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

Persecution of the early church believers was the hostile treatment of the first Christians by religious leaders because they preached about Jesus Christ and his resurrection.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. Describe how the lame man at the Beautiful Gate was healed.
2. State why Peter and John were arrested and what the religious council did to them.
3. List the charges brought against Stephen.
4. Explain how Stephen died and how he treated his accusers.
5. State lessons Christians can learn from the persecution of the early church.

What are the key terms in this topic?

Five terms are used throughout this topic.

• Persecution: cruel or hostile treatment of people because of their beliefs.
• Martyr: a person who is killed because of his or her faith.
• Blasphemy: speaking against God or holy things with disrespect.
• Alms: money or gifts given to the poor.
• Deacon: a church helper chosen to serve, such as the seven chosen to share food.

Why were Peter and John arrested?

Peter and John were arrested because they preached in the name of Jesus Christ and taught that he had risen from the dead.

• Power of the Holy Spirit: after the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they preached the gospel boldly.
• Miracles: they performed miracles in the name of Jesus Christ.
• Healing at the Beautiful Gate: one of these miracles was the healing of a lame man at the temple.

How was the lame man at the Beautiful Gate healed?

The lame man was healed when Peter commanded him, in the name of Jesus, to stand up and walk.

1. Peter and John went to the temple to pray.
2. The lame man sat at the gate called Beautiful, begging for alms.
3. He looked at them, hoping to receive money.
4. Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus, stand up and walk.”
5. Peter took the man by the hand and pulled him up.
6. Immediately the man stood, walked and began to run.

What happened after the miracle?

The miracle drew a crowd, and Peter used the chance to preach, which led to the arrest of the apostles.

• The crowd: people who saw the miracle gathered around Peter and John.
• The sermon: Peter preached to them about Jesus Christ.
• The anger of the authorities: they were displeased because the apostles preached the resurrection of Jesus.
• The arrest: the religious leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in prison for one night.
• The converts: many who heard the message believed, and the number of believers grew to about five thousand.

What happened at the trial of Peter and John?

At the trial, the religious council questioned the apostles, could not punish them, and only warned them to stop preaching.

1. The next day, Peter and John stood before the elders, the scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Alexander and members of the high priest’s family.
2. After serious questioning, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, said publicly that the man was healed in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. The council saw the healed man standing there and did not know what to do.
4. They warned the apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus again.
5. Peter replied by asking whether it was right to obey man instead of God.

Why was it hard for the council to punish the apostles?

• Clear evidence: the healed man stood before them, so the miracle could not be denied.
• Public support: the people were praising God for what had happened.
• Bold witness: Peter spoke with courage and gave the credit to Jesus Christ.

How did Stephen become a martyr?

Stephen became a martyr when angry religious leaders falsely accused him of blasphemy and stoned him to death for preaching about Jesus.

Who was Stephen?

• His character: he was full of the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
• His office: he was one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles to distribute food and other materials.
• His work: he preached the gospel with zeal and the great power of God.
• His opponents: his preaching displeased some religious leaders, who argued with him but could not silence him.

What charges were brought against Stephen?

Three charges were brought against Stephen when his opponents could not find any fault in him.

1. Blasphemy against God and Moses.
2. Speaking against the temple and the law.
3. Declaring that Jesus would destroy the temple in Jerusalem and change the laws of Moses.

How did Stephen die?

Stephen died by stoning, outside the city of Jerusalem.

1. Under the Law of Moses, these charges were punishable by death.
2. Stephen, full of the power of God, traced the long history of the Jews up to the crucifixion of Jesus.
3. The people became furious and dragged him out of the city.
4. They stoned him to death.
5. The witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.

How did Stephen treat his accusers?

• Forgiveness: he prayed to God to forgive those who were stoning him.
• Faith: he stayed faithful to Christ to the end.
• Example: his forgiveness followed the example of Jesus on the cross.

How do the cases of Peter and John and of Stephen compare?

Peter and John were arrested and warned, while Stephen was killed. The table compares the two cases.

What lessons can Christians learn from the persecution of the early church?

The early believers teach Christians to stay faithful to Christ even when they suffer.

• Courage: Peter and John kept preaching in spite of threats.
• Obedience to God: God’s command comes before human orders that go against it.
• Forgiveness: Stephen forgave the people who killed him.
• Faith in Jesus’ name: the healing at the Beautiful Gate shows the power in the name of Jesus.
• Helping the needy: Peter gave the lame man healing, which was better than the money he asked for.

Practice questions

1. The first Christian martyr was (a) James (b) Peter (c) Stephen (d) Abel
2. Peter and John were arrested because they (a) were filled with the Holy Spirit (b) healed the lame man (c) preached the gospel so confidently (d) disobeyed the laws of the land
3. The leader of the church after the death of Christ was (a) James (b) Peter (c) Stephen (d) Paul
4. Those who killed Stephen laid their clothes at the feet of (a) Saul (b) James (c) Annas (d) Alexander
5. ………… was healed at the Beautiful Gate. (a) a paralytic man (b) a lame man (c) a blind man (d) a deaf man

Evaluation

1. Discuss what led to the arrest of Peter and John.
2. Why was it difficult for the council to punish the apostles?
3. List the three charges brought against Stephen.
4. Why did Stephen pray for the people who stoned him?
5. Why have many Christians suffered for their faith? Support your points with biblical facts.

Assignment

1. State two lessons from the healing of the man at the Beautiful Gate and three lessons from the martyrdom of Stephen.

Reading assignment

1. Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS. BK 3, by T.N.O Quarcoopome et al. Chapter 3, pages 37-39.
2. Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS. BK 3, by Adeyinka et al. Chapter 3, pages 19-22.