Kelly article

Chronology of Events in the Early Church
Date	Biblical Events	Events in Palestine	Date	Events in Roman Empire
		Herod made King of Judah	40 B.C.
			27 B.C.	Octavian (Augustus) becomes Emperor
		Death of Herod	3 B.C.
4 B.C.	Birth of Christ
		Judea made a Roman province	6 A.D.
9 A.D.	Christ confounds teachers at Jerusalem
			14 A.D.	Death of Augustus — Tiberious becomes Emperor
		Caiphus made Jewish High Priest	25 A.D.
		Pontius Pilate made governor of Judaea	26 A.D.
27 A.D.	Christ baptized and begins His ministry
31 A.D.	Christ crucified, April 25
31 A.D.	Church receives Holy Spirit, June 18
33 A.D.	Simon Magus baptized
35 A.D.	Paul converted
		Pilate sent to Rome	36
		Herod Agrippa made king of Judea and Samaria	37	Gaius (Caligula) made Emperor at Rome
			41	Claudius made Emperor
42	Matthew written
43	James is martyred
		Agrippa dies	44
47	Paul’s First Journey
49	Council at Jerusalem
50	Paul’s Second Journey; gospel goes to Europe 19 years after Church founded
51	Paul writes I and II Thessalonians	Felix made Procurator	51
52	Paul writes Galatians	Herod Agrippa II made Tetrarch	52	Claudius banishes the Jews from Rome
53	Paul’s Third Journey
53-55	Paul’s stay at Ephesus		54	Nero becomes Emperor
55	Paul writes I Corinthians (spring) and II Corinthians (fall)
55-56	Paul writes Romans
56-58	Paul imprisoned at Caesarea
59	Paul appeals to Caesar and is sent to Rome
59-61	Writes “Prison Epistles,” Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon
60-62	James (Christ’s brother) writes his epistle	Festus made Procurator	60
62	James (Christ’s brother) is killed	Albinus made Procurator	62
64	Paul writes Hebrews, visits Asia Minor, perhaps also Spain and Britain	Florus made Procurator	64	Conflagration at Rome — persecution of Christians
65	Paul returns to Rome, writes I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy
66	Paul’s death at Rome — probably beheaded
			68	Galba becomes Emperor
			69	Otho beecomes Emperor, followed by Vitellius, then Vespasian
		Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus	70
75	Peter writes I Peter
77	Peter writes II Peter
			79	Titus becomes Emperor
80	Death of Peter		81	Domitian becomes Emperor, Christian persecutions
85-87	John writes I, II, III John
80s (?)	Jude writes his epistle
95-96	John writes Revelation		96	Nerva becomes Emperor
			98	Trajan becomes Emperor
100-101	Death of John

Augustus 27 B.C.-14 A.D.

Tiberius 14-37 A.D.

Gaius (Caligula) 37-41

Claudius 41-54

Nero 54-68

Galba 68-69

Otho 69

Vitellius 69

Vespasian 69-79

Titus 79-81

Domitian 81-96

Nerva 96-98

Trajan 98-117

Hadrian 117-138

Antonius Pius 138-161

Marcus Aurelius 161-180

Commodus 180-192

Pertinex, etc. 193

Septimius Severus 193-211

Caracalla and Geta 211-212

Caracalla alone 212-217

Macrinus 217-218

Elgabalus 218-222

Alexander Severus 222-235

Maximinus Thrax 235-238

Gordianus I, II, etc. 238

Gordianus III 238-244

Philippus Arabs 244-249

Decius 249-251

Gallus and Volusianus 251-253

Aemilianus 253

Valerian 253-260

Gallien 260-268

Claudius II, etc. 268-270

Aurelianus 270-275

Tacitus, etc. 275-276

Probus, etc., etc. 276-284

Diocletian 284-305

Maximian 286-305

Galerius and Constantine Chlorus 293

Galerius and Constantius succeed

as Augusti; Maximinus Daia and

Severus become Caesars 305

Constantius dies; Constantine becomes

Caesar in West; Maxentius

supplants Severus in Italy 305

Licinius made Caesar, and later

Augustus by Galerius 307

Constantine assumes title of Augustus 307

Maximinus Daia becomes Augustus (?) 309

Death of Galerius 311

Macontius defeated by Constantine

at Milvian Bridge and slain 312

Edict of Mediolanum issued by

Constantine and Licinius 313 (Jan.)

Maximinus Daia, defeated by Licinius,

kills himself 313

Constantine sole emperor after defeat

and death of Licinius 323-337

INTRODUCTION

In the world today, there are 961,112,000 professing Christians.[1] “Christianity” is by far the LARGEST single religion on earth. Islam, the second largest, is not half as big.

But how many in the western world, which calls itself “Christian,” understand what REAL CHRISTIANITY is? How many really KNOW the PLAIN TRUTH about the foundation of the Christian religion?

Amazingly few have ever realized the TRUE BEGINNINGS OF CHRISTIANITY!

What was the world like over 1900 years ago? Just how did Christianity get started? Why does the Church in the book of Acts seem so different from the denominations today?

Was the message of Christ and the Apostles the same one that is taught in today’s churches? This is the really important question.

These queries can all be answered by understanding the TRUE BEGINNING of the Church founded by Jesus Christ, and the entire scope of the first century of the Christian era.

Amazing though it may seem, the world which calls itself “Christian” is divided into over four hundred DIFFERENT denominations, organizations, splits, schisms, and sects — each claiming to be the original Church founded by Jesus Christ.

There is a way you can know for certain how to find the true followers of Christ. The answers are all revealed and recorded in the Bible and in secular history during the FOUNDATION YEARS of God’s Church.

The purpose of this thesis is to make plain and to reveal the FACTS of Jesus Christ’s birth and life and to make plain how to understand early CHURCH HISTORY.

Concerning the last years of the first century, church historians admit:

The remaining thirty years of the first century are involved in mysterious darkness, illuminated only by the writings of John. This is the period of church history about which we know least and would like to know most. This period is the favorite field for ecclesiastical fables and critical conjectures.[2]

No longer do we need conjectures. The history of the first century can now be revealed.

You will see how the world was prepared in advance BY THE ALMIGHTY GOD WHO RULES SUPREME IN THE HEAVENS. You will understand the true gospel preached by Christ and His apostles, and you will see the true establishment of His Church.

But, you will also see the world was prepared for a great false religious system. A false system, which for more than 1,900 years has been masquerading under the title of “Christianity.” Understanding the background of God’s preparation and the rise of a great FALSE CONSPIRACY will provide the key to unlock the understanding of all Church history over the past 1,900 years.

You will be able to understand the teachings of true Christianity, and the guidelines by which you can prove where God’s true Church has been throughout history and WHERE IT IS TODAY.

Here, NOW REVEALED, is THE HISTORY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

Chapter 1, The Romans Build an Empire

Chapter 2, Trade, Travel, and Communications