh – oh…

9. Called himself the Son of God
Politically, “son of God” was equal to Emperor

10. Called himself the Son of God
Religious issue,
“son of God” meant more than one god

11. Called himself the Son of God
Proclaimed Spiritual Salvation

12. Called himself the Son of God
Proclaimed Spiritual Salvation
Eternal Life

13. Some believed he was the Messiah
Called himself the Son of God
Proclaimed Spiritual
Salvation
Eternal Life
Some believed he was the Messiah

14. Both Jewish Leaders and Roman Authority felt threatened
Afraid of Zealot’s “Messiah”

15. Both Jewish Priests and Roman Authority felt threatened
Crucified on Cross
not uncommon…most Roman Death Sentences
were on the cross

16. Both Jewish Priests and Roman Authority felt threatened
Crucified on Cross
According to Tradition:
Left his tomb
U.S. celebrates Christmas…most of eastern Christian world celebrate Easter as most
important Holiday.

17. Three Major Forms Ebonites - Jewish – Christian Gnostics –
Greek word for Knowledge
Denied Jewish belief and old testament as a whole
Pauline Christianity –
Spread Christianity to Gentiles (non-Jews)

18. Destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD)
Zealot Revolt
1,000,000 people were killed during the siege
majority were Jewish
97,000 were captured and enslaved
“…Men and women, old and young, insurgents and priests, those who fought and those who entreated mercy, were hewn down in indiscriminate carnage. The legionaries had to clamber over heaps of dead to carry on the work of extermination."

19. Destruction of Jerusalem
Nazarenes
Separated themselves from Judaism
Elected a Gentile (Marcus) to lead them
Allowed them to exist in Roman Empire….

20. All People – Jew, Gentile, Slave, etc
Written in Greek and Latin
Comfort in Message of Love

21. Peter established a church in Rome

22. Paul Vision to preach to the Gentiles
Traveled from Mesopotamia to Rome

24. They refused to bow to other gods as the Jews
Persecution
Unspoken pact with Jews – Growing Christian numbers were a problem
They refused to bow to other gods as the Jews

26. Claims a vision: Put the cross before his army
Emperor Constantine
Claims a vision: Put the cross before his army

27. Legalized Christianity
Emperor Constantine
Edict of Milan 313 AD
Legalized Christianity
Counsil of Nicaea
Defined Christianity
Unified Roman Empire

28. Emperor Theodosius Declared Christianity official religion
of Roman Empire February 27, 380 A.D.