Christian Publishing House Blog
Apologetic Defense of the faith, the Bible, and Christianity
The gospel was first brought to Samaria by Philip, not the apostle, but one of the seven deacons (Acts 6:5. 21:8), who, as colleagues of Stephen and as Hellenistic Jew, were doubtless among the chief sufferers by the persecution.
The mother church of Christendom, after so glorious a beginning, grew mightily, both inwardly and outwardly, and at first found great favor with the people, (Acts 2:47), for the purity of its walk, and the glow of its first love and benevolence, which reached even to a community of goods.
The astonishment of the well-disposed hearers at these wonderful proceedings, and the mockery of the unbelievers, who ascribed the speaking with tongues to intoxication, called for an explanation and apology; and this first independent testimony of the apostles, poured forth from the fullness of the Spirit, was the effective signal for gathering in the first fruits of the new spiritual creation.
Next to the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, the Holy Spirit’s outpouring and the church’s birth is the most momentous fact in history.
The mother church of Christendom, after so glorious a beginning, grew mightily, both inwardly and outwardly, and at first found great favor with the people, (Acts 2:47), for the purity of its walk, and the glow of its first love and benevolence, which reached even to a community of goods.
Next to the incarnation, death and resurrection of the Son of God, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church is the most momentous fact in history.
The Shepherd of Hermas is part of that collection of writings that since the 19th century has been termed “The Apostolic Fathers,” the first generation of Christian leaders writing after the end of the apostolic age and the completion of the New Testament (NT) canonical documents. These writings are a vital part of our understanding regarding the development of Christianity.
Papias was a Greek Apostolic Father, Bishop of Hierapolis, and author who lived c. 60 – c. 135 AD. He wrote the Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord in five books.
Polycarp was a Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to consume his body.
Theophilus was Patriarch of Antioch from 169 until 182. He succeeded Eros c. 169 AD and was succeeded by Maximus I c. 183 AD. His death probably occurred about 182. He is included among the dozen or so Christian apologists of his day.
