What Early Christians Taught on the Church Grid – January 2012 version

ASSEMBLING TOGETHER

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Legend for Cells

A1. Christians met together on Sunday partial 1Co16:2

C1. Obey authority of godly church leaders  Heb 13:17

W = Wrote explicitly on this teaching

A2. Sing hymns to God, Father, or Jesus Rev 5:9-10

C2. The church/Christians should have unity  Eph 4:3-5

I = Implied as true or opposite is false

A3. Practice water baptism Acts 2:38; 10:47-48;1Pet 3:21

C3. Excommunicate or separate from heretics 2Tim3

N =Implied since accepted Nicene Creed

A4. The Lord’s supper (Eucharist) 1 Cor 11:17-34

C4. Local bishop, elders, or deacons  Php 1:1

m = Mixed: some agree, others did not

A5. No more animal or blood sacrifices  Heb 10:18-20

C5. Church leaders should accept each other  2 Jn 9-10

P = Partial (i.e. C8 same faith & hope as ours, but not actually say one church)

A6. Offer money/possessions to God  2 Cor 8:3-9:7

C6. Reject unchristian church leader authority 2Tim3:1-5

A7. Learn from prior church writers/councils Acts 15

C7. Remove leaders in gross sin/heresy 1 Cor  5:9-13

- = no reference found

A8. Cheer up/encourage other believers 1 Th 5:14

C8. Concept of one universal church   Eph 4:3-5

X = Disagree

A9. Correct other believers 1 Cor 14:20; 1 Th 5:14

C9. Churches should greet other churches  Rom 16:16

blank = not researched yet

A10. Calling ourselves Christians Acts11:26; 1 Pet 4:16

C10. Tradition of the apostles or the church  Eph 2:20

Writer totals include W’s & I’s but not P’s

Rows: red=persecution of Christians, green=heresy, orange=schism, pink=strange writer, blue=Bible manuscript, brown=Christians persecute others

Christian writer, heretic, or Bible manuscript

Pages

Date A.D.

A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

A6

A7

A8

A9

A10

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

C6

C7

C8

C9

C10

Nero and Domitian persecute Christians

 

50 & 95/96

est. 500K Christians. Labeled atheists & killed for refusing to worship emperor/idols

Clement of Rome (wrote 1 Clement)

16 ¼

97/98

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

W

-

P

W

W

Ignatius disciple of John (shortest version)

13

c.100-117

W

W

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

Trajan persecutes Christians

 

107-117

Answered Pliny the Younger’s letter. Christians not sought after, but killed if found.

Didache (=Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

4 ¾

before 125

I

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apology of Aristides (Greek version)

4

125or138-161

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Quadratus of Athens fragment (apologist)

1/8

126

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Letter to Diognetus (=Mathetes to Diognetus)

5 ¼

c.130

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

W

Hadrian persecutes Christians

 

118 & 134

Hadrian loved Greek culture, and he persecuted both Jewish and Christian people.

Bar Cochba persecutes Christians

 

135

Christians persecuted in Israel because they would not join Bar Cochba’s revolt.

Letter of Barnabas

12 ½

100-150

I

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

p52,p104,p87 have 5,5 & 4 verses (Jn, Mt, Philemon)

-138,100-150

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

p46 Chester Beatty II - 1,680 verses (70%) Paul+Heb

100-150

P

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

W

W

-

W

-

-

-

W

W

I

2 Clement (anonymous writer)

5 ¾

c.150

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Polycarp to the Philippians

3 ½

100-155

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

Papias of Hierapolis, disciple of John

2

130-150

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

“Presbyters” (Papias?)

½

-150

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apostolic fathers totals: all symbols except P

62

-150

3

1

2

2

1

1

0

1

1

4

3

3

1

5

2

2

1

3

2

2

Justin Martyr, philosopher and apologist

137

c.138-165

W

W

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

Shepherd of Hermas

46 ½

c.160

-

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Evarestus’ Martyrdom of Polycarp

5

c.169

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Gnostic heresies become widespread

 

c.170-

Gnostics believed Creator was evil or foolish, rejected Old T., mixed in paganism.

Tatian+Diatessaron. Encratite Gnostic later

18+86

died 172

-

-

W

W

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Dionysius of Corinth (wrote against Marcion)

1/3

170

P

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

-

-

-

W

-

p66 Bodmer II Papyrii - 817 verses (92%) of John

c.125-175

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

p4, p64, p67 Lk 1:58-59,etc. Mt 26:7-8,etc. 95 verses

c.150-175

-

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

p90 Jn 18:36-19:7 (11 verses)

c.175

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Persecution of Marcus Aurelius

 

162/166-180

Stoic philosopher. Persecution, mainly in Gaul, ended when he died.

Christians of Vienna and Lugdunum (Lyons)

6 ½

177

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

P

W

-

Athenagoras (apologist)

33 ½

177

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Claudius Apollinaris of Hierapolis

½

177, 160-180

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Hegesippus (chronicler), Theophilus of Caes.

2 ½

170-180

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

Melito/Meleto of Sardis (Quartodecimian)

11

170-180

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Rhodon (against Marcion and Apelles)

½

180

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Theophilus of Antioch (to Autolycus)

32

168-181/188

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Ebionites & Clementina (OT Law,Father,Son)

265½+

- 188 -

-

W

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

I

Irenaeus of Lyons, disciple of Polycarp

262

182-188

-

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

-

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

-

W

W

W

Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs -died 180 A.D.

¾

180-202

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Maximus of Jerusalem -wrote on origin of evil

5

185-196

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Polycrates of Ephesus (Quartodecimian)

½

196

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

p32 (=P. Rylands 5) Titus 1:1-15; 2:3-8 (21 verses)

150-200

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Caius and the Muratorian Canon

3

190-217

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

Sabellian heresy (Praxeas, Noetus, Callistus)

 

c.200-257-

Also called Patripassians, they believed the Father, Son, & Spirit were one person.

Persecution of Septimus Severus

 

202

est. 2M Christians. A Christian helped him when ill, but did not repeal existing laws.

Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

7

c.201/205

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Romans kill first known martyrs in Britain

 

209

Alban, Julius, and Aaron were formerly thought killed in 304/5 A.D.

Serapion of Antioch (against Marcion)

1/3

200-210

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

Minucius Felix (The Octavius)

25

210

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apollonius of Ephesus (against Montanists)

1

c.210

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Clement of Alexandria

424

193-217/220

P

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

W

W

-

-

W

W

-

-

-

W

-

W

p75 Lk 3:18-22; etc. Jn 1:1-11:45,etc. 1,166 verses

175-225

-

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

p45 Chester Beatty I – 833 verses (4gospels + Acts)

200-225

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

p30 1 Th 4:12-13,16-17 etc. 2 Th 1:1-2 etc.25 verses

ca.225

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Tertullian (joined the Montanist Church)

734

198-220

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

W

W

-

I

W

W

-

W

W

W

-

W

Tertullian’s 5 Books Against Marcion

194

207/8

-

-

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

W

Theodotus the probable Montanist

7 ¾

ca.240

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

-

Bardaisan/Bardesan of Syria (heretical)

11 ½

154-224/232

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Asterius Urbanus (against Montanists)

2 ¾

c.232

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

W

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Elchasaite Ebionites (said Jesus God’s Son)

2 ¼

before 236

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Hippolytus, pupil of Irenaeus (undisputed)

218

222-235/6

-

W

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

W

Maximin Thrax persecutes Christians

 

235-238

First empire-wide persecution, but only of clergy. It stopped when he was killed.

Instructions of Commodianus

16

c.240

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Julius Africanus (undisputed writings)

9

232-245

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

p13 Heb 2:14-5:5;10:8-22;10:29-11:13;etc. 114 verses

225-250

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Alexander of Cappadocia (Clem. A’.s pupil)

¾

233-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

Origen (heterodox teacher)

622

225-254

-

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

W

Severe persecution by Decius and Gallus

 

250-251 - 253

1st Christian schism. Could fallen Christians return or doomed forever –Novatian

Novatian (his schism lasted over 200 years)

38 ½

250/254-257

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

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Anonymous Treatise Against Novatian

6 ½

254-256

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

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-

-

Anonymous Treatise on Rebaptism

11

c.250-258

-

-

W

P

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

Cyprian of Carthage (against Novatian)

250 ½  

c.246-258

-

W

W

W

W

I

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

Roman church leaders (ltr 2,29,30)

1+4 ¾

250-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

W

-

-

W

W

-

Lucian et al. (letters 16, 21)

7/8

250-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

I

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

Caldonius to Cyprian (letter 18)

¾

250-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

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