Bryan M. Litfin - Early Christian Martyr Stories: An Evangelical Introduction with New Translations

The Meaning of the Martyrs

In this book we have encountered a lot of difficult things. At times, its hard to believe the martyrs were actually victors. Yet it is often in the midst of disturbing circumstances that we begin to see things with new eyes. Since you have allowed me to be your guide this far, perhaps I can now offer some final thoughts about the meaning of the martyrs. What did they do for the ancient church? And what do they offer to contemporary Christians as well?

The martyrs refused to make Jesus into just another god. Ancient Rome was full of borrowed religions. New gods constantly flowed into the empire and pooled in the capital. Jesus could have easily taken his place among the other heroes and saviors and lordsexcept the early Christians insisted on worshiping him to the exclusion of all rivals. This was, as we have seen, a cultural offense. The Romans were prepared to kill for it. Yet they offered an easy way out. Just worship our gods too, they said. You can have Jesus if youll just set him alongside Jupiter. But theres one problem here: that isnt who Jesus really is. The martyrs understood this. They felt it so deeply that they enthroned Jesus right where he should be, as King of kings and Lord of lords. In so doing, they passed on the enduring Christian faith that is still practiced today instead of just another gnostic cult we can read about in history books.

2. The martyrs counted the cost and gave up everything. Its tempting to think the martyrs werent like usthat they didnt have the same love for friends and families, the same enjoyment of lifes little pleasures, the same hopes for a long Christian life. If nothing else, Perpetuas prison diary puts that notion to rest. We hear in this womans own words how she feared for her baby, how she suffered in prison, how she grieved the loss of a life that once was. Yet she declared to her father, and likewise to the judge, I am a Christian, and I cant be called anything else. Perpetua had counted the cost, and it was a cost she was willing to pay. The martyrs knew the pain in store for themthey knew it all too well. No one was ignorant of what Roman torture meant. And still they chose Jesus. That was the nature of their radical devotion. What attachments to this world are we being asked to repudiate today? What sufferings are we being asked to endure for the sake of God? Since we have so great a cloud of martyrs surrounding us, let us run our own race with equal endurance. Eyes on the finish line!

3. The martyrs were utterly confident in their eternal hope. People like to say Christianity is about getting into heaven. Thats too simplisticyet sometimes, simple sayings hide core truths. It would be hard to identify an experience all human beings share in common, but one would certainly be death . It is our great enemy. Its icy hand claims the mighty and lowly alike. World religions have been spawned to grapple with it. The aged fear it. And Jesus has overcome it. O death, where is your victory? asks the apostle Paul. O death, where is your sting?... Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:55, 57). It is no coincidence that the martyrs final cry became Deo gratias! thanks be to God! They knew what lay on the other side of the veil. Christians rightly grieve the finality of death. But they do not grieve like others do, who have no hope. The martyrs rejoiced at their sunset from this world, confident in the knowledge the bright Morning Star would greet them soon.

The martyrs call us into unity with the ancient church. It is easy for modern people to feel distant from the early Christians. They wore different garments, ate different foods, thought in different ways. Even so, they insisted that the church is universal across the span of time. A common confession unites all Christians, regardless of whether we are ever called to die for it. In other words, the martyrs remind us that the church is catholic . This is a good word, not one to be feared. Lots of issues may divide us today, but the historical life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and return of Jesus Christthese truths form a story that unites every Christian into a catholic whole. The early church martyrs, despite their chronological distance from us, understood what really mattered. We cant claim their lifestyles and beliefs were just like ours. Yet they did know our same Jesus. He is the Alpha and Omega, the explosive beginning and final destiny of cosmic history. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, exclaimed the writer to the Hebrews (13:8). Since the martyrs died for the same Lord whom we worship, they call us into fuller union with the whole body of Christ. This unity crosses all the ages. The martyrs belong to Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox alike. The ancient church is the wellspring for all who truly follow the risen Lord. Even those who are not capital-C Catholicsin other words, not in communion with the bishop of Romecan still embrace little-c catholicity. Many have done so already. I hope you will too. For the church needs its martyres , or witnesses, in every generation.