Personal Ministry to a Christian Faith

Personal Ministry of Steve Kellar

Early Christianity

Early Christianity
See also: Early Christianity
65? Q document, a hypothetical Greek text thought by many critical scholars to have been used in writing of Matthew and Luke
66-73 Great Jewish Revolt: destruction of Herod’s Temple, Qumran community destroyed, site of Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947
68-107? Ignatius, third Bishop of Antioch, fed to the lions in the Roman Colosseum, advocated the Bishop (Eph 6:1, Mag 2:1,6:1,7:1,13:2, Tr 3:1, Smy 8:1,9:1), rejected Jewish Sabbath on Saturday in favor of The Lord’s Day (Sunday). (Mag 9.1), rejected Judaizing (Mag 10.3), first use of term Christianity (Mag 10).
70(+/-10)? Gospel of Mark, written in Rome, by Peter’s interpreter (1 Peter 5:13), original ending apparently lost, endings added c.400, see Mark 16
70? Signs Gospel written, hypothetical Greek text used in Gospel of John to prove Jesus is the Messiah
70-100? additional Pauline Epistles
70-200? Didache; Other Gospels: Unknown Berlin Gospel, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Thomas, Oxyrhynchus Gospels, Egerton Gospel, Fayyum Fragment, Dialogue of the Saviour; Jewish Christian Gospels: Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazarenes
80(+/-20)? Gospel of Matthew, based on Mark and Q, most popular in Early Christianity
80(+/-20)? Gospel of Luke, based on Mark and Q, also Acts of the Apostles by same author
88-101? Clement, fourth Bishop of Rome, wrote Letter of the Romans to the Corinthians (Apostolic Fathers)
90? Council of Jamnia of Judaism (disputed)
90(+/-10)? 1 Peter
94 Testimonium Flavianum, disputed section of Jewish Antiquities by Josephus in Aramaic, translated to Koine Greek
95(+/-30)? Gospel of John and Epistles of John
95(+/-10)? Book of Revelation written, by John (son of Zebedee) and/or a disciple of his
100(+/-30)? Epistle of Barnabas (Apostolic Fathers)
100(+/-25)? Epistle of James
100(+/-10)? Epistle of Jude written, probably by doubting relative of Jesus (Mark 6,3), rejected by some early Christians due to its reference to apocryphal Book of Enoch (v14), Epistle to the Hebrews written
100-150? Apocryphon of James, Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Secret Gospel of Mark (Complete Gospels, published by Jesus Seminar)
110-130? Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, wrote: “Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord”, lost, widely quoted (Apostolic Fathers)
110-160? Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, Letter to the Philippians, (Apostolic Fathers)
125(+/-5)? 2 Peter written, not accepted into canon until early 400s, drew upon Epistle of Jude, “catholic” epistle, Pastoral Epistles written
125? Rylands Library Papyrus P52, oldest extant NT fragment, p.1935, parts of Jn18:31-33,37-38
130-250? “Christian Apologists” writings against Roman religion: Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Apology of Aristides, Theophilus of Antioch, Tatian, Quadratus, Melito of Sardis, Apollinaris Claudius, Felix Marcus Minucius, Arnobius, Epistle to Diognetus
132-135 Bar Kokhba’s revolt: final Jewish revolt, Judea and Jerusalem erased from maps, region renamed Syria Pal?¦stina (the term Palestine was originally coined by Herodotus), Jerusalem renamed Aelia Capitolina
142-144? Marcion of Sinope, bishop according to Catholic Encyclopedia, went to Rome, possibly to buy the bishopric of Rome, upon rejection formed his own church in Rome, later called Marcionism, rejected Old Testament, decreed canon of one Gospel, one Apostolicon (10 Letters of Paul) and one Antithesis[1] which contrasted the Old Testament with the New Testament, cited Western text-type, see also Expounding of the Law#Antithesis of the Law
150? “Western Revisor” adds/subtracts from original Acts to produce Western version which is 10% larger and found in Papyrus P29,38,48 and Codex Bezae (D)
150? Valentinius, most famous Christian Gnostic, according to Tertullian narrowly lost election for Bishop of Rome
150(+/-10)? Shepherd of Hermas, written in Rome (Apostolic Fathers)
155? Montanus, claimed to be the Paraclete (“Counselor”) of John 14:16
160? Martyrdom of Polycarp (Apostolic Fathers)
170? Dionysius[2], bishop of Corinth, claimed Christians were changing and faking his own letters just as [he knew] they had changed the Gospels (Eusebius’ EH 4 c.23 v.12;Ante-Nicene Fathers,v.8)
170? Tatian produces “Diatessaron” (Harmony) by blending 4 “Western” text-type Gospels into 1
170? Symmachus the Ebionite, new Greek translation of Hebrew Bible
180? Hegesippus
180-202? Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, combated heresies, cited “Western” Gospel text-type (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
185-350? Muratorian fragment, 1st extant canon for New Testament after Marcion?, written in Rome by Hippolytus?, excludes Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 3 John; includes Wisdom of Solomon, Apocalypse of Peter
186? Saint Apollonius, used the term catholic in reference to 1 John
188-231 Saint Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, condemned Origen
189-198 Pope Victor I, 1st Latin Pope, excommunicated Eastern churches that continued to observe Easter on Nisan 14 Quartodeciman
196? Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
199-217? Caius [3] [4], presbyter of Rome, wrote “Dialogue against Proclus” in Ante-Nicene Fathers, rejected Revelation, said to be by Gnostic Cerinthus
200? Papyrus 46: 2nd Chester Beatty, Alexandrian text-type; Papyrus 66: 2nd Bodmer, John, 1956, “Alexandrian/Western” text-types; Papyrus 75: Bodmer 14-15, Luke & John, earliest extant Luke, ~Vaticanus; 200? Papyrus 32: J. Rylands Library: Titus 1:11-15;2:3-8; Papyrus 64 (+67): Mt3:9,15; 5:20-22,25-28; 26:7-8,10,14-15,22-23,31-33
200? Sextus Julius Africanus
200? Antipope Natalius[5], rival bishop of Rome, according to Eusebius’s EH5.28.8-12, quoting the Little Labyrinth of Hippolytus, after being “scourged all night by the holy angels”, covered in ash, dressed in sackcloth, and “after some difficulty”, tearfully submitted to Pope Zephyrinus
217-236 Antipope Hippolytus, Logos sect?
218-258 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, cited “Western” NT text-type, claimed Christians were freely forging his letters to discredit him (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
220? Clement of Alexandria, cited “Alexandrian” NT text-type & Secret Gospel of Mark & Gospel of the Egyptians; wrote: “Exhortations to the Greeks”; “Rich Man’s Salutation”; “To the Newly Baptized”; (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
220?-340? Codex Tchacos, manuscript containing a copy of the Gospel of Judas has been written.
223? Tertullian, sometimes called “father of the Latin Church” because he coined trinitas, tres Personae, una Substantia, Vetus Testamentum, Novum Testamentum, convert to Montanism, cited “Western” Gospel text-type (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
225? Papyrus 45: 1st Chester Beatty, Gospels (Caesarean text-type), Acts (Alexandrian text-type)
235-238 Maximinus Thrax, emperor of Rome, ends Christian schism in Rome by deporting Pope Pontian and Antipope Hippolytus to Sardinia where they soon die
248-264 Dionysius, Patriarch of Alexandria see also List of Patriarchs of Alexandria
250? Apostolic Constitutions, Liturgy of St James, Old Roman Symbol, Clementine literature
250? Letters of Methodius, Pistis Sophia, Porphyry Tyrius, Commodianus (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
250? Papyrus 72: Bodmer 5-11+, pub. 1959, “Alexandrian” text-type: Nativity of Mary; 3Cor; Odes of Solomon 11; Jude 1-25; Melito’s Homily on Passover; Hymn fragment; Apology of Phileas; Ps33,34; 1Pt1:1-5:14; 2Pt1:1-3:18
250? Origen, Jesus and God one substance, adopted at First Council of Nicaea in 325, compiled Hexapla; cites Alexandrian, Caesarean text-type; Eusebius claimed Origen castrated himself for Christ due to Mt19:12 (EH6.8.1-3)
251-424? Synods of Carthage
251-258 Antipope Novatian, decreed no forgiveness for sins after baptism
254-257 Pope Stephen I; major schism over rebaptizing heretics and apostates
258 “Valerian’s Massacre”: Roman emperor issued edict to execute immediately all Christian Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, including Pope Sixtus II, Antipope Novatian, Cyprian of Carthage (CE: Valerian, Schaff’s History Vol 2 Chap 2 § 22)
264-269 Synods of Antioch, condemned Paul of Samosata, Bishop of Antioch, founder of Adoptionism (Jesus was human until Holy Spirit descended at his baptism), also condemned term homoousios adopted at Nicaea
265 Gregory Thaumaturgus (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
270? Anthony begins monastic movement
275? Papyrus 47: 3rd Chester Beatty, ~Sinaiticus, Rev9:10-11:3,5-16:15,17-17:2
276 Mani (prophet), crucified, founder of the dualistic Manichaean sect in Persia
282-300? Theonas, bishop of Alexandria (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
290-345? St Pachomius, founder of Christian monasticism
296-304 Pope Marcellinus, offered pagan sacrifices for Diocletian
301 Armenia, first to adopt Christianity as state religion
303-312 Diocletian’s Massacre of Christians
303 Saint George, patron saint of England, and other states
304? Victorinus, bishop of Pettau
306 Synod of Elvira, prohibited relations between Christians and Jews
310 Maxentius deports Pope Eusebius and Heraclius [6] [7] to Sicily (relapse controversy)
312 Lucian of Antioch, founded School of Antioch, martyred
312 Vision of Constantine: while gazing into the sun he saw a cross with the words by this sign conquer, see also Labarum, he was later called the 13th Apostle and Equal-to-apostles
313 Edict of Milan, Constantine and Licinius end persecution, establish toleration of Christianity
313? Lateran Palace given to Pope Miltiades for residence by Constantine
314 Council of Arles [8], called by Constantine against Donatist schism
314-340? Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, church historian, cited Caesarean text-type, wrote Ecclesiastical History in 325 [9]
317? Lactantius
321 Constantine decreed Sunday as state “day of rest” (CJ3.12.2), see also Sol Invictus

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