Early Church Persecution

During the first and second centuries the Romans threw Christians and non-Christians alike to wild animals, including wild dogs. They did not distinguish between Jewish and Gentile converts to Christianity although it is true that for a short time Christians and Jews alike were granted the same dispensation from Emperor-worship. I found this information in ‘The History of Christianity’, Lion, 1977 pages 70 to 72:

"As long as the church was regarded simply as a Jewish sect, it was tolerated by the Roman authorities. For its first thirty years Christianity, like Judaism, enjoyed protection by Roman law. Partly for this reason Paul emhasized the benefits of good government. But once Judaism and Christianity began to diverge, Christians lost the special privileges given to Jews.

Jews were specially exempted from taking part in the cult of emperor-worship. Christians also sought this exemption, since they recognized only one God and served one Lord, Jesus Christ. But when the church became largely composed of Gentiles, it was no longer possible to shelter under the wing of Judaism. Christians refused to offer a pinch of incense on an altar to the divine Emperor - an act which most intelligent people considered to be merely symbolic - and this was interpreted as unpatriotic. In this way the official Roman attitude towards Christianity became less and less favourable.

Adherents of the new religion were subjected to a series of persecutions. These began with brief and apparently localized persecution in Rome under Nero in July 64. According to Tactitus, a Roman historian writing fifty years later, Nero tried to shift the blame on to the Christians after a rumour arose that he had started a fire which destroyed much of the city of Rome. The scale and length of these persecutions seem to have become exaggerated. But Revelation, the final book of the Bible, gives evidence of the persecution of Christians in the province of Asia under the Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81-96). Domitian took the title 'Master and god', and insisted that people took the official oath, "By the genius of the Emperor". Such claims could not be accepted by Jews or Christians.

Letters have survived between the Emperor Trajan and Pliny the Younger (governor of Bithynia AD 111-113) which makes it clear that by their time profession of Christianity could be a capital offence."

And this partial quote, from "The Early Church" by Henry Chadwick, pages 26-27:

"Under Domitian (81-96) the situation seems again to have become grave. Except for Caligula and Nero the emperors had traditionally discouraged over-enthusiastic subjects from offering them divine honours. Domitian took the opposite view, styling himself 'Master and God', and inclined to suspect of treachery those who looked askance at his cult. The customary oath 'by the genius of the emperor' became officially obligatory. There is good evidence that this created a crisis for the Jews. It is probable (though not quite certain) that the Church was no less embarrassed. According to the third-century historian Dio, several eminent Romans with Jewish sympathies were accused of 'atheism', and on this charge action was taken against Titus Flavius Clemens, consul in 95, and his wife Domitilla. Fourth century Christian tradition counted Domitilla a Christian, and perhaps the phrase 'atheism and Jewish sympathies' is Dio's polite circumlocution for Christianity. The Revelation of St John, with its denunciations of idolatrous, persecuting Rome as the scarlet woman drunk with the blood of saints, may reflect the tension in the churches of Asia Minor at this time."

Revelation, the final book of the Bible, gives evidence of the persecution of Christians in the province of Asia under the Emperor Domitian (81-96 A.D.). Domitian took the title 'Master and god', and insisted that people took the official oath, "By the genius of the Emperor". Such claims could not be accepted by either Jews or Christians.

Letters have survived between the Emperor Trajan and Pliny the Younger (governor of Bithynia 111-113 A.D.) which makes it clear that by their time profession of Christianity could be a capital offence. Emperor Trajan had Ignatius of Antioch thrown to the wild beasts in the Circus Maximus in Rome:

“We command that Ignatius, who affirms that he carries about within him Him that was crucified, be bound by soldiers, and carried to the great [city] Rome, there to be devoured by the beasts, for the gratification of the people.” He was then taken to Rome to the Circus Maximus to be thrown to the beasts. Ignatius wrote a letter before the Romans killed him: “I am the wheat of God and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ.” Source: https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=677

McClintock & Strong Biblical Cyclopedia (online) gives detailed information on the various Roman Emperors who persecuted Christians. In the year 95, under the rule of Domitian, 40,000 Christians were supposed to have suffered Martyrdom. http://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/P/persecutions-of-christians.html

If there is any evidence of contention between Jewish and Gentile Christians based on the persecution they suffered at the hands of Roman Emperors, I would like to see it. This is not something I’ve heard before.