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Early Signs of the Apostasy

By Kent P. Jackson

The New Testament both prophesies and documents the first-century apostasy

Kent P. Jackson, “Early Signs of the Apostasy,” Ensign, Dec. 1984, 8
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has proclaimed to the world consistently since its beginning that there was an apostasy of the church founded by Jesus during his Palestinian ministry and led by his Apostles following his ascension. 1 This is a fundamental belief of the Latter-day Saints. If there had not been an apostasy, there would have been no need for a restoration.

Latter-day Saint theology asserts that the church of the Savior and his Apostles in the Old World came to an end within a century after its formation. 2 The doctrines which its inspired leaders taught were corrupted and changed by others not of similar inspiration, the authority to act in God’s name was taken from the earth, and none of the Christian systems that existed after those developments, though they did some good things, enjoyed divine endorsement as the Lord’s own church. (JS—H 1:19; D&C 1:30.)

Possibly the best single witness of the apostasy of New Testament Christianity is the New Testament itself. The New Testament writers prophesied that apostasy would take place in the Church and that the Church in fact would be overcome by it. Just as significantly, the New Testament actually records apostasy happening as the book was being written. As time progressed, the heresies against which the Apostles contended became increasingly virulent and increasingly successful, as the record attests. Near the end of the first century, the apostolic record came to a sudden close.

In this article, we will first look at prophecies of the apostasy, then at the actual New Testament chronicle of the apostasy itself.

Prophecies about Apostasy

The New Testament contains several statements made by Jesus and his Apostles about the future of their work. Though the Apostles labored with great zeal to bring souls to the Lord and establish the Church throughout the world, still their prophetic utterances concerning the end result of their efforts foretold tragedy. In short, they knew that the Church would fall into apostasy shortly after their time, and they bore candid testimony of that fact, as the following passages demonstrate.

Matthew 24:9–11

In Matthew 24, Jesus prophesied of events that would transpire in the near and distant future. Matthew 24:9–11 [Matt. 24:9–11] records a prophecy of great importance concerning the future of the Church (and the Joseph Smith—Matthew rendering of this passage places it clearly in the context of the latter days of the early Church). 3

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”

Here we learn that the Apostles would be afflicted, hated, and put to death for Christ’s sake. Yet the killing of the Apostles was not the cause of the apostasy. Other references clearly teach that Christianity died from an internal wound, the rejection of true doctrine by the members of the Church. Still, the death of those who alone held the authority to lead the Church could only mean the death of the Church itself.

Verse 10 provides a valuable prophecy of the rejection of truth by the Saints: “then shall many be offended.” The Greek verb skandalízô in the passive voice, translated offended in the King James Version, more accurately means, in a theological sense, “to give up one’s faith” or “fall into sin.” “Many,” the Savior foretells, will do it at that day.

Verse 11 records an additional prophecy—that many false prophets would arise and would “deceive many” (italics added). Recall that the historical context here is the last days of the apostolic era, when the Apostles would be afflicted, hated, and killed. Taking their places in the minds of many would be what the Savior calls “many false prophets.” 4

Acts 20:29–31