The idea of social revolutions is more of a modern concept rather than an ancient phenomenon. Mostly, in the days of Jesus, those with the most military might ruled. For something to be a social movement, this would have to gain acceptance from the ruling powers; but only if it were unable to be stomped out.
Israel conquered the nations that lived in the lands that they were given to possess. The Assyrians eventually destroyed Israel after it had split from Judea. Judea was conquered by the Babylonians and most of its population taken to Babylon. The Persians conquered the Babylonians. The Macedonians conquered the Persians and spread Greek culture (known as Hellenism) far and wide—the acceptance of which became a sociological phenomenon that even influenced the Romans. The Romans, eventually overtook the western part of the Macedonian empire, but they were deeply entrenched in Babylonian cultic worship of the mother/child cult, which was used as means of controlling the populace.
The Jews were a problem for the Macedonian leg of the Alexander the Great’s Empire, which was dominated by the rule of the Seleucids that reigned out of Syria. Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a Hellenistic Greek king of the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC and tried to force Hellenism upon the Jews. The Jews revolted. The Maccabean War ensured that Judaism remained intact, even if the Hellenization of the Jews abroad proved so influential that the Tanakh was translated into Greek and the Septuagint became a widely read version of the Holy Scriptures, instead of the Hebrew text.
Judaism was wide reaching and found wherever Jews lived around the world. Even though this does not fit the popular historical narrative, there is evidence of Jewish communities having traveled as far East as Japan (Japanese Author Traces Nippon Origin to Hebrew Race), and Hebrew writing having been found in the Americas dating back thousands of years—one of a number of various finds discovered at different times being the Newark Holy Stones.
However, Judaism was not a threat to the Roman Empire and its Babylonian system that was used to control the masses; whereas Christianity began to grow at a phenomenal rate among all classes. People were abandoning their superstitions in droves.
- But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the people. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” (Acts 17:5-7)
- About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way. For a man named Deme′trius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Ar′temis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Ar′temis may count for nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” (Acts 19:23-27)
Pagans were probably most suspicious of the Christian refusal to sacrifice to the Roman gods. This was an insult to the gods and potentially endangered the empire which they deigned to protect. Furthermore, the Christian refusal to offer sacrifices to the emperor, a semi-divine monarch, had the whiff of both sacrilege and treason about it…Eventually, Constantine saw that it was better to unite the Christians rather than strengthen their movement through persecution. Hence, the birth of Roman Catholic Church came about when Christianity was made a state religion and pagan holidays such as the Virgin Birth were given a Christian makeover, then revered as pertaining to Lord Jesus Christ. (Are Holidays like Christmas and Easter pagan or Christian?)
…Christians were first, and horribly, targeted for persecution as a group by the emperor Nero in 64 AD. A colossal fire broke out at Rome, and destroyed much of the city. Rumours abounded that Nero himself was responsible. He certainly took advantage of the resulting devastation of the city, building a lavish private palace on part of the site of the fire…. Nero ordered that Christians should be rounded up and killed. Some were torn apart by dogs, others burnt alive as human torches. Over the next hundred years or so, Christians were sporadically persecuted. It was not until the mid-third century that emperors initiated intensive persecutions. Christianity and the Roman Empire
The Christians possessed something that was so real to them that whatever this world had to offer, knowing Lord Jesus Christ was more important. For Lord Jesus said that His kingdom was not of this world. Once people were baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit, death meant nothing to fear.
- But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samar′ia and to the end of the earth.”Acts 1:8
The Bible explains in the book of Acts who these persons were that were threatened by the sociological impact of the Son of God’s disciples. History records the events that happened; historians interpret them. But all we really need to know is the truth—those possessed of the Holy Spirit have the power to move mountains. The greatest mountain that needs removing is the fear of death and it use by those who attempt to control people's freewill.
Trusting Historians Is Akin To Believing Politicians Will Never Tell You Falsehoods
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