Pre-Nicene Teaching on the Bible Summary Grid – Jan. 2025 version

THE BIBLE

 

Legend for Cells

Sc1. Study or obey God's Word as an authority

Nc20. The "New Testament" is scripture

W or W = Wrote explicitly on this teaching

Sc2. O.T. has God's words; study it Mk12:24-25;Ac 3:22

Sc8. We can understand scripture

I or I = Implied this is true or opposite is false

Mp22. The O.T. prophesied about Jesus Lk 24:44

Sc19. Acknowledge Bible textual variants -

N = Implied since accepted Nicene Creed

On4. Jesus superseded some Old Testament laws

Sc7. We are to believe scripture Jn 2:22

Q = Quote of 1 or more verses

Sc3. New Testament has God's words. 2 Pet 3:15-16

On7. O.T. said the Messiah had to suffer/die

m = Mixed: some agree, others did not

Sc16. Some parts of the Bible are allegorical Ezk 17:1

Sc13. Dual meaning of some prophecies

½  = quote of ½ a verse  A = Allusion

On8. O.T has types of Christ. Rom 5.14; 1 Cor 10:4

Sc18. Don't twist/corrupt meaning of scripture.2Pet3:16

P = partial

On12. Using the term "Old Testament"

On1. The Law was excellent or good. Rom 7:12-13,16

- = no reference found

Oc26. The "Old Testament" is scripture Lk 24:44-45

Sc4. Scripture is called the word of God Psalm 33:4,6

 

On13. Using the "New Testament"

Sc6. Scripture is holy/sacred Isa 20:22; Rom 1:2; Rev3:7

X = Disagree     blank = not researched yet

Rows: green=heresy, orange=schism, pink=strange writer, red=Christians persecuted

Christian writer, heretic, or Bible manuscript

< Pages

Date A.D.

Sc

Sc

Mp

On

Sc

Sc

On

On

Oc

On

Nc

Sc

Sc

Sc

On

Sc

Sc

On

Sc

Sc

1

2

22

4

3

16

8

12

26

13

20

8

19

7

7

13

18

1

4

6

Nero and Domitian persecute Christians

 

50 & 95/96

est. 500K Christians. Labeled atheists & killed for refusing to worship emperor/idols

Clement of Rome (wrote 1 Clement)

16.25

96/98

W

W

W

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

P

-

Papias of Hierapolis, disciple of John

2

95-110

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

"Presbyters" (Papias?)

0.5

-95-117

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Ignatius disciple of John (shortest version)

13

c.100-117

-

W

W

W

Q

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

Trajan persecutes Christians

 

107-117

Answered Pliny the Younger's letter. Christians not hunted, but killed if found.

Didache (=Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

4.75

c.60-120

-

Q

-

-

Q

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apology of Aristides (Greek version)

4

125or138-161

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Quadratus of Athens fragment (apologist)

0.125

126

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Epistle of Barnabas

12.5

c.70-130

W

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

Hadrian persecutes Christians and Jews

 

118 & 134

Hadrian loved Greek culture, and he persecuted both Jewish and Christian people.

Bar Cochba persecutes Christians

 

135

Christians persecuted in Israel because they would not join Bar Cochba's revolt.

Epistle of Barnabas

12.5

c.70-130

W

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

2 Clement (anonymous writer)

5.75

120-140

W

W

-

-

Q

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Polycarp to the Philippians

3.5

100-155

W

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Epistle to Diognetus (=Mathetes to Diognetus)

5.25

c.130-200

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apostolic fathers totals: all symbols except P's

67.7

-155

5

5

4

3

5

0

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

Shepherd of Hermas

46.5

c.115-155

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Justin Martyr, philosopher, apologist

137

c.138-165

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

Evarestus Martyrdom of Polycarp

5

c.169

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Gnostics heresies become widespread

before 170-

Gnostics believed Creator was evil or foolish, rejected Old T., mixed in paganism.

Dionysius of Corinth (wrote against Marcion)

1/3

170

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Tatian's Diatessaron

86

c.172

I

W

W

-

I

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

Tatian, Encratite Gnostic later

18

c.172

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Christians of Vienna and Lugdunum (Lyons)

6.5

177

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Athenagoras (apologist)

33.5

177

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Persecution of Marcus Aurelius

 

162/166-180

Stoic philosopher. Persecution, mainly in Gaul, ended when he died.

Claudius Apollinaris of Hierapolis

0.5

160-177/180

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Melito/Meleto of Sardis (Quartodecimian)

11

170-177/180

W

W

W

-

-

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

Theophilus of Antioch (to Autolycus)

32

168-181/188

W

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

W

Ebionites & Clementina (OT, Law, Father, Son)

123.5

-188-

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Irenaeus of Lyons, disciple of Polycarp

284.75

182-188

W

W

W

I

I

-

I

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

W

-

W

P

W

W

Maximus of Jerusalem (wrote on origin of evil)

5

185-196

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Polycrates of Ephesus (Quartodecimian)

0.5

196

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Caius and the Muratorian Canon

3

190-217

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

W

I

-

-

W

-

-

W

Sabellian heresy (Praxeas, Noetus)

c.200-257-

Patripassians believed the Father, Son, & Spirit were one person.

Persecution of Septimus Severus

202

est. 2M Christians. A Christian helped him when ill, but did not repeal existing laws.

Apollonius of Ephesus (against Montanists)

1

c.210

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Clement of Alexandria

389.5

193-202

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

-

W

W

-

W

W

W

W

Tertullian (joined the Montanist Church)

228

198-220

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

W

W

Asterius Urbanus (against Montanists)

2.75

c.232

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Elchasaite Ebionites (said Jesus God's Son)

2.25

before 235

-

W

-

X

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Hippolytus, pupil of Irenaeus (undisputed)

218

222-235/6

W

W

W

P

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

W

W

I

-

W

-

-

-

W

Maximin Thrax persecutes Christians

235-238

First empire-wide persecution, but only of clergy. It stopped when he was killed.

Instructions of Commodianus + Julius Africanus

16+9

232-245

W

W

2W

-

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P

-

Heraclas of Alexandria 1st to be called a pope

 

232-249

No Roman bishop called a pope until the Council of Arles I in 314 A.D., Next was 347 A.D.. Siricius c.384-399 was the first Roman bishop to call himself a pope.

Alexander of Cappadocia (Clem. A'.s pupil)

0.75

233-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Origen (heterodox teacher)

1025

225-253/254

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

W

W

Severe persecution by Decius and Gallus

250-251 - 253

1st Christian schism. Could fallen Christians return or doomed forever –Novatian

Novatian (his schism lasted over 200 years)

38.5

250/254-257

W

W

W

W

W

I

-

W

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

-

-

Treatise Against Novatian

6.5

254-256

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

Treatise on Rebaptism

11

c.250-258

W

W

W

-

W

-

-

W

W

W

W

-

-

P

-

-

-

-

-

W

Cyprian of Carthage (against Novatian)

250.5

c.246-258

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

P

-

W

W

13 writers to Cyprian

21.25

c.246-256

3W

W

-

-

2W

I

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2W

Seventh Council of Carthage (85 bishops)

7.25

258

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Valerian persecutes Christians

257-260

2nd most severe persecution. Tolerant at first, but then Macrianus influenced him.

Gregory Thaumaturgus (undisputed works)

28.5

240-265

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Dionysius of Alexandria (Origenist)

39.5

246-265

W

Q

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Dionysius of Rome (Against the Sabellians)

1

259-269

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

Aurelian Persecution in the Roman Empire

270

At first tolerant, Aurelian died soon after he decided to persecute Christians.

Anatolius of Alexandria (mathematician)

7.5

270-280

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Theonas of Alexandria ( Letter to Lucianus)

3

282-300

W

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Adamantius Dialog on the True Faith in God

42

c.300

W

I

W

-

W

I

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

W

Alexander of Lycopolis Of the Manichaeans

12

301

-

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Victorinus of Petau, Austria -commentator

18.5

martyred 304

W

W

W

W

W

I

-

W

W

W

-

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

W

-

Most severe persecution by Diocletian

284, 303-305

est. 5M Christians, some killed for not sacrificing. destroyed churches/scriptures

Phileas of Thmuis, Egypt + Pamphilus

2.5+2.75

-307

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Peter of Alexandria (undisputed)

8.5

306,285-311

I

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

Methodius (corrected Origen's followers)

79.5

270-311/312

W

W

W

-

-

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

W

W

-

-

W

-

W

W

Martyrdom of Habib the Deacon by Theophilus

5.5

events c.315

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Athanasius Against the Heathen & Incarnation

56

318

W

W

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

W

Licinius tyrannizes Christians in east Rom. Empire

315-323

Persecution because of politics, due to Christian support of his foe, Constantine.

Lactantius, tutor of Constantine's son

305.5

c.303-320/325

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

W

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

W

Alexander of Alexandria-Origenist, undisputed

11.5

313-326

-

W

W

-

I

-

-

W

W

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

Eusebius of Caesarea before Nicea

655.4

318-325

W

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

 

W

W

-

-

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

Please see www.biblequery.org for many more grids. by Steven M. Morrison, PhD