DRAFT Youth Study Outline The Bible – Can we Trust It? Topics to Discuss Questions to Consider 1. The Source of Scripture o Inspiration – God’ s Use of Men So is the Bible really “God’s Word” or o The Writers and Their Part in the man’s words? Story Is the Bible really reliable? 2. The Story of Scripture – What it is o The Timeline of Revelation When were the books really written and o Why 66 books – what about all how do we know that? the rest/? 3. The Story of Scripture - How we got it o The Languages of Scripture How do we know someone didn’t just make o The Documents of Scripture all this stuff up? o The Translation of Scripture 4. The Significance of Scripture o Hearing God’s Voice: Reading, So what? Study, Memorization, Meditation Is the Bible really relevant today? o Following God’s Direction: Sharing in Word and Action Primary Sources Comfort, Philip Wesley (1990). Early manuscripts and modern translations of the New Testement. Bruce, F.F. (1988). The canon of scripture. Bruce, F.F. (1943). The New Testament documents, are they reliable? Sproul, R.C. (1980). Explaining inerrancy. Kistler, Don (ed., 1995). Sola scriptura, the Protestant position on the Bible. Timeline of Christian History Old Testament Period Greek Influence ~3000 BC – 324 AD Jewish Influence Atheistic/Skeptical Philosophy Beginnings: [Gen 1-11] ~1850 BC Adversity/captivity turned many from false gods and Patriarchs:[Gen 12-50] ~1850-1250 BC taught two great truths: intensified hunger for true God Egypt to Israel: ~1250–1100 BC 1) there is only one Magnified the worth of the human Hebrew Kingdom: ~1100–587 BC God for men, spirit and placed a high value on Captivity & Restoration: 587–400 BC 2) the relationship spiritual and moral truth Inter-Biblical Period: ~400-4 BC of God to men is Persian: 538(400)-332 BC Greek language became common Greek: 332–167 BC personal not throughout entire Mediterranean national Hebrew Independence: 167–63 BC world -> facilitated missionary Roman: 63–70 AD Diaspora during Greek work, common scripture and period brought truths of social unity ; language itself God to the world. provided precision for Christian Synagogues, truths scribes/lawyers Greek spirit nurtured a love for truth, vision and initiative Essenes, Pharisees, Samaritans, Sadducees, Roman Influence Zealots Provided a measure of peace and protection in society Birth of Transportation was readily available via roads Christ and shipping lanes External Events Timeline Internal Events 63 BC: General Pompey and his Roman legions conquer Jerusalem. 63-37 BC: Hasmonean rules continue but under protection of Rome. 55 BC: Julius Caesar invades Britain. 40 BC: Rome appoints Herod King of Judea. 40-BC (-4 AD): Reign of Herod the Great. 30 BC-14 AD: Augustus is the Roman Emperor. 18 BC: Herod commences rebuilding of Temple. 4 BC: Jerusalem is governed from Caesarea by Roman procurators. 14-37 AD: Tiberius is the Roman Emperor. Jesus Christ 27-31 AD: The ministry of Jesus. 26-36 AD: Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea. ~4 BC – 30 AD 31 AD: Crucifixion of Jesus. 37-41 AD: Caligula is Roman Emperor. Nero born. Period of Local 33 AD: conversion of Saul/Paul in Damascus 41-54 AD: Claudius is the Roman Emperor. Witnessing 36 AD: Paul’s visit to Jerusalem 43 AD: Romans defeat the British under AD 30-45 36-45 AD: Paul in Tarsus & Syria-Cilicia Togodumnus & Caratacus. 44 AD: (c) Beheading of James, son of Zebedee 47 AD: Ostorius Scapula becomes Roman Period of 47-49 AD: Paul’s 1st Journey commander. Missionary 50 AD: Jerusalem Council nd 50 AD: Emperor Claudius adopts Nero. Expansion 50-52 AD: Paul’s 2 Journey; 1&2 Thess. 54-68 AD: Nero is the Roman Emperor 50-60 AD: Matthew/Mark/Luke; James AD 45-68 54 AD: Agrippina has Claudius murdered. 52-56 AD: Paul’s 3rd Journey; 1&2 Cor.; Rom. 59 AD: Nero murders Agrippina. 57-58 AD: Paul’s Ceasarean Imprisonment; Gal 60 AD: Rebellion of Queen Boudiica 59 AD –: Paul’s 1st Roman Imprisonment; Philip, 63 AD: Temple completed. Phil, Col, Eph 64 AD: A fire destroys half of Rome. 60-62 AD: Acts written; martyrdom of James 65 AD: (-80) The Didache is written.??? 65-68 AD: 1&2 Peter, 1 &2 Tim 66 AD: Jews revolt against the Romans. 67-68 AD: Peter and Paul are martyred. 68 AD: Nero commits suicide (June 9th). Period of 69 AD: Hebrews written 68-69 AD: Year of the Four Emperors (Nero, Westward Growth 74 AD: Death of St. Luke Galba, Otho, Vitellius) AD 68-100 80-90 AD: gospel of John & John’s letters Civil war 95 AD: Revelation Major breakdown in the concept of the principate 69-79 AD: Vespian is Roman Emperor. Corruption of Leadership Roles Growing trend toward the concept Apostles of monarchy Deacons Defense and further consolidation Elders (Acts 20:16-35) of the European frontiers Bishops & Presbyters 70 AD: Jerusalem is demolished by Titus; (by the end of the 2nd century) survivors are exiled or sold into slavery. Councils & Synods 74 AD: Roman occupation of Wales begins Single Bishop per city and Single Presbyter per congregation 78 AD: Romans move into Scotland (end of 3rd cent. in Rome – 40 congregations/ 79-81 AD: Titus is Roman Emperor 4th cent. widespread) 81-96 AD: Domitian is Roman Emperor; persecutions against all who would not worship the emperor 90 AD: Romans begin to withdraw troops from Britain 96-192 AD: The “golden age” – era of the “five 2ND cent. Catastrophes = scapegoats good emperors” (so called because they Twisting of Christian vocabulary: succeeded in winning the support and atheism, cannibalism, immorality, magic cooperation of the senate) & sorcery Economic prosperity Different ethical standards Trade and growth of cities in Exclusiveness (of gods) northern Europe Beginnings of barbarian menace on the frontiers Roman Emporers, 96-235 AD Period of Pagan 98-117 AD: Ignatius, bishop of Antioch is 96-98 AD Nerva executed in Rome 98-117 AD Trajan Domination 136 AD: (-140) Valentinus (gnostic) arrives in 117-138 AD Hadrian AD 100-325 Rome. (-140) Cerdo (gnostic) is teaching in 138-161 AD Antonious Pious Rome. 161-180 AD Marcus Aurelius 140 AD: (c -155) Hermas writes The Shepherd [to 180-192 AD Commodus promote purity & faithfulness]. Marcion 193-211 AD Septimius Severus (heretic) arrives in Rome. (c) Marcion 211-217 AD Caracalla meets Cerdo and becomes one of his 218-222 AD Heliogabalus students. 222-235 AD Alexander Severus 144 AD: Marcion is excommunicataed (July). (c) Early Church Marcion writes the Antitheses. Fathers, 155 AD: (c) Justin writes the Dialogue with 121 AD: Hadrian visits England Beginning of Trypho, the Jew. Persecutions, and construction of Hadrian's Wall 165 AD: (c) Justin is martyred. Heresies 122 AD: (-135) The Bar Kokhba Rebellion. 177 AD: (c) Athenagoras of Athens writes the 132 AD: Bar Kochba leads a doomed revolt Supplication for the Christians, against Rome. addressed to Marcus Aurelius and his son, 135 AD: Emperor Hadrian rebuilds Jerusalem; Commodus. builds new walls and renames the city 178 AD: (c) Athenagoras of Athens writes The Aelia Capitolina and country Palestine; Resurrection of the Dead. bans Jews from Jerusalem. 180 AD: (-199) Irenaeus writes Adversus haereses. Effects of Gnosticism 161 AD: (-166) The Parthian War. AD 100-325 Christian responses provide a valuable source 164 AD: (-180) The Great Plague in the Roman (continued) of historic literature about the church Gnosticism required that Christianity further Empire. 166 AD: Barbarians invade Italy. define its essential elements: Popular The canon of scripture 167 AD: Marcus Aurelius writes The Meditations Antagonism Statements of Faith/creeds [DOC]. *** Systematic theology and Christian 177 AD: Marcus Aurelius orders the persecution schools (Clement, Origen, etc.) Intellectual of Christians in Lyons and Vienne. Emphasis and veneration of tradition and 203 AD: Septimius Severus celebrates his tenth Assaults antiquity (in addition to Word of God) year in office by constructing a *** Paved the way for asceticism and monasticism triumphal arch in Rome. Physical through emphasis on worthlessness of the 208 AD: (-211) Septimius Severus campaigns in Persecution material body. Britain. Acts 14, 19; 180 AD: (c) Pantaenus, the teacher of Clement and 1 Cor 1:26ff head of the school of Alexandria, arrives Some Heresies in the Early Church in Alexandria. 195 AD: (c) Irenaeus writes the Proof of the Diluting Christianity Apostolic Preaching. Legalism was promoted by the Judaizers who insisted on 199 AD: Pantaenus dies; Clement takes over as Christianity being an extension of Judaism head of the catechetical school at Gnosticism’s followers claimed special knowledge about God Alexandria. and the world which others didn’t posess; viewed all material 202 AD: Origen's father, Leonidas, is martyred things as evil & denied incarnation (1 Jn 1.1; Col.) during the persecution of Septimius Severus. (c) Clement flees from Inadequate Views of Christ/Trinity Alexandria to Cappadocia to escape the Alogoi (“not the Word’) denied that Christ was the Word and persecution. that there was a Trinity 215 AD: (c) Hippolytus writes The Apostolic Adoptionism said that Christ was born as a man and then Tradition. adopted by God. 220 AD: (-230) Origen writes On First Principles. Arianism asserted that Christ was not God like the 221 AD: (c) Julius Africanus completes chronology Father, but a creature made in time. of the world from Creation to 221. Modalism suggested that God the Father, the Son and the 222 AD: Death of Bardesanes (orginator of Holy Spirit were simply functions of God, not separate at all. Christian religious poetry) Hints of infant baptism and proxy by about 200 AD as well as 231 AD: Demetrius deposes Origen from the pouring (Novatian) priesthood.