Eusebius’ Church History 9

Study Guide Questions for Book 4.1-4.9

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Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)

Truth, Appearance vs. Reality, Light vs. Darkness, Justice

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What did many Jews do in the eighteenth year of Emperor Hadrian’s reign?

2. According to Quadrastus, why was the evidence of Jesus’ healing ministry so compelling for such a long lasting time.

3. What changed about the bishops of the Jerusalem church after the Second Jewish Revolt?

4. What were at least two consequences of the Jewish revolt (under the leadership of Bar-Kokhba) against Rome? 

5. What was one thing which Basilides (the heretic) taught?

6. According to Eusebius, what false accusations did Christians have to deal with because of the Gnostics?

7. What made Justin certain that the claims being made against the Christians could not possibly be true?

8. What did Serennius Ganianus (writing with the support of Emperor Hadrian) command Minucius Fundanus to do and not do?

Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)

1. Eusebius has used the term “apostolic orthodoxy” several times now. What does he mean by that?

2. According to Eusebius, the office of bishop in Jerusalem changed from one person to another with a much greater frequency than it did in other places (such as Rome or Alexandria). What might account for this?

3. Why would Hadrian forbid Jews to enter Jerusalem and change the city’s name to Aelia?

4. Why might people have found the heresy of Basilides appealing at the time when he was teaching?

5. Why was Justin convinced by what he saw Christians doing that the accusations against them must be false?

Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)

1. The truth of Christianity dawned upon Justin as he considered the accusation against the Christians in comparison to their behavior. Offer a definition of truth. How does one determine what is or is not true? Why does truth matter?

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Read John 14:6 and John 17:17. How do these two passages speak together about the nature of truth and its source?