[NYer]

Thanks for the additions to this thread!

The greater number of the several thousand extant belong to the ante-Nicene period -- the first three centuries and the early part of the fourth.

The period of great martyrdom. These people gave their lives for what they heard (orally preached). They had no Bibles to read, yet accepted and believe the words of those who spoke, assuring them that the Messiah had been born, died and resurrected in the Holy Land. They not only accepted these oral teachings but sacrificed their lives (in burtal fashion) in defense of their new christian faith.

How many "christians" would be willing to do that today, without the aid of written scripture?! How many still doubt what they read, much less what they hear?! These first century martyrs are saints indeed.

[ConservativeMind]

I totally agree with you on this, NYer. Even thinking about it makes me shiver. We seldom hear of such sacrifices, save for those tortured in Asian countries and such.

There were people who truly followed Christ during that time, but many who honestly didn't, instead following their Gnosticism and other "insights" on what Christ and His Apostles said and meant.

We are left sorting through some of that, ascertaining the Truth from a time of turmoil.