[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.58,0:00:03.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi there my name’s John Green; this is Crash\NCourse: World History and today we’re going
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.85,0:00:05.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to talk about Jesus.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.58,0:00:09.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a Roman coin from around the time\NJesus was born in the Roman Empire, and it
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.57,0:00:12.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,calls Augustus, the emperor, the son of God.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.84,0:00:16.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So let’s just state at the outset that in\N4 BCE, being the son of God, or at least being
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.82,0:00:23.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the son of a god was not such an unusual thing.\NBut a poor Jew being the son of God—
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.64,0:00:24.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that was news.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.70,0:00:26.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.18,0:00:27.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.65,0:00:29.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.12,0:00:30.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.60,0:00:32.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.07,0:00:33.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.54,0:00:37.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Any understanding of Christianity has to start\Nwith Judaism, because Jesus was born a Jew,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.53,0:00:39.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he grew up in the Jewish tradition.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.25,0:00:42.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was one of many teachers spreading his\Nideas in the Roman province of Judea at the
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.48,0:00:46.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,time, and he was part of a messianic tradition\Nthat helps us understand why he was thought
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.41,0:00:49.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of not only teacher but something much, much\Nmore.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.83,0:00:51.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let’s go straight to the Thought Bubble\Ntoday.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.43,0:00:54.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The people who would become the Jews, were\Njust one of many tribal peoples eeking out
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.82,0:00:59.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an existence in that not-very fertile crescent\Nworld of Mesopotamia after the agricultural
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.73,0:01:00.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,revolution.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.69,0:01:04.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Hebrews initially worshipped many gods,\Nmaking sacrifices to them in order to bring
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.94,0:01:06.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,good weather and good fortune.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.76,0:01:10.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But they eventually developed a religion centered\Naround an idea that would become key to the
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.39,0:01:15.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,other great western religions. This was monotheism,\Nthe idea that there is only one true god
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.79,0:01:18.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(or at least that if there are other gods\Naround, they are total lameoids).
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.94,0:01:23.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Hebrews developed a second concept that\Nis key to their religion as well: the idea
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.60,0:01:26.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the covenant, a deal with God.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.23,0:01:29.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The main man in this, the big macher was Abraham.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.47,0:01:32.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not to make this too much of a scripture lesson,\Nbut it’s kind of hard to understand the
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.41,0:01:37.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jews without understanding Abraham, or Abram\Nas he was known before he had his big conversation
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.04,0:01:39.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with God, recorded in Genesis 17:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.60,0:01:44.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Abram was ninety years and nine, the\NLORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.54,0:01:48.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and\Nbe thou perfect."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.76,0:01:51.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I’m a make a covenant with you and a\Nbunch of cool things will happen like you’re
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.39,0:01:54.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gonna have kids and your descendants will\Nnumber the stars and you can have
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.08,0:01:56.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all the land of Canaan forever, it’s gonna\Nbe awesome.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.69,0:02:00.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m paraphrasing by the way, Thought Bubble.\NSo God promised that Abram would have kids
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.66,0:02:04.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with his wife even though the dude was already\Nlike 99, but there was a catch:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.95,0:02:10.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is my covenant, which ye shall keep,\Nbetween me and you and thy seed after thee;
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.89,0:02:13.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.60,0:02:15.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Keep it PG-13, Thought Bubble.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.89,0:02:20.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now that is asking a lot from a guy, especially\Na 99 year old geezer like Abram living in
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.55,0:02:22.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a time before general anesthesia.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.31,0:02:26.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But those were the terms of the deal, and\Nin exchange God had chosen Abraham and his
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.17,0:02:30.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,descendants to be a great nation. From this\Nwe get the expression that the Jews are the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.87,0:02:31.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Chosen people.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.90,0:02:35.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for keeping it clean, Thought Bubble.\NSo, some important things about this god:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.04,0:02:39.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,1. Singularity. He—and I’m using the masculine\Npronoun because that’s what Hebrew prayers
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.80,0:02:44.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,use—does not want you to put any gods before\NHim. He is also transcendent, having always
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.73,0:02:49.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,existed and he is deeply personal – he chats\Nwith prophets, sends locusts, etc.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.23,0:02:53.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But he doesn’t take corporeal form like\Nthe Greek and Roman Gods do. He is also involved
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.54,0:02:59.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in history, like he will destroy cities, and\Nbring floods, and determine the outcomes of
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.18,0:03:02.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wars, and possibly football games. Stan, no!\NFOOTBALL games!
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.90,0:03:06.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Probably most important to us today, and certainly\Nmost important to Jesus, this god demands
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.63,0:03:09.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,moral righteousness and social justice.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.09,0:03:13.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, this is the god of the Hebrews, Yahweh,\Nand despite many ups and downs, the Jewish
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.38,0:03:17.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people have stuck with him for- according\Nto the Hebrew calendar, at least- over 5700
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.83,0:03:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,years.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.74,0:03:23.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he has stuck by them too, despite the\NJews being, on occasion, something of a disappointment
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.03,0:03:27.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to him, which leads to various miseries, and\Nalso to a tradition of prophets who speak
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.33,0:03:32.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for God and warn the people to get back on\Nthe right path lest there be more miseries.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.27,0:03:35.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which brings us back to our friends, the Romans.\NBy the time that Jesus was born, the land
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.82,0:03:40.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Israelites had been absorbed into the\NRoman Empire as the province of Judea.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.00,0:03:43.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the time of Jesus’ birth, Judea was under\Nthe control of Herod the Great, best known
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.99,0:03:48.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for building the massive temple in Jerusalem,\Nthat the Romans would later destroy.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.30,0:03:52.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by the time Jesus died, an expanded Judea\Nwas under the rule of Herod Antipater.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.22,0:03:54.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, unhelpfully, known as Herod.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.71,0:03:58.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Both Herods ultimately took their orders from\Nthe Romans, and they both show up on the list
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.27,0:04:02.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of rulers who are oppressive to the Jews,\Npartly because there’s never that much religious
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.88,0:04:07.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,freedom in an empire. Unless you are, wait\Nfor it...
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.15,0:04:10.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Mongols
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.67,0:04:11.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or the Persians.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.35,0:04:15.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, they were Hellenizers, bringing in Greek\Ntheater and architecture, and rationalism.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.10,0:04:19.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in response to those Hellenistic influences,\Nthere were a lot of preachers trying to get
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.81,0:04:24.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Jews to return to the traditions and the\Ngodly ways of the past, including the Sadducees,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.85,0:04:27.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the Pharisees, and the Essenes, and the\NZealots.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.48,0:04:31.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of those preachers, who didn’t fit\Ncomfortably into any of these four groups,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.15,0:04:32.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was Jesus of Nazareth.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.34,0:04:37.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jesus was a preacher who spread his message\Nof peace, love and, above all, justice, across
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.15,0:04:40.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Judea over the course of his actually average-length\Nlife for his time.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.92,0:04:46.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was remarkably charismatic, attracting\Na small but incredibly loyal group of followers,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.05,0:04:49.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he was said to perform miracles—although\Nit’s worth noting that miracles weren’t
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.77,0:04:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,terribly uncommon at the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.56,0:04:56.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jesus’s message was particularly resonant\Nto the poor and downtrodden and pretty radical
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.22,0:04:58.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in its anti-authoritarian stance.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.32,0:05:02.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He said it was easier for a camel to get through\Nthe eye of a needle than for a rich man to
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.19,0:05:06.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,get to heaven, he said the meek were blessed,\Nthat the last would be first and the first
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.29,0:05:07.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would be last—
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.35,0:05:11.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All of which was kind of threatening to the\Npowers that be, who accordingly had him arrested,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.77,0:05:16.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tried and then executed in the normal method\Nof killing rebels at that time, crucifixion.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.34,0:05:20.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, just to put this question to bed, the\NRomans that crucified Jesus, because he was
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.75,0:05:26.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a threat to their authority. Later traditions\Nsaying that the Jews killed Jesus? Very unfortunate.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.63,0:05:28.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, very untrue.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.10,0:05:32.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’re not going to discuss Jesus’s divinity,\Nbecause 1. This isn’t a theology class,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.64,0:05:36.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and 2. Flame wars on the Internet make me\Nso uncomfortable I have to turn to camera
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.73,0:05:37.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,2,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.09,0:05:40.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi there camera 2, I’m here to remind you\Nthat 3. Fighting over such things, like fighting
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.47,0:05:44.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over whether the proverbial cake is a lie,\Nrarely accomplishes anything,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.19,0:05:48.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plus 4. What matters to us is the historical\Nfact that people at the time believed that
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.85,0:05:53.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jesus was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the\Nson of God.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.35,0:05:56.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they believed that he would return some\Nday to redeem the world. Which leads us to
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.69,0:05:58.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,two questions about Christianity:
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.40,0:05:59.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.09,0:06:02.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why did this small group of people believe\Nthis, and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.02,0:06:05.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why and how did that belief become so widespread?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.39,0:06:09.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So why would people believe that Jesus was\Nthe Messiah? First, the Jews had a long tradition
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.03,0:06:12.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of believing that a savior who would come\Nto them in a time of trouble.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.37,0:06:16.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Judea under the rule of Herod and the\NRomans… definitely a time of trouble.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.23,0:06:19.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And many of the prophecies about this savior\Npoint to someone whose life looks a lot like
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.72,0:06:24.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jesus'. For instance, Isaiah 53 says the person\Nwill be misunderstood and mistreated, just
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.91,0:06:25.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like Jesus was:
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.68,0:06:30.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“He was despised, and rejected by men; a\Nman of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.75,0:06:35.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and as one from whom men hide their face he\Nwas despised; and we didn't respect him.”
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.94,0:06:39.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And a lot of the prophecies like Daniel 7:14,\Nfor instance, explained that when the Messiah
Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.54,0:06:43.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,comes there will be this awesome new, everlasting\Nkingdom.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.27,0:06:46.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that had to sound pretty good to people\Nwho’d had their autonomy taken away from
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.46,0:06:46.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,them.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.62,0:06:50.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So some religious Jews saw Jesus in those\Nprophecies and came to believe either during
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.07,0:06:53.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his life or shortly thereafter, that he was\Nthe messiah.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.67,0:06:57.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most of them thought the new everlasting kingdom\Nwas right around the corner, which is probably
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.17,0:07:01.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why no one bothered to write down much about\Nthe life of Jesus for several decades, by
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.95,0:07:06.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which time it was clear that we might have\Nto wait a bit for this brilliant new everlasting
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.46,0:07:06.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kingdom.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.76,0:07:10.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I should note, by the way, that the idea of\Na messiah was not unique to the Jews at the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.21,0:07:13.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,time. Even the Romans got in on the action.\NFor Instance, the Roman poet Vergil wrote
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.95,0:07:14.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a boy who:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.73,0:07:19.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Shall free the earth from never-ceasing\Nfear. He shall receive the life of gods, and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.49,0:07:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,see Heroes with gods commingling.”
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.78,0:07:26.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sound familiar? But Vergil was writing about\NEmperor Augustus in that poem, not Jesus,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.33,0:07:28.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which points again to the similarities between\Nthe two.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.95,0:07:33.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Both called sons of God. Both sent to free\Nthe earth from never-ceasing fear.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.39,0:07:37.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But one ruled the largest empire in the world;\Nand the other believed that empire, and the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.89,0:07:42.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,world, needed to change dramatically. So why\Ndid the less wealthy and famous son of God
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.93,0:07:45.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,become by far the more influential?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.04,0:07:47.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, here are three possible historical reasons:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.45,0:07:51.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Reason #1: The Romans continued to make things\Nbad for the Jews.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.16,0:07:55.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, things got much worse for the Jews,\Nespecially after they launched a revolt between
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.77,0:07:59.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,66-73 CE, which did not go well.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.50,0:08:03.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the time the dust settled, the Romans had\Ndestroyed the Temple and expelled the Jews
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.26,0:08:07.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from Judaea, beginning what we now know as\Nthe Jewish Diaspora.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.04,0:08:10.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And without a Temple or geographic unity,\Nthe Jews had to solidify what it meant to
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.71,0:08:13.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be a Jew and what the basic tenants of the\Nreligion were.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.98,0:08:17.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This forced the followers of Jesus to make\Na decision; Were they going to continue to
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.19,0:08:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be Jews following stricter laws set forth\Nby rabbis, or were they going to be something
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.82,0:08:22.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,else.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.48,0:08:25.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The decision to open up their religion to\Nnon-Jews, people who weren’t part of the
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.69,0:08:30.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,covenant, is the central reason that Christianity\Ncould become a world religion instead of just
Dialogue: 0,0:08:30.22,0:08:31.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a sect of Judaism.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.54,0:08:35.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it probably didn’t hurt that the main\Nproponent of sticking with Judaism was James,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.45,0:08:37.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jesus’s brother, who was killed by the Romans.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.95,0:08:42.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Reason #2: Is related to reason number 1 and\Nit’s all about a dude named Saul.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.08,0:08:45.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No, not that Saul. Yes, Saul of Tarsus, thank\Nyou.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.85,0:08:50.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Saul, having received a vision on the road\Nto Damascus, became Paul and began visiting
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.12,0:08:53.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and sending letters to Jesus followers throughout\Nthe Mediterranean.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.82,0:08:57.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it was Paul who emphatically declared\Nthat Jesus followers did NOT have to be Jews,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.90,0:09:01.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they did not have to be circumcised or\Nkeep to Jewish laws or any of that stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.78,0:09:05.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This opened the floodgates for thousands of\Npeople to convert to this new religion. And
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.06,0:09:08.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the other thing to remember about Paul is\Nthat he was a Roman citizen. Which meant that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.34,0:09:11.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he could travel freely throughout the Roman\NEmpire.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.21,0:09:14.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This allowed him to make his case to lots\Nof different people and facilitated the geographic
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.83,0:09:15.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spread of Christianity.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.82,0:09:21.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Oh, it’s time for the open letter? Alright.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:21.40,0:09:23.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An open letter, to the fish.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.20,0:09:27.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But first, lets see what’s in the secret\Ncompartment today. Oh, Stan. [JCSS-esque music
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.11,0:09:32.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,briefly plays] It’s my favorite album Jesus\NChrist Superstar, finally available in my
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.08,0:09:34.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,favorite format, the cassette.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.40,0:09:37.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Did I color-coordinate my shirt to Jesus Christ\NSuperstar? Yes.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:37.97,0:09:38.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dear Ichthys,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.63,0:09:42.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So check this out: In the first century when\Nit was still super underground and hipster
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.21,0:09:46.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be a Christian, you were a secret symbol\Nof Christianity, used to kind of hide from
Dialogue: 0,0:09:46.91,0:09:47.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Romans.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.84,0:09:53.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ichthys, the Greek word for fish was an acronym\Nand it was a super clever way to talk about
Dialogue: 0,0:09:53.03,0:09:56.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,religion without anyone knowing that you were\Ntalking about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.00,0:09:58.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But you’ll never guess what happened- even\Nin places where it’s completely fine to
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.58,0:10:02.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,talk about Christianity now and to use, you\Nknow, regular Christian symbols, like the
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.16,0:10:02.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cross
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.55,0:10:07.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You have had a huge resurgence thanks to the\Nplastic automobile decal industry.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.11,0:10:10.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean seriously, Ichthys, I haven’t seen\Na comeback like this
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.51,0:10:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since Jesus.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.10,0:10:13.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Best wishes,\NJohn Green
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.33,0:10:17.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And lastly, Christianity was born and flourished\Nan empire with a common language that allowed
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.73,0:10:18.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for its spread.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.86,0:10:23.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And crucially, it was also an Empire in decline.\NLike even by the end of the first century
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.18,0:10:25.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,CE, Rome was on its way down.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.57,0:10:28.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And for the average person, and even for some\Nelites, things weren’t as good as they had
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.98,0:10:32.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been, if fact they were getting worse so fast\Nthat you might have thought the end of the
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.61,0:10:33.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,world was coming.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.47,0:10:36.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Roman religion offered no promise of an\Nafterlife, and a bunch of squabbling whiny
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.99,0:10:42.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gods- sorry if I offended adherents to Roman\Nreligion, but seriously, they squabble.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.68,0:10:46.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So even though early Christians were persecuted\Nby the Roman Empire and sometimes fed to the
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.62,0:10:50.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lions and other animals, the religion continued\Nto grow, albeit slowly.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.81,0:10:54.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But then as the Roman decline continued, Emperor\NConstantine allowed the worship of Jesus and
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.90,0:10:57.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then eventually converted to Christianity\Nhimself.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.42,0:11:00.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then the religion really took off. I mean,\NRome wasn’t what it used to be, but everybody
Dialogue: 0,0:11:00.73,0:11:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,still wanted to be like the Emperor.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.44,0:11:05.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And soon enough there was a new son of God\Non coins.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.20,0:11:07.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching. See you next week.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.18,0:11:10.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Crash Course is produced and directed by Stan\NMuller, our script supervisor is Danica Johnson.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.93,0:11:14.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The show is written by my high school history\Nteacher Raoul Meyer and myself and our graphics
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.95,0:11:16.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,team is Thought Bubble.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.31,0:11:19.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As only 62 million of you guessed last week,\Nthe Phrase of the Week was "Chipotle Burrito"
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.78,0:11:23.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you want to guess at this week’s Phrase\Nof the Week or suggest future ones, you can
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.28,0:11:27.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,do so in Comments where you can also ask questions\Nabout today’s video that will be answered,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:27.49,0:11:29.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hopefully, by our team of historians.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.18,0:11:33.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching Crash Course, and as we\Nsay in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.78,0:11:35.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ow... again.