Martyrdom
Martyrdom. Dying for believing in Jesus Christ. There were 10 major persecutions of the Church during the Roman Empire according to Foxes Book of Martyr’s. Thousands of Christians died of numerous and diabolical tortures and “entertainments.” Dying for either not renouncing their savior or not sacrificing/worshiping pagan gods or to the emperor himself as a god. This type of persecution has not been seen in the United States and has entered very little into the thoughts and patterns of it’s people. We take for granted the freedom we have here. It is not so everywhere.
To keep the list short, I will limit my description to the founding apostles of the Church. Mind you besides John who is credited with miraculously surviving being thrown into a pit of boiling oil and was thence banished to the isle of Patmos, every single one of the twelve disciples of Christ died a martyr’s death. Let us look at a few of Christianity’s earliest martyrs.
James, son of Zebedee, was beheaded in 44 AD.
Philip was scourged, jailed, and crucified in 54 AD.
Matthew, who took the gospel to Africa, was speared by a halberd in 60 AD.
Matthias (who filled the vacancy left by Judas Iscariot) was stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem.
Andrew took the gospel to Asia where he was crucified.
Mark (author of the gospel) was dragged to pieces by idol worshippers in Greece.
Peter was crucified upside down by Nero.
Paul was beheaded by Nero.
Jude was crucified at Edessa in 72 AD.
Bartholomew was crucified by idol worshippers in India.
Thomas, also died in India, when he was pierced by a spear.
Luke (author of the gospel) was hung on an olive tree by Grecians.
Simon was crucified in Britain in 74 AD.
So many more were martyred for their faith. Tested and reprimanded to deny their faith to save their skins. Not one of these recanted. Not one turned to save themselves from a torturous and accursed death. These were the patriarchs if you will of the church. The foundation was Jesus and these were the first, the beginnings of the Church. They started the process through the power of the Holy Spirit, and they were killed for it and their death lay as a witness to their honesty and sincerity. Their witness is an infallible one. Reject it at your own peril.
Jared Williams
To keep the list short, I will limit my description to the founding apostles of the Church. Mind you besides John who is credited with miraculously surviving being thrown into a pit of boiling oil and was thence banished to the isle of Patmos, every single one of the twelve disciples of Christ died a martyr’s death. Let us look at a few of Christianity’s earliest martyrs.
James, son of Zebedee, was beheaded in 44 AD.
Philip was scourged, jailed, and crucified in 54 AD.
Matthew, who took the gospel to Africa, was speared by a halberd in 60 AD.
Matthias (who filled the vacancy left by Judas Iscariot) was stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem.
Andrew took the gospel to Asia where he was crucified.
Mark (author of the gospel) was dragged to pieces by idol worshippers in Greece.
Peter was crucified upside down by Nero.
Paul was beheaded by Nero.
Jude was crucified at Edessa in 72 AD.
Bartholomew was crucified by idol worshippers in India.
Thomas, also died in India, when he was pierced by a spear.
Luke (author of the gospel) was hung on an olive tree by Grecians.
Simon was crucified in Britain in 74 AD.
So many more were martyred for their faith. Tested and reprimanded to deny their faith to save their skins. Not one of these recanted. Not one turned to save themselves from a torturous and accursed death. These were the patriarchs if you will of the church. The foundation was Jesus and these were the first, the beginnings of the Church. They started the process through the power of the Holy Spirit, and they were killed for it and their death lay as a witness to their honesty and sincerity. Their witness is an infallible one. Reject it at your own peril.
Jared Williams
