“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The second-century Christian, Tertullian, was reflecting upon the persecution of his fellow believers by the power of the Roman Empire. Tertullian was noting that, while Rome might slaughter those who follow Jesus, the witness of these martyrs would be used by God not to crush the Church, but to strengthen and grow it. This counter-intuitive idea, that persecuting believers increases the spread of the Gospel rather than diminish it, has many biblical and historical parallels.
Early in the book of Acts the disciples are told that they would spread the Gospel “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). However, in the early chapters of Acts we see the disciples stuck in Jerusalem. What prompted them to spread into the surrounding countryside and eventually beyond? The persecution of the martyr Stephen and the rest of the church (Acts 7-8). The beheading of the Apostle James (Acts 12) ultimately drove the disciples to depart Jerusalem and proclaim the Gospel throughout the world.
It is arguably true that the most powerful witness and force in spreading the Gospel is the Word of God, and some of the most influential texts in Scripture are Paul’s epistles, particularly his “prison epistles.” These books, Paul’s letters to the Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon, come to us because Paul was in prison, arrested and ultimately executed for his faith. And yet, while awaiting his fate at the hands of the Roman Empire, Paul authors some of the most influential writings in the entire world.
Very specifically, Paul writes to the Philippian church, “What has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12, part of our text for this week). He goes on to explain that, because of his arrest, he is able to preach to a “captive audience,” the soldiers who oversee his imprisonment; significantly, these very soldiers were close to Caesar’s family and to Caesar himself.
This pattern is taken up in early Church history as the power, hatred and wrath of the Roman Empire was directed against the Faith. Emperor Nero’s scapegoating of Christians, including the crucifixion of so many and the beheading of the Apostle Paul, should have squashed the Church, yet it flourished in the following decades. The martyrdom of Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin, Fabian, Sebastian, Perpetua, Felicity and so many others, rather than squelching the church, their suffering served to spread far and wide the power of faith in Jesus Christ. [For a taste and feel of the power of their witness, I suggest the inspirational collection of martyr stories, John Foxe, Book of the Martyrs].
Of course, this seed of the Church continues today. With great sorrow and sadness, yet with the hope of the advancement of the Gospel, we recognize the continual sacrifice of our brothers and sisters worldwide during the ongoing persecution of Christians. All believers should have some prayerful awareness of the work of the organization, Voice of the Martyrs. A quick look online reveals the growth of the Church in China following its attempted extermination during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Perhaps one of the most moving, inspiring and awe-inducing stories of the recent advance of the Gospel despite persecution is extremely well-told in Chuck Colson’s, The Body, a story of the Romanian Revolution at the end of the Cold War. I can’t recommend it enough.
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This truism, that the Gospel advances in God’s hands, despite the powers of Hell raging against it, is well captured again by our text this week. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Let us, as a church family, gather in worship together this Sunday.
Read Philippians 1:12-18.
- Verse 12: “what happened to me” is a reference to his arrest, imprisonment and upcoming trial. How would you characterize Paul’s emotional response to this situation? In what ways might Paul’s response be exemplary for you?
- Verse 13-14: “imperial guard” speaks of Paul’s imprisonment. He was literally chained to a Roman soldier 24 hours a day. Yet, how does Paul speak of this “imprisonment?” Metaphorically, where might you speak of an “imprisonment?” How might Paul’s response influence your own?
- Verse 15: “preach out of envy” speaks of the motives of proclaiming Christ. Why in the world would someone preach “out of envy?” What might that even look like? How could you identify someone who is doing that?
- Verse 16: “defense of the Gospel” speaks of Paul’s view of his arrest. How is his arrest and imprisonment a “defense of the Gospel?” How might your own difficult circumstances serve as a “defense of the Gospel?”
- Verse 18: “Christ is proclaimed” speaks of the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Can you sense Paul’s enthusiasm here? What must be sacrificed in order to embrace this kind of enthusiasm?
By Henry Knapp