Now Revealed — The True History of the Early Christian Church

By Ronald D. Kelly

Originally published, May, 1967, as a Master’s Thesis for Ambassador College. Retypeset in 1999-2000 by several volunteers, including Ken Swiger, Horst Obermeit, and Carol Billigmeier. Edited by Richard C. Nickels.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chronology of Events in the Early Church

List of Roman Emperors

Introduction

Part One, The World Prepared

Chapter 1, The Romans Build an Empire

Chapter 2, Trade, Travel, and Communications

Chapter 3, Moral Degeneracy in the Empire

Chapter 4, Judea, the Springboard

Part Two, The Life and Teachings of Christ

Chapter 5, Christ, the Prophesied Messiah

Chapter 6, Christ, the Desire of Nations

Chapter 7, The Message Christ Brought

Part Three, The Rise and Decline of Christianity

Chapter 8, The Beginning of Church History

Chapter 9, The Great Conspiracy

Appendix Glossary of Church History Terms

Bibliography

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Chronology of Events in the Early Church
Date	Biblical Events	Events in Palestine	Date	Events in Roman Empire
		Herod made King of Judah	40 B.C.
			27 B.C.	Octavian (Augustus) becomes Emperor
		Death of Herod	3 B.C.
4 B.C.	Birth of Christ
		Judea made a Roman province	6 A.D.
9 A.D.	Christ confounds teachers at Jerusalem
			14 A.D.	Death of Augustus — Tiberious becomes Emperor
		Caiphus made Jewish High Priest	25 A.D.
		Pontius Pilate made governor of Judaea	26 A.D.
27 A.D.	Christ baptized and begins His ministry
31 A.D.	Christ crucified, April 25
31 A.D.	Church receives Holy Spirit, June 18
33 A.D.	Simon Magus baptized
35 A.D.	Paul converted
		Pilate sent to Rome	36
		Herod Agrippa made king of Judea and Samaria	37	Gaius (Caligula) made Emperor at Rome
			41	Claudius made Emperor
42	Matthew written
43	James is martyred
		Agrippa dies	44
47	Paul’s First Journey
49	Council at Jerusalem
50	Paul’s Second Journey; gospel goes to Europe 19 years after Church founded
51	Paul writes I and II Thessalonians	Felix made Procurator	51
52	Paul writes Galatians	Herod Agrippa II made Tetrarch	52	Claudius banishes the Jews from Rome
53	Paul’s Third Journey
53-55	Paul’s stay at Ephesus		54	Nero becomes Emperor
55	Paul writes I Corinthians (spring) and II Corinthians (fall)
55-56	Paul writes Romans
56-58	Paul imprisoned at Caesarea
59	Paul appeals to Caesar and is sent to Rome
59-61	Writes “Prison Epistles,” Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon
60-62	James (Christ’s brother) writes his epistle	Festus made Procurator	60
62	James (Christ’s brother) is killed	Albinus made Procurator	62
64	Paul writes Hebrews, visits Asia Minor, perhaps also Spain and Britain	Florus made Procurator	64	Conflagration at Rome — persecution of Christians
65	Paul returns to Rome, writes I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy
66	Paul’s death at Rome — probably beheaded
			68	Galba becomes Emperor
			69	Otho beecomes Emperor, followed by Vitellius, then Vespasian
		Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus	70
75	Peter writes I Peter
77	Peter writes II Peter
			79	Titus becomes Emperor
80	Death of Peter