(This is the extended, written version of a presentation I gave on 4/30/2013.
This is II-1. If you haven't read "The Early Church I" yet, I would recommend it. All links are at the bottom of this article.)
Prologue
Last time we examined the
message of Christianity and how it was presented to both Jew and
Gentile. The message of Christ was a message of dignity, divine
sonship and daughterhood, and a noble mission, namely the salvation
of all in the name of Christ Jesus.
This, however, came with
many difficulties. There were many who refused to hear the message.
Others simply saw God as one among many appropriating what was
profitable to them in the Christian message. Others reacted
violently. Of these three, it may seem strange to hear that the
second problem, corrupted teaching, was actually the most destructive
to the Church. While there were those who were outside the Church who
simply selected a few points and incorporated them into their pagan
theology there were plenty of Christians who, because of culture,
(both abundance and lack of) learning, and zeal, caused a great deal
of trouble by their words.
In order to counteract these
false teachings and bad influences the Church, beginning with the
Apostles, established very quickly a structure of bishop, priest, and
deacon in order to preserve and protect the content of the Apostolic
faith. The bishop was a direct descendent of the Apostles, a
relationship we'll explore later on. It was through the office of the
bishop that we became known as “Catholic” and it was only around
such a man that the Church was said to be. “Tradition,”
likewise, properly understood was not only the words and actions of
Christ but also the words and actions of the Apostles and their
successors who were given a unique office (cf. Acts 1:20) by Christ
(cf. Jn 20:19-23). Peter among the Twelve was given an important
ministry and office. The title bishop means “overseer” and Peter
was appointed overseer of his brothers. He exercised this authority
clearly in Scripture yet, as Christ proclaimed, he did not lord over
them (cf. Lk 22:25) but rather acted as a supreme example to his
brothers and his flock (cf. 1 Pet 5:5).
Christians were likewise
persecuted in waves of varying intensity from the Church's inception
at Pentecost until 313 AD, after the persecutions of Diocletian.
Christ, however, said it plainly: “If anyone wishes to come after
me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me …
whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Lk 9:23-24).
Peter said his disciples, “Since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm
yourselves with the same attitude” (1 Pet 4:1) and “Do not be
surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if
something strange were happening. Rather, rejoice to the extent that
you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is
revealed you may also rejoice exultantly” (1 Pet 4:13). Paul says
it even more simply, “All who want to live religiously in Christ
Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12).
This brings us to the
opening of our discussion: the martyrs. In what manner did their
witness to Christ shape the early Christians and the Church?
Likewise, what problems did they cause for the Church moving forward?
II-1: The Martyrs
The word martyr literally
means “witness” yet that witness is more than proclaiming Christ
with our words or good deeds. This is the witness that testifies to
Christ crucified in the most concrete way: by giving up one's life in
the same manner Christ did. Christ died for love of us, the martyrs
died for love of Christ and neighbor—even persecutor.
Death is something that was
trivialized in the Roman Empire just as it is today. The delight in
the fall of one's enemies, the desire to oppress those who fought but
no longer can, to see those whom we hate suffer cruelly for their
injustice are all forms of bloodlust. The Romans were desensitized to
blood, perhaps more than we are, because their violence was very real
and designed, at its worst, to humiliate and break their captives.
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| Not to mention entertainment. |
Imagine, now, a group of men
and women who stood in the face of death proudly. Rather than
cowering in fear and succumbing to cruelty they openly proclaimed
Christ. They prayed for their enemies and would not let death itself
keep them from the One they loved. They acted as if life itself was
an obstacle to their ultimate goal and that the threat of death held
no sway. To a people soaked in blood and self-centeredness this was a
shock to their system. With such a sharp contrast to their way of
life two responses resulted: (1) even greater and inflamed hatred or
(2) a complete conversion of heart. Very few could stand by
indifferent to the example of the martyrs.
Before
we examine the martyrs we should keep in mind a few aspects: not
every Roman leader hated Christians, nor did every governor or
provincial enact laws of persecution—Christians were in many places
model citizens, and in many cases Romans sought to dispel a sect or a
cult by killing their leaders. There was little effect to killing
scores of common men and women. Priests, bishops, deacons, and those
admired by the community were sought above the laity (Courtesy of
Sommer, We Look for a Kingdom, 222).
Let us
examine in sort, then, how the Church viewed martyrdom. While we
ourselves can say many nice things about the martyrs it is worthwhile
to examine how our Church Fathers and Scripture regarded the power
and significance of them. It will help us, in turn, understand how
Christians of that period responded to and sought the martyrs.
Justin
Martyr, an apologist and martyr of the Church was a well educated
man with an extensive knowledge of philosophy. Justin cited one of
the reasons for his conversion in his 2nd
Apology: “I was delighted in the teachings of Plato, and heard the
Christians slandered, and saw them fearless of death, and of all
other things which are counted fearful, [I] saw that it was
impossible that they could be living in wickedness and pleasure. For
what sensual or intemperate person, or whoever counts it good to
feast on human flesh, could welcome death that he might be deprived
of his enjoyments[?]” (2nd
Apology, sec. 12).
The
common conception of Christians at this time (2nd
century) was that they were atheists and cannibals. All manner of
slander and myths were circulated about Christians so that they
seemed to be enemies to humanity and to the state. For example:
Tacitus, the famous Roman historian, said that Christians were “a
sect that hates the human race” (Annals 15:44). Yet in the face of
hatred many men and women showed love. In the face of cruelty is was
the Christians who showed themselves to be civilized. It remains an
important lesson for us today; the world will see us as enemies and
fools and in these instances our words and actions should be as
blameless as they can. When our adversaries comment on our faults,
sinfulness, and errors accept them as a blessing. When we can present
His message without fault—as best we can—the the words of others
against His message are destined to fall. Time will reveal their lack
of wisdom.
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| Modern examples exist in abundance. |
Scripture likewise conveys
this to us. The first martyr, Stephen the deacon, stands before a
hostile crowd speaking in the Spirit. It says “his face was like
the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15) and yet his words of condemnation
to the wicked were like a sword. “You stiff-necked people,
uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit;
you are just like your ancestors. … You received the law as
transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it” (Acts 7:51, 53).
As the crowd raged toward him he looked up to heaven, giving thanks
that he should suffer for Jesus' name. He forgave those who killed
him and, after his death, “devout men buried Stephen and made a
loud lament over him” (Acts 8:3).
Interestingly in this story
is that Scripture says “I see the heavens opened up and the Son of
Man standing at the right hand of God” and “Lord Jesus, receive
my Spirit” (7:56, 59). Would there be any doubt his spirit was
received? Christ on the cross proclaimed to the repentant thief
“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk
23:43, cf. Mt 37:45-56). If Christ said this at the request of the
penitent sinner do you think he would deny the request of the one
who, filled with His Spirit and dying for His name, would be refused
any request?
To this effect, and to
answer this question, I present a story relayed to us by Eusebius,
the earliest 'historian' of the Church. Writing in the 4th
century he was considered the “Father of Church History.” All
histories written around this period and after him by other
Christians begin at the end of his work as if to acknowledge his
writing (cf. Penguin Classics version, xviii, 1989).
He writes many accounts of
persecutions and martyrs, one which I think will be useful to
consider in brief:
Potamiaena was a virgin and
martyr who was condemned along with her mother for being Christian.
She “and her mother Marcella found fulfillment in fire.” Her
mother was killed and she was subject to a number of humiliations and
tortures. A soldier in her midst, Basilides, seized her and led to
her to place of execution. The crowd pressed around her seeking to
strike her while insulting her but Basilides drove them back and
showed this woman “the utmost pity and kindness.” Potamiaena,
accepting his sympathy told him that “when she had gone away she
would ask her Lord for him, and it would not be long before she
repaid him for all he had done for her. … She face her end with
noble courage—slowly, drop by drop, boiling pitch was poured [over
her]. Such was the battle won by this splendid girl.”
Some days later Basilides
was asked by his fellow soldiers to take again the military oath by
which they all swore. He refused saying he was a Christian. They
thought he was joking, but he asserted all the more of this fact. His
comrades threw him in prison and those from the Church visited him
there asking him the reason. He told them that “three days after
her martyrdom Potamiaena stood before him in the night, put a wreath
about his head, and said she had prayed for him to the Lord, had
obtained her request, and before long would place him by her side.”
At once those present baptised him and on the next day he was
beheaded. It was said that in Alexandria, where all this took place,
many other came to believe having seen this same girl in their dreams
calling them to Jesus Christ. (see Eusebius, EH 6.5).
In this brief story that
I've paraphrased we see a number of things: the courage of a martyr,
her influence while living, and her power when she had life eternal.
The martyrs were said to work miracles after their deaths and be
catalysts to many conversions. Such interactions, that is saints
speaking to others after their death, are not explicitly in
Scripture, however, so how shall we consider this story?
We recall that in
Revelations that there were those who “have washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they stand
before God's throne and worship him day and night” (Rev 7:14-15).
But it says later on that “I saw thrones and those who sat on them
were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God …
They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years [that
is, for this Age] … blessed and holy is the one who shares in the
first Resurrection. … they will reign with him for [the] thousand
years” (Rev 20:4-6).
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| Prayer to the saints is effective not because the saints have power on their own, but because in their total loss-of-self in martyrdom they were given a share of the throne of Christ in this Age. All of it is for our benefit. |
The first thousand years is
not a literal time but an expression of forever (or, for the duration
of this Age). We remain in this period of the first “thousand
years” whereas the new heavens and new earth is the
Age-yet-to-come, the Resurrection of the Body. Indeed, while we
remain as pilgrims here on earth there were those, as Scripture
attests, who sit on thrones with Christ. The ones on thrones are the
ones martyred in the name of Christ. That they sit on a throne means
they have power, and their power is precisely their intercession with
Christ on behalf of all souls on heaven and earth. For it was not
Christ himself who converted Basilides, but rather Christ through a
young girl who converted him. This story relates that the ever-living
martyr did not desire power nor did she seek revenge on her
persecutors. Like Christ who proclaims “Repent, and believe in the
gospel” (Mk 1:15) she called others to do the same. All of us too
are called to be witnesses to Christ—some will witness by our
lives, others by our deaths.
Martyrs across the whole
empire produced this effect. Perhaps one of the most famous
martyrologies that has come down to us is the Martyrdom of Polycarp,
bishop to the Church in Smyrna (which was a Greek city in Ionia at
the time). He was an old man when he was martyred, perhaps 80 or 85
at his death.
This account, however, was
written in the 4th century (perhaps 310 AD) while he is
believed to have been martyred in the 2nd century around
155 AD). This account has been shown, over time, to not give us any
real historical knowledge of Polycarp, but the story itself allows us
to see a number of things: (1) the great character of the man written
about, (2) the practices concerning such men and women by the
faithful, (3) the pride communities took in such examples of their
faith. Much of what we get about Polycarp can be gathered from the
letter to the Philippians attributed to him, what Ignatius of Antioch
says of him in his letter, of various fragments, most notably by his
great admirer and fellow bishop Irenaeus of Lyons.
With this being said as an
aside, I will select a few quotes that, while not strict history
insofar as the exact events described are not historical, they are
history insofar as they convey the attitudes of a Christian people. I
think you'll see how it correlates with the story above.
Concerning Polycarp's
martyrdom it says that the act was “certainly a mark of true and
steadfast love, not only to desire one's salvation, but that of all
the brethren as well” (Martyrdom, sec. 1).
Those who martyred Polycarp
kept his body from those who sought it because “many … were eager
to [lay hold of him] and have a share in his holy remains”
(Martyrdom, sec. 17). This one indication of relics we have early on,
but such an indication also comes from Scripture—that the articles
of holy men and women, and that which touched them, had power
associated with them. It says “So extraordinary were the might
deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul that when face clothes or
aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases
left them and the evil spirits came out of them” (Acts 19:11-12).
The reverence given to and
practices concerning the martyrs is encapsulated nicely here: “[We]
took up his bones, more precious than costly stones and more
excellent than gold, and interred them in a decent place. There the
Lord will permit us, as far as possible, to assemble in rapturous joy
and celebrate his martyrdom—his birthday—both to commemorate the
heroes that have gone before, and to train and prepare the heroes yet
to come” (Martyrdom, sec. 18).
Of Polycarp himself it was
said “Of the elect the most wonderful Polycarp was certainly one—an
apostolic and prophetic teacher in our times, and a bishop of the
Catholic Church at Smyrna” (sec. 16).
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| "Your life among the Gentiles must be beyond reproach; thus by your good example you will win praise for yourselves, and the Lord will not be blasphemed on your account" (Letters to the Philippians, sec. 16). |
