With reference to developments after Jesus' death, answer the following questions.
(a) What role did Paul play in the rise of Christianity?
(b) Why did Christianity win a large following in Roman society?
Answers
Ans a)
Famously converted on the road to Damascus, he travelled tens of thousands of miles around the Mediterranean spreading the word of Jesus and it was Paul who came up with the doctrine that would turn Christianity from a small sect of Judaism into a worldwide faith that was open to all.
Ans b)
At that time we have the decline of Rome and the rise of immorality, especially among the higher echelons of society. We also have a huge number of slaves and a rapidly growing number of impoverished Romans who were treated with cruelty.
Christianity did the ultimate trick, it didn't talk to the rich people and didn't call for the nobles to join it but the poor, the slaves, the women. Christianity called the masses and not only that, it told them that they have worth, that they will inherit the earth, that God loves them best, that they may be poor but that in the end they are the winners and better than those who look down upon them but who won’t be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Christianity talked and offered hope and words of love and even pride to those who were mistreated and looked down upon, to those who had no rights…..to those who were the masses, the vast majority. Before Christianity all those people were mistreated but not united since their oppression had different reasons. Under Christianity they united and became a power to fear….