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All (11) Mike Winger (11)
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Establishing premise: general persecution was the normal reality for first-century Christians from the very beginning

Mike lays foundational context before presenting specific apostolic martyrdom evidence

early Christian persecution first-century Christianity
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Tacitus (Annals, 109 AD) as non-Christian confirmation of early Christian persecution, crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the movement's origin in Judea

Mike quotes Tacitus as an external, non-Christian source confirming early persecution

crucifixion of Jesus Pontius Pilate early Christian persecution
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Pliny the Younger's letter to Emperor Trajan (112 AD): institutionalized Roman policy of executing Christians who refused to recant

Second external Roman source confirming systematic persecution

Pliny the Younger Emperor Trajan early Christian persecution
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Argument that Roman cultural attitudes toward Christians in 50-year span (first to early second century) remained consistent, so early second-century sources reflect first-century reality

Responding to the objection that 109/112 AD sources are too late to apply to the apostolic period

historical methodology early Christian persecution Roman imperial religion
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Mark 13:9 — Jesus's prediction of persecution for his disciples as evidence that persecution was anticipated from the beginning

Biblical evidence for the normalcy of persecution

Mark 13:9 early Christian persecution Mark 13:9 Jesus' predictions
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

John 15:18-20 — Jesus warns disciples the world will hate them as it hated him, anticipating they will suffer as he suffered (including death)

Additional biblical attestation of anticipated persecution

John 15:18-20 early Christian persecution Jesus' predictions John 15:18-20
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Matthew 23:34 — Jesus sends prophets and scribes who will be killed, crucified, and flogged as evidence persecution was an expected norm

Additional scripture confirming persecution as the anticipated norm for followers

Matthew 23:34 early Christian persecution Matthew 23:34
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

John 9: Expulsion from the synagogue for confessing Jesus as Christ — evidence of persecution even during Jesus's ministry

Persecution predates the death of Jesus; it began during his earthly ministry

John 9:22 John 9:34 early Christian persecution John 9:22 John 9:34
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

The book of Acts as a sustained narrative of persecution — Paul's pre-conversion role as persecutor and post-conversion experience of being persecuted

Persecution is the central recurring theme of Acts

Acts of the Apostles Paul the Apostle early Christian persecution Acts of the Apostles
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Prison epistles and other NT letters as evidence that suffering was a church-wide reality needing sustained pastoral address

The pervasive theme of persecution across the entire NT corpus

1 Peter Romans 8 Revelation 2-3 1 Peter Romans 8 Revelation 2-3
Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

Evidence for early Christian persecution: (1) Multiple attestation across the entire NT — Gospels, Acts, Hebrews, James, 1 John, Peter, Revelation all attest to Christians paying a price for faith. (2) Earliest church fathers (Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp) confirm the theme. (3) Non-Christian sources (Tacitus, Suetonius) confirm persecution under Nero.

Evidence for early persecution — multiple independent sources

multiple attestation Tacitus Clement of Rome