Would you? Would I?
A study group I’m part of recently looked at Acts chapter 12. The incident that opens the chapter is the murder of the apostle James by Herod. This was part of a broad wave of persecution: “About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword.” (Acts 12:1-2)
A brief historical aside: There are multiple people called “Herod” in the gospels and Acts. The Herod when Jesus was born was “Herod the Great”; he ordered the slaughter of the children in the area of Bethlehem. The Herod later on, during Jesus’s ministry, was “Herod Antipas”; he beheaded John the Baptist, and Jesus appeared before him the night of his arrest. The Herod in Acts 12 is “Herod Agrippa”, the nephew of Antipas; he instigated this persecution and killed James. (Later on in Acts there is another “Agrippa”, who is this “Herod’s” son.)
These men, given the title of “king” by Roman emperors but still subject to Rome, had the power of life and death. They could do anything they wanted. They could and did murder God’s people.
We should note that there are also multiple men named James. The Acts writer helps us identify the correct one, calling this one “the brother of John”. This James and John were the “sons of Zebedee” in the gospels. They had been fishermen until they were called by Jesus.
James was a blue-collar working man with limited education and no social standing. Why go after him? Why murder him? Well as we know, he and the other apostles weren’t any longer engaged in their former occupations. They were now the very visible leaders of the church, which was growing at a rate that alarmed both the Jewish leadership and the Romans. These believers were proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, the Jewish Messiah, which the Jewish leaders felt threatened their position. They were proclaiming him as Lord, indeed as King, which Herod saw as a threat. It’s really not surprising that these powerful people, feeling threatened, exercised their power trying to erase the threat.
An important question is raised here. Would you continue publicly proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord, if it meant risking your life? Would I?
There are believers in some parts of the world who face this exact question. The apostle Paul faced it—he details his “imprisonments, countless beatings, often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned…” (2 Corinthians 11:23-25) And that wouldn’t be all—he wasn’t done with his preaching. Eventually, he would be killed for it.
Remarkably, given all this, he wrote, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Paul directly obeyed the Lord’s command, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44)
I do pray for those in authority, that they allow us to live peaceful, quiet, godly lives. That those who do now persecute believers may stop doing so. That those who are suffering such persecution may be spared, that their faith may endure.
Would your faith endure it? Would mine?
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)
Blessed. Would you feel that way about it? Would I?
This isn’t an academic question. Jesus warned that persecutions would come, particularly at the “last days”. Take a look at Matthew 10:16-22 and 24:9-14. In both places he concludes, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” Not every believer will have to endure persecution, but on the other hand there is no guarantee that any of us will be spared. As Peter says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12)
We need to be mentally and spiritually prepared, so that we are ready to endure to the end, no matter what comes our way—ridicule, discrimination, job loss, threats, even actual violence. Would you be prepared? Would I? It’s something for us to think about, pray about, talk about.
But not, I think, in a gloomy way. Think about, pray about, talk about how we can feel blessed if we face any of that. How we can feel like we’ve joined the prophets and the apostles. How we can keep on proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ.
Love, Paul