Remember the Fallen

The Stoning of Stephen

In the United States, Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have died while serving in the armed forces. It is certainly appropriate for us to appreciate the sacrifices that have helped make it possible for us to live “a tranquil and quiet life” (1 Timothy 2:2).

In a similar way, it is good for us to remember those who died not for a country, but for the kingdom of Christ. The New Testament provides us with a record of a few such individuals. In this article we will remember these martyrs* and consider some lessons from their deaths.

Stephen

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.

When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:54-60).

First of all, Stephen’s death came as a direct result of his preaching. As he stood before the Council (Acts 6:15), he preached a history of the Jewish nation. In his sermon, he condemned both the Council members and their fathers: “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it” (Acts 7:51-53). This led them to react in anger and kill him. If we suffer, it must be for Christ rather than suffering justly as an evildoer. Peter wrote, “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:15-16). There was no other reason to target Stephen – he was “of good reputation” and “a man full of faith of of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3, 5). We must not allow evil in our lives that would cause such punishment to be justified.

We also see in Stephen’s death that a future convert to Christ participated. Stephen’s killers “laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58). He was not one who just happened to be there, but “was in hearty agreement with putting [Stephen] to death” (Acts 8:1). Yet this man was converted not long after this. The Lord appeared to him while he was on the road to Damascus and told him to enter the city where he would be told what he needed to do (Acts 9:1-6). After he was there, Ananias came to Saul, told him what he needed to do, and Saul then obeyed the gospel (Acts 9:17-18; 22:16). This example shows us that anyone can be saved. Paul made this point in his letter to Timothy. Despite the fact that he was “formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” and considered himself the “foremost of all” sinners, he “found mercy, so that…Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:12-16). No matter what someone has done in the past, he can be saved if he will obey the Lord.

Stephen’s example also shows us an attitude of forgiveness. This was displayed in his last words: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). This was the same attitude that Jesus had while on the cross when He said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Even now, after so many continue to reject Him, He is still “patient…not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This attitude is important because if we want God to forgive us, we must be willing to forgive others. Jesus said, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). Even while others were committing a seemingly unforgivable sin against him (murder), Stephen showed a willingness to forgive that we must possess as well.

James

Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also” (Acts 12:1-3).

We can see from this example that there will be times when civil authorities may target the church. Herod found “some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them” (Acts 12:1). These were not necessarily specific individuals as was the case with Stephen. These were just people who happened to be part of the church. This was the same type of persecution that occurred after the death of Stephen: “And on that day a great persecution began against the church” (Acts 8:1). “Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). The reason why James and others were targeted on these occasions was simply because they were members of the church. With that in mind, we should ask ourselves this question: If that type of persecution happened today, would others know that we are part of the church? Is there evidence that could be used to prove that we are members of the church? Are we “continually devoting [ourselves] to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42), or do we focus on spiritual things only when it is convenient for us to do so? Are we “not forsaking our own assembling together” (Hebrews 10:25), or do we allow other things to take precedence over our attendance? It should be evident to others that we are part of the Lord’s church.

The death of James also shows us that death can come quickly. There are times when one is persecuted for his faith and suffers a long imprisonment. When this happens, there is always the hope that the one in prison will eventually be released. However, in the case of James, it appears that James was killed quickly. The text moves immediately from the arrest of some in the church to the death of James (Acts 12:1-2). We need to remember that life is uncertain. James (not the same man killed by Herod) wrote, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). We must always be ready to face death, whenever it might come. In a discussion about suffering for the faith (Hebrews 10:32), the Hebrew writer said, “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised” (Hebrews 10:35-36). We do not know when our time on earth will be over. Therefore, we must always be prepared for death – even if it comes quickly and as a result of persecution.

The final point to notice on James’ example is that persecution may be viewed favorably by the public. Herod “saw that [killing James] pleased the Jews, [so] he proceeded to arrest Peter also” (Acts 12:1-3). As Christians, we should strive to live at peace with others. Paul wrote, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). Unfortunately, this will not always be “possible.” Even now, our society is becoming more hostile toward God and those who claim to follow Christ. Jesus told His apostles, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). Many will “call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). When this happens, the public may look favorably upon the persecution and mistreatment of Christians. Regardless of what public opinion may be, we must remain faithful to the Lord.

Antipas

And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells” (Revelation 2:12-13).

The first lesson we learn from Antipas’ death is that we must hold fast to the Lord’s name. The church in Pergamum was willing to do this even in the face of persecution which resulted in the killing of Antipas. Like these brethren, we must be willing to confess Christ before others. Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess Him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). This church existed “where Satan dwells” (Revelation 2:13). Likewise, we live in a wicked world. Yet we are still to hold fast to the word of the Lord. Paul told the brethren in Philippi, “Prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16). We are to do this even if it means suffering for our faith. Timothy was told, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8). We must be willing to hold fast to the name of the Lord regardless of the consequences.

Second, we are reminded of the need to be faithful until death. This is what the church in Smyrna was told: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). The brethren in Smyrna were warned about persecution, yet persecution had already come to Pergamum. We need to have the attitude of Paul who told the Ephesian elders, “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). In Caesarea, he told the brethren, “For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Even if we are persecuted for our faith so severely that it leads to death, we must remain faithful so that we can obtain “the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Another lesson from the death of Antipas is that persecution does not remove the guilt of sin. This is not about Antipas’ sin; rather, it is about the sin that existed in the church in Pergamum. Notice what Jesus said to them: “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth” (Revelation 2:14-16). Despite the persecution that was going on around them, the church needed to repent. Error cannot be tolerated. John made this clear in his second epistle: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11). We must not tolerate error among liberal brethren or denominations just because we have a common adversary – the persecutors. Even when the church is being persecuted, we are to strive to keep it pure and free from sin and error.

Unnamed Martyrs

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also” (Revelation 6:9-11).

It is important for us to realize that we do not endure persecution so that others will remember us. Some martyrs are remembered, but most are not. These were unnamed individuals who were killed for their faith. In our service to God, even in the face of persecution, we must not be seeking the praise of men. Paul wrote, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). However, even if no one knows how we have courageously displayed our faith, God knows. The psalmist wrote, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Psalm 116:15). John was given this note of encouragement to pass on to the seven churches: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them” (Revelation 14:13). We should not be seeking notoriety among men. Instead, we should simply focus on serving the Lord and trust in Him to save us.

This example also shows that among God’s people, there should naturally be a desire for justice to be done. This is why these unnamed martyrs were calling upon the Lord to avenge their blood. The Scriptures teach that it is just for the Lord to punish those who persecute His people. Paul told the brethren in Thessalonica, “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6). He then explained that it is just for the Lord to punish others, which includes “those who do not know God and…those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). The Hebrew writer mentioned “the spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23, KJV). In other words, they have a perfect sense of justice (what is right). This is why the unnamed martyrs were calling for the punishment of their persecutors – they desired justice to be carried out by God against them.

The final lesson we can learn from this is that God will punish the wicked in His time. The martyrs were eager for God to avenge them (Revelation 6:10). At the end of the book, John expressed his desire for the Lord to come quickly (Revelation 22:20). Yet these martyrs were told to “rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also” (Revelation 6:11). In other words, judgment against the wicked would be done when God determined it would happen. Paul told the Athenians on Mars Hill, “He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). Only the Father knows when this day will be (Matthew 24:36). Regardless of what we think about it, whether we would prefer the Lord’s judgment to come sooner or later, it will happen when God has decided it will happen.

Conclusion

We must be willing to “take up [our] cross daily and follow [Christ]” (Luke 9:23). For some, this has meant giving up their lives for the Lord. With the changes that are taking place in our society, it is possible that in the future it could mean this for us as well. No matter what is in store for our future, we must be willing to surrender our lives for the Lord so that we can have something far better in the next life.


*After posting this article, I received the following comment from Brother Bill Reeves that I thought was helpful.

“Martyr” = transliteration of Greek term, martus = witness (e.g., Rom. 9:1, God is my witness. Is God dead?). Since many N.T. witnesses died for their faith, we associate death with “martyr.” But, there is no death in “martus.”

In our modern usage we think of a martyr as one who has died, but that was not necessarily inherent in the Greek term. However, that was the fate of the examples considered in this article.


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Comments

  1. Bobby McPherson says

    Thanks for painting this upcoming holiday in such a much wider perspective. When we consider the points that were made it should help us be more thankful for those we read about that have taken a stand for God and the real threats that a stand for God may bring. We remember our Lord each first day of the week as he commanded so let us also from time to time consider the other many examples of faith so our faith may be made stronger.