Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
History of the Persecution in the Early Church
Submitted to Dr. Robert L. Olsen
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
CHHI 510-D06 LUO
Survey of the History of Christianity
Julius K. Magee II
May 4, 2019
ii
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Reasons for the Persecution of the Early Church…………….…………………………………...4
Short Biography of Emperor Nero A.D. 67...………………….………………..………………...6
Causes for Nero’s Persecution Against Christians……………..………………………………....7
Nero’s Persecution Characteristics………………….………….…………..……………………..7
Short Biography of Emperor Diocletian A.D. 303...……….………….…………….....…………9
Causes for Diocletian’s Persecution Against Christians……….…….……….………………….10
Diocletian’s Persecution Characteristics…………………………….………………………...…10
Conclusion………………………………………………….……………………………………12
Bibliography……………………………………………….………………………….…………15
3
Thesis Statement
Church history has been one filled with persecution in all directions. However, in spite of
the persecutions, Christianity continued to flourish. This paper will argue that the persecution of
the church has actually and continuously led to its growth both physically and spiritually
structure up perfect to the present occasions or as we call it, “continuous progressions.”
Introduction
Abuse in the congregation was normal and even prized as saints thought enduring
conveyed them closer to Christ. In any case, the congregation manhandled this comprehension
and made a faction of holy people intelligent of the old agnosticism of Rome. Numerous
Christians today might not have a decent comprehension of how Christianity was spread amid
before the hundreds of years to turn into the congregation we have in the 21st Century. The
congregation of the 21st Century may in reality have its very own interesting character created
after some time, yet it did not come effectively, nor did it come without extraordinary penances.
It accompanied the gore of in excess of three million siblings and sisters in Christ who passed on
amid what is designated, “The Ten Primitive Persecutions”.
These devastatingly coldblooded oppressions began in A.D. 67 with the 6th ruler of
Rome, Nero, and the remainder of the Ten Primitive Persecutions started in A.D. 303 under
Diocletian, Rome’s tenth sovereign. His disciples, expecting the name of “Christians,” were
abused by the Jewish religious authorities, the Roman judges, and heads. What way of men could
deliver such barbarous treatment on other people is an inquiry that will be replied as we analyze
the foundation of Nero and Diocletian. This exploration paper will likewise give a concise life
story of Nero and Diocletian just as to look at the causes and qualities of the oppressions exacted
upon the early church Christians by Nero and Diocletian.
4
Reasons for the Persecutions of the Early Church
So as to relate to the Christian at the season of the abuse, we should initially consider the
time before the oppression when Christianity was simply beginning. It is important to make
reference to that after Jesus passed on, numerous Jews thought of Christianity as a piece of their
existing conditions and less a different religion all by itself. Moreover, the number of inhabitants
in those calling themselves Christians was not sufficiently substantial to have an effect in the
public eye.
In any case, the congregation proceeded with its motivation of spreading the gospel and
accordingly numerous Gentiles were starting to change over and help develop this once little
populace of Christians. Before long, unmistakably there was a line attracted to make the Jews
and Christians separate elements all through the land.
There are numerous explanations behind the abuse of the early church. Don Nardo, in his
book entitled, “The Rise of Christianity” stated, “As per Robert Payne, the Romans needed to
dispose of Christianity in the Empire, and with an end goal to demoralize the confidence, Roman
experts propelled a progression of intermittent and frequently severe abuses against Christians.”
1
Nardo further stated, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,” wrote Tertullian of
Carthage and in the long history of Christianity the blood was continually being spilt and the
seed was continually flowering.” 2
The Roman individuals started to see the development and spread of Christianity and
they saw that there was an unmistakable contrast among Christianity and Judaism. John F. Hurst
looks at this way: “As Christianity spread, the Jews who had a decent association with the
1 The Rise of Christianity,101.
2 Ibid.
5
Roman government, made it plain to the legislature that the supporters of the Mosaic Law and
the adherents of Christ were not one and the equivalent.”
3
The Roman government started to distinguish the Christians as an odd, however new
religious gathering that appeared to encounter quick development as it spread over numerous
limits and into various social orders inside and outside of the Roman Empire. The Christians
were frequently poor, having no societal impact so Christianity was eventually named an
unlawful religion inside the Roman Empire. The Romans couldn’t overlook the Christians as
they did the Jews, consequently Christians were recognized as a risk.
The religious exercises of the Christians were another reason that prompted the
mistreatments. Agnostic love was an undeniable piece of the day by day lives of the Romans,
however the Christians did not take an interest in agnostic love. Roman pioneers and the police
protests ended up suspicious of the Christians since they minded their own business with
practically no inclusion with different gatherings of non-Christian people groups in the Roman
people group.
Christians were likewise observed as a danger to the security and success of the networks
since they didn’t fulfill the agnostic divine beings by taking an interest in icon love and other
such agnostic customs. Offering love to the ruler was additionally a training the Christians did
not take part in and in this they turned into a gathering detested by the Roman individuals and by
heads, for example, Nero and Diocletian. These are only a couple of the purposes behind the
contempt toward Christians that prompted the mistreatment of the early church. Despite the
reasons that prompted the abuses, they were all coldblooded and harsh. These persecutors may
have figured they could finish the Christian church, however as we see, the congregation is as yet
perfectly healthy.
3 Short History of the Early Church, 19 – 20.
6
Short Biography of Emperor Nero A.D. 67
As Emeka C. Ekeke wrote in her diary article entitled, “Oppression and Martyrdom of
Christians in the Roman Empire From A.D. 54 to 100: A Lesson For the 21st Century Church”,
Nero was conceived on 15 December A.D. 37 to Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, who plunged
from a separated respectable family, yet was received by Emperor Claudius when he wedded his
mother Agrippina.
4
Nero progressed toward becoming head when he was around 16 years of age after the
passing of Claudius. Ekeke stated, “Nero’s mom, Agrippina, helped her child to succeed the
position of royalty by harming Claudius, yet because of Nero’s frantic guilty pleasure and offbeat
pitilessness, Nero slaughtered his mom to unite his own capacity.”
5
In A.D. 54, Nero turned into the 6th head of Rome, ruled for a long time, and was a man
of extraordinary imagination yet that inventiveness was joined with a horrible temper and
outrageous cold-bloodedness. Also, notwithstanding murdering his mother, Nero had his
6
significant other executed in A.D. 62. He killed his sibling and his instructor Seneca some time
later. Mark A. Noll stated, “The passing of the Apostles Peter and Paul presumably happened
under Nero in the years 64-67.”
7
Nero was viewed as a crazy and merciless man, and in the wake of winding up
progressively disliked, the Senate and the patricians betrayed him. Nero in the long run ended it
all around A.D. 68. Indeed, even after Nero’s rule of fear, Christians would at present experience
much oppression since it turned into a wrongdoing to be a Christian. Eight different heads
oppressed the Christians paving the way to the tenth mistreatment time frame under the reign of
Diocletian in A.D. 284, which was viewed as the most exceedingly awful all things considered.
4 Persecution and Martyrdom of Christians in the Roman Empire from AD54 to 100, 177.
5 Ibid.
6 Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, 9 – 10.
7 Turning Points, 22.
7
Causes for Nero’s Persecution Against Christians
As indicated by Ekeke, Nero was the main ruler to begin the official oppressions of
Christians and it was amid his rule, that out of the blue, the Roman government recognized
Christians from Jews. Frances Young, Lewis Ayres, and Andrew Louth, in their book entitled,
8
The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature, stated, “In A.D. 64, a flame obliterated a
lot of Rome, and in light of the fact that Nero was associated with causing the flame, he
coordinated the fault upon Christians, and Nero executed an enormous huge number of
Christians by torturous killing, demise in the fields, and by flame.”
9
Nero was a psycho who sentenced Christians to death basically on the grounds that they
were Christians. Nero, like the Romans who were different than others, looked at Christianity as
another and risky religion essentially on the grounds that the Christians did not participate in
love of agnostic divine beings nor did they include themselves in other non-Christian exercises,
for example, love of the ruler. The mistreatments likewise filled in as a method for excitement
for the rulers just as the residents.
Nero’s Persecutions Characteristics
In the Roman Empire, there had been some proof supporting the superstition that
Christians were associated with crafts of enchantment. Herbert B. Workman in his book entitled,
Persecution in the Early Church, stated, “By Roman law, those censured for abetting mysterious
practices were sentenced to be tossed to the monsters, or to be killed, while real alchemists were
to be scorched alive.”
10
Workman additionally stated, “Nero imbued these disciplines together, by sentencing
Christians to be enveloped by the skins of brutes and in this manner presented to savage canines,
8 Persecution and Martyrdom, 177.
9 The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature 58.,
10 Persecution in the Early Church, 133.
8
or to be spread with pitch, at that point affixed to crosses, and set ablaze.”11 Christians were
forced to wear waxed stiff shirts, and Nero’s garden had poles where the Christians were tied up
against, set on fire, so his parties were well lit.
12
Edward Kessler and Neil Wenborn give a theoretical of Tacitus composing of the diverse
manners by which Nero would use to torment and slaughter the Christians. As per Tacitus: “Prior
to executing Christians, Nero utilized them to divert individuals. Some were wearing hides, to be
murdered by pooches. Others were executed. This is a standout amongst the most old signs to
enable us to see how agnostics saw Christians and it is likewise obvious from these words that
Tacitus did not trust that it was the Christians that set the shoot in Rome yet, neither did he
concur with Nero’s “refined cold-bloodedness”. Despite the fact that this was the situation,
Tacitus still trusted some of what was being said about the Christians and held the assessment
that they loathed mankind. We find in Tacitus account that not exclusively was the accuse put for
the Christians however they were likewise embarrassed and treated with savagery.”13
The abuses that were delivered upon Christians by Nero were more terrible than any they
had recently suffered and just as a Satan-enlivened creative energy could have considered them.14
Although numerous Christians endured much savage and unbearable abuses all through the
Roman Empire, the Romans were unfit to murder the spirits of the saints or of those abandoned.
They were reinforced and it is said that numerous brave Christians sang while being eaten by
wild brutes and consumed alive on shafts. As recently expressed, there were eight different rulers
who oppressed the Christians paving the way to the tenth mistreatment time frame under the
reign of Diocletian in A.D. 303, which was viewed as the most exceedingly terrible, all things
being considered.
11 Ibid.
12 Foxe’s Book, 13.
13 A dictionary of Jewish- Christian relations, 371.
14 Foxe’s Book, 13.
9
Short Biography A.D. 303 of Emperor Diocletian
Emperor Diocletian came into power in A.D. 284 and had a good disposition toward the
Christians amid his initial rule. It is trusted that the two his better half and girl were Christians as
were the vast majority of his authorities and colleagues. Nardo stated, “Diocletian was an
outskirts general whose real concern was the might of the Roman armed force and the expert of
his administration.”
15
The demonstrations that make the reign of this ruler essential in the historical backdrop of
the congregation have a place with its end years. Had he passed on before A.D. 303 he would
have had his spot among the rulers whose general resilience helped Christianity to get its
triumph. All things considered, his name is related to the most horrendous of its oppressions. For
three centuries men figured from the initiation of his rule as from the time of saints; and the date
is as yet perceived in the Coptic Church as the premise of its sequence.
In A.D. 303, Diocletian was induced by his co-emperor and received child, Galerius, to
initiate an extensive scale slaughter that Christians called the Great Persecution. Diocletian’s
abuses of the early church Christians went on for quite a while until Diocletian at long last
surrendered as sovereign of Rome in A.D. 305. Aurelius Valerius Constantius turned into the new
sovereign, and without precedent for some years the early church Christians experienced of time
of no oppressions.
Causes of Diocletian’s Persecution Against Christians
The last significant abuses against Christians occurred under Emperor Diocletian around
the year A.D. 303. Right off the bat in Diocletian's rule, he indicated much support toward the
Christians. In any case, a few Christians were martyred before the mistreatments by Diocletian
started. Noll stated, “Diocletian, a standout amongst the most proficient and effective heads of
15 Rise of Christianity, 109.
10
the later Roman Empire, assaulted the congregation since he considered it to be a troublesome
power in the Mediterranean world, and he trusted that the end of Christianity would lessen
interruption from religious clash.”
16
As indicated by Foxe, “Galerius, Diocletian’s embraced child, persuaded him to dispense
with Christianity from the Roman Empire, and this grisly work started in Nicomedia, the capital
of the Eastern Roman Empire, on February 23, 303.” Galerius despised Christians, as did his
17
rationalist mother, and he unendingly requested that Diocletian move against the assemblage and
its people. Diocletian ran with his officers and associates as they stripped places of love
expending all its blessed books, and a short time later devouring the gathering structures to the
ground to stamp what they thought would be the beginning of the completion of the Christian
religion.
Diocletian’s Persecution Characteristics
The oppressions that went before all those who were under Diocletian were destroying
for the early church Christians, however they were no correlation with the abuses delivered by
this sovereign. The abuses under Diocletian were considered, by most all students of history, to
be the most noticeably terrible of the considerable number of oppressions. Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
in his book, The Story of the Christian Church, stated, “The last most systematic and most
terrible persecution of all took place in the reign of Diocletian and his successors.”
18
“This affected solid outrage from Emperor Diocletian rough displeasure, who appeared to
have had a dedicated confidence in divination, who had offered a penance, and the haruspices
were assessing the insides of the unfortunate casualty to perceive what signs were to be found
there. His own orderlies and the authorities in his royal residence were requested to forfeit under
16 Turning Points, 41.
17 Foxe’s Book, 27.
18 The Story of the Christian Church, 45.
11
punishment of being scourged in light of the fact that the Christian officers and hirelings of the
ruler were available and fulfilled their soul by making the indication of the cross upon their
brows. They proclaimed their work were prevented by the nearness of disrespectful people.”19
“After numerous divinations, the Feast of the Terminalia (Feb. 23) of A.D. 303 was
picked as the fit day for issuing the order against the new society. At break of day the consul,
gone to by officers and secretaries, went to the congregation of Nicomedia while Diocletian and
Galerius viewed the procedures from the castle. The entryways were torn open. Look was made
for the picture of the Christian’s God, which they expected to discover there. The books were
scorched, the congregation sacked. Dread of the flame spreading made Diocletian shrivel from
consuming the congregation, yet an assemblage of pioneers with tomahawks and crowbars
flattened it in a couple of hours.”20
Next morning a decree appointed that all houses of worship were to be pulverized, every
single sacrosanct book consumed, and that every single Christian authority deprived of their
respects, and denied of social equality, and thusly rendered obligated to torment and different
shock; while Christian men who were not authorities were to be decreased to bondage. A
Christian who tore it down, with the snide shout, “More triumphs of Goths and Sarmatians!” was
seized, tormented, and consumed alive at a moderate flame. Not long after, a flame broke out in
the royal residence and doubt fell upon the Christians, eminently upon the royal residence
eunuchs. The utilization made of the event to work upon Diocletian's feelings of dread supported
the impression of Christian essayists that it was a gadget invented by Galerius and executed by
his slaves.
19 A DICTIONARY of EARLY CHRISTIAN BIOGRAPHY
20 Ibid.
12
All who were suspected were inspected by torment; inside a fortnight there was another
comparative alert, and now there was no restrictions to the elderly person's anger. His better half
and little girl were constrained to free themselves from doubt by participating in penance. The
eunuchs of his family, before so trusted, Dorotheus, Gorgonius, Petrus, were killed. The
mistreatment seethed all through the region. Some were singed, some suffocated, some push into
cells. Special raised areas were set up in each court of equity, and the two gatherings to suits
constrained to forfeit. A second declaration requested that all the ministry, without alternative of
penance, ought to be detained.
Conclusion
You have emperor’s like Domitian, Trajan, Aurelius, Severus, Maximus, Constantine, and
many more who have had been a part of these persecutions also. Yet no one seems to understand
when looking at these persecutions of the Christians, different denominations were established
from this. Today’s church do not even have a clue. Christians living in this century today do not
totally appreciate what the early church Christians expected to languish over their certainty.
The 21st century Christians live commonly free of any ruthless and savage kinds of
abuse. The early church Christians had firsthand comprehension about taking after Christ and
being his fan. They grasped the compensations they would need to make to take a firm speak to
their certainty. Jesus said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”, Matt. 16:18.
21
Looking in Acts, you will find this: “And to him they agreed: and when they had called
the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus,
and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
21 Matthew 16:18, King James Version
13
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” Acts 5:40-41 . And that was only a portion of
22
what was about to be the beginning of them who stood up for the cause of Christ.
Men like Nero and Diocletian tried to erase the Christian certainty from the substance of
the Roman Empire, anyway they simply try winning with respect to influencing the certainty of
the Christians to create and spread to various bits of the globe. They devoured books of sacred
writings, blessed places, and destroyed the lives of mind-blowing individuals of the certainty,
anyway they were not prepared to kill the spirit of Christianity. It lives on today and is more
grounded than at some other time in the hearts of the lovers.
Are Christians today continuing through to the end of certainty that is referenced in
hallowed composition or have they ended up being OK with living as shown by the strategies for
this overall population in the 21st century? Jesus said that the entryways of punishment won’t
win against the assemblage. The gathering won’t flounder paying little heed to whether the
present sacred individuals disregard to take a firm speak to their certainty.
On February 13, 2019, a notable archive entitled “A Document on Human Fraternity for
World Peace and Living Together” was marked by Pope Francis and driving Muslim Imam Sheik
Ahmed al-Tayeb, whose official title is The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, at a social affair of
religious pioneers speaking to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and different beliefs have numerous
extremely concerned. The contract stipulates its will likely encourage harmony between
countries, religions, and ethnic gatherings while fighting radicalism and savagery.
The Bible has shown us its persecution. And the Church Fathers have gone through theirs
in their day. No one is paying attention, but ours is on its way. the question is, will we be around
to be a part of it or will it miss us and hit our children? Only God knows for He is the one who is
in control. We do not know what is taking place overseas, but rest assure there is something
22 Acts 5:40-41, King James Version
14
happening. We have lost sight of what is versus what is not and before you know it, it will be too
late. I just hope and pray that our leaders will stand in time and proclaim what they teach and
preach about. With that being said, I close with this passage:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God.”, Hebrews 12:1-2.23
Bibliography
Boer, Harry R. A Short History of the Early Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1976.
Ekeke, Emeka C. Persecution and Martyrdom of Christians in the Roman Empire from AD54 to
100: A Lesson for the 21 Century Church. European Scientific Journal 8.16, 2012, 175-
st
190.
Foxe, John. Foxe ’ s Book of Martyrs . Lawrence, Kansas: Digireads.com Publishing, 2018.
Hurlbut, Jesse Lyman. The Story of the Christian Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1970.
Hurst, John F. Short History of the Early Church. New York, New York: Chautauqua Press, 1886.
Kessler, Edward, and Wenborn, Neil. A Dictionary of Jewish- Christian Relations. New York,
New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
23 Hebrews 12:1-2, King James Version
15
Nardo, Don. The Rise of Christianity. San Diego, Ca: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999, 101.
Excerpted from Robert Payne. The Christian Centuries: From Christ to Dante. Norton:
New York, 1966.
Noll, Mark A. Turning Points : Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity . Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Academic, 2012.
Murray, John. A DICTIONARY of EARLY CHRISTIAN BIOGRAPHY: And Literature to the End
of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies. London,
England, 1911.
Workman, Herbert B. Persecution in the Early Church. Cincinnati, Ohio: Jennings & Graham
Publishers, 1906.
Young, Frances, Ayres, Lewis, and Louth, Andrew. The Cambridge History of Early Christian
Literature. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
Unless noted otherwise, all biblical passages referenced are found in The Holy Bible, Authorized
King James Version, Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Bible Publishers, 1998.
