Rome and the Road to Redemption: How God Used Empires to Prepare the World for Christ

Rome — The World Ready for a Savior

From Republic to Empire — Rome’s Rise to Power

When we open the New Testament, the Roman Empire is already firmly in control. Caesar rules from afar, Roman soldiers patrol Judean streets, and Pontius Pilate sits in judgment over the trial of Jesus. But how did we get here? What happened between the days of Greek influence and the moment when Rome became the world's superpower?

To understand the setting of the Gospels, we have to understand the rise of Rome.

Rome Enters the Scene

Rome began as a small city-state on the Italian peninsula around the 8th century B.C. For centuries, it was ruled by kings, but by the 5th century B.C., it transitioned into a republic—governed by elected officials and a Senate. Its citizens took pride in their system of law, military discipline, and devotion to Roman identity.

By the time of the 2nd century B.C., Rome was expanding rapidly. In a series of brutal and effective wars, it defeated rival powers like Carthage (in the Punic Wars) and began absorbing Greek territories. By 146 B.C., Rome had conquered Corinth, one of the great Greek cities, and began to dominate the Mediterranean world.

Judea Becomes a Client State

As Rome absorbed Greek lands in the East, it also inherited their political entanglements—including the fractured Jewish territories. At first, Rome did not annex Judea directly but treated it as a "client kingdom"—meaning it allowed local rulers to stay in power so long as they remained loyal and paid tribute.

That all changed when internal conflict erupted within the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty (the same family that led the Maccabean revolt generations earlier). Two brothers were fighting for control, and both appealed to Rome for help. General Pompey the Great responded—and in 63 B.C., he marched into Jerusalem, entered the temple (sparking outrage), and brought Judea under Roman influence.

From this moment on, Judea was never truly independent again.

From Local Kings to Roman Governors

After Pompey’s intervention, Judea came under tighter Roman control. Initially, Rome ruled through local leaders—puppet kings and high priests—but over time, the empire appointed Roman governors to oversee affairs directly.

This shift would become crucial later. The presence of Roman authority in Jerusalem meant that when Jesus was arrested, it wasn’t just a local matter—it became a political issue involving imperial justice. That’s why Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate, a Roman official, rather than only the Sanhedrin.

Roman Power and Prophecy

This slow and steady expansion of Roman rule fulfilled something profound in God’s redemptive plan. The prophet Daniel, writing centuries earlier, had described a succession of empires that would rise and fall—Babylon, Persia, Greece, and finally a fourth kingdom strong as iron (Daniel 2:40). That fourth kingdom was Rome.

The rise of Rome was no accident—it was ordained.

The very empire that thought it ruled the world was being used by God to prepare the way for the true King.

Pax Romana and the Spread of the Gospel

When we think of the Roman Empire, we often think of legions, emperors, and gladiators. But one of Rome’s greatest achievements wasn’t military or political—it was peace.

The Pax Romana, or "Roman Peace," was a roughly 200-year period (beginning around 27 B.C. with the reign of Augustus) when the empire experienced remarkable internal stability. Though Rome was far from perfect, the systems it established laid the groundwork for something far greater than empire: the spread of the Gospel.

A Common Language and Shared Culture

Though Rome was Latin at its core, Greek remained the dominant language in the eastern half of the empire. This meant that from Judea to Asia Minor to Greece and even to parts of Egypt, people could communicate in a shared tongue. When the apostles began preaching the good news of Jesus, they didn’t need translators—their Greek-speaking audiences could understand them.

Greek was also the language of the Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Old Testament—which had already circulated widely by the time of Christ. This meant that when early Christians began proclaiming Jesus as the fulfillment of the Scriptures, many in the Greco-Roman world already had access to the written prophecies pointing to Him.

Roads, Travel, and a Connected World

One of the most impressive accomplishments of the Roman Empire was its road system. Roman engineers built over 50,000 miles of roads throughout the empire, connecting cities, regions, and provinces in ways that had never existed before.

For the early church, this was a gift. Paul and the apostles could travel efficiently and safely from city to city—Philippi to Thessalonica, Ephesus to Corinth, Jerusalem to Rome. The physical infrastructure of Rome became the spiritual infrastructure of the Gospel’s expansion.

Acts 9–28 reads like a travel log because the roads made it possible.

Peace (With Limits)

The Pax Romana didn’t mean a total absence of violence—Rome could be brutal in suppressing rebellion—but it did mean that, for most subjects of the empire, daily life was relatively stable. Trade flourished. Cities grew. Ideas flowed.

And in that stability, the Gospel could move freely.

There were no national borders to cross, no passports to check. A missionary could move from Antioch to Cyprus to Galatia without needing a visa or a military escort. The empire may not have welcomed the Gospel, but it unknowingly enabled its spread.

God’s Timing

Galatians 4:4 says, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son." What does that mean?

It means that the stage was perfectly set. It means that everything—from the language to the roads to the peace of Rome—was prepared. It means that Jesus came at exactly the right time.

Rome wasn’t just a political backdrop—it was part of God’s plan.

Roman Religion and the Challenge of the Gospel

The Roman world was deeply religious—but not in the way we might expect. In the first century, religion wasn’t about personal faith or heartfelt devotion. It was about order, tradition, and loyalty to the state.

Understanding the religious climate of Rome helps us see just how radical the Gospel truly was—and why the early church faced so much resistance.

A Pantheon of Convenience

The Romans worshiped a wide array of gods—Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and dozens more. Many of these were adopted from the Greeks (Zeus became Jupiter, Hermes became Mercury), and they coexisted with a host of local deities from the various cultures Rome absorbed.

But Roman religion wasn’t primarily about belief—it was about practice. As long as you participated in the public festivals, offered sacrifices, and honored the emperor, you were seen as a good Roman citizen.

Religion was civic duty.

You could have your personal gods at home, but you still needed to burn incense to Caesar and offer tribute at the temples. It was how you demonstrated loyalty to Rome.

The Cult of the Emperor

Perhaps the most dangerous form of Roman religion for Christians was the imperial cult—the worship of the emperor as divine.

This wasn’t just symbolic. In many parts of the empire, especially in the eastern provinces, emperors were literally worshiped. Statues were erected, prayers were offered, and altars burned in their name.

To refuse to honor the emperor as divine wasn’t just religious rebellion—it was treason.

Now imagine a small group of people—Christians—saying “Jesus is Lord” instead of “Caesar is Lord.” Imagine them refusing to offer sacrifices at pagan temples, declining to participate in festivals, and calling others to repent of idolatry.

You can see why persecution soon followed.

Christianity: A Threat to Rome’s Order

To Rome, the early church wasn’t just strange—it was subversive.

Christians met in private homes. They refused to worship the emperor. They welcomed slaves and women into their gatherings. They preached loyalty to Christ above all others.

And they refused to compromise.

In a culture of religious pluralism, where everyone was expected to blend in, the exclusivity of Christianity was seen as dangerous. The Gospel message—that there is one true God, and that salvation comes only through His Son—was not just offensive. It was revolutionary.

Paul’s preaching in cities like Ephesus and Philippi didn’t just upset the religious order—it threatened the local economy built around idols and temples. When the church grew, silversmiths rioted. That’s how serious the challenge was (Acts 19).

The Fulfillment of the Promise

And yet, in this hostile environment, the Gospel thrived.

The very things that made Christianity a target—its exclusive claims, its moral distinctiveness, its loyalty to Christ—were also the reasons it could not be ignored.

The Roman world offered peace, roads, and common language—but it had no hope, no grace, no resurrection.

Christianity did.

The Fullness of Time — How God Used Empires to Prepare the Way for Christ

Paul’s words in Galatians 4:4 say it best:

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son…”

That phrase—the fullness of time—means more than just a poetic flourish. It points to something intentional, something divine. God didn’t send the Messiah randomly. He waited. He orchestrated. He prepared. And by the time Jesus arrived, the world was uniquely positioned for the Gospel to go forth.

Let’s look at how the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires each played a role in preparing the way.

1. The Persian Empire: Restoration and Rebuilding

We began this journey in the Persian period, where God moved the heart of Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to their land. The temple was rebuilt. Scripture was preserved. Jewish identity—centered around the Torah—was strengthened.

The synagogue system, which emerged during exile, ensured that wherever Jews were scattered, the Scriptures were read, explained, and longed for. This created a people deeply rooted in the promises of God—and still watching for the Messiah.

Even in a foreign empire, God was at work preserving His covenant people and their sacred texts.

2. The Greek Empire: A Common Language

When Alexander the Great swept across the known world, he didn’t just conquer territory—he spread a language and culture that united it.

By the time of Jesus, Koine Greek had become the lingua franca—the common language—from Egypt to Rome. This meant the New Testament could be written in a single language and understood across the empire.

And before the New Testament was written, the Old Testament had already been translated into Greek in a version called the Septuagint (LXX). This allowed even non-Hebrew speakers—like the God-fearing Gentiles mentioned in Acts—to read and respond to God’s Word.

Greek philosophy also raised big questions about virtue, truth, and the soul. The Gospel didn’t emerge in a vacuum—it spoke directly to the longings and ideas already stirring in the hearts of many.

3. The Roman Empire: Roads, Peace, and Persecution

Rome’s contributions were practical but powerful.

Roads and infrastructure allowed missionaries like Paul to travel safely and efficiently across the empire.
The Pax Romana (Roman Peace) created a relatively stable world where ideas and movements could spread.
Roman citizenship and law offered protections—Paul appealed to Caesar using his rights as a citizen.
Ironically, Roman persecution also helped spread the Gospel. As Christians fled persecution, they carried the message of Jesus with them—just like the early church in Acts 8.

Rome also provided the backdrop for some of the most powerful Gospel confrontations. The early believers didn’t just proclaim Jesus as Savior—they declared Him Lord in a world that reserved that title for Caesar.

A Divine Orchestration

None of these things were coincidences.

God used empires—not perfect ones, not godly ones, but real, broken, pagan empires—to prepare the world for His Son. He used roads and languages, rulers and laws, culture and conflict. He even used persecution.

By the time Jesus entered the world, everything was in place.

A people rooted in Scripture
A language ready for proclamation
A world connected by roads
A longing for truth, hope, and salvation

The “fullness of time” wasn’t just about a date on the calendar. It was about divine preparation. God was writing a story through history—a story that would find its climax in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Longing for a King — Messianic Expectations in a World of Disappointment

By the time the curtain rises in the New Testament, the Jewish people had endured centuries of domination, dispersion, and delay. From Babylon to Persia, from Greece to Rome—they were home, but not free. They had rebuilt their temple, but not their throne. The prophets had gone silent. And yet, hope had not died.

If anything, the longing had grown.

The people weren’t just waiting for a teacher. They were yearning for a king.

1. Prophetic Promises, Unfulfilled… But Not Forgotten

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, God had made clear promises:

A Son of David would reign forever (2 Samuel 7:12–16)
A righteous ruler would bring peace and justice (Isaiah 9:6–7)
A suffering servant would be pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53)
A new covenant would be written on the hearts of His people (Jeremiah 31:31–34)

These prophecies were not vague hopes—they were the anchor of Jewish expectation. And as empire after empire rose and fell, each one failing to deliver what only God could, the hope for the Messiah became more focused… and more urgent.

2. The Rise of Messianic Movements

In the intertestamental period, various Jewish groups began to interpret these promises in different ways:

Some expected a military deliverer—a new Judas Maccabeus who would drive out the Romans.
Others hoped for a priestly reformer, someone who would purify the temple and restore true worship.
A few anticipated a prophet like Moses, sent from God to renew the covenant and lead the people spiritually.

Messianic fervor was not abstract. It was political. It was national. It was emotional. False messiahs rose up and were struck down (see Acts 5:36–37). But each new generation still looked to the horizon, asking:

“Is this the one? Could He be the Messiah?”

3. Rome’s Rule Only Deepened the Desire

Under Rome, things grew worse.

Taxes were heavy and unjust.
Soldiers enforced Caesar’s rule with intimidation and violence.
Local rulers like Herod were seen as traitors and puppets.
Religious life was fractured—Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots all claimed to hold the truth.

The people were weary. And yet they kept showing up at synagogue. They kept reciting the Psalms. They kept watching the skies for signs.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said:

“The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David…” (Luke 1:32)

It wasn’t just a personal promise. It was the answer to generations of longing.

4. Why This Still Matters

If we don’t understand the messianic expectations of the silent years, we will miss the impact of the Gospels.

We’ll read “Son of David” and not realize how loaded that title was.
We’ll hear “kingdom of God” and not appreciate why it thrilled some and terrified others.
We’ll see the crowds cheering Jesus one week and calling for His crucifixion the next—and not grasp how expectations shaped their response.

Jesus came to fulfill the promises of God—but not in the way many expected. He was the king they were waiting for. Just not the kind of king they thought they needed.

For Further Reading

If you want to dig deeper into the Greek period and how it shaped the world of the New Testament, here are some recommended sources:

Books:

F.F. Bruce, New Testament History A readable and thorough account of the historical context surrounding the New Testament, including the Greek influence on the world Jesus entered.
Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity A detailed resource exploring the religious, philosophical, and cultural influences that shaped the early church.
N.T. Wright, Paul: A Biography Offers insight into how Paul’s ministry was shaped by Greco-Roman culture and how he spoke the Gospel into a world shaped by Greek ideals.
Paul Maier, Eusebius: The Church History While Eusebius writes from a later time, his observations provide important reflections on how the early church viewed the empires that came before Christ.

Articles & Essays:

“The Influence of Greek Philosophy on the Early Church” – Christian History Institute Explores how early Christians responded to and were influenced by Platonic and Stoic ideas.
“The Intertestamental Period and the Preparation for Christ” – GotQuestions.org A helpful overview of the key developments between Malachi and Matthew.