Jesus and his twelve disciples gained followers and converts very slowly, but surely. .
Not all His preaching and influence affected the people in a positive way. His concepts and actions had angered the Pharisees and had caused great disorder among the people. Jesus was tried by the Roman official, Pontius Pilate, and charged with blasphemy and treason. He was sentenced to death and was crucified in front of the townspeople in order to avoid riots and demonstrations. Though He suffered a terrible death for the good of his people, it is believed, by the Christian faith, that after his burial, he ascended into Heaven, and vowed to return to all on Judgment Day. All though the death of Jesus ended a life, it did not end the beginning of the spread of Christianity. .
Ironically, Christianity continued to be preached by a Pharisee. Saul of Tarsus was a man who had previously punished the followers of Jesus. After his death, he had a revelation, started to preach the concepts of Christianity, and changed his name to the Roman form, Paul. Spreading Jesus" word throughout the world of the Romans, Paul gained major influence by "emphasizing faith over the minute observance of the law" (Hause 102). Not only did he make the people aware that the concepts of law were worthless in reaching eternal salvation, he "denied that Jesus was sent merely as the redeemer of the Jews, and proclaimed Christianity to be a universal religion. He placed major emphasis on the ideas of Jesus as the Christ, the anointed for God - man whose death on the cross was an atonement for the sins of humanity" (Lerner 196). These words of wisdom and amazing concepts were what had influenced the people to follow him and his preaching. He preached all over Rome, and this in turn, resulted in many congregations and organizations that had gone against Jewish law. As Christianity spread, the more congregations were formed.
