From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians (01:48:00)

PBS FRONTLINE — From Jesus to Christ : The First Christians (Part 1)

Explore the life of Jesus and the movement he started, by challenging familiar assumptions and conventional notions about Christianity's origins. FRONTLINE draws upon controversial new historical evidence and interviews with New Testament scholars to trace Jesus' life. The film focuses on events after his death and on his first followers, men and women whose beliefs, conviction, and martyrdom transformed the Roman Empire in just 300 years.

HOUR ONE examines how Judaism and the Roman empire shaped Jesus' life. Jesus was an ordinary Jewish resident of his time, but new archaeological findings show that Jesus was probably not the humble village peasant often portrayed. Nazareth, where he grew up, was about four miles from the cosmopolitan urban center of Sepphoris, one of the Roman provincial cities.

While Rome defined one dimension of Jesus' world, the other was symbolized by the great Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus was born, lived, and died a Jew, and he was influenced by the diversity and tensions of Judaism at that time.

Jesus was most likely arrested and executed by Roman authorities whose principal concern was to keep peace in the empire Rome had little tolerance for those it judged disruptive of the Pax Romana, (Roman peace) punishing them in many ways, including crucifixion.

The death of Jesus was a Roman act; there was little if any notice taken by Jewish people. Jesus was another victim of the Pax Romana.

HOUR TWO explores the period after the crucifixion of Jesus and traces the beginnings of the Jesus Movement, in those early years before it was called Christianity:

The Jesus Movement began as a sect within Judaism. Along the way, the early Christians branched out and spread their message to non-Jews or gentiles (meaning "nations"). The Apostle Paul had a profound impact on this spread; around 50 C.E., Paul travelled away from the traditional centers of the Jesus Movement and began to found new churches in Greco-Roman cities. Paul's letters to these fledgling congregations mark the first writings of the New Testament.

Meanwhile, expectations about the coming of the Kingdom of God and spiraling tensions between Jews and Rome would culminate in a catastrophic Jewish revolt against Rome from 66-70 C.E., ending in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple--the center of Jewish spiritual life. The traumatic failure of this revolt would dramatically affect the future for Jews and Christians.

Original Air Date: April 6, 1998

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/first

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[Wtraille]

Jesus is Lord



[HeroOfChristArchives]

@Wtraille

Verse? If biblical, what does it mean to you?

[randwolfray]

Evidence That Jesus Claimed To Be God -

Revelation 1: 8 - "I am the Alpha and the Omega (= I am the A and the Z)", says THE LORD GOD, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty".

Revelation 1:17 - "And He (Jesus) laid His right hand upon me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST, and the Living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of the land of the dead".

[HeroOfChristArchives]

@randwolfray said: "Evidence that Jesus claimed to be God..."

That is no biblical evidence that Jesus ever claimed godhood.

@randwolfray said: "I understand why this is called 'From Jesus to Christ' as if he evolved."

No, that is not the title's implication or the documentary's narrative.

@randwolfray said: "I have a problem with your phrase 'blind faith'"

You only have a problem with the context in which I used the phrase.

God must be experienced. Otherwise, it's blind faith.

[MrPathfinder884]

@HeroOfChristArchives I and my Father are ONE John 10:30. Also read John 20 where Jesus affirmed that he is God.

[MrPathfinder884]

@iwanttocrashmybike Transgressing the law of God is sin. People all around the world do that every day if I am not mistaken. Therefore we all deserve to go to hell. But God had a plan for us. To redeem us and to save us. Only few listen. But it is better to listen now. We are living here on earth to prepare ourselves to serve our God. Those who ignore Gods Word will probably never enter the Kingdom of God.

[StraightOuttaVanCity]

George Carlin - Religion is bullshit.

watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

[iwanttocrashmybike]

@mrbrianmccarthy Yes,Statism is a bad thing.

But please tell me how "man" is not sinful?

[mrbrianmccarthy]

Notice how much of this documentary relies on Josephus? Not good. Many scholars feel that Josephus's writings were forgeries.As for Paul,IMO,he was a roman agent,sent into these various cities to "monitor" these Christian communities,and to try and turn their focus away from the tyranny of the "Romans Empire"/the real message of Jesus &more towards food/conduct issues.Paul manipulated Jesus teachings and made his crucifixion into a "Neccessary event" due to the "sinfulness of the people. PAH

[tattoopopaperks]

@parapsyopticnerve you gave me some wisdom which I am forever grateful for. I believe God sent you to give me this wisdom for he told me that I would be receiving some wisdom over the next few days. Thank you for being one of the righteous! Keep speaking the word of truth God appreciates you and so do I.

[tattoopopaperks]

@parapsyopticnerve Thank you brother! God bless you!