The first section of the book concerns the population of Christians in the Roman Empire. Scholars are interested in the studying the Christian population because it will have an effect upon how scholars study Christianity as a …show more content…
First is the Church’s view towards the State and taxes which is best illustrated in the synoptic gospels. The gospel writers repeatedly refer to tax collectors and prostitutes being welcomed at the table of the Lord. Furthermore, Matthew, who was once a tax collector, became one of the twelve apostles. So, not only does Christ invite government officials to join Him at His table, but one of His chosen twelve was a tax collector. From this Grant concludes that the early Christians held absolutely no animosity towards state and taxation, for “Jesus was no enemy of the Roman state and its tax system [and] Christians are not rebels against Rome