Persecution of the Early Church Believers II – JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Persecution of the early church was the ill-treatment, imprisonment and killing of Christians by people who opposed the gospel.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Describe the background of Saul.
2. Explain how Saul persecuted the church in Jerusalem and why he went to Damascus.
3. Narrate how Saul became a believer.
4. Explain why King Herod killed James.
5. Describe how Herod arrested and guarded Peter.

Who was Saul?

Saul was a Jewish youth from Tarsus who became a leading persecutor of the church before he met Jesus.

• Character: he was adventurous, energetic and zealous.
• Home town: he was a native of Tarsus.
• Family: he was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Benjamin.
• Education: he studied law under Gamaliel, the great Hebrew teacher.
• Citizenship: he was a Roman citizen by birth.
• Religion: he was a member of the strictest Jewish religious party (the Pharisees).
• Place of residence: he grew up and spent much of his life in Jerusalem.

How did Saul persecute the church in Jerusalem?

Saul persecuted the church by arresting believers, imprisoning them and approving their killing.

• Stephen: Stephen was stoned to death in Saul’s presence.
• House searches: Saul went from house to house, forcing Christians out of their hiding places.
• Imprisonment: he put the believers he found in prison.
• Damage to church life: he crippled many activities of the Christians and brought havoc to the community.
• Killings: many believers were killed, and the persecution became more severe in Jerusalem.
• Scattering: many Christians fled from Jerusalem to other places outside the region.

Why did Saul go to Damascus?

Saul went to Damascus to arrest Christians there and bring them to the council for legal judgment.

• Zeal: he was so eager to bind all Christians that he would not stop at Jerusalem.
• Permission: he obtained permission from the high priest to make the journey.
• Aim: he planned to bring the arrested believers back for trial by the council.

How did Saul become a believer?

Saul became a believer after Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and Ananias ministered to him.

1. Saul travelled towards Damascus to arrest Christians.
2. On the way, he had an encounter with Jesus, who struck him down.
3. He became blind, and his companions led him by the hand into Damascus.
4. On the third day after his blindness, God used a disciple in Damascus named Ananias to minister to him.
5. Saul regained his sight and was enlisted into the army of the Lord.
6. He became an apostle who won many nations to the Lord.

Who was King Herod Agrippa I?

Herod Agrippa I was the king of the Jews who persecuted the church in Jerusalem.

• Origin: he was a Jew by birth.
• Position: the Roman authority that governed the Jews at the time appointed him king.
• Attitude: he was violent and aggressive in his opposition to the gospel.
• Motive: he was ready to do anything to please the leaders of the Jewish religion.

Why did King Herod kill James?

Herod killed James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee, to frighten the believers and please the Jews.

• Intimidation: he wanted to frighten the apostles and believers into giving up their faith.
• Warning: he wanted to show them how they would die if they continued to believe.
• Popularity: he wanted to please the Jewish leaders and people.
• Method: he arrested and imprisoned James, then killed him with the sword.

How did Herod arrest and guard Peter?

Herod arrested Peter after he saw that the Jews were pleased by the death of James.

1. Herod saw that the Jews were happy that James, a key apostle, was dead.
2. He then arrested Peter and put him in prison.
3. He placed Peter under the guard of four squads of soldiers.
4. The guard was meant to stop Peter escaping and to stop his companions rescuing him.
5. Herod planned to put Peter on trial before the Jewish authority after the feast of Passover.

How did the believers react to persecution?

Many believers fled from Jerusalem, while the church that remained prayed for those in prison.

• Flight: many Christians left Jerusalem for other places outside the region.
• Prayer: the church prayed earnestly to God for Peter while he was in prison.
• Faith: persecution did not end the church, and Saul himself later became a great apostle.

How did Saul and Herod Agrippa I compare as persecutors?

Saul and Herod Agrippa I both attacked the church, but they differed in position, method and later life.

Evaluation

1. Examine the havoc Saul caused in the early church.
2. What was the mission of Saul in Damascus?
3. Write a short note on the conversion of Saul.
4. State two reasons why King Herod killed James.
5. Describe how Herod arrested and guarded Peter.

Assignment

Read the topic in your textbook, then write a short account of how Saul and King Herod persecuted the church and how the believers reacted.

• Reading 1: Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS. BK 3 by T.N.O Quarcooome et al. Chapter 3, pages 39-40.
• Reading 2: Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS. BK 3 by Adeyinka et al. Chapter 3, pages 21-23.