This Is What Apostle John Did In A Pot Of Frying Oil

This Is What Apostle John Did In A Pot Of Frying Oil

Once upon a time, in the heart of ancient Rome, where brutality was the norm and human life held little value, being a Christian was a grave offense that could lead to a torturous death. Imagine a massive cauldron, towering nearly 6 feet tall, balanced on three large stones, with a roaring fire burning underneath. A drum of cooking oil was poured into the pot, filling it three-quarters full. The men tending the fire continually added more wood, ensuring the flames blazed fiercely. Within minutes, the oil was boiling, ready for a gruesome task—not to fry meat, but to fry a human being alive. The horror of this scene is almost indescribable, so let's begin the story from the very beginning.

Christianity started as a small movement within the Jewish community. From the outset, there were disagreements and conflicts. Before Saul became Paul, he actively persecuted early Christians, who were also Jewish. According to scripture, about a year after Jesus's crucifixion, a man named Stephen was killed for defying Jewish laws, and Saul, who was present, did nothing to intervene. Later, Paul recounts the hardships he faced after his conversion, including being whipped, beaten with rods, and even stoned.

In 41 AD, Herod Agrippa was named King of the Jews, expanding his territory to include lands formerly ruled by Herod Antipas and Philip. This move essentially restored the kingdom of Judea, which had been established by Herod the Great years earlier. Agrippa sought to gain favor with his Jewish subjects by continuing the persecution of Christians. During this period, James the Great was executed, St. Peter narrowly escaped death, and other apostles fled to safety.

After Herod Agrippa's death in 44 AD, Roman governors took control, maintaining relative peace until 62 AD. However, when the procurator Porcius Festus died, a power vacuum ensued. The high priest Ananus seized the opportunity, attacking the church and executing James the Just, leader of the Christian community in Jerusalem. According to the New Testament, Paul was imprisoned multiple times by the Romans and was even stoned by the Pharisees, who left him for dead. Eventually, Paul was taken to Rome as a prisoner. Peter and other early Christians also endured imprisonment, beatings, and persecution.

The first Jewish rebellion, sparked by the Roman massacre of 3,000 Jews, led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This event marked the end of Second Temple Judaism and set the stage for the development of Rabbinic Judaism. Scholar Claudia Setzer suggests that Jews did not fully distinguish Christians from their own community until the mid-2nd century. However, many scholars believe that the theological split between Judaism and Christianity occurred much earlier.

During the Second Temple period, Jewish identity was expressed in multiple ways. After the Temple's destruction, one path evolved into Rabbinic Judaism, while another gave rise to Christianity. Christianity's central belief was in Jesus of Nazareth, seen not only as the promised Messiah but also as the Son of God, offering salvation to both Jews and Gentiles.