By the second century, Christian missionary activity had spanned the Mediterranean and was reaching out to the frontiers of the Roman Empire. The missionary impulse of the first Christians differed in degree, perhaps also in kind, from that of their Jewish contemporaries. Christ was styled “the Anointed,” but some of them connected this title with the anointing practiced by athletes who exercised in their city gymnasiums. Lacking roots in Jewish tradition, Gentile Christians had no clear understanding of what a Messiah was even supposed to be. The belief that, in Jesus, the Messiah had come had been the one distinction between his disciples and their fellow Jews. As it spread, however, the religion changed its center of gravity. It was proof that their faith was from God. Within two lifetimes of his death the wide geographic spread of Christianity seemed a miracle to Christians themselves. Plainly, Jesus had never spoken clearly about the mission to the Gentiles to which modern Christians are now heirs. When they began to be accepted as Christians, their presence caused fierce arguments and divided his apostles. There is no good evidence that in his lifetime Jesus had expected his message to be preached to Gentiles. When Jesus died, only 120 people, we are told, continued to meet in his memory.

Pagans and christians fox