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Old 05-29-2013, 06:59 AM   #1
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Default Paul and First Bishops

The Book of Acts has been dated very early (before 70 CE), or at an intermediate date (80 - 100 CE), or even a late date (140 - 150 CE). I shall not give an opinion about this problem, because I know almost nothing about it.

First, I will remind the missions of Paul.

During his first mission, Paul (Acts 13:1-14:27) went to Antioch of Syria, Seleucia, sailed to Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Perge in Pamphylia, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, back to Lystra, Iconium, Antioch of Pisidia, Perge, Attalia, From there they sailed to Antioch of Syria.

During his second mission, Paul (Acts 15:36-18:22) went to Antioch of Syria, Derbe, Lystra, passing by Mysia, Troas, Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and back to Corinth, Cenchrea, Ephesus, Caesarea.

During his third mission, Paul (Acts 18:23-21:26) went to Ephesus, Caesarea, Antioch, Galatia, Phrygia, Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos, Miletus, Cos, Rhodes, Patara, Tyre, Caesarea, Jerusalem.

My question is this : What were the results of these missions, in terms of developement of the christian local groups?

About Mysia, Derbe, Lystra, Seleucia Pieria, nothing known.
About Perge, a bishop present at the Council of Ancyra (312).
About Troas, a bishop Marinus in 325.
Paphos : The first known bishop, Cyril, assisted in 325 at the Council of Nicæa;

First town, Antioch of Syria.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eusebius, Book 2, Chapter 3
3. But the divine grace being now poured out upon the rest of the nations, Cornelius, { A centurion of the Italic cohort, whose conversion at Cæsarea with his household is related in Acts 10. } of Caesarea in Palestine, with his whole house, through a divine revelation and the agency of Peter, first received faith in Christ; and after him a multitude of other Greeks in Antioch, to whom those who were scattered by the persecution of Stephen had preached the Gospel. When the church of Antioch was now increasing and abounding, and a multitude of prophets from Jerusalem were on the ground, among them Barnabas and Paul and in addition many other brethren, the name of Christians first sprang up there, as from a fresh and life-giving fountain.
The bishops of Antioch are known.
Evodius bishop 53-96, ca. 53-ca. 69
Ignatius bishop 96-114, ca. 70–ca. 107
Heron bishop 114-126, (107–127)
Cornelius bishop 127-151, (127–154)
Eros bishop 151-169, (154–169)
Theophilus bishop 169-177, (ca. 169–ca. 182)
Maximus I bishop 177-191, (182–191)
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Old 05-29-2013, 07:30 AM   #2
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Default Iconium (now Konya)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Catholic Encyclopaedia
Paul preached here during his first mission and converted a goodly number of Jews and pagans; shortly afterwards he returned to organize the church he had founded (Acts 14:20; 16:2); he speaks elsewhere of the persecutions he endured there (2 Timothy 3:11). Saint Thecla was one of his converts there. Christianized rather early, the town was the scene in 235 of a council which decreed that the baptism of heretics was invalid.
Thecla of Iconium is the heroine of the apocryphal "Acta Pauli et Theclae". Our knowledge of her is derived exclusively from these Acts, which appeared about 180.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acts 14
Acts 14.1. In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.
2. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.
3. Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.
4. But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
5. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them,
6. they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region;
7. and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Not very brilliant...
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:50 AM   #3
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Default Philippi

Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Catholic Encyclopaedia
According to the New Testament, in AD 49 or 50, the city was visited by the apostle Paul (Acts 16:9-10). From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:12) and the letter to the Philippians (Philippians 1:1), early Christians concluded that Paul had founded their community. Accompanied by Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, he (=Paul) is believed to have preached for the first time on European soil in Philippi (Acts 16:12-40). According to the New Testament, Paul visited the city on two other occasions, in 56 and 57. The Epistle to the Philippians dates from around 61-62 and is believed to show the immediate impact of Paul's instruction.

The development of Christianity in Philippi is indicated by a letter from Polycarp of Smyrna addressed to the community in Philippi around AD 160 and by funerary inscriptions.

The first church described in the city is a small building that was probably originally a small prayer house. This Basilica of Paul, identified by an mosaic inscription on the pavement, is dated around 343 from a mention by the bishop Porphyrios, who was present at the Council of Serdica that year.
The Letter to the Philippians (often simply called To the Philippians) is an epistle composed around 110 to 140 AD by one of the Apostolic Fathers, Polycarp of Smyrna from Antioch, to the early Christian church in Philippi. The letter is described by Irenaeus.
Note the precision of the dates. The letter from Polycarp of Smyrna was composed around 110 to 140, and arrived around 160. The mailmen were not very fast, at that time.

Note also the growth of the community between 61 and 160. The local christians concluded that Paul had founded their community. Not so sure ?:devil1:
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Old 06-01-2013, 06:12 AM   #4
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Default Athens

Excerpts from Catholic Encyclopaedia
Christianity was first preached in Athens by St. Paul, about the year 53. The Acts mention, however, that a few believed in Paul's teaching. It seems that a Christian community was rapidly formed, although for a considerable time it did not possess a numerous membership.

The commoner tradition names Dionysius the Areopagite as the first bishop of the Christian Athenians. (see lower)

Another tradition names Hierotheus the Thesmothete. (see lower)

The successors of the first bishop were not all Athenians by lineage. They are catalogued as Narkissos, Publius, and Quadratus. Narkissos is stated to have come from Palestine, and Publius from Malta. In some lists Narkissos is omitted.

It is probable that the early Church of Athens did not have many martyrs.
{what a pity !}


Under Decius (249-251), we find recorded in the catalogue of martyrs the names of Herakleios, Benedimos, Pavlinos, and Leonides with his followers, the holy woman Charissa, and her companions. One reason why the martyrs were few is that the Christians were also few. (around 250) Besides, the spirit of the Athenian pagans and philosophers was not one of blood.

Dionysius the Areopagite
By "Dionysius the Areopagite" is usually understood the judge of the Areopagus who, as related in Acts 17:34, was converted to Christianity by the preaching of St. Paul, and according to Dionysius of Corinth (Eusebius, Church History III.4) was Bishop of Athens.

Deep obscurity still hovers about the person of the Pseudo-Areopagite. External evidence as to the time and place of his birth, his education, and latter occupation is entirely wanting. Our only source of information regarding this problematic personage is the writings themselves. The clues furnished by the first appearance and by the character of the writings enable us to conclude that the author belongs at the very earliest to the latter half of the fifth century, and that, in all probability, he was a native of Syria.

{This is the description of the first bishop of the Athenians, after 53 CE, installed by Paul}.

Another tradition names Hierotheus the Thesmothete.

Hierotheus the Thesmothete.
All attempts to establish as historical a personality corresponding to the Hierotheus who appears in the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius are rendered abortive by the fact, now definitely proven, that those writings, with intent to mislead, weave into their narrative various fictitious personalities of the Apostolic Era, such as Peter, James, John, Timothy, Carpus, and others. Indeed the author would have betrayed himself had he named and depicted in such sharp outlines a real Hierotheus who lived in his own time (the end of the fifth century), and with whom he was on intimate terms. As a matter of fact, no trace of any Hierotheus resembling the portrait drawn by Pseudo-Dionysius can be found outside the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius.

What a pity ! The first bishops of Athens disappear.
Paul was not very successful about 53 CE.
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Old 06-01-2013, 06:47 AM   #5
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Default Ephesus, third mission of Paul

Excerpts from Catholic Encyclopaedia

It was through the Jews that Christianity was first introduced into Ephesus.

The original community was under the leadership of Apollos (1 Corinthians 1:12).
[What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." ]

They were disciples of St. John the Baptist, and were converted by Aquila and Priscilla.

Then came St. Paul, who lived three years at Ephesus to establish and organize the new church;
Eventually he was obliged to depart, in consequence of a sedition stirred up by the goldsmith Demetrius and other makers of ex-votoes for the temple of Artemis (Acts 18:24 sqq.; 19:1 sqq.).

{imagine a preacher of Scientology at Lourdes or Fatima. Very successful, indeed :redface:}

The Church of Ephesus was committed to his disciple, St. Timothy, a native of the city (1 Timothy 1, 3; 2 Timothy 1, 18; 4:12 Pastorales 100-150 CE). When he was over eighty years of age, Timothy was mortally beaten by the pagans.

The Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians was not perhaps addressed directly to them; it may be only a circular letter sent by him to several churches. The sojourn and death of the Apostle St. John at Ephesus are not mentioned in the New Testament, but both are attested as early as the latter part of the second century by St. Irenæus (Adv. Haer., III, iii, 4), Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus ca.190 (Eusebius, Church History V.22), Clement of Alexandria (died about 215), the "Acta Joannis", and a little earlier by St. Justin and the Montanists. Byzantine tradition has always shown at Ephesus the tomb of the Apostle John.
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Old 06-01-2013, 06:53 AM   #6
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Maybe I missed it, but what point are you trying to make with what you are posting?

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Old 06-01-2013, 01:33 PM   #7
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My question is still this : What were the results of these missions, in terms of developement of the christian local groups?

From what I found, Paul was very unsuccessful. The places and the epoch were against the development of his sect. The pagan population still believed in their gods, the emperor, the governors, prefects, and priests had nothing to do with that small belief.

Antoninus Pius (138-161) was really pious.

Marcus Aurelius (161-180) was a stoïc. During his reign, the empire began to stagger, with invasions of Germanic tribes, a war against the Parthians.

Commodus (180-192) was a megalomaniac emperor, who was strangled in his bath. Upon his death, the Senate declared him a public enemy (a de facto damnatio memoriae).

The Year of the Five Emperors refers to the year 193, in which there were five claimants for the title of Roman Emperor. The five were Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus and Septimius Severus (193-211).

Elagabalus (218-222), was Syrian on his mother's side, the son of Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus. In his youth he served as a priest of the god Elagabal (in Latin, Elagabalus) in the hometown of his mother's family, Emesa (Homs).

From the beginning of the 3rd century, the title of emperor was worth what the emperor was worth, the official religion was decaying, and new religions could develop, the Mithraic Mysteries for instance. The corridas are a remnant of this religion.
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Old 06-01-2013, 01:45 PM   #8
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You need to take things into proper context.

Paul had no churches, these were houses, "patres familias" and he didnt have that many.

Nor was he the only teacher.



early on he was nothing more then a known martyr
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Old 06-02-2013, 08:12 AM   #9
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Little, if any, of Acts is historical. Might as well ask what effect Robin Hood's banditry had on the price of ale.
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Old 06-02-2013, 09:24 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tenorikuma View Post
Little, if any, of Acts is historical.
Acts is as historical as the rest of the NT. The oldest manuscripts of the NT date from the 4th to the 6th centuries.
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