Christianity from Judaism to Constantine: Crash Course World History #11

CrashCourse
5 Apr 201211:37
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video explores the origins of Christianity, beginning with Judaism and the covenant between God and Abraham. It discusses key figures like Jesus, who was a radical preacher in Judea promising an everlasting kingdom and performing miracles, although he was not the only self-proclaimed 'Messiah.' The Romans crucified Jesus for being threatening, but his followers believed him to be God's son. Christianity spread because of continued Roman persecution, the missionary work of figures like Paul, and the appeal it held for people living in a declining empire.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Jesus was born a Jew and grew up in the Jewish tradition. He was one of many teachers spreading ideas in Judea at the time.
  • 👨‍👧‍👦 The covenant between God and Abraham is key to understanding Judaism and the idea that Jews are God's chosen people.
  • 🌍 By Jesus' time, Judea was under Roman control ruled by Herod the Great and later his son.
  • 🙏 Jesus preached a message of peace, love and justice that appealed to the poor and downtrodden.
  • 🔨 Jesus was seen as a threat by Roman authorities who had him arrested and crucified.
  • 😇 Some Jews saw Jesus as the prophesied Messiah and Son of God who would establish a new kingdom.
  • 🌎 Christianity spread through the Roman Empire thanks to Paul's missionary work and decision to open it up to non-Jews.
  • ⛪ The Jewish diaspora and destruction of the temple in 70 CE led Jesus' followers to solidify a distinct Christian identity.
  • 📝 Roman decline and lack of promise of an afterlife made Christianity appealing despite early persecutions.
  • 👑 Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity helped it become fully mainstream in the Roman Empire.
Q & A

  • Why was Jesus considered a threat to Roman authorities?

    -Jesus was considered a threat because his message of peace, love and justice was anti-authoritarian and empowering to the poor and downtrodden. He criticized the rich and powerful, which threatened the status quo.

  • What covenant did God make with Abraham?

    -God made a covenant with Abraham that if Abraham circumcised all male children, God would make Abraham the father of a great nation, give him many descendants, and give Abraham's descendants the land of Canaan.

  • How did Saul become Paul?

    -Saul received a vision of Jesus while traveling to Damascus. After this vision, he converted and took on the name Paul. As Paul, he traveled extensively to spread Christianity.

  • Why did early Christians use the fish symbol?

    -The Greek word for fish, Ichthys, was an acronym for themes central to Christianity. It allowed early Christians to identify each other secretly when Christianity was still an underground religion.

  • Why did Christianity spread so much more than other messiah-based faiths?

    -Christianity opened itself to non-Jews, allowing it to spread beyond a single ethnicity. Also, it provided spiritual comfort amidst Roman decline and had missionaries like Paul to spread its message.

  • What happened to the Jews after the failed revolt of 66-73 CE?

    -After the failed revolt, the Romans destroyed the Jewish temple and expelled Jews from Judea, beginning the Jewish Diaspora. This strengthened early Christianity by forcing it to clarify its beliefs.

  • What are some key attributes of the Abrahamic God?

    -Key attributes are singularity, transcendence, personal involvement in human history and affairs, and a moral righteousness demanding social justice.

  • How was Jesus perceived as fulfilling Jewish prophecy?

    -Many details of Jesus's life, such as being misunderstood and mistreated, resonated with existing Jewish prophecies about the messiah, leading followers to believe he was the prophesied figure.

  • What previous tradition influenced the Jewish idea of a messiah?

    -The idea of a divine savior was influenced by other cultures as well, including the Romans, who prophesied figures like emperor Augustus in messianic terms.

  • What role did Emperor Constantine play in Christianity becoming widespread?

    -When Constantine allowed and later converted to Christianity, it enabled the religion to spread rapidly since people often followed the emperor's lead.

Outlines
00:00
🤵 Jesus - The Poor Jew Who Became the Son of God

This paragraph introduces Jesus, stating he was born a poor Jew but seen as the Son of God, which was very unusual. It gives background on Judaism which is key to understanding Jesus and Christianity. It highlights the concept of monotheism that the Hebrews developed, centered around one true transcendent and personal God. It also introduces the idea of the covenant between God and Abraham, where God chooses Abraham and his descendants to be a great nation in exchange for faith and obedience.

05:00
😡 Jesus Preached Justice and Defied Authorities, Leading to Crucifixion

This paragraph discusses Jesus's life and preaching calling for peace, love and justice which attracted loyal followers but threatened powers. It states he was arrested, tried, and crucified by the Romans as a rebel, not because Jews killed him as some claim. It avoids discussing his divinity, but notes historical fact that followers believed him the Messiah who would return to redeem the world.

10:03
🤔 Why People Believed Jesus was the Messiah and How Christianity Spread

This final paragraph looks at why people believed Jesus was the Messiah, linking him to Jewish prophecies and desire for a new kingdom. It gives three reasons Christianity spread so widely: 1) Worsening conditions for Jews cemented Jesus followers' decision to open up their religion beyond Judaism 2) Paul spread it around the Roman Empire by converting Gentiles 3) Christianity flourished in a declining Empire that offered no afterlife, with people seeking hope.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in one true god. This concept was key to the development of Judaism and later Christianity. The video explains how the Hebrews originally worshipped many gods but eventually centered their religion around monotheism - the idea that there is only one true God. This God demands moral righteousness and social justice.
💡covenant
A covenant is a deal or promise between God and his people. According to the video, God made a covenant with Abraham that if he worshipped the one true God, his descendants would become a great nation. This introduced the idea that the Jews are God's chosen people.
💡messiah
The messiah is a savior figure that the Jews believed would come to them in a time of trouble and suffering. Many Jews saw Jesus as fulfilling the prophecies about the messiah, which is one reason they came to believe he was the son of God.
💡diaspora
After the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and expelled the Jews from Judea, the Jewish people dispersed all over the world. This 'diaspora' forced the early followers of Jesus to decide if they would remain Jewish or become something else. Their decision to open up to non-Jews facilitated the spread of Christianity.
💡Paul
Paul (originally Saul) was a Roman citizen who helped spread Christianity after his vision on the road to Damascus. He declared that Christians did not have to obey Jewish laws, which opened up the religion to thousands of new converts across the Roman Empire.
💡persecution
The early Christians faced persecution from Roman authorities who saw the new religion as a threat. However, Christianity continued to slowly grow despite the persecution, promising followers an afterlife that traditional Roman religion did not.
💡Constantine
Emperor Constantine allowed and eventually converted to Christianity, making it the dominant religion of the Roman empire. Since people still wanted to imitate the emperor, this caused Christianity to spread rapidly.
💡prophets
The Jewish tradition included many prophets who spoke for God and rebuked the people for straying from his commandments. Jesus was one of many preachers in this prophetic tradition calling people to return to godly ways.
💡crucifixion
As punishment for threatening their authority, the Romans crucified Jesus, a typical method of executing rebels at that time. The video emphasizes that it was the Romans, not Jews, who were responsible for Jesus's crucifixion.
💡afterlife
Unlike belief systems in the Roman empire at the time, Christianity offered followers the promise of an afterlife. This made the religion appealing even as the empire declined, giving both meaning and hope.
Highlights

Jesus was a preacher who spread his message of peace, love and, above all, justice

Jesus's message was particularly resonant to the poor and downtrodden and pretty radical in its anti-authoritarian stance

The Romans crucified Jesus, because he was a, threat to their authority

Fighting over such things rarely accomplishes anything

What matters to us is the historical fact, that people at the time believed that Jesus was the Messiah

Many of the prophecies about this savior point to someone whose life looks a lot like Jesus's

The decision to open up their religion to non-Jews is the central reason that Christianity could become a world religion

Without a Temple or geographic unity, the Jews had to solidify what it meant to be a Jew and what the basic tenants of the religion were

It was Paul who emphatically declared that Jesus followers did NOT have to be Jews

Christianity was born and flourished an empire with a common language that allowed for its spread

Even though early Christians were persecuted by the Roman Empire and sometimes fed to the lions and other animals, the religion continued to grow

For the average person, things weren’t as good as they had been, in fact they were getting worse so fast that you might have thought the end of the world was coming

Roman religion offered no promise of an afterlife

Emperor Constantine allowed the worship of Jesus and then eventually converted to Christianity himself

Soon enough there was a new son of God on coins

Transcripts

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