HISTORICAL EVENTS
Although Christianity began as a religious movement within Judaism during the first century AD, it soon broke up with the Jewish religion regarding two main points: (1) the messianic role of Jesus of Nazareth and (2) the continuing observance of the Mosaic law. This controversy resulted in the persecution of Christians by Jewish authorities in Judea and, occasionally, violent resistance from diaspora Jews against any Christian attempt to proselytize them. At first, the Roman Empire considered Christians as a Jewish sect. They allowed the church to have the same privileges granted to Judaism, a legally recognized religion. Rome considered Judaism an ethnic trait and tolerated it as they did the culture of other ethnic groups. But after Christianity differentiated itself from Judaism and spread among Gentiles, it was no longer considered by the Romans to be part of Judaism and thus became illegal within the Empire. The church now faced punishment and persecution from the imperial authorities and the hostility of the general public.
The New Testament contains numerous references to persecution. First of all, early Christians expected to suffer. Because Jesus Christ, their leader, had died on a cross, they could imagine no higher honor than to suffer martyrdom for Him. The book Acts of the Apostles records the difficulties the early Christian community encountered as it evangelized the Roman Empire. Initially, the resistance came from Jewish authorities in Judea,and persecution followed the spread of the new faith(Acts 4:1-22; 5:17-42; 6:8–8:1; 8:3; 9:2; 12:1-5; 19:27–28:30). Christian missionaries met persecution in various areas of the Empire, especially as local Jewish communities stirred Gentile opposition (Acts 9:23, 24; 13:44-51; 14:5, 6; 14:19, 20; 17:1-15; 18:12-17; 20:19; 23:12-14). Acts also includes some incidents of Gentile hostility not initiated by Jews (Acts 16:16-24; 19:23-41).
The book of Revelation, possibly composed during the reign of Emperor Domitian (AD 81–96), mentions persecution several times. Its author found himself “on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 1:9), and it was there that he received the visions recorded in the book of Revelation. In several of his messages addressed to various churches in Asia Minor, John refers to both past and future periods of persecution, trial, and death, and calls upon them to hold on to their faith. (Rev. 2:2, 3, 9, 10, 13). Elsewhere he speaks of martyrs (Rev. 6:9-11; 20:4). It seems to indicate that many Christians endured torture and even death for their beliefs under Roman rule and that still others would face persecution in the future.
We have almost no proof of Jewish persecution of Christians outside of the New Testament. However, we do find ample evidence in Roman legal, administrative, and contemporary historical sources of the empire for the persecution of the followers of Jesus. For example, Pliny, the Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor during the years 111–113 AD, wrote a letter to Emperor Trajan reporting his dealings with Christians. The Romans did not yet actively seek out Christians at that time but punished and executed them only if someone denounced them, and they continued to persist in their faith. After 250 AD, however, systematic persecution became a government policy until the edict of toleration by the emperor Constantine in AD 313.
Novak, Christianity and the Roman Empire: Background Texts.
Hill, Christianity: How a Despised Sect Froma Minority Religion Came To Dominate The Roman Empire.