Greatest Controversies of Early Christianity
Mike Ervin

  The Greatest Controversies of Early Christianity

The teaching summarized here is from a Teaching Company book "Greatest Controversies of Early Christian History", exploring key debates and questions surrounding the life and impact of Jesus and early Christianity. Early Christianity had numerous controversies, which is why the final canons were so difficult to deal with. But it is good to face up to those controversies and be completely aware of them. So let’s do it!

This teaching explores significant controversies in early Christian history, focusing on the life of Jesus and the development of Christian doctrine.

• The teaching examines 24 controversies from the historical Jesus to the time of Constantine.
• Key issues include Jesus's birth, life, death, resurrection, and the formation of the New Testament.
• The teaching aims to resolve these controversies with academic rigor and historical analysis.

Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?

This topic investigates the historical accuracy of Jesus's birthplace as described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

• The accounts of Jesus's birth in Matthew and Luke contain contradictions and implausibility’s.
• Luke's narrative includes a census that is historically questionable and misaligns with the timeline of Quirinius and Herod.
• Matthew's account suggests Jesus was born in Bethlehem without a trip from Nazareth, differing from Luke's version.
• Most critical historians conclude that Jesus was likely born in Nazareth, not Bethlehem.

Was Jesus's Mother a Virgin?

This section examines the belief in the virgin birth of Jesus and its implications in Christian theology.

• The term "virginal conception" refers to Mary becoming pregnant without sexual intercourse.
• Matthew and Luke provide differing reasons for the virgin birth, with Matthew citing prophecy and Luke emphasizing divine parentage.
• The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 is problematic as it originally referred to a "young woman," not specifically a virgin.
• The Proto-Gospel of James later solidified the idea of Mary's perpetual virginity, which conflicts with New Testament references to Jesus's siblings.

Did Jesus Have a Twin Brother?

This topic explores the traditions surrounding Jesus's siblings and the possibility of him having a twin.

• The New Testament mentions Jesus's brothers, but interpretations vary, especially in Roman Catholicism.
• The Proto-Gospel of James suggests Jesus's siblings were Joseph's children from a previous marriage.
• The Gospel of Thomas introduces the idea that Didymus Judas Thomas, a figure in early Christianity, was Jesus's twin.
• The Acts of Thomas narrates a story where Jesus tricks his twin brother, furthering the twin narrative in early Christian thought.

The Role of Judas Thomas in Early Christianity

Judas Thomas is depicted as Jesus's twin and plays a significant role in the Acts of Thomas.

• Judas Thomas acknowledges Jesus as his master, leading to his journey to India.
• He is portrayed as an ascetic Christian, opposing physical pleasures, even in marriage.
• At a wedding in Andropolis, he prays for the couple, leading to a miraculous intervention by Jesus.
• The story suggests a connection to Greek and Roman myths of twin brothers, possibly influencing early Christian beliefs.

The Connection to Greek and Roman Myths

The idea of Jesus having a twin brother may relate to ancient mythologies.

• Early Christians may have drawn parallels between Jesus and figures like Heracles and Iphicles.
• The concept of a mortal and immortal twin could explain the belief in Judas Thomas as Jesus's brother.
• The Gospel of Thomas, attributed to Judas Thomas, emphasizes secret teachings, suggesting a unique relationship with Jesus.

Insights from the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls provide context for understanding Judaism during Jesus's time.

• Discovered in 1947, they include Jewish texts from the era of Jesus, shedding light on early Christianity.
• The Essenes, a Jewish sect associated with the scrolls, emphasized purity and apocalyptic beliefs.
• Jesus's teachings align with some apocalyptic views found in the scrolls, indicating a shared cultural context.

Jesus's Apocalyptic Beliefs

Jesus is understood to have held apocalyptic views about the end of the world.

• He preached that the kingdom of God was imminent, urging repentance and faith.
• Jesus's teachings included the arrival of the Son of Man, a divine figure who would judge the earth.
• His message resonated with contemporary apocalyptic thought, suggesting he believed in an imminent divine intervention.

The Significance of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene's role in Jesus's life is often misunderstood and oversimplified.

• Traditionally viewed as a prostitute, this perception stems from later church interpretations rather than biblical texts.
• In the Gospel of Mary, she is portrayed as a significant figure who received revelations from Jesus.
• While she is mentioned in the New Testament, her role is more supportive than that of a primary disciple.

The Question of Jesus's Marital Status

The idea that Jesus was married, particularly to Mary Magdalene, is a modern speculation.

• The Gospel of Philip hints at a close relationship but does not confirm marriage.
• Historical evidence suggests that Jewish men were not necessarily required to be married, allowing for the possibility of Jesus being unmarried.
• Jesus's teachings on marriage and the coming kingdom imply that he may have remained single to focus on his mission.

The Betrayal of Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus raises questions about his motivations and actions.

• Judas is identified as a disciple who betrayed Jesus, leading to his arrest and crucifixion.
• The accounts of Judas's death differ between the Gospels, with one stating he hanged himself and another describing a gruesome fall.
• Speculation exists about Judas's motivations, including potential political motivations or disillusionment with Jesus's mission.

The Responsibility for Jesus's Death

The question of who is responsible for Jesus's death is complex and historically significant.

• While the Romans executed Jesus, Jewish authorities played a role in his arrest, fearing unrest during Passover.
• The Sadducees, aligned with Roman power, sought to eliminate Jesus as a threat to their authority.
• Blaming the Jews for Jesus's death has fueled anti-Semitism throughout history, despite the lack of consensus among the Jewish population regarding Jesus.

The Historical Context of Jesus's Execution

Understanding the political and social context of Jesus's execution is crucial.

• Jesus was executed around 30 CE during Passover, a time of heightened tensions in Jerusalem.
• His actions in the Temple and claims of kingship posed a direct challenge to both Jewish and Roman authorities.
• The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, ultimately held the power to execute Jesus, reflecting the political dynamics of the time.

The Role of Pontius Pilate in Jesus's Death

Pilate's character evolved from a ruthless Roman governor to a figure increasingly exonerated in Christian narratives.

• Historically, Pilate governed Judea from 26 to 36 CE with an iron fist, as noted by Josephus and Philo.
• Josephus recounts Pilate's controversial actions, including bringing Caesar's images into Jerusalem and raiding the Temple treasury, leading to violent protests.
• In the Gospel of Mark, Pilate questions Jesus and ultimately succumbs to crowd pressure, ordering his crucifixion, despite appearing to find no guilt in Jesus.
• Later gospels, such as Matthew and Luke, further emphasize Pilate's innocence and the guilt of the Jewish crowd, portraying him as reluctant to condemn Jesus.
• Non-canonical texts like the Gospel of Peter and Acts of Pilate continue to shift blame away from Pilate, reinforcing Jewish culpability.
• Pilate's exoneration reflects a historical trend to absolve him while vilifying Jewish authorities, a narrative that has persisted through Christian history.

The Controversial Claim of Jesus's Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus is a foundational yet contentious claim of Christianity, with historical analysis revealing inconsistencies in the accounts.

• The resurrection is central to Christian belief, asserting that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion.
• Historical evidence cannot definitively prove miraculous events, including the resurrection, as they fall outside the realm of historical verification.
• Early Christians held diverse views on the afterlife, with some believing in bodily resurrection, which influenced their interpretation of Jesus's resurrection.
• The gospels present conflicting accounts of the resurrection, including discrepancies about who visited the tomb and the nature of the resurrection event.
• The Gospel of Peter uniquely narrates the resurrection, depicting a dramatic scene with angels and the cross, differing from canonical accounts.
• The belief in the resurrection likely stemmed from visionary experiences among Jesus's followers, leading to the conclusion that he was alive after death.

Jewish Expectations of the Messiah

Jews did not anticipate a suffering messiah, leading to significant theological conflict with early Christians who claimed Jesus fulfilled this role.

• The term "messiah" (Hebrew: mashiach) means "anointed one," traditionally associated with powerful leaders like King David.
• Jewish expectations of the messiah included a warrior king who would restore Israel, not a suffering servant as claimed by Christians.
• Early Christians interpreted Jesus's suffering and death as fulfilling messianic prophecies, despite Jewish opposition to this view.
• Key scriptural passages, such as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, are cited by Christians to support the idea of a suffering messiah, but Jews contest these interpretations.
• The debate over messianic prophecies continues, with Christians asserting Jesus's role as the suffering messiah and Jews maintaining a different understanding of messianic expectations.

The Influence of Paul on Early Christianity

Paul is often viewed as a pivotal figure in establishing Christianity, emphasizing belief in Jesus's death and resurrection over his teachings.

• Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, converted after a vision of the resurrected Jesus, significantly shaping early Christian theology.
• His letters articulate two models of salvation: the forensic model (justification by faith) and the participationist model (liberation from sin).
• Paul’s teachings diverge from Jesus's focus on the coming kingdom and adherence to the Law, promoting faith in Jesus's death as the path to salvation.
• He played a crucial role in spreading Christianity among Gentiles, arguing that salvation is available to all, regardless of adherence to Jewish Law.
• While Paul did not invent Christianity, his contributions were instrumental in its development and expansion beyond Jewish communities.

Authorship of the New Testament Gospels

The authorship of the New Testament gospels is debated, with evidence suggesting they were not written by the apostles as traditionally claimed.

• The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are anonymous, with attribution to apostles occurring later, notably by Irenaeus around 185 CE. ​
• Scholarly consensus indicates that the gospels were written by educated Greek-speaking Christians, not the lower-class, Aramaic-speaking disciples.
• Literacy rates in ancient Palestine were low, with estimates suggesting only about 3% of the population was literate, primarily among the upper class.
• The gospels likely drew from oral traditions and were influenced by the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
• The attribution of the gospels to apostles aimed to lend authority and credibility to the texts amidst a variety of competing narratives. ​

The Existence of Forgeries in the New Testament

The New Testament contains forgeries, with several letters attributed to apostles likely written by others, raising questions about authenticity. ​

• Pseudepigraphy, or writing under a false name, was condemned in antiquity, yet many early Christian writings were produced this way. ​
• Critical scholars agree that letters like 1 and 2 Peter are likely forgeries, as Peter, a lower-class fisherman, would not have been able to write in Greek. ​
• Forgery in antiquity often aimed to gain readership or authority for particular views, especially in the diverse landscape of early Christianity. ​
• The New Testament may contain up to 15 forgeries, including letters attributed to James and Jude, who also likely lacked the education to write in Greek. ​
• The practice of forgery was often justified by the belief that the message conveyed was more important than the means of delivery. ​

Understanding the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is often misinterpreted as a prophetic blueprint for the future, but it is better understood as an apocalyptic genre. ​

• Revelation is an apocalypse, revealing heavenly secrets to explain earthly realities, and should not be read as a chronological timeline. ​
• The book describes a series of disasters and divine judgments, culminating in the Battle of Armageddon and the establishment of a new heaven and earth. ​
• Apocalyptic literature typically features visions of heaven and emphasizes that earthly chaos is part of a divine plan. ​
• The repetitive structure of disasters in Revelation serves to highlight the inevitability of divine judgment rather than provide a linear narrative of future events. ​

The Nature of Apocalyptic Literature

Apocalyptic literature, particularly in Jewish and Christian contexts, reveals transcendent truths about God's ultimate control over evil and suffering. ​

• Apocalypses disclose truths greater than mundane realities.
• They aim to comfort those suffering by assuring them of God's sovereignty. ​
• The book of Revelation exemplifies this with visions of triumph over evil. ​
• Revelation's key visions, such as the whore of Babylon and the beast, reference Rome and its opposition to God.
• The text reassures believers that God will ultimately prevail over chaos and evil. ​

Key Visions in Revelation

The visions in Revelation serve to illustrate the immediate relevance of its messages to early Christians rather than predicting a distant future.

• Chapter 17 depicts the whore of Babylon, symbolizing Rome's opposition to Jesus. ​
• The beast in Chapter 13 represents Roman authority, with the number 666 linked to Emperor Nero. ​
• Revelation was written during a time of persecution, providing hope to Christians facing martyrdom. ​
• The text emphasizes that God's truth will ultimately triumph over evil. ​

Diversity of Early Christianity

Early Christianity was marked by significant diversity, with various groups claiming to represent the original teachings of Jesus. ​

• Different beliefs existed regarding the nature of God and salvation. ​
• The terms orthodoxy (correct belief) and heresy (alternative belief) are used to describe the competing views. ​
• Eusebius viewed orthodoxy as the original form of Christianity, while Walter Bauer argued for the existence of multiple early Christianities. ​
• Gnosticism emerged as a significant movement, emphasizing secret knowledge for salvation. ​

Gnostic Beliefs and Practices

Gnosticism presented a distinct worldview, focusing on knowledge as the path to salvation and often contrasting with orthodox beliefs. ​

• Gnostics believed in a dualistic reality of matter (evil) and spirit (good).​
• They sought to escape the material world through secret knowledge.
• Gnostic texts, such as the Gospel of Thomas, emphasize self-knowledge over traditional Christian teachings.
• Gnostics were often accused of libertine ethics, though they practiced asceticism to escape the body. ​

The Fate of the Apostles

The stories of the apostles, preserved in apocryphal texts, illustrate their missionary activities and the challenges they faced. ​

• Apocryphal Acts provide imaginative accounts of apostles like Thomas and Paul.
• The Acts of Thomas depicts him as a missionary to India, emphasizing his charitable acts.
• The Acts of Paul highlights the ascetic commitment of Thecla, a female convert. ​
• The Acts of Peter narrates Peter's confrontations with Simon Magus and his eventual martyrdom. ​

Persecution of Early Christians

Early Christians faced persecution primarily due to their refusal to worship state gods and their perceived social disruption. ​

• Roman religion was polytheistic, and Christians were seen as a threat to social order. ​
• Grassroots persecution occurred before any organized imperial opposition. ​
• Notable persecutions included those under Nero and Trajan, often localized and not empire-wide. ​
• Christianity transitioned from a persecuted faith to a legal religion under Constantine. ​

The Old Testament's Role in Christianity

The Old Testament, originally Jewish scripture, became a complex and sometimes contentious part of early Christian identity. ​

• Early Christians viewed the Old Testament as fulfilled in Christ, but debates arose over its relevance for Gentiles. ​
• Marcion proposed a radical separation between the Old and New Testaments, while others like Barnabas reinterpreted its meaning. ​
• The orthodox view emphasized continuity between the Old and New Testaments, claiming the Old Testament as a Christian text. ​

Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity evolved over centuries, reflecting early Christians' attempts to understand the nature of God and Christ.

• Early Christians held adoptionist views, seeing Jesus as exalted to divine status. ​
• The Gospel of John introduced the concept of the preexistent Word (Logos) becoming flesh in Jesus. ​
• Modalism emerged as a way to reconcile the unity of God with the divinity of Jesus and the Spirit. ​
• The Arian controversy led to the Council of Nicaea, affirming the equality of the Son with the Father and establishing the Trinity.

The Originality of the New Testament Texts

The New Testament we have today consists of copies made centuries after the originals, raising questions about their authenticity.

• No original manuscripts exist; only copies from later periods are available.
• Handwritten copies are prone to errors, both accidental and intentional.
• The process of transmission has led to variations in the text, complicating efforts to determine the original wording.

Variations in the New Testament Manuscripts

The New Testament has numerous variations in its manuscripts, raising questions about its reliability and authenticity. ​

• There are approximately 5,500 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, dating from the early 2nd century to the Middle Ages. ​
• John Mill's 18th-century edition noted 30,000 variations from 100 manuscripts; current estimates suggest 200,000 to 400,000 variations across 5,600 manuscripts. ​
• Most variations are minor, often due to accidental errors like omitting letters or words, with common issues being parablepsis and homoeoteleuton. ​

Intentional Changes in the New Testament Text

Certain intentional alterations in the New Testament text reflect theological motivations and community beliefs. ​

• The story of the woman taken in adultery is absent in the oldest manuscripts of John and is considered a later addition.
• The last 12 verses of Mark's Gospel, which provide a different ending, are not found in the earliest manuscripts and are believed to be added by later scribes. ​
• Changes in emotional descriptions of Jesus, such as anger instead of compassion, indicate scribes' attempts to align the text with their theological views. ​
• In Matthew 24:36, scribes removed the phrase indicating that Jesus, the Son, does not know the end times, reflecting concerns about Christ's omniscience. ​

Methods for Reconstructing the New Testament Text

Scholars employ various methods to reconstruct the original text of the New Testament, but face significant challenges. ​

• Methods include analyzing the oldest manuscripts, evaluating text quality, and considering the author's style. ​
• The lack of extensive 1st and 2nd-century manuscripts complicates efforts to determine the original text. ​
• Ongoing debates exist regarding the feasibility of reconstructing the New Testament's original writings. ​

The Process of Canon Formation

The New Testament canon was established over centuries, reflecting early Christian beliefs and community needs. ​

• The term "canon" refers to an authoritative collection of texts, which evolved from the Jewish scriptures accepted by early Christians. ​
• Criteria for inclusion in the canon included antiquity, apostolic authorship, widespread acceptance, and adherence to orthodox theology. ​
• By the end of the 2nd century, the four gospels and several letters were widely accepted, though debates continued over other texts. ​
• Athanasius was the first to list the 27 canonical books in 367 CE, but consensus on the canon emerged gradually through community practices. ​

Ongoing Controversies Surrounding the Canon

Controversies regarding the New Testament canon and its interpretations persist in contemporary discussions. ​

• The discovery of texts like the Gospel of Judas has reignited debates about authenticity and historical reliability. ​
• Mythicists argue that Jesus did not exist, but there is substantial evidence supporting his historical existence.
• Christianity's exclusivity, claiming to be the sole path to salvation, contributes to its ongoing controversies and debates about orthodoxy. ​

Greatest Controversies of Early Christianity

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