The first century of Christianity is shrouded in mystery. What we know for sure, compared to what we are told by traditional accounts is wide ranging and extremely problematic. The earliest Christian documents we have are letters from Paul, dating to the 40s-50s and early 60s. Only 7 of them are considered to by authentic and written by one author.These letters from Paul contain the most important details about Jesus being crucified. We have letters from John and Peter, which may not be authentic, but are nevertheless, late 1st century and early 2nd century texts written by Christians. Most scholars date the 3 Synoptic Gospels to the late 1st and early 2nd century, starting with Mark around 70, then Matthew between 85-95, and Luke-Acts in the early to middle of the 2nd century. The Gospel of John also is dated by most scholars between the 90s and 140s. All four of these gospels did not have names of authors attached to them until the end of the 2nd century. So we don’t even know if they really were written by Mark, Matthew, Luke or John. These titles were given by later Church fathers. The earliest physical fragments of these texts that we have are from the late 2nd and 3rd century. And the oldest full copy of the bible in existence is Codex Sinaiticus from 325 AD. The Gospel of Thomas, which was once an important early christian text, is dated between late 1st and early 2nd century (some even arguing that it could be the oldest) but was not selected among the Biblical Canon by the Church fathers in the 4th century. Although it’s impact on early Christianity was massive. Outside of that, there is a plethora of gospels and texts produced by early christians in the 2nd century that will be discussed later in the video.

In the 4th century, Eusibius provides a detailed list of the early Church Bishops in Antioch, Rome, Alexandria, Athens, Corinth, Smyrna and others. These lists show a direct continuation from the apostles like Andrew, consecrating the father of the Heretic Marcion, Philologus, the first bishop of Sinope as well as consecrating the first bishop of Corinth, named Apollos, who is mentioned in Paul’s letters. And Mark being the first bishop of Alexandria consecrated by Peter, with Peter being the first bishop of both Antioch and Rome, consecrating both Linus and Evodius. And of course, they list James as the leader and first bishop of the Church of Jerusalem. And from them are the 70 apostles listed in Acts, with names that look familiar to people mentioned in Paul’s letters. These elaborate lists of succesion show what appears to be a United Church that has a direct line of Orthodoxy from Jesus down to Constantine. However, the primary sources show this to be not only problematic, but impossible in some cases. Many of the sources conflicting lists with each other and people considered to be alive in certain times are somehow alive in times when they should be dead. And the survinving texts we have are so few and far between, that it becomes a nightmare to try to peice it all together. The truth is, early Chrisitianity was far from united. It was so diverse that I would argue Christians in the first two centuries were farther apart than a Moorman is today with a Catholic.

00:00:00 – Intro 00:05:35 – (Ch.1) Apostolic Succesion 00:07:40 – (Ch.2) Early Chrisitan Sects. 00:10:38 – (Ch.3) Historical Jesus 00:13:29 – (Ch.4) Great Assembly 00:15:38 – (Ch.5) Sibylline Oracles 00:31:08 – (Ch.6) Early Roman Sources 00:35:27 – (Ch.7) The Mandaeans 00:37:26 – (Ch.8) Pagan Baptists 00:41:30 – (Ch.9) Who was Paul writing to? 00:45:05 – (Ch.10) Cult of Theos-Hypsistos & Early Christ Assemblies 00:54:03 – (Ch.11) Carpocrations & Marcellina 01:07:16 – (Ch.12) Apotheosis of Epiphanes & Simon Magus 01:17:11 – (Ch.13) Simon Magus, Father of Heresy 01:26:14 – (Ch.14) Gnostic & Catholic Schizm 01:28:00 – (Ch.15) Basilides & Abraxas 01:31:02 – (Ch.16) Pre-Christian Gnosticism 01:33:54 – (Ch.17) Gnosis Vs. Fath 01:36:06 – (Ch.18) Apocryphon of John 01:43:45 – (Ch.19) Zoroaster’s Grandfather Zostrianos 01:46:40 – (Ch.20) Gnostics & Docetists 01:48:11 – (Ch.21) Marcion of Sinope 01:56:34 – (Ch.22) Valentinus of Rome 01:58:09 – (Ch.23) Gnostic Paul & Sophia 02:04:54 – (Ch.24) Markus Magus 02:09:29 – (Ch.25) Nasseene Preacher 02:14:42 – (Ch.26) Clement of Rome’s Phoenix 02:18:21 – (Ch.27) Ignatius Vs. Docetists 02:20:01 – (Ch.28) Polycarp 02:21:13 – (Ch.29) Papias 02:21:53 – (Ch.30) Justin Martyr 02:24:10 – (Ch.31) WWJD Bishopic Authority or Secret Gnosis 02:28:44 – (Ch.32) 3rd Century Outcome 02:30:44 – (Ch.33) Conclusion #gnosticinformant #christianity #gnosticism