Premise 1: Why would the disciples invent a religion that would make them social outcasts ?

In the first century A.D when the New Testament was written Christians were arguably the most hated people on earth. The Roman government sanctioned their leaders execution, and the Jewish nation that disciples belonged to persecuted and killed Christians regularly.

The Jewish leaders and people would: ostracize, excommunicate, harass, imprison and even stone to death people who identified as followers of Christ.

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered the city. And the next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.

Acts 14:19

And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 8:1

The reasons Jews hated Christians:

1. They had deserted their Jewish faith which was the highest form of blasphemy
2. They believed in Jesus who called himself God which was the highest form of blasphemy
3. They were jealous and felt threatened that Christianity would destroy their traditions and political hold on the region

Soon after Christ died, the Roman nation began persecuting Christians in some of the most horrific ways imaginable. Christian men and women were imprisoned, beheaded, crucified, and and some were killed, stuffed in animal carcasses and hung from bridges or poles as an example.

The reasons Romans hated Christians:

1. Christians refused to worship the emperor or any other of their pantheon of gods
2. Christianity appeared as a movement that promoted disruption of the established order and dangerous social tendencies
3. The widespread perception that Christians refusal to worship other Gods was the source of all disasters brought against the human race by the other gods

For the first century Christian to profess Christianity was to immediately invite reproach, alienation, imprisonment and even death.

Jesus not only predicted this, but guaranteed it :

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be as wary as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and beaten in the synogogues. And you must stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me, yes, to witness to the world…

And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to Me

Matthew 10:16-22

The Apostle Paul who planted most of the first churches guaranteed it:

 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

2 Timothy 3:12

If Christianity is a human invention , it would have been invented just shortly after these words were spoken by Jesus. After the disciples watched Jesus brutally die on the cross, why invent a Christianity that promised the same kind of treatment to them, their wives, and their children ?

Why not just retreat back to their Jewish traditions and be totally accepted, and safe?

Instead they chose to became virtual outlaws and outcasts in their own homelands.

The same thing is happening in the modern era. In 2021 Christianity is the fastest growing religion in China and Iraq. Ironically, these are also two of the countries where Christians are most persecuted, and even killed for their beliefs.

Discussion Question 1: Why would the disciples invent a religion that guaranteed danger and hardship…the opposite of a crutch of comfort and security ? Why would millions of new Christians in China, and Iraq be willing to risk alienation from family, economic persecution, and death for a religion they just made up to feel more secure in the world? Does that make sense?

Premise 2 : Would the disciples invent a religion that emphasized serving over being served…humility over prominence?

The disciples and apostles wrote the books of the New Testament shortly after Jesus’s death. During that time prestige, honor, and wealth and even the supposed favor of God was measured by how much land, livestock, and servants you had.

Society was made up of those who were served by people, low society by those who served served people.

Yet in the 27 books of the Old Testament, instead of inventing a religion where those leaders closest to Jesus would be guaranteed honor, power, and prestige, the apostles and Jesus are quoted in every book denouncing the pursuit of power and human acclaim while exalting humility, service, and costly sacrifice.

Here is Jesus emphasizing this to the disciples before He died:

Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. “What is your request?’ he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left?’

When the other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said , “You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave.”

Matthew 20:20-27

The biblical terms used for serving others appear over 200 times in the New Testament. No other religion emphasizes the sacrifice of one’s time, energy, resources, and status like Christianity does.

Also no other religion has it’s leader serving it’s constituents instead of being served.

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many

Jesus, Matthew 20:28

Discussion Question 2: Why would the apostles invent a religion that relegated them to the status of those lowest in society, that commanded them to become servants to even the lowest of society ?

Premise 3 : Would the disciples invent a religion that brought their leader the death penalty and essentially promised the same to them?

One of the main reasons former atheists give for changing their minds about Christianity is they couldn’t imagine the early Christians being willing to die for a made up religion.

The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief

TS Eliot

Here are the causes of death for all the disciples except Judas according to historians:

• Peter martyred in Rome around 66 A.D. He was crucified upside down.
• Paul beheaded in Rome around 66 A.D. under Emperor Nero
• Andrew was crucified in Greece
• Thomas was pierced through with the spears of soldiers
• Phillip cruelly put to death in Asia Minor by Roman proconsul for converting his wife to Christianity
• Matthew presumed to be stabbed to death in Ethiopia
• Bartholomew was martyred for the Gospel with various accounts of how
• James was reported to have been stoned and clubbed to death by historian Josephus
• Simon killed in Persia for refusing to sacrifice to the sun god
• John died of old age exiled on the rocky island of Patmos for preaching the Gospel
• Matthias the apostle chose to replace Judas, tradition says he was burned alive

The disciples did not enter Christianity with their eyes closed to the potential for death. They saw first hand their King brutally tortured, and murdered. He was the one who warned them they too might end up dying for choosing to follow Him.

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hat their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Jesus John 12:24-25

Discussion Question 3: Why would the disciples who saw their leader executed, invent a religion around that same executed leader knowing it would put them in immediate danger ?

ThinkCubed Truth Veracity Grid:

Have I considered the issue carefully, honestly, and with an open mind?

Does what I think conform to the rules of logic and avoid contradictions?

Is what I believe influenced by my own bias, presuppositions, or desires?