Contents | Index
Conclusion
Nero goes down in history as a vicious and crazy man who murdered his mother
and his wife, and many others. He had a corrupt ancestry, especially on his
father's side, his mother Agrippina was an evil woman, his childhood was perverted
and corrupted. He was a glutton, homosexual, murderer and considered insane
by many. There's no doubt that he did have a passion for art, but this was
clouded by his arrogance and self glorification. He was extremely jealous of anyone
suspected of rebellion, and he retaliated in persecution, suppression and
murder. For the most part, Nero, was completely despised. Tacitus said:
"I began to hate you, when, after murdering mother and wife, you turned out to
be a jockey, a mountebank, and an incendiary." (Tacitus annals 15:67).
Nero being faced with revolt committed suicide in June of 68 A.D.
Ultimately Christianity had been firmly planted throughout the Roman Empire by
the apostle Paul during the reign of Nero. In fact Paul must have arrived in
Italy during his Third Missionary Journey at around 60 A.D., just a few years
before the great fire of Rome and the first imperial persecution of the Christian
sect.
There is much speculation as to what happened during these few years, but
there can be little doubt that the signs and wonders that followed the teaching of
Christianity, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit in other cities were also
happening in Rome and had reached the ears of those in the palace of Nero.
God established His purposes in ways that we cannot understand, and in the
midst of circumstances and events that can only be discussed today by searching
the Word of God. Every other source cannot be entirely trusted because historians
and writers were persuaded in many ways politically and socially.
By the time of the destruction of the Temple, or shortly thereafter, all of
the Books of the Bible were completed and the early church was established.
