Overall History of the New Testament (According to the book of Acts)

Overall History of the New Testament 

(According to the book of Acts)

In 63BC, Pompey, the Roman general captured Jerusalem 

(ever since, the whole of Israel territory is under Roman Empire)

1. Birth of Christ (4BC), during the ruling period of:

 

- Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar, 27BC-AD14 (Luke 2:1)

- King of Judah Herod the Great, the Palestine region divided into 3 provinces between his sons:

Archelaus (4BC-AD6), recorded in Matthew 2:22

Herod Antipas (4BC-AD39) --> beheaded John the baptist, questioning Jesus after Pilate

Philip (4BC-AD33) --> whose wife was taken by Herod Antipas

2. Baptism of Jesus, the starting of Jesus' Ministry (AD26-27):

Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar, AD 14-37

Governor of Judea Pontius Pilate, AD2-36

Herod Antipas tetrach of Galilee, 4BC-AD39

3. Cruxifiction, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus (AD29-30):

After appearance before His disciples for 40 days, Jesus ascended in the vicinity of bethany (Luke 24:50-51) in the region of the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12)

4. The establishment of the early church (started AD30-100)

Centered in Jerusalem, mainly led by Peter and John (Acts 1-7)

Cornelius and his family was the first converted gentile (Acts 10)

The ruling Roman Emperors after Tiberius Caesar were: Caligula (AD37-41), Claudius (AD41-54), Nero (AD54-68), Galba (AD68-69), Vespatian (AD69-79), Titus (AD79-81), Domitian (AD81-96)

The Palestine region was oerall riled by Herod Agrippa I (AD39-44) after the death of Herod Antipas.

5. Conversion of Saul in AD32, as in Acts 9.

He was converted near Damascus.

After his conversion he first preached there, then went to Arabia (Gal 1:17) and then returned to Damascus till driven out by the Jews. Next, he went to Jerusalem, meeting Peter and James (Gal 1:18). There was a plot to kill him, so he left for Tarsus, his home town.

6. Beginning of the foreign missionary

As the church sprouted in Jerusalem, persecution from the Jews and King Herod Agrippa I kept escalating, so that many disciples and apostles scattered as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch in Syria while spreading the Gospel. During this persecution period, the church in Antioch established (Acts 11:19-26), with Barnabas and Saul leading them.

7. The death of Herod Agrippa I, (AD44) as in Acts 12:23

Persecuted disciples; killed James the apostle (Acts12:2); arrested Peter (Acts 12:3-4)

8. Famine in Roman Empire (AD45) as in Acts 11:28.

During this time, Saul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to send the gift from the church in Antioch (Acts 11:29-30 & Gal 2:1)

9. Paul's FIRST missionary journey (AD46-48) as in Acts 13:2 - 14:28)

Upon returning from Jerusalem, Barnabas and Saul sent off to the region of Galatia (together with John Mark who also came from Jerusalem).

Route: Antioch - Seleucia - Cyprus (met Elymus the sorcerer) - Perga (John left for Jerusalem) - Pisdian Antioch - Iconium - Lystra (Paul and Barnabas were perceived as gods, then they were stoned) - Derbe - returned to Lystra - Iconia - Pisidian Antioch - Perga - Attalia - back to Antioch.

10. Jerusalem Council (around AD49) as in Acts 15:1-35)

To address the issue about circumcision for converted gentiles. After the counsel, Paul returned to Antioch, and he wrote a letter to the church in Galatia as they faced the same problem (AD49-50)

11. Paul's SECOND missionary journey (AD49-52) as in Acts 15:36 - 18:22)

Paul parted with Barnabas who took John Mark with him. Paul chose Silas who came with him from Jerusalem after Jerusalem council.

Route: Antioch - Derbe - Lystra (Timothy joined) - Iconium - Pisidian Antioch - Troas - Neapolis - Philippi (for several days; conversion of Lydia and Paul's imprisonment) - Thessalonica (for 3 weeks; Jews mob assaults Jason) - Berea - Athens (Paul preached in Areopagus) - Corinth (for 1.5 years; met Aquila and Priscilla who were expelled from Rome; Paul was brought to proconsul Gallio; books 1&2 Thess written in AD 50-51) - Cenchrea - Ephesus - Caesarea - back to Antioch.

12. Expulsion of the Jews from Rome, by order of Claudius (AD49) as in Acts 18:2

13. Appointment of Gallio as proconsul of Achaia in AD51-52

Paul brought to Gallio by Jews who attacked him in Corinth (Acts 18:12)

14. Paul's third missionary journey (AD53-57) s in Acts 18:23 - 21:17

Route: Antioch - Derbe - Lystra - Iconium - Pisidian Antioch - Ephesus (for 3 months Pauls taught in the Synagogue and for 2 years, Paul taught in the hall of Tyrannus; mass conversions, sorcerers repented by burning their scrolls; riot led by silersmith Demetrius who made shrines for Artemis; book of 1 Corinthians written in AD55) - Troas Macedonia (books of 1Timothy and 2 Corinthians were written in AD 56) - Corinth (3 months; books of Romans and Titus were written in AD57) - returned to Philippi, Macedonia (on the way back to Syria) - Troas (Eutychus fell off the window) - Assos - Miletus (farewell to Ephesian elders) - Cos - Rhodes - Patara - Tyre (stayed for 7 days) - Ptolemais - Caesarea (prophet Agabus came from Judea and predicted Paul's arrest in Jerusalem) - Jerusalem

15. The arrest of Paul in Jerusalem (AD57) as in Acts 21:27 - 22:29

Reason: The Jews provoked the people that Paul's teaching was against the law and had defiled the temple by bringing the gentiles in.

Trials before the Sanhedrin, then transferred to Caesarea fro trials before Governor Felix, Governor Festus, King Agrippa II. That took 2 years (Acts 22:30 - 26:32). During this time, books of Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon were written (AD58).

Paul then appealed to Caesar (the reason for the journey to Rome.)

16. Paul's Journey to Rome. (AD59-60) as in Acts 27:1 - 28:31.

The whole journey to Rome took about 4 months after leaving Caesarea.

Route: Caesarea - Sidon - Myra (change ship to an Alexandrian ship) - Fair Havens in Crete - Driven across the sea, shipwreck before reaching Malta - Malta (Paul bitten by a snake but nothing happened to him; healing the official's father and the sick) - Syracuse in Sicily - Rhegium - Puteoli (stayed for one week; visited by disciples from Three Tavern and Forum of Appius) - Rome.

Upon arrival in AD60, Paul was under house arrest while preaching the gospel and writing letters to various churches and individuals (Philippians in AD60-62 and 2 Timothy in AD64)

17. Rome was set ablaze by Nero in AD64

Christians were blamed for setting the city on fire. The persecution from the Roman Emperor was then more and more severe.

18. Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman Empire in AD 70 during the rule of Vespatian

19. The 4 gospels and the book of Acts were written in the span of AD 60-70

20. The last book : Revelation (in AD95-96)

Written by John the apostle during his exile in Patmos island; John died around AD100.

His last letter: 2 Timothy, written in AD64. He was executed in Rome around AD64 by Nero's order after Rome was set on Fire by Nero.