The Apostles and Early Christianity
To start of with the 12 men who traveled with Jesus during his ministry was know as the disciples. After Jesus’s resurrection and ascension these followers soon took over as the leaders of the church. They soon became known as the apostles- ” one who is sent out “
Simon Peter the became the leader of the apostles. The Holy Spirt then descended on the apostles at an event called Pentecost. All the people there where listening to Peter’s sermon and could all hear it in there own language. This reversal of the Tower of Babel curse signifies the joining of all races into Christianity, and not just the Jews.
John and James were known as the sons of thunder for their fiery tempers. James in the only apostle to have his martyrdom recorded in the Bible- He was beheaded by Herod. John outlived all the rest of the apostles and died of old age, sometime after 98 AD. Both of the men were known for their passion in spreading the Gospel.
Philp was the the fifth apostle and was one the most important one to. It was Philp who traveled to the south and witnessed to an Ethiopian eunuch, helping him understand the Old Testament prophecies. Philp baptized him and sent him back to Ethiopia to spread the word.
Nearly all of the apostles were martyred for proclaiming their faith, Which it was contrary to the beliefs of of the Jews and the Roman state. One important convert was a man named Saul. He persecuted the apostles and church relentlessly until his conversion. At which time his name became Paul. Paul became the most prolific writer in the New Testament and went of several long missionary journeys which are documented as Acts.
As we see over the years, Christianity grew and spread through out the Roman Empire. Since the time of the Roman Empire, Christianity has been the most influential religion on Europe and Western Civilization.
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