Christianity, as one of the largest religions in the world, has a complex history. Of particular interest among them is its early development, the mysterious period known as the "Age of the Apostles". This era inherited the gospel of Jesus Christ and laid the foundation for the widespread spread of Christianity.
The beginning of the age of the apostles
The Apostolic Age, often thought to have begun with the ascension of Jesus Christ and lasted until the death of the Apostle John, spanned roughly seventy years from 30 to 100 AD. This period was a crucial period for the spread of Christianity from its birthplace Jerusalem to all parts of the Roman Empire.
Forty days after Jesus' crucifixion and death, and forty days after His resurrection, according to the book of Acts, Jesus was lifted up and ascended to heaven before many disciples, leaving behind the Great Commission of "Go and make disciples of all nations", which can be said to be the beginning of the age of the apostles.
Shortly after Jesus' ascension, the Pentecost event occurred. On this day, the Holy Spirit descended and the disciples began to proclaim the gospel of Jesus in various languages, marking the beginning of the initial formation and spread of Christianity.
Subsequently, these disciples, known as "apostles," began their missionary work. Initially focused on Jewish areas, over time, especially through the efforts of apostles such as Paul, the gospel began to spread to non-Jewish areas.
The context of the early believers
The apostles preached the gospel in and around Jerusalem, declaring Jesus to be the Messiah. It soon attracted the attention of Jewish religious leaders, who saw it as a threat to Jewish tradition and a stark opposition to the mainstream view of Judaism.
Early Christians, mostly Jewish, believed that Jesus was the Messiah in Jewish prophecy. However, these first Christians were not fully accepted by the mainstream Jewish community.
Instead, they were often persecuted and ostracized, culminated in the martyrdom of Stephen, who became the first Christian to die for his faith.
The early Christian situation was complex and challenging. They had to strive to survive and spread the faith in the external environment, and also to resolve various disputes and contradictions internally, which undoubtedly added many difficulties and twists to the early development of Christianity.
Apostolic action
The title "apostol" is derived from the Greek word "apostolos", meaning "to be sent". This group of disciples, personally chosen by Jesus, took on the important task of spreading the gospel after Jesus' ascension to heaven and became the pioneers of the spread of Christianity.
The two most well-known of these apostles are undoubtedly Peter and Paul. Peter, known as the "head of all the apostles," was active in preaching the gospel primarily in Jewish areas, especially Jerusalem. His teachings not only attracted large numbers of Jewish believers, but also played a key role in establishing the organizational structure of the early church.
Paul, on the other hand, is regarded as an ambassador of Christianity, and although he was not one of Jesus' twelve disciples, his contribution was crucial to the spread of Christianity. Originally a Jewish priest who persecuted Christians, he experienced a divine encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus, thus becoming an important missionary of Christianity.
Paul had Roman citizenship, which allowed him to preach freely within the Roman Empire. He made three missionary journeys throughout Asia Minor and parts of Europe, founding numerous churches along the way. In addition, Paul wrote many New Testament epistles that laid the foundation for Christian theological thought.
The missionary activities of the apostles were not all smooth sailing. They face difficulties in the missionary process, including language barriers, cultural differences, religious antagonisms and persecution of all kinds.
The end of the age of the apostles
The end of the age of the apostles is often thought to be closely related to the death of the last apostle, John. John, this special apostle, was not only one of Jesus' twelve disciples, but one of the three disciples whom Jesus was extremely close to.
Before John's death, he left behind important works, especially the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation. These works had a profound influence on theology and teaching, providing critical guidance for later Christian doctrine and practice.
With John's death, it marks the absence of the last apostle who came into direct contact with Jesus. This not only means that the church has lost its direct apostolic authority, but also that Christianity must begin to face a whole new era—an age without apostles. At this time, the church began to rely more on the words and teachings left by the apostles, and gradually formed the theological tradition of the early patrists.
At the same time, with the death of the apostles, the structure of the church began to change, into a more systematic and formalized organizational structure, and the episcopal system began to be gradually established. In addition, since there were no more apostles alive to resolve problems in the church, the church began to hold meetings to resolve disputes over faith and doctrine.
The Apostolic Age, as the initial stage of Christian history, carried a series of key events that shaped the foundations of Christianity and guided its spread everywhere. From the brave actions of the apostles, the circumstances of the early believers, the interaction with the Roman Empire, to the end of this period, witness how a faith grew from a small group to a world religion.