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From the Ascension to the death of the Beloved Disciple

The history of the first Christian decades is partly covered in the book of Acts. At the same time, the focus from Acts 13 onwards is on the Apostle Paul, and the book concludes with Paul's first imprisonment at Rome. 

While there is much that remains unknown, we can piece together a rough chronology of the early years of the Christian church and the life and ministry of the original Twelve Apostles (minus Judas who was replaced by Matthias).

Tentatively, we may say that the Ascension occurred in the year 33 AD, and was followed by the Day of Pentecost and the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. The events in chapters 2 to 8 of the book of Acts must have taken place within 2-3 years if not less. 

The persecution following the stoning of Stephen the Protomartyr (Acts 7) caused many to be dispersed near and far, and led to the spread of the gospel to new places. This was followed by the conversion of Paul on the Road to Damascus. Paul did not immediately go to find the other Apostles, doing so only three years later. 

All this time, the Apostles were based at Jerusalem. John, the Beloved Disciple, took care of Mary the Mother of Jesus for 11 years, according to Hippolytus of Thebes. Shortly after Mary's death, John's brother James was martyred in AD 44. We are able to date this second event quite precisely because of the death of Herod described in Acts 12. 

According to church historian Baronius, the persecution surrounding the beheading of James the brother of John led to the Dispersion of the Apostles. It would seem that shortly thereafter the other Apostles set out to do missionary work in various places: Peter to Rome (cf. Acts 12:17), John to Ephesus, Thomas and Bartholomew to Persia and/or India, Andrew to Scythia in the north.

Here is what Eusebius wrote in the 300s:

"Meanwhile the holy apostles and disciples of our Saviour were dispersed throughout the world. Parthia, according to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labor, Scythia to Andrew, and Asia to John, who, after he had lived some time there, died at Ephesus. Peter appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion. And at last, having come to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way. What do we need to say concerning Paul, who preached the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and afterwards suffered martyrdom in Rome under Nero? These facts are related by Origen in the third volume of his Commentary on Genesis."

(Eusebius, Church History, book 3) 

That leaves several Apostles alive and "unaccounted for". Matthew may have missionised Ethiopia. Matthias (who replaced Judas) is associated with the region of Colchis now in Georgia. There were also the Apostle Philip (martyred at Hierapolis in Asia Minor), James the Less son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Jude Thaddeus the Apostle. 

By the year 50, when the Jerusalem council ruled on the issue of circumcision, the Jerusalem church was presided over by James the Brother of the Lord. 

The synoptic gospels would have been written down about this time (early 60s). Either Matthew (55-65 AD?) or Mark was first, then the other, and finally Luke.

Under Nero (d. 68), both Peter and Paul were martyred. 

In the year 70, at the Fall of Jerusalem, the Jewish church would relocate to Pella.   

Meanwhile, while in due course all the other Apostles were martyred, the Beloved Disciple John lived on to serve the Lord at Ephesus from before 50 AD until about the year 100. John wrote Revelation on the isle of Patmos around 97 AD, and later, near the end of his life, his gospel and letters.  

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