Our God is a jealous God who alone is worthy of our worship. God is clear when He says, "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isa. 42:8). Because God uses people to accomplish His purposes, we too are not to give His glory to another. Every believer should have this growing desire within them to bring God glory and to make His glory known no matter the cost.
That was the attitude of many Christians in the second century. Their actions resulted in them being persecuted and even put to death. My prayer is that their stories would convict us of how little we risk for the glory of God and motivate us to bring Him glory no matter the cost. Below I have summarized two periods of persecution and two prominent Christians, from the second century, who suffered for the cause of Christ.
PERSECUTION UNDER PLINY AND TRAJAN
Pliny the Younger was appointed governor of Bithynia in AD 111. He did not approve of the Christian faith because it was negatively affecting the proceeds from paganism. The Pagan temples were becoming deserted and the sellers of sacrificial victims were finding few buyers. Pliny began to gather up all the so-called Christians and commanded them to pray to the pagan gods, burn incense before the image of the emperor, and curse Christ, because he had heard that this was something true Christians would never do. If they refused, he would execute them.
Considering himself a just man, however, Pliny began to question whether Christians should be arrested simply for calling themselves “Christian.” After seeking the council of Trajan, Pliny reasoned that since they were not committing any crime against society or against the state, the resources of the state should not be used to seek them out. However, if they were arrested for another reason and refused to recant, they were to be executed. This resulted in pagan mobs forming and falsely accusing prominent Christians of crimes to have them tried and executed.
PERSECUTION UNDER MARCUS AURELIUS
Marcus Aurelius became emperor in AD 161. He found the stubbornness of Christians most offensive. He respected those willing to die for their beliefs if they were reasonable, but believed that the Christian faith was illogical and viewed Christians as being motivated by irrational stubbornness. Many Christians died for their faith during Aurelius’ reign. We do not know how many died, but are told that at one place the number of Christians being held awaiting execution was so numerous that many died of suffocation before the executioners could get to them.
THE MARTYRDOM OF IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH
One of the first known martyrs of the second century was Ignatius of Antioch. He was well known in the Christian community because he was the bishop (second after the apostles) at Antioch (the prominent church from the book of Acts). He was sentenced to die by Trajan and was killed in AD 107. Before his death, many considered rescuing Ignatius, but he wrote and told them that his purpose was to be an imitator of the passion of Christ. He said, “When I suffer, I shall be free in Jesus Christ, and with him shall rise again in freedom.” He was sentenced to die in the coliseum and was eaten by lions.
THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP
A younger friend of Ignatius and another disciple of John was Polycarp. He was another well known believer who was targeted by the pagan mob, arrested and brought to the coliseum. The account of Polycarp's death is well documented.
He was brought before the people and the pagan mob began to shout “Out with the atheists.” In response, Polycarp points to the crowd saying, “Yes, out with the atheists!” The judge then commanded Polycarp to swear by the emperor and curse Christ and he would be free to go. Polycarp said, “For eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?” They then threatened to burn him alive to which Polycarp responded, “(My) fire will only last for a moment, but the fire of judgment will be eternal.” He was burned at the stake, but before he died, he prayed, “Lord Sovereign God…I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment, so that, jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ…For this…I bless and glorify you. Amen.”
APPLICATION FOR TODAY
First, we as Christians should not view the deaths of Ignatius and Polycarp as tragic. These men lived full lives for the cause of Christ and their eternal reward is great. We often equate a good life with a long life, which is not true according to Scripture. The fullest life ever lived was that of our savior Jesus Christ. The true tragedy in the second century were the actions of the emperors and the beliefs and practices of the pagans. Polycarp made this point by stating that his physical death would not compare to the spiritual death that awaits all the unregenerate. May we seek not a long life, but a full life like our Lord.
It is also important for us to understand that the actions of these early Christians were not motivated by irrational stubbornness like the second century emperors claimed. The faith that the Bible teaches isn’t opposed to reason and isn’t ignorant belief in something that has been proven false. Faith in Jesus Christ is a thoughtful, passionate, and moral commitment to a truth that stands up under the scrutiny of the mind, the heart, and the conscience.
Lastly, because these Christians were convinced of the truthfulness of the Christian faith, they put their life on the line because they knew, from God’s word, that His glory is to be valued more than life itself. A problem in our country is that we tend to risk very little for the glory of God. Our lives are not on the line, but we still refuse to make His glory known for the sake of family ties, friendships, social status etc. Like I said before, as believers we should have a growing desire within us to bring God glory and to make His glory known no matter the cost.
Do you mean what you say when you tell God that you want Him to be glorified in you more than anything? My prayer is that what you do for God will give validity to what you say about him and to him.
That was the attitude of many Christians in the second century. Their actions resulted in them being persecuted and even put to death. My prayer is that their stories would convict us of how little we risk for the glory of God and motivate us to bring Him glory no matter the cost. Below I have summarized two periods of persecution and two prominent Christians, from the second century, who suffered for the cause of Christ.
PERSECUTION UNDER PLINY AND TRAJAN
Pliny the Younger was appointed governor of Bithynia in AD 111. He did not approve of the Christian faith because it was negatively affecting the proceeds from paganism. The Pagan temples were becoming deserted and the sellers of sacrificial victims were finding few buyers. Pliny began to gather up all the so-called Christians and commanded them to pray to the pagan gods, burn incense before the image of the emperor, and curse Christ, because he had heard that this was something true Christians would never do. If they refused, he would execute them.
Considering himself a just man, however, Pliny began to question whether Christians should be arrested simply for calling themselves “Christian.” After seeking the council of Trajan, Pliny reasoned that since they were not committing any crime against society or against the state, the resources of the state should not be used to seek them out. However, if they were arrested for another reason and refused to recant, they were to be executed. This resulted in pagan mobs forming and falsely accusing prominent Christians of crimes to have them tried and executed.
PERSECUTION UNDER MARCUS AURELIUS
Marcus Aurelius became emperor in AD 161. He found the stubbornness of Christians most offensive. He respected those willing to die for their beliefs if they were reasonable, but believed that the Christian faith was illogical and viewed Christians as being motivated by irrational stubbornness. Many Christians died for their faith during Aurelius’ reign. We do not know how many died, but are told that at one place the number of Christians being held awaiting execution was so numerous that many died of suffocation before the executioners could get to them.
THE MARTYRDOM OF IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH
One of the first known martyrs of the second century was Ignatius of Antioch. He was well known in the Christian community because he was the bishop (second after the apostles) at Antioch (the prominent church from the book of Acts). He was sentenced to die by Trajan and was killed in AD 107. Before his death, many considered rescuing Ignatius, but he wrote and told them that his purpose was to be an imitator of the passion of Christ. He said, “When I suffer, I shall be free in Jesus Christ, and with him shall rise again in freedom.” He was sentenced to die in the coliseum and was eaten by lions.
THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP
A younger friend of Ignatius and another disciple of John was Polycarp. He was another well known believer who was targeted by the pagan mob, arrested and brought to the coliseum. The account of Polycarp's death is well documented.
He was brought before the people and the pagan mob began to shout “Out with the atheists.” In response, Polycarp points to the crowd saying, “Yes, out with the atheists!” The judge then commanded Polycarp to swear by the emperor and curse Christ and he would be free to go. Polycarp said, “For eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?” They then threatened to burn him alive to which Polycarp responded, “(My) fire will only last for a moment, but the fire of judgment will be eternal.” He was burned at the stake, but before he died, he prayed, “Lord Sovereign God…I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment, so that, jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ…For this…I bless and glorify you. Amen.”
APPLICATION FOR TODAY
First, we as Christians should not view the deaths of Ignatius and Polycarp as tragic. These men lived full lives for the cause of Christ and their eternal reward is great. We often equate a good life with a long life, which is not true according to Scripture. The fullest life ever lived was that of our savior Jesus Christ. The true tragedy in the second century were the actions of the emperors and the beliefs and practices of the pagans. Polycarp made this point by stating that his physical death would not compare to the spiritual death that awaits all the unregenerate. May we seek not a long life, but a full life like our Lord.
It is also important for us to understand that the actions of these early Christians were not motivated by irrational stubbornness like the second century emperors claimed. The faith that the Bible teaches isn’t opposed to reason and isn’t ignorant belief in something that has been proven false. Faith in Jesus Christ is a thoughtful, passionate, and moral commitment to a truth that stands up under the scrutiny of the mind, the heart, and the conscience.
Lastly, because these Christians were convinced of the truthfulness of the Christian faith, they put their life on the line because they knew, from God’s word, that His glory is to be valued more than life itself. A problem in our country is that we tend to risk very little for the glory of God. Our lives are not on the line, but we still refuse to make His glory known for the sake of family ties, friendships, social status etc. Like I said before, as believers we should have a growing desire within us to bring God glory and to make His glory known no matter the cost.
Do you mean what you say when you tell God that you want Him to be glorified in you more than anything? My prayer is that what you do for God will give validity to what you say about him and to him.
