Christianity’s 2,000 Year Timeline

2000 YEAR TIMELINE

Undisputed dates are in bold type. Christian events have been inserted, some tentatively, within this framework.

Year AD	Event
	The Resurrection.
	The leaders of the Jews persecute the first Christians.
	Saul/Paul is converted.
	Matthew composes his Hebrew gospel/ liturgy in Palestine.
	Matthew’s gospel issued in Greek.
	King Herod Agrippa executes the Apostle James the Great.
	Peter escapes and flees to Rome.
37-4141	The other apostles spread out from Palestine.Theophilus is high priest of the JewsLuke writes his gospel for the GentilesLuke writes his ACTS
44	Kng Herod Agrippa dies.
49	Jews and Christians expelled from Rome following riots.
	First of Paul’s epistles; some influenced by Matthew’s gospel.
	Paul imprisoned by Romans.
	A copy of Matthew’s Gospel taken to India.
54	Nero becomes emperor
	The Apostle James the Less, bishop of Jerusalem, killed by stoning.
	The Christians are expelled from the Temple.
	Paul asks Timothy to join him on a mission to Spain.
	Paul released from prison.
	Peter ordains Linus, Cletus and Clement as assistant bishops.
61	Caesare Philipi renamed Neronius
	John writes twenty chapters of his Gospel
64 July	Rome devastated by fire.
64 Oct 13th	St. Peter’s martyrdom (See this site: B 104).
65 Spring	Nero enlarges his persecution of Christians.
	Linus replaces Peter as bishop of Rome.
66	Jewish rebellion in Palestine.
	Paul goes to Spain.
68 early	Jerusalem surrounded for first time by Romans.
68 June	Suicide of Emperor Nero followed by civil strife. This leads to the Roman troops, surrounding Jerusalem, being withdrawn.
	Mark distributes larger second edition of Peter’s talks.
	Paul returns from Spain and visits Asia and Crete.
	Paul writes an epistle to the Hebrew Christians in Jerusalem.
	The Hebrew Christians flee from Jerusalem to Pella.
	Paul again imprisoned in Rome and then martyred.
69	Galba dies trying to become emperor.
69	Vitellius dies trying to become emperor.
69	Otho dies trying to be come emperor.
69	Vespasian becomes emperor
69	Vespasian renews war in Palestine
69	Romans surround Jerusalem for second time.
	Clement of Rome replies to Corinthians on behalf of Linus.
70 Aug	Jerusalem captured.
70	The Temple is destroyed
81 About	Linus dies.
	Cletus replaces him as bishop of Rome
	Hypothetical Council of Jamnia (about 85-100).
91	Domitian starts persecution
92 About	Cletus dies
	Clement becomes bishop of Rome.
	Clement, exiled by Romans to the Crimea.
96 About	John the Apostle adds final chapter to his Gospel.
	John the Apostle dies.
98	Trojan becomes emperor.
	Clement dies and Evaristus replaces him as bishop of Rome. (about 101).
	Papias (about 130) records that Mark wrote down Peter’s words.Justin Martyr reports (161 – 165) that Apostles wrote Gospels.
	Prologues use Matthew-John-Luke-Mark sequence and report Peter’sapproval of Mark’s Gospel.
	Ireneaus (about 180) familiar with the Matthew-Luke-Mark sequence.
	Clement of Alexandria states (about 200) that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were the first to be written.
	Tertullian (about 212) uses Luke prior to Mark three times.
	Origen (about 250) uses Matthew-Mark-Luke tradition.
312-323	Eusebius writes his ‘Ecclesiastical History’.
	Augustine (about 380) says Matthew-Mark-Luke order is as ‘received’.
	Jerome (about 383) chooses Matthew-Mark-Luke-John sequence for his Latin New Testament (The Vulgate).
	Augustine (about 420) writes that Mark used Matthew and Luke.
	Ambrosiaster (about 480) refers to Matthew-Luke-Mark-John sequence.
1546	Council of Trent confirms which books are Sacred.
18th C.	The skill of literary analysis (internal evidence) develops.
18th C.	Henry Owen proposes Matthew-Luke-Mark sequence.
19th C.	Against Christian opposition, Bismarck enforces Markan Priority in
	German universities, so it triumphs in that country.
18701893190219031912	First Vatican Council endorses decree of Council of Trent.Rome insists witness of historians, not on internal evidence.Pontifical Biblical Commission (PBC) established.Rome launches an anti-Modernist Crusade.PBC bans the teaching of Markan Priority in Catholic establishments.
20th C.	Markan Priority spreads in Protestant countries.
1943	Rome in ‘Divino Afflante Spiritu’ permits some use of internal evidence.
1965	2nd Vatican Council (Dei Verbum) maintains the historicity of the Gospels, bugospels, but allows greater freedom of research and opinion.
1965-2011	Markan Priority theory spreads quickly within the Catholic Community. Greatly influences Catechetic teachings.
30 Sept.2010	Apostolic Constitution, ‘Verbum Domini’, reads: “As Dei Verbum reminds us, Jesus Christ commanded the Apostles to preach the Gospel…This was … carried out by those Apostles and others associated with them who committed the message of salvation in writing”.

Courtesy of Church In History Website

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