This book recounts the story of Jesus' first followers, his Apostles and their companions, and how they disseminated his message throughout the ancient world. It is based on Pope Benedict XVI's weekly lecture on the relationship between Christ and the Church. Pope Benedict argues that early disciples upheld the truth of Jesus of Nazareth even at the risk of their lives, far from altering it.Pope Benedict analyses the history of the first disciples of Christ, starting with the Twelve as the cornerstone of Jesus' restoration of the Holy People of God. To examine such significant figures as Peter, Andrew, James, and John, as well as Judas Iscariot, he draws on Scripture and early tradition. Benedict goes beyond the original Twelve to talk about Paul of Tarsus, a Christian hater who later became one of Jesus' most devoted followers. The first Christian martyr Stephen, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Priscilla and Aquila, and significant female personalities like Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Phoebe are also taken into account.A fascinating tour through the history of Christianity can be found in Jesus, the Apostles, and the Early Church. It demonstrates how the earliest disciples of Jesus accurately communicated the truth about the "Jesus of history" and how they established the Church, through which modern-day individuals might encounter the same Jesus.
Paperback, 163 Pages