First Christian Missionaries - First Christian Converts

                                                First Christian Missionaries – First Christian Converts

                                                                       By D. D. Emmons

In the vast Roman Empire of the first century, there were an estimated 7,500 followers of Christ. This number seems lost in an empire of some 65 million people but it reflects the successful beginning of the Christian faith. 7,500 followers in the anti-Christ world are remarkable and no doubt the work of the Holy Spirit. By the end of the second century the number was around 200,000 and over the next 100 years grew to six million. Of course, this growth continued to the 2 billion baptized Christians in the world today.  Numerous websites provide such statistics as well as publications like, The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stork (Princeton Press, Princeton NJ., 1996, p.6)

How did it all begin? Who were the first converts to accept the teachings of Jesus, the first missionaries, and where were the first Christian communities? It started with Our Savior.

That Jesus was the original missionary is depicted in all four Gospel renditions. He began in the city of Capernaum (city of comfort) on Lake Galilee; Capernaum was a key fishing and trading center of that day. It was in Capernaum and around the lake that Jesus, in the spring of 28 AD, evangelized the Good News of God: “He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.” (Mt 4:23).  The occupying Romans and many Jews quickly condemned not only Jesus but His disciples and apostles, regarding them as troublemakers at best and pagans at worst.

Apostles and Disciples

For clarity: a disciple is a follower or student of a teacher, while an apostle is a messenger authorized to speak on behalf of the sender. The twelve apostles (messengers) of Jesus were chosen from His disciples (followers).

To carry out His Father’s mission, Jesus enlisted the aid of twelve uneducated, unremarkable men most of whom were ordinary fishermen. They were first His students, eventually His apostles; an immense undertaking soon awaited them.  After some nine months together, nine months of spiritual training, Jesus gave His apostles “authority over unclean spirits…and to cure every disease and every illness.” (Mt 10:1) In March 29 AD, He charged them to carry His message to the towns in Galilee with the caveat that they visit only Jews and Jewish communities, teaching them the Good News of His Father (Mt 10: 1,5-6) Converting non-Jews would come later.

In October of 29 AD, Jesus left Galilee expanding His ministry to Samaria and Judea enroute to the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem.  One month later, he recruited and sent seventy-two disciples throughout Judea, to areas He was planning to visit. (Lk. 10: 1-20) The disciples were jubilant over their success in announcing the news about Jesus and the kingdom of God.

It seems ironic that when arrested, only a few months later, (Apr 30 AD) most everyone deserted Him - including all but one of the apostles. That His apostles would later return and carry His message throughout the world is an event that only God could orchestrate.  Any uncertainties the apostles had about Him were swept aside by the Resurrection, the Ascension and Descent of the Holy Spirit on them. These twelve ordinary men became fervent, zealous advocates of Jesus Christ.

At His ascension to the Father, (Acts, 1:8) Jesus told the apostles that He wanted them, “to be my witness in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Wow! Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria was one thing but then Jesus added “to the ends of the earth.” St Teresa of Calcutta had a saying that covers what the apostles must have been thinking: “God, I know you will never give me more than I can handle, I just wish you didn’t have so much confidence in me.”

Apostles and Evangelization

The apostles’ widespread evangelization efforts began in the spring of 30 AD in Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost.  According to the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, the city was filled with Jews from all parts of the Roman Empire and the apostles, teeming with the Holy Spirit, were praising and glorifying God. They spoke in Aramaic but those listening miraculously heard the words in their native language. e spHH  The pilgrims were amazed and even more so when Peter began to witness about Jesus: that Jesus was the Messiah and that God had raised Him from the dead.  Acts, chapter 2: 14- 37 talks about this speech and the reaction of the listeners: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, ‘What must we do, my brothers?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized…’” (Acts 2:37-38) So persuasive and convincing was he that over 3,000 people were baptized. These were the first Christian converts, en masse; this was the beginning of the Church.

Many of the Jews on pilgrimage in Jerusalem at the time returned to their native countries telling of what they had seen and heard and of their personal experiences, baptism and conversion. Peter’s message on Pentecost was thus carried by Jews to other Jews in distant areas like Greece, Africa, Cyprus, Phoenicia (modern Lebanon).   

Jerusalem and Beyond

Over the next few years, the apostles limited their evangelization work to the area within and around Jerusalem but soon a tragic incident took place that resulted in expansion of Christianity to other communities especially locations in Judea. That incident was the martyrdom of the newly selected Deacon Stephen in 36 AD.  Because of his passion and outward advocacy for Jesus, Stephen was stoned to death by the Jews outside the gates of Jerusalem. (Acts 7:1-60) This atrocity inspired the Christians, though small in number, to renew and openly voice their beliefs about Jesus. The Jews countered with increasingly violent attacks on their countrymen who had or were converting to Christianity.  Consequently, many of the Christian Jews fled Jerusalem, initially settling in places like Samaria and Antioch.  These converts brought with them the message of Christ and motivated other Jews living in those locations to become Christians; to these groups soon came disciples of Christ like Deacon Philip and the apostle Barnabas. They would reinforce what the transplanted Christians from Jerusalem were advocating and assist in organizing Christian communities. So, Jerusalem, Samaria and Antioch, became the places of more conversions and, initially, be a source of more missionaries willing to go spread the Gospel of Jesus.

Stories are told how other apostles and disciples went to distant lands:  Thomas went to India and Mark to Egypt, resulting in thousands of conversions. In Egypt Mark would establish what was the beginning of the See at Alexandria, a city that became a prime Christian center and further expansion of Christianity in that part of the world.   Philip went to Phrygia, Simon to Persia and Armenia. St Andrew carried the Gospel to the Black Sea area and Southern Russia; Jude was in Mesopotamia, Syria and Persia; St Matthias, in Ethiopia. Each of these apostles died a martyr’s death serving their Lord Jesus Christ.

Missionary Challenges

Numerous challenges faced those first missionaries seeking to witness for Jesus “to the ends of the earth.” The apostles’ and disciples’ message to the Jews was that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for but he came advocating love, compassion and peace. These characteristics did not fit the Jews preconceived notion that the Messiah would be a warrior king or political leader driving out the Romans. The missionaries faced other difficulties: entering into different countries meant unfamiliar languages and customs, people from every walk and work. The Romans were a constant threat, quick to persecute anyone they believed was perpetuating a treasonous act against Rome; there were also threats, even arrests, from Jews who disapproved of what the Christians believed and how they worshipped.

 Many individuals when approached by a missionary could not get past or refused to accept the virgin birth or that someone had risen from the dead.  There were dangers for the missionary when traveling including being accosted by criminals or others. They often experienced a lack of creature comforts, typically, they would go to the synagogue upon arrival in a Jewish community and hope that they would not only be allowed to witness about Jesus but find someone willing to give them food and lodging.

Offsetting these challenges was the dedication and courage of the apostles and others guided by the Holy Spirit.  They relished telling of Jesus’ miracles, how He fed the five thousand, raised people from the dead, cured the lame, walked on water, calmed the wind. They had lived with Him for three years, knew His uniqueness and had much to tell: “We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made it known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of His majesty…” (2 Pt 1: 16-19)

The Role of St Peter – Apostle to the Jews

Despite reprisals from the Jews, Jerusalem and the local vicinity became sites of St. Peter’s missionary work. His focus was on the Jews, seeking to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah.  Besides Jerusalem, he preached and performed miracles in nearby places like Lydda, Joppa and the valley of Sharon where there were Christian populations. (Acts 9: 32-45) But it was in the city of Caesarea around 36 AD that Peter, himself experienced a spiritual awakening.  He went there at the request of a Roman centurion, Cornelius, who secretly wanted to know Our Lord. Cornelius was a Gentile and it was unlawful for Peter to associated with a Gentile. The meeting between Peter and Cornelius took place in the Roman’s home and Peter baptized Cornelius, his close friends and relatives. (Acts 10: 24-49) They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter recognized that Jesus didn’t just belong to Jews but to everyone. While we associate Peter primarily with converting Jews, here in Cornelius’s home he converted the first Gentiles, here was the beginning of the first non-Jew Christian congregation.  Peter would continue into other locations in Galilee, Samaria, parts of Asia Minor and eventually to Rome successfully preaching about Jesus but the fact that he unlawfully associated with a Gentile, Cornelius, was a stumbling block. It created a major issue among the other apostles and followers of Christ. This conflict would soon have to be dealt with.

The Role of St Paul – Apostle to the Gentiles

The years shortly before the baptism of Cornelius, was the timeframe when a Pharisee named Saul was called by and became a fervent follower of Christ.  A hater and persecutor of Christians, Saul had been enroute to Damascus (around 33 AD) with authority to arrest Christian Jews when Jesus confronted and converted him. He was baptized, his name changed to Paul and he became great among the missionaries. Jesus said of him: “…this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites…”  (Acts: 9, 1-19) Paul proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God to non–Jews and thus he is known as Apostle to the Gentiles.

 Initially, the thinking among the Christian Jews was that to become a Christian, a Gentile had to first become a Jew, that is, comply with all the Mosaic laws including circumcision. (Acts 15:5) Paul and Peter were convinced that this step was unnecessary. There were significant differences of opinion among other Christians about Peter and Paul’s rationale and a council was held in Jerusalem in 50 AD to address the issue. The council concluded that Gentiles did not have to first become Jews and proclaimed the finding in a letter to the Gentiles: “It is the decision of the holy spirit and us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, ‘namely to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage…’” (Acts 15: 28-29). Conversions of Gentiles would now exceed those of Jews.

 It is impossible in a few paragraphs to do justice to Paul’s work on behalf of his Savior.  Between the years 44 AD and 67 AD Paul traveled an estimated 20,000 miles, evangelizing throughout the Roman Empire. He established churches, appointed leaders and provided instructions to followers of Christ in at least 14 different locations. He visited many places more than once and wrote letters to the churches, letters encouraging, instructing, correcting those attempting to be steadfast in their faith as well as those who may have begun to doubt. Paul shared the Gospel in most all the major cities of his time: Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Rome, Thessalonica. He carefully selected and influenced individuals to assist him, people like Priscilla and Aquila who were with him in Ephesus; Titus, in Crete; Timothy in Galatia, Apollos in Ephesus and Corinth.  The commitment of St Paul is the basis for thousands of conversions to Christianity.

Saints Peter and Paul ended their ministries in Rome where they were murdered by Emperor Nero in the year 67 AD.

The first messengers of Christ, the apostles and others, planted Christianity in cities, villages, towns and countries of the Roman Empire and provided the seedlings to eventually propagate the faith throughout the world. According to the Council of Vatican II, the missionary role of the Church remains its “greatest and holiest task.” (Ad Gentes, n 29) We are Christ’s messengers today, it is our role to spread His eternal truths.