Fullness of the Time: Preparation of the Ancient World

2002-09-20

Founding of the Christian church was not accident. There was preparation: Galatians 4:4

I. Religious Preparation

Gentile world and Jewish preparation

Gentile preparation: decline of their traditional religion (polytheism), this caused people to have a lack of trust in their national deities. Polytheism attributes to many what could be attributed to one. Greeks created their gods in their image. Rise of mystery cults from Persia, Asia Minor. Personal religions appealed to people, promised to meet their needs. These also failed. Blood of a bull cleansing people in board-covered trenches for example. Wet people’s appetites for what was to come. Only Christ could meet their needs. Worship of rulers reached its height under Roman Empire. They had to worship them even if they did not want to.

Gentiles were confused. Morally corrupt (Romans 1). Ready to acknowledge the need for a savior.

These things showed that these peoples were bankrupt.

Jewish preparation: Monotheism. Holy Scriptures. Sent to Babylon after intense idolatry. Never a problem after Babylon. Rise of the synagogue. Preservation of Scriptures: in Hebrew, need for LXX. Messianic expectations.

Greek conquest under Alexander the Great, then Ptolemaic Empire, then Seleucid Empire. Then Roman empire. Romans put Jews under Herod the Great and sons. Jews looking for a deliverer. Messianic expectation at its height at the time of Jesus. Luke 3:15, all men in expectation. Jews spread their beliefs among Gentiles. The synagogue allowed Gentiles to come to worship with the Jews, proselytizing. In Acts, Paul always went to synagogue first. Gentiles were there. Many accepted Christ there.

II. Intellectual preparation

The world had a Greek education. Language and philosophy.

Language: Koine Greek. International medium for communication. National barriers broken down. Alexander the Great spread Greek culture and language as far as India. Greek cities founded everywhere. Acquainted Gentiles with Old Testament with LXX. Language was appropriate for New Testament expression. All social classes could be communicated to, hence, Koine. Believers from every social class, i.e. Philemon and Onesimus. Lydia and a slave girl.

Philosophy: Losing of polytheism resulted in mystery religion or philosophy. This purified the Greek’s concept of Deity. Someone must have caused everything, cosmology. Greeks knew too little to believe in the one true God. They knew too much to believe in any other god. Emphasized the needs of the soul. Could give no assurance about the future. Raised some problems that only Jesus could solve.

People needed the Gospel, they recognized a need that could be filled.

Socrates had no assurance, living or dying better? When he drank the hemlock. Plato believed in a God, but did not think that it would be possible to know God.

III. Political preparation

Alexander the Great: Great empires prepared the way for Christ. Alexander was from Macedonia, defeated Greece. Overthrew the Persians. National barriers broken down. Greek pride in culture. Alexander died without a chance to rule it, 4 generals divided the lands. Hellenization continued in the East.

Romans: Subdue Palestine, put it under Herod the Great, Edomite, also known as Idumean. Then under Roman governors, Pontius Pilate, Felix, Festus. Romans established universal government and law. Established law by Roman legions. Mediterranean under universal law: easy for missionaries to go out and travel, Roman highways, same law. Safe from Pirates. Waterways. Romans generous to the conquered people. There was legal religion and illegal. (Jewish religion legal, Christians were a sect. Distinction made later, when persecution began.) Established international peace. Augustus started around Christ’s birth the Pax Romana. Lasted for 200 years around the Mediterranean area. Helps spread of Gospel. Good time for Prince of Peace to Come.

Putting these things together: Intense expectation, unfulfilled need, deep sinfulness, international outlook.