The Martyrdom of Ignatius

"Martyr" is a Greek word that means "witness". I find it interesting that our modern-day usage of the word "martyr" comes from the historical fact of Christians being put to death for refusing to recant Christ. After the death of the Apostles through the end of official persecution under the reign of Constantine and the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 there were no "missionaries" and open-air "evangelistic crusades." Christianity was illegal and these types of activities could not take place. Participation in worship services was restricted to those who had been baptized and whose names were written on the rolls of the local churches. Baptism came three years after conversion and only after thorough education in the doctrines of the church and demonstrated faithfulness to Christ -- often through torture or other abuse. Besides the example of the daily lives of those faithful to Christ, the major event in the life of local church growth was the opportunity to watch the way the Christians faced death. Their demeanor in view of their imminent demise was the "witness" that drew converts to the church.
These days we lightly think of a "martyr" for this or a "martyr" for that. How often have you thought that this cultural idea is literally grounded in the blood of our Christian ancestors? In my class on the history of the Christian Church I have read about several of the notable witnesses of the Christian faith. The first such witness I will post about is Ignatius of Antioch, the Bearer of God. I have taken the text of these posts from Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity: The Early Church to the Present Day (Peabody, MA: Prince Press, 2010).

"About A.D. 107, the elderly bishop of Antioch, Ignatius, was condemned to death by the imperial authorities. Since great festivities were being planned in Rom in celebration of a military victory, Ignatius was sent to the capital so that his death would help amuse the people.

Ignatius was probably born around A.D. 30 or 35 and was well over seventy when his life ended in martyrdom. In his letters, he repeatedly calls himself "the bearer of God" as if this were a title by which he was known--and this is an indication of the high respect in which he was held among Christians. In any case, by the beginning of the second century Ignatius had great presitige in the entire Christian community, because he was bishop (the second after the apostles) of one of hte most ancient churches, that of Antioch.

Nothing is known about the arrest and trial of Ignatius, nor of who it was that brought in an accusation against him. From his letters, it is clear that there were several factions in Antioch, and that the elderly bishop had tenaciously opposed those doctrines he found heretical. It is not clear whether he was accused before the authorities by a pagan, or by a dissident Christian who sought to undo him. In any case, for one reason or another Ignatius was arrested, tried, and condemned to die in Rome.

Somehow, Ignatius had heard that Christians in Rome were considering the possibility of freeing him from death. He did not look upon this with favor. He was ready to seal his witness with his blood, and any move on the part of the Christians in Rome to save him would be an obstacle to his goal. He therefore wrote to them:

"I fear your kindness, which may harm me. You may be able to achieve what you plan. But if you pay no heed to my request it will be very difficult for me to attain unto God."

As Ignatius goes on to say, his purpose is to be an imitator of the passion of his God, that is, Jesus Christ. As he faces the ultimate sacrifice, Ignatius believes that he begins to be a disciple; and therefore all that he wants from Christians in Rome is that they pray, not that he be freed, but that he may have the strength to face every trial,

"so that I may not only be called a Christian, but behave as such . . . My love is crucified . . . I no longer savor corruptible food. . . but wish to taste the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ . . . and his blood I wish to drink, which is an immortal drink . . . When I suffer, I shall be free in Jesus Christ, and with Him shall rise again in freedom . . . I am God's wheat, to be ground by the teeth of beasts, so that I may be offered as pure bread of Christ."

And the reason Ignatius is willing to face death with such courage is that he will thereby become a witness:

"If you remain silent about me, I shall become a word of God. But if you allow yourselves to be swayed by the love in which you hold my flesh, I shall again be no more than a human voice."

Shortly thereafter, Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna wrote to the Christians in Philippi asking for news regarding Ignatius. the answer from the Philippians has been lost, although it seems certain that Ignatius died as he expected shortly after his arrival in Rome."

Here is the question: what are you willing to do to become a witness? What will it take for you to rise up and speak out? I am not intending to heap condescension on you who read for my own "witness" is silent compared to the likes of the early church fathers. Let us all be mindful that our own worship is not on Sunday morning or in our room in the privacy of our homes, but as the Apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."