The Great Apostasy started very soon after the Savior returned to heaven after His resurrection. The Apostles of Jesus Christ did their best to teach and keep the light of the gospel on the Earth, but the wickedness also worked to stop the work of the Lord. Europe is full of evidences of the Ancient Church of Jesus Christ and signs, also, of the Great Apostasy.
Mars Hill in Athens Greece is the location of the famous Areopagus sermon given by the Apostle Paul. The speech is recounted in Acts 17:16-34. The Areopagus sermon is one of the most dramatic and fully reported speech of the missionary career of Paul.
The Apostles of Jesus Christ were bearing powerful and firm testimonies of what they had witnessed, first hand. They saw the resurrected Savior, and were taught by Him. The Apostle Paul was on Mars Hill in Athens when he made one of his most important declarations of the Saviors resurrection.
Imagine, hearing for the first time of the Savior, on Mars Hill. Hearing how the Lord came to Earth to show us how to live, and died for us, making it possible to live forever. The Apostles went throughout Europe declaring what they saw and heard from the Savior, and converted the faithful everywhere they went.
In the talk “An Apostles Witnesses of the Resurrection” by Howard W. Hunter conference 1986, he goes over how the Ancient Apostles focused on the Resurrection of the Savior:
“Even with the logic of nature’s regeneration and even with the testimony of that empty garden tomb, there are still those who feel the grave is a final destination. But the doctrine of the Resurrection is the single most fundamental and crucial doctrine in the Christian religion. It cannot be overemphasized, nor can it be disregarded.
Without the Resurrection, the gospel of Jesus Christ becomes a litany of wise sayings and seemingly unexplainable miracles—but sayings and miracles with no ultimate triumph. No, the ultimate triumph is in the ultimate miracle: for the first time in the history of mankind, one who was dead raised himself into living immortality. He was the Son of God, the Son of our immortal Father in Heaven, and his triumph over physical and spiritual death is the good news every Christian tongue should speak.
The eternal truth is that Jesus Christ arose from the grave and was the firstfruits of the Resurrection. (See 1 Cor. 15:23.) The witnesses of this wonderful occurrence cannot be impeached.
Among the chosen witnesses are the Lord’s Apostles. Indeed, the call to the holy apostleship is one of bearing witness to the world of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith said, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” (History of the Church, 3:30.)
Peter, one of the Apostles chosen by the Master during His ministry, made these statements concerning the role of the Apostles as witnesses of the death and resurrection of Jesus:
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36.)
“But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, … and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:14–15.)
“And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” (Acts 5:32.)
The Apostle Paul commented on what Peter had stated about the Apostles being witnesses of the death and resurrection of Jesus. These are his words:
“And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
“But God raised him from the dead:
“And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.” (Acts 13:29–31.)
On Mars Hill in Athens, Paul said: “[God] hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31), and before King Agrippa he asked this question: “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” (Acts 26:8.)
Paul bore his apostolic witness of the Resurrection again in his letter to the Saints at Corinth:
“Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? … For the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 9:1–2.)
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept … in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:20, 22.)
I humbly testify of my privilege to bear the holy apostleship and to work daily with a modern Quorum of Twelve Apostles who are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to go forth as “special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world.” (D&C 107:23.) And so have the Apostles always testified.”
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